Oasis Montana Inc.
Renewable Energy Supply and Design
406-777-4321or 4309
e-mail: info@oasismontana.com
Home Page: www.oasismontana.com

Visit us on the web for product and project information!
For grid-tied power systems, www.grid-tie.com
Solar water pumping:  www.PVsolarpumps.com
Non-electric gas appliances, www.LPappliances.com
Efficient and DC appliances, www.eco-fridge.com
And our main page at www.oasismontana.com


GREETINGS FROM OUR SOLAR POWERED OFFICE!

We will have new winter hours starting November-March! 9am - 4pm MST

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NEWS LETTER INDEX:

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Protecting rare fish becomes easier with a solar power pumping and aeration system; the arctic grayling's habitat in the Big Hole River has been suffering due to drought, irrigation and livestock use of the river. Now we can keep more water in the river to protect these fish; check out our article and installation pictures here for a more information: http://www.pvsolarpumps.com/pumpaeration.htm. At present, the fish are slowly increasing in population as the water resource improves -- and more water-saving projects are planned for the future.

 

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The folks at Midnite Solar have been at it again! They have a new charge controller called the KID. It's a 30A MPPT (maximum power point tracking) controller, great for small renewable energy systems, allowing for true input paralleling. If your power needs increase, you can add more solar modules and another KID, giving you twice the power from a single array.

Features:

> Up to 30A battery output                                                           > Solar, wind or hydro modes
> No fan                                                                                       > MPPT tracking
> Reverse polarity protected                                                         > True paralleling; inputs and outputs for two KIDs
> 3 LED Bar Graph for battery status at a glance                           > Up to 150V input
> Keypad for menu items and set points                                        > Exclusive HyperVOC entends the input voltage above 150VOC for cold climates.
> Sealed for harsh environments                                                    > 12V, 24V, 36V, 48V Battery output, field selectable
> Made in Arlington, WA, USA                                                   > Lighting controller: dusk-dawn, hourly, day, night settings
> Dimensions: 9 1/4" x 5"H x 3 5/16"                                            > Weight: 6 lbs. (2.73 kgs)
> Cost: $399 + shipping                                                               > 2 year manufacturer's warranty

 
Marine Version:

These are also available as a marine/RV version ($499, includes marine mounting bracket, available in white or black); you can view more information about these excellent controllers at
http://www.midnitesolar.com/products.php?menuItem=products&productCat_ID=43&productCatName=Charge%20Controllers%20-%20KID

 

Midnite Solar is also in the testing stage of its new wind turbine; they are hoping to offer a one kilowatt model by spring. Rumor has it that it will be tough as nails, and suitable for battery charging solutions as well as for grid-tie power systems. Stay tuned for information about these exciting wind generators!

 

 

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For your hunting camp... It's hunting season here in Montana, as well as many other parts of the country! If your hunting cabin needs the right appliance to cool or cook your meat, we offer several sizes of non-electric gas refrigerators and freezers, as well as stoves that require no AC power (and will run off of a small battery pack of eight double A cells). Visit our gas appliance site at www.LPappliances.com for more information; if you find something of interest, call for your freight costs. The least expensive freight deal is if the appliance can ship to a commercial drop point (business that's 'on the beaten path' or a freight terminal) that has a dock or forklift. These appliances ship from the midwest and are not stocked locally.

         
 

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Solar power for RVs
Many people have added photovoltaic modules to the roof of their recreational vehicle, giving them added charging for their coach batteries to reduce or negate their generator run time. If you are powering lights, music, fans, water pump or perhaps a small microwave, solar power can be a very cost effective addition to your RV system. But, some folks do not want to compromise the integrity of their rig's roof, or they want to park in the shade to keep the vehicle cool, which is quite understandable (but not-so-great for solar power production)! If your power requirements are modest, a simple fix can be to add a 'leg' to the back of your solar module, so you can park in the shade and place your panel in the sun. We do this with our old Dodge camper van on our fishing trips, parking in the shade but placing our solar module in the sun, moving it around from time to time to keep it as perpendicular to the sun's rays as possible. That way we have plenty of power for our radio, DC water pump and ventilation fan. If you are considering adding solar to your RV or boat, give us a call to talk about the particulars. You can also view more information about these kinds of systems at http://www.oasismontana.com/RV_systems.html.

 

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Information on a little bit of everything. Have you checked out our resources page? Do you have an interest in solar water heating? Gardening tips? Hydro or wind power? Renewable energy news? Efficient products for the home and business? Alternative building ideas? Recycling? Cool projects for kids? If any of these have your interest, take a look at all the links at www.oasismontana.com/links.html for some help and information about almost any project you may wish to undertake. You can get ideas for making your automobile less of a gas guzzler; how to make you home or office less polluting; where you can take classes to learn to build a wind generator; how to build a well-insulated home addition; how to save on water use, or build a rainwater collection system....and many more! We simply can't sell everything, but we can provide interested people with the data to live better and more efficiently. Knowledge is power!

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Are you a Northwestern Energy electric customer? NWE is still offering grant opportunities for those who choose to invest in a wind or solar grid-tied power system. The amount of incentive depends on the project; we have applications for these grants that we can e-mail you, for residential or commercial endeavors, or you can contact NWE for the particulars at (888) 467-2669. Combined with the 30% federal tax credit and our $500 state tax credit, it can really bring down the cost of a solar power system--and you can start reaping the benefits of a lowered utility bill now. For those outside our service area or in other states, you can view what incentives may be available for you at www.dsireusa.org.

