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I Thought This Forum Was About Alternate Energy

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bryan1

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Well guy's an gal's since this subject of alternate energy has been added to this forum hardly if any new threads have had anything to do with alternate energy. I have made up a thread which has been made a sticky but not one thread has been raised which has braced any of the links I put up. Maybe I could be out of line here but let's make this part of the forum for decent threads dealing with alternate energy.

Just my thoughts

Cheers Bryan ;)
 
bryan1 said:
Well guy's an gal's since this subject of alternate energy has been added to this forum hardly if any new threads have had anything to do with alternate energy. I have made up a thread which has been made a sticky but not one thread has been raised which has braced any of the links I put up. Maybe I could be out of line here but let's make this part of the forum for decent threads dealing with alternate energy.

I think you're being a little naive Bryan?, the types of posts here are EXACTLY what I would expect - mostly fictional rubbish about what are basically 'perpetual energy' schemes, getting more power out than you put in.
 
Alternative Energy is everything beyond what is sold comercially. It's an attempt to free one's self from the gas pump and electrical grid. You can't expect to limit it to just a few topics, such as : wind, solar, hydroelectric, hydrogen, fuel cells, alcohol, methane, hemp oil. Well, you get the point, it's a very broad topic. Some areas work better for some people, some are a little to technical or dangerous for the average 'Joe'. Most involve a substantial investment to get started. The cost of gas and electricity is getting way too expensive for most people (may have to give up those fancy cell phones...). So people are looking for ways to cut their living expenses, a lot of people. This of course, is very fertile ground for the criminal element. There are a lot of scams, and it so easy. Not many people are as interested in the technical stuff beyond programming their cell phones, and the word "free" always appeals to the weak and gready.

This is thread is a vey good idea, it will help shut down some of those scams. Save some people time, money, and embarassment of getting taken in.

You might not like reading about all these "fantasy" machines and processes, but it's one man's dream, that changes the world...
 
I think it's a legit question and I have a slightly more than passing interest in the sujbect. Alternate does not equal crazy. There will be joe-cell posts but i was hoping to see more posts on such topics as:
- solar power management. sun tracking. battery charging. solar cell selection issues and so on.
- wind power. this area is ripe. something I'd like to understand is managing power based on wind speed (switching coil configuration and so on).
- fuel cells.
- storage battery issues and management

yes, I could go research each area but, like I said, my interest is just a bit more than passing. maybe reading more postings would push my interest level up a bit.
 
Yeah, I'd like to see more practical applications of proven resources. I'm getting into solar myself, since its the most plentiful form of "free-energy" in Florida. Mostly small low voltage stuff. I have a 12 foot satelite dish and some shiny mylar packaging wrap (insulated pallets of frozen products at work, its thrown away daily...). Just curious if I can get over 212 degrees F from it to boil water. Would be very cool to get 460-500 degrees (melt lead alloys, pewter).

Anyway, Alternative/Free Energy will continue to be a cautious topic. People will see amazing claims and ask 'Joe Cell' questions. Some will even fool you, like a new, breakthrough material for solar panels, or a radical new windmill design. Start threads about topics that interest you. Share some info on new developments. It's a fast moving field, even without all the hoaxes and scams.

Are you currently working on a project? Share your progress, or ask for advice. Sure, the Brits will rip into you sometimes, let them (its all they have to make them feel important, cultural thing).

When you see a 'Joe Cell' or 'Cosmic energy' post, don't take it personally, they are usually amusing anyway. Most of these people don't read through before spueing anyway. The mystery gas from the Joe Cell was called Orgone Gas, which I did a search and found that Orgone is some theoretic energy like life-energy. Metaphysics and physics don't mix... Amusing stuff, went on for weeks.

I do believe the 'Laws of Physics' and such are condense/simplified versions of the real world. Easier for the masses to accept. So, there are probably plenty of exceptions to be taken advanage of, or variables that didn't seem to matter enough to be included in the origional laws, but could be useful now. Got to keep an open mind, but be careful.
 
how's this

I would love to find a way to re-use my spent gases (flatulations).
Any thoughts, I have a couple thoughts but would love some ideas...
 
bioborg said:
I would love to find a way to re-use my spent gases (flatulations).
Any thoughts, I have a couple thoughts but would love some ideas...
first you need a collection tube. you'll have to try different ones to see which works best. make sure it goes in a good distance and has a snug seal. When you've got that part figured out, we'll help you on the next step.
 
I guess I'm guilty of not using this thread, but I don't think it was here when I first started the project.

