Anyway, how does it stack up, availability-wise, against grid-power power sources? My brother-in-law has a PV system and about the best he ever does is 50% for the PV output at the bus bar. Usually more like 25-30%, but that's in the Denver area. I told him he needs to move his house to the Mojave to get a decent output from the PV, but for some reason, he won't listen to me.
Really? Does it work at all? My brothers Kidz bought him a solar array for his cabin on an island in Lake Nippissing a few years ago. It was the first power to his cabin since he bought the property in the early 60's. We don't talk much but I think he said it's enough to power a couple of small appliances, radio, tv, lights for a few hours a day. Apparently it didn't cost too much although when I've looked into solar arrays (that put out any kind of usable power) it seems to mee it added up to thousands of bucks along with (costly) battery packs that had to replaced often.
I've also noted those roadside radio stations...low power...broadcasting looping road info...are often powered by solar arrays. I see one such set up just about every day on a bridge over the Ohio river. Maybe five 3 foot square panels powering the lo power transmitter. I don't there's ever been any maintenence and it's never gone down even in poor weather.
prisoner6
Of course, if you did have a home RTG, there would be no point in putting it on the roof. It would be buried in the backyard.