Re: MIT LiPo4 Battery breakthrough promises 100-fold boost in performance
A "charger" could be something as simple as another (presumably larger) bank of batteries that runs at a slightly higher voltage than the target pack. Hook up the cables, then activate the "Mother of all Contactors" for a quick charge.
Kind of like filling an O2 bottle from a bigger bottle...
I'm actually thinking about a setup like this for our next house (within the next year). When we move in, I want to include a solar array in the purchase price, possibly including a bank of backup batteries for full off-grid operation. If I can make us 100% off-grid, and if the additional investment only raises the mortgage payment by the amount of my estimated utilities today, then I'm money ahead in the long run (as energy prices rise and my mortgage stays the same). At 4% interest on a 20 year loan, adding (for example) $60,000 to your mortgage increases your monthly payment by about $360. Not counting any subsidies / tax credits at all, that's enough to fund a 20Kw grid tie system (parts only, DIY). That's about 4,000 Kw/Hrs/Month of energy (Atlanta area, averaged over a year), more than even most well-sized homes use and already less per month than I'm paying for utilities averaged over a year.
Last edited by PhantomPholly; 10-11-2011 at 01:48 PM.
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