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Where do lizards go after their tails fall off? The retail store

There is something comforting about turning on a switch and having the lights go on even if the power is out. Perhaps for another it is turning on a TV and DVD player and getting some entertainment. For another keeping the inside at a comfortable temperature. Admittedly we have each spent a...

I have a print out of my documentation just in case. I am not off grid and have the highest respect for those who have mastered this. There is a saying in some circles, two is one and one is none.

It would be interesting to go through an average home to see how many things never went through formal UL testing. Many DIY batteries on this forum have been painstakingly built with redundancy and safety features added in. A number are mobile. Would venture to guess that more are stationary...

My latest non solar projects involved basic home maintenance. The first was a basic sink faucet replacement. I am currently performing an update to the downstairs bathroom. Included wall repair and painting, replacement and updating of sink, vanity, wall plumbing, medicine cabinet and mirror...

Basic skills help us get through life. I heard a startling report recently on the number of people who could/couldn't balance a checkbook. Schools used to teach life skills. When I was in high school I took wood shop, metal working and the other required courses including a foreign language. I...

If it painted red it is the positive wire….

Mooving on... Why does a chicken coop only have two doors? Because if it had four it would be a sedan.

Well Amy just sent photos and confirmation that the packages are on the way! Looks nice!

When I started down this path used a Kill a watt meter to measure usage. That was a real eye opener.

May the fourth be with us all. Sorry wanted to use that before the day was over.

OK, compared to some other projects mentioned here this is a relatively simple one. Only it was my first time actually doing it which adds to the "fun" factor. Needed to remove the toilet bowl so I could paint behind the needed receptacle. Nothing says "fun" like manhandling a hack saw blade...

Reason I chose the multi position dolly. A milk crate system would be much lighter. This build met several objectives. A redundant Multiplus for my existing system. A plug compatible battery pack for my existing system. The ability to tie into my portable solar panel, BMS consistent with...

I seriously considered moving to 48v with my recent update. Pricing on the Inverter Charger and BMS are essentially the same and battery case prices are close to each other so price wasn't a big consideration. However if I were to build a 16s 280 AH DIY battery I would likely assemble it in...

I certainly wouldn’t want to be in a situation with a broken toe, overwhelming heat and no power. Years ago in my college days we had a house fire because an extension cord was overheating. Typically batteries don’t do this unless there was a trigger. Replacing cords and upgrading wires as...

And that is priceless

Very happy at 24v. Meets the needs and allows flexibility if fewer panels are used. It is also easier to move the DIY battery cases LOL. If one were starting from scratch I could see how 48v could be appealing. Each level 12/24/48 has its own unique challenges.

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on gear that he will only use a couple times per year.

To paraphrase a former College Football Coach who was describing the forward pass, when you pick up an 8s “portable “ battery three things can happen and two are bad.

Last night I wired the smart shunt to each battery. Originally I was going to tie into the common bus bars as a consolidation, but until additional batteries are tied in will use this approach. Will did a nice video on this unit, the Victron smartshunt.

Got my order placed with Amy. Adding a fourth 24v battery to the first build and adding cases and JK inverter BMS to them. Will pull the 4 weakest cells and build a 12v battery for other uses.

Sorry for the radio silence. Was saving up the $$ for the next purchase. Next thing I know I was replacing a kitchen sink and remodeling one of the bathrooms. Wife has been patiently waiting during my solar projects and it was time to update some things. Time well spent and she is happy which is...

I remember my first energy audit after using a Kill a Watt. I put the calculations into a spreadsheet. The findings were humbling to say the least.

My grandparents raised two kids during the depression. Even though they had a garden and knew how to hunt my grandfather said those were some of the most difficult days of his life. I had the privilege of living next door. I treasure those conversations and learned a lot of old fashioned...

In considering bus bars, I found the following chart helpful. It discusses amp capacity for copper bus bars. Perhaps there is a better source for this: https://www.copper.org/applications/electrical/busbar/busbar_ampacities.html

Think of all the money we saved!

Here is the video created by @HighTechLab which describes proper crimping. Very nicely done. The unit they described is the second one I indicated. It worked well for my 1/0 and 2/0 cables. I only wish it came with smaller dyes.