Mr Solar's newsletter

                                MR. SOLAR'S NEWSLETTER          March 1997

                                        Volume 2 - Number 7 > issue # 19
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        Special note - this is our 19th newsletter  -  if you miss getting
one let us know as we will re-send it - our mailing sometimes goes astray -
and we want those that have requested this to get it.
        If you want to see others they are posted on our "Current article"
section and then they  are moved to the "article section" every few months.
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Home page (over 5 MB  of information) -
http://www.netins.net/showcase/solarcatalog/
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Email - MrSolar@netins.net (Charlie Collins)
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What's included  :-)
        < From Me to You
        < Bug area
        < Mr. Solar's Current Column
        < Mr. Solar's Web Page Update
        < What's New
        < Sale Items
        < Jobs Wanted + Used Items On Sale and wanted items + etc.(your
free listings area)
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=46rom me to You
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                We have added a new line of solar panel racks by Universal
Post Mount. We have added these to our line because for the first time you
are able to install more than one brand of solar panel on your rack as
these will accept different models as well as different sizes. This means
that if you want to install siemens on 1/2 of your rack and use the other
side for Solarex you may do so. Check this out as you will find that they
are stronger and therefore we feel better than the others on the market.
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                Check out our new 50KW wind turbine on our wind page in the
catalogue area - quite impressive with its 49 foot rotor diameter ! ! ! !
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                        We are VERY happy to let you  know about the
following and will put you in contact with them if you are in the need of
funds for your project in your developing country. Their investment range
is from  $100,000.00 to $750,000.00. For more information email us and put
. . . . . moneys - developing country   . . . .. . in your subject area and
perhaps you will be able to go ahead with your project.
                Environmental Enterprises Assistance Fund, Inc. is a
non-profit organization that operates as a venture capital fund; it
provides long term risk capital and management assistance to
environmentally beneficial businesses in developing countries, where such
capital is otherwise unavailable. EEAF was established in 1990 to invest in
these businesses while helping to build receptive in-country capital
markets. It has become a leading implementor in the practice of sustainable
development.

        Investment Guidelines: Industry:
Six areas of primary interest include:
=85 Renewable Energy      =85 Nature Tourism
=85 Energy Efficiency     =85 Recycling
=85 Sustainable   =85 Pollution Abatement
                They are operating in Developing countries only. Have
offices in Arlington, Va., Costa Rica (for all of Central America),
Indonesia, and the Philippines, and are launching activities in Mexico,
Brazil and India
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                Some of you may have or planing to change your servers as I
am aware there has been changes with Juno and AOL has had some problems -
PLEASE let us know of your new address when you change so that we can
change your address on our mailing list - that way you will not be
forgotten :-)
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        It is our desire to have happy and satisfied customers. We have had
extensive experience with
many products and realize that some have problems. We want to offer you
ONLY "best quality"
items - therefore we have dropped the problem items. We are doing this so
that you  will KNOW that when you buy from us you are buying "only the
best" available .
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        We drop your name from our mailing list as your provider advises us
that you are not available. However at times some of these requests have
been wrong and consequently we may have dropped you by mistake. Therefore
if you do not receive your newsletter and you still want it PLEASE email us
and let us know as we want to keep you informed of the newest in solar
electricity.
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                                < The  Bug Area >
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        It has been suggested that we should have an area of "bugs" or
where you can express your unhappiness with any solar product
                        - so that others may know of your problems -
        So if you have a problem with some piece of equipment and you feel
that you are getting the run around from the manufacturer - let us know the
details and we may put it in our newsletter -
        Maybe with a little pressure the manufacturers will do more to help
the us - the "little guys" their customers - at least we hope so . . . . .
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                        < Mr. Solar's Current Column>
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                        LIVING OFF THE  GRID

        How complicated is it to have a home in remote locations and still
enjoy life - or do we need to go back to the "cave days"? What exactly do
you mean that it is possible to live "off" the grid and still enjoy all of
the city toys.
        Jane Deanglo, Houston Texas

Dear Ms. Deanglo:

