Crossy

We will (as usual) stay home during the celebrations. We will have many family members and a couple of Western friends who want to avoid the madness staying with us. The youngsters (and some not-so-youngsters) will be dispatched along with a minder (probably yours-truly) to the local water fight area for a thorough soaking of course. The "oldies" (that also means me) will be going to the local wat for a traditional water pouring, of course that usually ends with a large bucket of icy, but holy, water

When I'm actually working, my PP and WP are in my work bag with my laptop etc. They stay safely at home at other times. I have a pink ID and keep recent scans of the PP and immigration stamps on my phone. In over 20 years here I've never actually been asked. Of course, this is famous last words and I'll run afoul over the weekend

No idea why but this just slid into my consciousness.

I've had those too, invariably hacked dormant accounts. Just block and the problem goes away. I did try talking to Facebook about the somewhat unalive status of the member but they wanted all sorts of information that I couldn't provide so AFAIK the account is still there if it's not been disabled for breaking the rules.

I really don't think there's much merit in keeping this antique thread open. If anyone has a really good reason PM me to re-open.

Long ago when the earth was green and we started playing with fusion power the commercial fixings were silly money, so we went home-brew. Prices (and funds) are now less scary, although the fixings are still not what could be considered as cheap!

Our huts at Thorn EMI in Wells (darkest Somerset) had signs saying "Fragile roof covering, use crawling boards" on the asbestos roof. I think we all understand what it's about 🙂 EDIT I did check on google Maps to see if the old TEMI site on Wookey Hole Road was still there. Sadly, like so many of the defence industry places I used to work at it's now a housing estate 😞

Yes, you need a second CT. Yes, they can sit next to one another without interference. We were running like this (with the CTs less than an inch apart on the cable) for some months and everything worked just fine. Based upon Crossy's Theorem™ which states "You can never have too much solar", and assuming space and budget allow, I'd go for 6 panels and a 3kW inverter. You will start generating earlier and keep generating later.

Quack, quack! - I thought that actual duck-boards were about not walking through water, but we can use the term if you like 🙂 https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duckboards Connections are (just) accessible but they are being plugged together as the panels are installed. We are actually using commercial mounting hardware this time, aluminium extrusions and clamps.

Application only requires a passport 🙂 Of course, you will need a smartphone with a data connection. Top-up facilities seem somewhat limited but could improve if this system takes off. Although it's targeted at tourists it could be handy if you worry about banking security.

Has it ever worked as you expect it to and has now stopped? Have you checked that the switch is actually off when it's in the off position (clicked out)? The switches linked to by @UWEB look promising but you need to verify the actual contact arrangements on your switch.

I did think of having some turbines, but the cost per "real" Watt, combined with the lack of reasonably consistent wind isn't really conducive. I may spend a few hundred US as an experiment. I'll need a new obsession once all the panels are up. There are turbines at the local farmer's market, in 15 years of driving past on a regular basis I've never seen them actually going round

OK, we are getting there. Walkway is up. And the first panels are mounted. It got too hot so we retired for a beer, going to finish the job next weekend. We should get another 7 maybe 8 panels on there 🙂 Of course, I'll hook those 6 panels up so we're not wasting their energy 🙂 The Thai grand-daughter is staying for the school break so we will need the energy

Remember the spreadsheet "As-Easy-As" from the 1980s, a clone of "Lotus 123" it was as easy as 123? 🙂 I too think these "assistants" are more than annoying, "Clippy" that bloody paperclip in MS Word went by the board some time back because he was intrusive and annoying!

"Grid Charge" actually charges your batteries from the grid, this you probably don't want (actually, you might if you are low on battery early in the night and the grid is on). This is the relevant page from the Deye manual. Look at the examples. It doesn't actually say it, but once you reach the stop discharge SOC the inverter will use grid power if available, if no grid then you will continue discharging until the low voltage cutoff when you get the candles out.

Another great name from my youth has left the building 😞 I know we all have to go but ... And guys, get that prostate checked, it's not called the "silent-killer" for nothing!!!

By far the easiest way is to get your local A/C chaps to come and decommission your units and then when you're done re-connect and vacuum test. You have to get all the refrigerant into the outdoor unit (where it was when the unit was delivered). You don't want to bleed it to atmosphere, it's not good for the environment and of course costs $$$ to replace. Exactly how to do this varies by unit, there may be a maintenance manual available. You also really need to vacuum all the air from the pipes when you re-install which does of course need some special kit. It's not beyond a competent DIYer but ... Many of us would just remove the indoor unit covers and wallpaper around it like you would a light-switch

Yup, that's pretty much it. The inverter adjusts its output power so that the grid power is zero (i.e. it equals the home load) as measured by the CT.

View this quiz 21st March 2025 - Weekly featured - 1492 and Christopher Columbus "In fourteen hundred and ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue". But what do you know about the man and other events of 1492? Submitter Crossy Type One Right Answer Time 5 minutes Total Questions 10 Category Weekly Featured Quiz Submitted 03/19/2025  

This thread is nothing without pho ... Actually, I think not, way too scary

It is oft said that if it flies, floats or f**ks - Rent! Meanwhile, it will be our 21st wedding anniversary in November, still love her to bits.

Yup, dejá-vu is alive and well.

Bingo!! The setting is called "Zero export to load", like that you don't actually need the external CT as the inverter will use its own internal one. Using an external CT won't hurt and the inverter comes with one anyway so it's just more wiring. You might consider running heavy stuff like water heaters off the grid to reduce strain on your inverter and batteries.

Do it like this. "Home Loads" are not battery backed up (but they do use solar energy if the grid is up). 'Load" is battery backed up. You can put the AVR at A or B. I would prefer A unless you know it's going to behave having a grid-sync inverter on its output. Ignore the diesel if you don't have one.