By A Renewable Energy Enthusiast

How many rechargeable batteries do you use at home? We use rechargeable batteries in most of our electrical devices such as cordless phone, MP3 player, remote control, digital cameras etc because it is much cheap to use compared to regular batteries.

Cost wise, rechargeable batteries are definitely much more expensive. It makes sense to take care of the batteries so it will last for a long time.

The following is a list of 5 easy tips you can use to extend the life of NiCd or NiMh batteries.

1) Do not overcharge.

This is a very important point. Do not leave the battery in the charger for more than a day after it has been fully charged. Remove the battery when you see the “Full” indicator on the charger.

Even when the charger has an automatic cut off feature, do not leave it in the charging unit. Overcharging is very bad for your battery’s longevity.

2) Regular full discharge cycle.

When possible, discharge the battery fully at least once a month. You can do this by running the battery down in the equipment until it is dead.

The reason for the full discharge is to prevent the “memory effect“ of the battery.

3) Do not discharge before recharge.

The older type of rechargeable batteries need to be discharged fully every time before recharge. Do not do this with the current type of rechargeable batteries.

Constant discharging will put undue stress on the battery which will reduce its lifespan.

4) Keep the battery cool.

Do not let the battery to be too hot when charging. When charging, it should raise the temperature of the battery a little and them it should cool off when fully charged.

Charge the battery around room temperature. Excessive heat may cause the battery to explore!

5) Use quality charger.

Finally, it pays to use a high quality battery charger. A battery charger should be able to charge AA and AAA batteries simultaneously. Preferably, choose a model with heat monitor to prevent overcharging.

A good battery charger recommended is the La Crosse Technology BC-9009 AlphaPower.

Rechargeable Battery Reconditioning Guide

Are there any ways to bring a dead rechargeable battery back to life? Some batteries can be reconditioned to bring it back to service.

For a step by step battery reconditioning guide, check out the DIY Recondition Battery Guide at www.reconditionbattery.com. The information in the manual will save you hundreds of dollar on rechargeable batteries.

==> Click here to visit Battery Recondition Guide now!

Related web page:
1) Solar Panel Battery Charger For Sale at Amazon.com

When I was doing my research on the internet on the subject of home renewable energy, I came across an e-book called Magniwork Magnetic Generator. The first time I saw it, I didn’t give much attention to it and moved on.

Recently, I have been seeing a lot of advertisement about the magnetic generator guide on many renewable energy related web sites. There were also a lot of ads popping up on the Google search results. That got me curious. So I decided to dig further. And yes…I did take out my credit card and bought the manual.

Why did I buy the Magniwork e-book? Since, the guide was offered under Clickbank, if I didn’t like the content, I can always ask them for a full refund. That’s one of the reason I like buying information product on the web. There’s not much risk on my side. I don’t think I can return a book to Barnes and Nobel or Borders store after I read a book that I didn’t like.

My first thought when I’ve downloaded the e-book was, “is the Magniwork magnetic generator concept a scam?” The manual teaches people how to generate free energy by using the forces of magnets. Is it a guide to make a perpetual motion generator?

As far as I know, that kind of technology does not exist or it is simply impractical. That actually drove my curiosity even more.

It took me only about an hour to read through the manual. It’s pretty interesting, I must say. The Magniwork manual claims you can make a magnetic dynamo by placing strong magnets on specific location.

The “attraction” and “repelling” forces of magnets will generate potential kinetic energy to spin a flywheel. The flywheel can be connected to an electric generator (similar to a generator used on a bicycle) to produce electricity.

Honestly, I am not sure if the kinetic forces produced by the magnets are capable of spinning the core of the generator. There’s a lot of resistance there.

The videos that come with the Magniwork manual do show a very simple magnet generator apparatus. But how much power is produced by the system is still not very clear.

So, what is my conclusion? Is the Magniwork magnet generator concept a fraud? Well, I did learn something new from the manual and I believe there is some value in it.

Can you use a magnet generator to power all your home electrical appliances? Unfortunately, that is only a pipe dream.

Perpetual motion generator is a myth. For that kind of technology to become a reality, we have to find a way to solve the “friction” issue first.

So, what is the Magniwork e-book good for? If you have a kid looking for ideas for a school science project, the magnetic generator concept will definitely attract a lot of attention from his teachers and friends. People might even think he is the next Albert Einstein.

==> Click here to read more about Magniwork now!

Other related web pages:
1) Earth 4 Energy Scam – Is Michael Harvey’s Earth4Energy A Fraud?

2) Green DIY Energy Review – Is Green DIY Energy Another Scam?

3) Power 4 Home Review – A Complete Review of John Russel Power4Home

I have been re-reading my copy of Michael Harvey’s Earth 4 Energy e-book to get some idea for a new blog post.

I came across the chapter where Michael wrote about the “Grid Intertied Solar Electric System” and “Net Metering”. I thought that would be an interesting topic…well for solar power enthusiasts anyway.

For those who are new to the realm of home solar power system, the grid intertied and net metering topics might be foreign to you. I will try to explain them in more detail.

Generally, as you know, a residential solar power unit uses solar cells to generate electricity from the sun energy. The electric power will go through many electrical components such as charge controller, AC breaker, meter gauges, battery bank, power inverter etc before it reaches the load or the electrical appliances.

Do you know the solar energy system does not have to be independent?

An independent solar system is totally disconnected from any external power circuit or grid. There are multiple pros and cons by having an independent system.

Usually, this kind of system is not chosen by choice. Home owners may have to use this system if there is no power grid nearby or it will cost too much to pull a new set of cables.

The independent system is 100 percent dependent on the sun for energy. As you can see, there may be some disadvantages in using this system. What happens during cloudy or rainy days? No sunlight, no power.

Tying Into The Power Grid

For a home solar power system to be more practical, some home owner will tie the system to the existing power grid. Hence, the name “Grid Intertied Solar Electric Systems”.

According to Earth4Energy, there are 3 types of grid tie-in solar systems.
1) On Grid
2) Grid-Tied
3) Utility Interactive

Selling Surplus Power Back To The Utility Company

One clear advantages that many home owners like about residential solar power system is the “net metering” or “net billing” effect. This happens when the amount of power generated by the solar system is more than enough to power the household appliances.

What do you do with the surplus power? You sell it back to the power utility company. The exchange happens when you notice the power meter is moving backwards.

When this happens, you will be getting credit on your future electricity bill. Not only are you saving money, you are making money by getting free energy from the sun.

Not all districts have this kind of arrangements. You have to consult with your local electricity provider or statutory regulatory agency for further information.

To experience the net metering effect, your home solar power system would have to be scaled up considerably. Meaning, you have to build larger solar arrays and have a bigger battery bank.

The amount of power generated has to be more than what you require on a daily basis. At this point, you have to consider your Return On Investment (ROI).

There are many other benefits of using a home solar power system. Michael Harvey wrote a comprehensive chapter in his Earth 4 Energy e-book.

If you want to know what you will get from Michael’s renewable energy manual, be sure to check out the Earth 4 Energy review page.

Other related pages:
1) Magniwork Review – Is Magniwork Generator System A Scam?

2) Green DIY Energy Review – Is Green DIY Energy Another Scam?