        We have lived off the grid for the past 22 years and still enjoy
the many benefits which our "city" friends have. Yes it was rather
completed at first as 22 years age there was little information and
equipment available for "off the grid living" but with a little ingenuity
and perseverance we have acquired a very comfortable life style today.
        We installed our system because the local power company wanted us
to pay a very large hook up charge and then agree to buy electricity for
many years at a minimum monthly amount. Currently I understand that they
want to charge a remote customer $10.00 per foot to bring electricity. In
our case this would be well over $100,000.00 for their hook up. Since we
wanted to live on 240 acres atop this mesa over-looking Zion National Park
we had no real choice but to go with some form of alternative energy.
        If we were going to do it today as you are considering it would be
a piece of cake. Fran and I have adapted to this life style and wouldn't
want to go back to the grid life.
        I say adapted as there are several misconceptions which many people
have about this life style. We generate our electricity with solar
electrical panels. We have found that this is a very clean form of energy
for lights as well as it gives us the ability to use our washing machine,
dish washer, trash compactor, 19 cubic foot refrigerator, computors, and of
course our home entertainment center. So I would NOT say that we are
suffering any and certainly do not live in the "cave format" as it has been
suggested by many.
        I understand from our city friends that they are without
electricity  for  a few minutes or hours several times a month. Then when
there is a natural disaster they may be out of electricity for  days on
end. I am very proud to say that we have never been without electricity
sense we installed our system here at the Do It for one second. I mean that
we have no brown outs, black outs or power interruptions, just dependable
clean pollution free power.
        Years ago when we installed our system there was not much
information as well as equipment available for the home owner to pick from.
However today  you will find that you have a great choice of available
equipment as well as it is so designed so that it "fits together" very easy
and it does not take a electrical engineer graduate from some ivy league
college to install it - actually you can do it yourself, providing your
local codes allow it.
        The basic solar electrical system consists of three major parts.
                You will need to generate you  power form solar electrical
panels, power, hydro or a fossil fuel plant.
                You will then store your generated electrical power in very
large battereis so that you will have electricity 24 hours a day.
                Then you install an inverter which is a device which
changes your stored DC electricity into fuser friendly AC power.
        This is a very simple description of our system, however it is
complete as outlined, however we have some gadgets so that we are aware of
what is happening. The meter gadget is as easy to understand as your auto
gas gauge. It lets you know when you have plenty of stored gasoline for
your cursing as does our Emeter tell us that we have plenty of electricity
to do what we wish. Our system is completely automatic that means that our
solar panels automatically charge our battereis to their maximum load level
and that our inverter is available for providing us with our needs when we
flip the switch.
        You now are able to turn on a light or appliance and presto you
have electricity through your inverter and you are Free from a monthly bill
or any worry about brown outs or black outs.
        Ms. Deanglo, you see we did it and now we are VERY happy to have
made the plunge. You can do it also as I am sure you are aware that your
choices for property are much greater as well as cheaper beyond the grid.
Now if you have any questions we will be happy to help you through the
change of life form the grid to a self-reliance life style.
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Please send your question  in and who knows  - - - -  we may use it :-)
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        Mr. Solar's Web update - (now over 5  MB of information)
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                we are adding the following to our WWW page
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                As of April 1st the following Catalogue pages have been upda=
ted
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Solar panels - updated prices
Solar racks - added a new line of racks
=46ossil Generator section - added a "quite box" for Onan generators
Wind page - added a LARGE 50 KW wind mill
Inverter page - reduced Heart prices
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If you have any suggestions of how I can make this newsletter or our www
page better or easier for the reader please let me know. I want to help and
educate others about using alternative electricity as well as other
applications using the sun for a more carefree lifestyle.
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 > > Price $399.00
        The Link 1000 battery monitor provides complete battery
state-of-charge information for a single battery bank and controls the
=46reedom Inverter/Charger.  Maximize the electrical system from on panel.
Easy to see red, yellow and green display shows battery status, Volts,
Amps, Amp-hours Consumed and Time Remaining.

                        Link 20 > > > Price $445.00
        The Link 20 battery monitor provides complete battery status
information for two battery banks simultaneously using multi-color LED bar
graphs.  Monitor your batteries for maximum performance, efficiency and
accuracy.  The Link 20 selectively displays Volts, Amps, Amp-hours
Consumed, and Time Remaining.  Advanced set up and function keys allow for
precise monitoring of important battery information including deepest
discharge, number of recharge cycles and average discharge.
                We will add these meters to our page in a few days
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Zomeworks announced that they now have available at an additional cost of
10% the R134A fluid which is a non chlorinated compound and therefore
environmentally friendly.
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                                <  Sale Items <
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Go to sale page - you will find the following at a good buy from April 1st
to 3rd. - however you may order now as you got this information from our
newsletter :-)
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HELIOTROPE CONTROLS

All of helotrope products will be sold during this peroiod for 0.75 of the
list pirce

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All of the above are plus shipping
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BE PREPARED :-) - - May -  - we will be offering specials on:

Solarex Solar Panels


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        Jobs Wanted + Wanted items + Used Items On Sale + etc.(your free
listings area)
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        We are in the process of installing information about solar hot
water / heat and if you have any feed back on good equipment we would like
to know about it  as we want to offer only the BEST - - - also if you have
any information about the savings of using solar heating as compared to
electrical / propane / natural gas / or fuel oil I would appreciate it -
thanks
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                        Have a great day :-)   Charlie AKA Mr Solar