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A lot of suggestions to go solar. I have no experience with solar but I would think it would be very susceptible to flying debris or the panels themselves going airborne. You don't get much flying stuff with a cat 1 but starting with upper range cat 2s stuff starts going airborne. How do you protect them in that scenario? Is it reasonable to take them down and store them? I have seen plenty solar water heaters blown off roofs. Even with solar I think I'd still want a generator as they're not likely to blow away. Start getting into cat 4s and I'm thinking the only concern is going to be having a good safe room. Everything else will be irrelevant. I know my house (CBS) will survive a cat 3 but not without damage. Of course all bets are off if an embedded tornado is encountered and they are common.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Posts: 789
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Joined: Oct 2013
Perhaps its time there was a discussion of co-op solar generation in neighborhoods. Right now its illegal to do such, not that helco has not been trying to get their system running but there should be an option where a block of people could pool resources to put in solar/wind/genset for all the houses and pay the co-op .07 Kwh for maintenance fees.
Next, while the albizia need to go. Go now while there are so many already gone. I think it would be possible to hire a team of search and destroyers to eradicate the specie on the island over the next year or two.
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.. that off - grid is the way to go! Also, albizias need to go.. driving around I see so many keiki albizias... how easy would it be for us to get out and 'snip snip'?
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quote:
Originally posted by oink
A lot of suggestions to go solar. I have no experience with solar but I would think it would be very susceptible to flying debris or the panels themselves going airborne. You don't get much flying stuff with a cat 1 but starting with upper range cat 2s stuff starts going airborne. How do you protect them in that scenario? Is it reasonable to take them down and store them? I have seen plenty solar water heaters blown off roofs. Even with solar I think I'd still want a generator as they're not likely to blow away. Start getting into cat 4s and I'm thinking the only concern is going to be having a good safe room. Everything else will be irrelevant. I know my house (CBS) will survive a cat 3 but not without damage. Of course all bets are off if an embedded tornado is encountered and they are common.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
If your solar panels are installed by a professional they are rated to stay put in winds up to 100 mph or 150 mph, something along those lines. At any rate they will stay put and if a tree falls and smashes them it was going to smash your roof anyway. You are supposed to cut back any trees that lay shadows across the panels anyway so there should be no reason for a large tree to be close to the house if you have your panels setup right.
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100 mph would certainly be insufficient as a Cat 1 will likely have gusts exceeding that. I'd suggest having a generator. I'm not knocking solar and having solar would sure be cheaper than feeding a generator but I just don't have your confidence that solar will survive unless it can be taken down and stored safely until the storm has passes. I've heard some pretty loud wacks to my house from debris that I would imagine would destroy a solar panel.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.
Posts: 1,679
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Joined: Dec 2005
I wonder how much efficiency would be lost if the face of the solar panel was treated/coated with the material they put on windows to make them tougher in hurricane areas?
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I know some in the Carib that wrap their panel arrays with Hurricane fabric or batten them during a storm, there are also flexible panels that a lot of sailboats have on board
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i'd like the power lines to be put underground
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quote:
Originally posted by rainyjim
i'd like the power lines to be put underground
That could take awhile living on a rock! LOL At least you wouldn't have to worry about "frost heave"!!!
Posts: 1,975
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Here's some to peruse about underground lines -
http://www.hawaiianelectric.com/vcmconte...-Lines.pdf
-from the horse's mouth.