 

 

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Renewable Energy News Bites

Why lease solar modules when you can own them? http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/09/why-lease-solar-panels-when-you-can-own-them?cmpid=WNL-Wednesday-September17-2014

Unsubsidized renewables increasingly rival fossil fuels: http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/5-more-charts-that-prove-wind-and-solar-just-keep-getting-cheaper?utm_source=Daily&utm_medium=Headline&utm_campaign=GTMDaily

New Report Says Wind Turbines Repay Their Energy Footprint in Just 5 to 8 Months: http://aweablog.org/blog/post/new-report-wind-turbines-repay-their-energy-footprint-in-5-to-8-months

Federal Government Still Spending Billions to Subsidize Fossil Fuels: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/09/fossil-fuel-subsidies_n_5572346.html?utm_hp_ref=green&ir=Green&utm_hp_ref=green

Storm clouds gathering over the solar industry? Good article and discussion at http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/06/storm-clouds-gathering-over-the-us-solar-industry#comment-132819

Look at this tiny, efficient place: Joe's Truck House. http://tinyhouseswoon.com/joes-truck-house/ Very well-designed and very cool!

Here's an interesting article about how solar power is cutting grid costs: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2014/04/how-solar-is-cutting-grid-costs?cmpid=WNL-Friday-May2-2014

How often should your clean your solar modules? http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/05/listen-up-how-often-should-i-clean-my-solar-panels?cmpid=SolarNL-Saturday-May31-2014

On a good day, Germany makes 74% of its power from renewables: http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/05/13/3436923/germany-energy-records/

Cow poop makes clean water, natural gas and fertilizer: http://grist.org/list/crazy-contraption-turns-cow-poo-into-clean-water-fertilizer-and-natural-gas-ahem/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=update&utm_campaign=socialflow

The cost of coal keeps rising: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/23/1294126/-Duke-president-says-removing-toxic-ash-would-cost-10-billion-and-take-decades-which-is-too-much?detail=action

Electric vehicles and solar power- a great match: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2014/05/listen-up-buying-an-ev-and-charging-with-solar?cmpid=SolarNL-Saturday-May10-2014

 

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QUOTABLE QUOTES


"The things that unite us as a people are more important than the things that divide us. No particular interest group can prosper for long if the nation is disintegrating. Our agenda must be an agenda for all Americans – for the poor, the comfortable and those in between, for old and young, for black and white, for city dwellers and farmers, for men and women." -- John Gardner

“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.” -- Lauren DeStefano

"You can always count on Americans to do the right thing, after they tried everything else." -- Winston Churchill

"Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please." --Mark Twain

"When you are courting a nice girl, an hour seems like a second; when you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. That's relativity." --Albert Einstein

“Out of the long list of nature's gifts to man, none is perhaps so utterly essential to human life as soil.” -- Hugh Hammond Bennett

“October extinguished itself in a rush of howling winds and driving rain and November arrived, cold as frozen iron, with hard frosts every morning and icy drafts that bit at exposed hands and faces.” --J.K. Rowling

“Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world...would do this, it would change the earth.” --William Faulkner

"The fundamental cause of trouble in the world today is that the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt." -- Bertrand Russell,

“Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.” --Samuel Butler

"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible god and destroys a visible nature, unaware that the nature he's destroying is the god he's worshipping." --Hubert Reeves

"No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, no fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds - November!" --Thomas Hood

"If I'm ever reborn, I want to be a gardener—there's too much to do for one lifetime!" --Karl Foerster

“Peace cannot be achieved through violence, it can only be attained through understanding.” --Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I believe that when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade...and try to find someone who's life has given them vodka, and have a party." --Ron White
 

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WHO WE ARE and ORDERING INFORMATION:  Chris Daum, owner and manager of Oasis Montana, has been in the renewable energy field for 25 years, and our system designers will help plan a system for your needs. Our staff offers experience, personalized service, tech support, quality components, and good pricing. We are happy to work with your installer, electrician, or contractor, and locally we can install your power system (or even fly to your site for installation). We provide detailed wiring diagrams with the systems we sell. TO PLACE AN ORDER:  Email or call us for your freight costs; if you have any questions about your system or product, please contact us. Email is easiest and fastest (but we know that you aren’t all online). We accept Visa/MasterCard (personal and business checks are fine). For our international customers, we accept bank transfers— email or call us for our banking information. Our summer hours (April through October) are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Mountain Time, Mon. – Thurs, 8 to 4 on Fridays. If we‘re on another line when you call, please leave us a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can, but you may have to leave a message if we’re with a customer or on one of the other lines. Call 406-777-4321 or 4309 or email us at info@oasismontana.com.  For tech support on renewable energy systems, again, email us at info@oasismontana.com. We’d be very happy to help you with your power project — send an email or give us a call!

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Thank you for your interest in Oasis Montana.  For more information go to http://www.oasismontana.com/, send us an email at info@oasismontana.com, or call us at 406-777-4321or 4309.  And feel free to share this newsletter with your friends; knowledge is POWER!
 

 
Visit us on the web for product and project information!
For grid-tied power systems, www.grid-tie.com
Solar water pumping:  www.PVsolarpumps.com
Non-electric gas appliances, www.LPappliances.com
Efficient and DC appliances, www.eco-fridge.com
Composting toilets, www.eco-potty.com
And our main page at www.oasismontana.com