What Preps are you doing this week? Part 5.

[Yorkshire Andy]

I've been recharging my batteries! No, really

Been doing that this weekend too got a box of fully charged aa's and AAA's

Oh and a new matrass since the Mrs broke it on her side

So I have power if we get a power cut and we can sleep well

Need to dig the power banks out and top them up at some point

Being tight I've been using my solar station in the shed to do all the recharging the longer days are making the 30w panel earn it's keep it's fine through the summer I'm tempted to upgrade it before winter

[Arzosah]

I'm glad to hear you're getting the help you need, Simon. Horrible, horrible thing.

Own preps: still not much. Gave the chives a haircut and put them straight into a stew, that was nice.

[xplosiv1]

well this week we picked up a new allotment 5 min walk from our house, our garden has reached capacity.

looks like the plot has been sitting vacant for a few seasons ...... took all day saturday and half of today to clear the weeds and grass (oh god the grass !!) form half the plot. its been a few years since i've had to clear this much but the good weather really helped.

some good finds between the weeds though, lots of herbs, some raspberry's and strawberry's already growing and some gigantic rhubarb.

I doubt we will get much in the ground this year, plan is to give the place a good clear, organize all the beds get a shed built and generally get the place ready to rock for next year .... thinking about a small greenhouse too if I can stretch the budget.

time to start drawing up plans for a small potting shed

[hobo]

Being tight I've been using my solar station in the shed to do all the recharging the longer days are making the 30w panel earn it's keep it's fine through the summer I'm tempted to upgrade it before winter

That's on my mind too. Still slowly replacing old tech with USB gear....

[Deeps]

I've hit a bit of a brick wall with my off grid solar system, well maybe a straw wall would be more accurate, need to do a bit more research to get it right.

Apart from that I've been pretty quiet apart from getting a fairly healthy amount of Amazon vouchers for a birthday. Mostly astutely invested in more preppery stuff, a new rucksack for one Now that the football season is finished I'll be getting away a lot more, plenty new toys to play with.

[Brambles]

What's the problem Deeps, a few of us have made our own systems, maybe we can help?

[Deeps]

What's the problem Deeps, a few of us have made our own systems, maybe we can help?

Just connectors and whether to put breakers in. I'm my own worst enemy really, I just need to get off my arse and have a play.

[Yorkshire Andy]

What's the problem Deeps, a few of us have made our own systems, maybe we can help?

Just connectors and whether to put breakers in. I'm my own worst enemy really, I just need to get off my arse and have a play.

Automotive fuses and holders much cheaper than DC beakers if you have a 10a solar controller fuse the battery to controller at 10a... You can fuse individual circuits to protect them or the wiring especially if you use sub 10a cable

As for other connections I use mini screw terminal stuff so it can be undone and redone if needed

[Deeps]

Cheers, I've been lazy and trying to psych myself up for the research. No excuses at the moment not to crack on with the weather.

[ukpreppergrrl]

Just connectors and whether to put breakers in. I'm my own worst enemy really, I just need to get off my arse and have a play.

From the research I did, at the very least put fuses in between the battery and the the charge controller and the panels and the charge controller. Best practice is to have both an inline fuse and a circuit breaker. I have breakers between the solar panels and the charge controller because I'm paranoid and I like to use them as switches. I have a kill switch between the battery and the charge controller. You need double pole breakers if your system isn't earthed (which, as it's an off grid solar system as opposed to a vehicle system, it probably isn't) and you should have fuses (more specifically Over Current Protection Devices - OCPD) on on both + and - terminals of your battery for the same reason. Fuses and breakers should be as close as possible to the power source (i.e. the solar panels and the battery) as you're protecting the wires from burning if too much current is put through. And boy do they burn! Do not use AC breakers!