To many of us batteries are just things we have to remember to charge in smartphones and laptops. Not to mention black boxes under auto hoods that go ‘dead’ mysteriously in the middle of winter. We replace batteries regularly in gate and door motors so we can come and go as we wish. This familiar world is changing. We are learning to live with bigger batteries and this is happening fast.
Learning to Live with Bigger Batteries Off-Grid
The storm damage from Hurricane Harvey is horrendous. We’ll attach a link to a news report in case you read this post a week later or are in another country. Emergency services will be relying on battery back-up systems until grid power is back on.
People living in remote areas may have to wait longer, unless they have capacity to live off-grid with renewables. As climate change rolls over us like storm clouds approaching, more homeowners are set to turn to solar and wind for independent solutions.
Learning to live with bigger batteries for storage takes adjustments. We have to find somewhere safe to keep our wind or solar battery, and get used to extra cabling and DC-AC voltage rectifiers in our homes.
Tips to Know About Charging Electric Cars at Home
The U.K. National Grid has cautioned citizens not to boil their electric kettles while charging their electric cars. This advice also applies to other high-demand items like microwaves and electric ovens.
They are concerned the combined load could exceed installed capacity. This will cause the house electrics to trip unless there is a 100 amp main fuse.
The authorities estimate a 3.5-kilowatt charger could take 19 hours to charge an electric auto. Even an 11-kilowatt one might take 6 hours. It seems part of the process of learning to live with bigger batteries might include buying a camping gas stove. Then we can fry up a breakfast and make a pot of tea while the auto charges. How ironic, amidst all this technology.
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Preview Image: Eye of Hurricane Harvey
