Is it OK to use solid copper wire between panels and charge controller?

[bcroe]

Tube

I seem to recall something called a "tube", I believe. And a thyratron for switching?

Right. I started with magnetic amps, relays, mercury vapor & selenium rectifiers, neon bulbs,
dynamotors, all kinds of vacuum tubes. Then we got bipolar transistors, silicon diodes,
unijunctions, silicon controlled switches, & SCRs. Then some field effect transistors and
a few "integrated circuits". The last two eventually developed & defined what is possible
in power control & communications today. Rare earth magnets helped a lot, and fiber optics.
The mechanical field of connecting things together came a long way too. Soldering irons,
some wire wrap, gold plating & bonding on ceramic, printed circuits, multilayer & flex circuits,
surface mount. Fortunately, most of the wiring got sucked into the ICs. Today I can just
design a printed circuit on my laptop,
email the file, and the finished board arrives several days later. Bruce

[PowerSupplyGuy]

Yes, the world of electron management has come a long way.

My dad probably worked a week in order to buy our first Magnavox color tv in 1968. Today you can buy them for a couple of hours of sweat.

[FloridaSun]

Yes, the world of electron management has come a long way.

My dad probably worked a week in order to buy our first Magnavox color tv in 1968. Today you can buy them for a couple of hours of sweat.

I remember our first TV in late 50s with the little round CRT screen. Whata difference between that and the 34 inch LCD screen I have now, traded for a few hours work.

[Sunking]

I remember our first TV in late 50s with the little round CRT screen. Whata difference between that and the 34 inch LCD screen I have now, traded for a few hours work.

Well if power consumption is not an issue today's CRT produce much higher quality video than any other technology. It is mature tech, but nothing can match the video quality of a modern CRT.

[FloridaSun]

Well if power consumption is not an issue today's CRT produce much higher quality video than any other technology. It is mature tech, but nothing can match the video quality of a modern CRT.

just the same I'd rather watch a 32 inch screen rather than a 12 inch

[Sunking]

just the same I'd rather watch a 32 inch screen rather than a 12 inch

You can get large format CRT's up to 42 inch. Video gaming enthusiast demand them, and arcade manufactures still use them. Even some A/V enthusiast demand them.

[FloridaSun]

You can get large format CRT's up to 42 inch. Video gaming enthusiast demand them, and arcade manufactures still use them. Even some A/V enthusiast demand them.

As well as one professional photographer I know for his digital pics. Still, I like the new lower watt LCDs. Have both CRT and LCD here and I prefer the LCD. ... hmmm... maybe because it's widescreen

[Sunking]

. hmmm... maybe because it's widescreen

That would be my guess.

[bcroe]

Power

I had a bedroom 10" color TV. It used 60W on and 5W off (for the remote control). Being
on considerably less than 2 hours a day, it was using more KWH when off than when on.

When it had problems (and I didn't want another converter box) I got a 22" diag flat screen.
$100, any smaller isn't really cheaper. This TV used 27W on and less that 0.1W off. Its
part of my energy reduction program: eliminate waste, not services. The most notable
feature of the new energy efficient stuff, is VERY low standby/off power. Bruce Roe