Few months ago I started with solar cells, NiMh batteries, and a night switch. All the questions I had went to the 'projects' catagory. Basically, I needed a 9 volt solar garden light type set up to run several night time ideas I have.

The solar/battery section isn't really the biggest concern, there is plenty of information on such small scale projects.

For 'Alternative Energy', I would think on a grander scale. Solar panels to power much in my house would be cost prohibitive. How much to power this computer, CRT, laserprinter? I'm guessing $2k+. Basically if you've money sitting around, and years to wait for it to pay for it self...

Wind power... Here in Florida we kind of go from one extreme to the other in that department. Its either little or no breeze at all (and hot as hell), or it's a huricane. Even the rainy season thunderstorms can kick up some very strong winds. On the average, it wouldn't be to reliable and very low yield around here prone to frequent costly repairs.

Hydroelectric? We really don't have rivers and streams around here. Mostlly they are more like canals, used to regulate the levels of the lakes (mostly man made...).

So, where does this leave me, when it comes to affordable alternative energy? This is why a lot of people are going to stumble on these cheap to build 'free-energy' schemes, and want to know more, or get a better educated veiw on the design, before investing time and money.

Alternative Energy = Free/Cheap Energy, and this is the basis/hook for almost every scam out there, people hope to get something for nothing.

If you want to keep this thread going, you need to quit complaining and start educating. This forum can't be your only source of information. When you read something interesting, post the link. If someone post something you believe fictional or a scam, research it and post links.

I do believe there are other energy sources out there besides what we currently pay for, or generally have access to. Remember the 'Cold-Fusion' stir we had a few years ago? Was this actually a hoax? Or did they get paid off? The hydrogen fuel cell, remember a lot of skeptics back in the early days, now cars running on water...

Point is, don't be so arguementitve, you have the right to your opinion (in America anyway...), and so do everyone else. Just because something seems to be fictional, goesn't always make it so. Truth is, there is going to be a lot of strange and amazing claims in Alternative Energy, most are going to be hoaxes or scams, and it sucks doing research over nothing. If you don't understand something, check it out before you spout off.
 
There is a line between alternative energy and "quack science". It is clear to qualified engineers/scientists but there are some people who won't understand it no matter how much you try to explain it.

Quack science is false results from bad lab procedures, a theory of an invalid principle that a person has due to lack of education, or more often simple deliberate fraud.

Quack science is a complete waste of time and discredits real alternative energy efforts.

anything violating Conservation Of Energy= quack science
anything violating Laws Of Thermodynamics, including reversing entropy= quack science.
Wildly successful results that they haven't provided proper documentation of, despite the inherent value of the claims= quack science
gasoline saving devices= generally quack science, actually no, just simple frauds.
Things that are so obvious in a well-researched field, yet they claim to have discovered something revolutionary yet the real industry has shown no interest in-> pretty likely to be quackery
 
Oznog said:
There is a line between alternative energy and "quack science". It is clear to qualified engineers/scientists but there are some people who won't understand it no matter how much you try to explain it.

Quack science is false results from bad lab procedures, a theory of an invalid principle that a person has due to lack of education, or more often simple deliberate fraud.

Quack science is a complete waste of time and discredits real alternative energy efforts.

anything violating Conservation Of Energy= quack science
anything violating Laws Of Thermodynamics, including reversing entropy= quack science.
Wildly successful results that they haven't provided proper documentation of, despite the inherent value of the claims= quack science
gasoline saving devices= generally quack science, actually no, just simple frauds.
Things that are so obvious in a well-researched field, yet they claim to have discovered something revolutionary yet the real industry has shown no interest in-> pretty likely to be quackery

I wish it was all so simple, but then it would really limit new discoveries. The Laws of Physics got incrediably more complex between high school and college, and even then I got the feel we were only just getting started. I'm guessing that these laws were greatly simplified. There might be a few useful exceptions that we now can make some use of. Perpetual motion... Remember many that failed do to gravity and friction. I space, perhaps these could be of some value after all.

Gas saving devices... How much gas vapor is exhausted from the average automobile? Internal combustion has never been an efficient use of fuel. At first, who cared, it was plentiful and cheap. And now its highly profitable, who really knows about how scarce its becoming.

What percentage of the forum participants are engineers or research scientists? The line you first mentioned isn't very wide, and a lot of grey (not your hair...).

People will do what they want, regardless how many posts telling them its a hoax. Who cares, everybody needs a hobby. Least you get the satisfaction of know that you spotted the scam, and of course get to say, 'told you so'...

Best anybody can hope to do is share information, and hope the readers make intelligent choices.
 
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