What Preps are you doing this week? Part 10

[DustyDog]

A new Olight Arkfeld torch.

Can't have enough torches.

Just had a look at that, nice piece of kit, I like my Fenix torches, very bright and well made and yes, you can never have too many torches.

[DustyDog]

Buywholefoodsonline.co.uk are brilliant.

Yes have seen them, I’ll give them a try.

[Yorkshire Andy]

A new Olight Arkfeld torch.

Can't have enough torches.

Just had a look at that, nice piece of kit, I like my Fenix torches, very bright and well made and yes, you can never have too many torches.

Step away from the torches

Sorted most of my battery powered lanterns out last night got one that's been sat in the kitchen near the cooker to clean and degrease another needs the battery charging ..

Pulled them all into one location so they are easy to find rather than scattered round the house

[jansman]

I am pleased to say that now ,apart from harvesting from the garden and regular DIY in and on the house ( always there! ) there is nothing to do for the next week. Therefore I am doing ( by my standard ) nothing!
I am currently coming off certain drugs - making me poorly In itself- prior to chemotherapy next week. Therefore chilling out is most important prepping Ready for the next battle!

Mind you,regardless of illnesses,laziness now and again really helps one’s wellbeing.

[Arzosah]

I am pleased to say that now ,apart from harvesting from the garden and regular DIY in and on the house ( always there! ) there is nothing to do for the next week. Therefore I am doing ( by my standard ) nothing!
I am currently coming off certain drugs - making me poorly In itself- prior to chemotherapy next week. Therefore chilling out is most important prepping Ready for the next battle!

Mind you,regardless of illnesses,laziness now and again really helps one’s wellbeing.

Chilling/laziness is good! Building up strength for the next battle is even better Personally, I'd like to catch up on a bit of sleep, but it's not so bad

Fixing curtain tape onto HM curtains. Ahem, the hand sewing of the hem is visible luckily, it's such a bright window (directly west) and tall too, and distanced by the kitchen cabinet, no one will ever see it

[deckard]

Today I've been thinking about how to rework the small solar setup I put on the shed during lockdown. It's only an 80w panel and a couple of small batteries but has been quite useful for charging power packs and tools; I've also been using it to boil a small travel kettle every day in the week during the summer and every other day over winter.

Apart from the panel, controller, battery, breakers and inverter it was built out of stuff I had lying around in the garage. I'm wondering whether to add a panel or just get a larger replacement as there's not a lot of roof space, and add some better storage.

Still going to keep it small, low voltage and stick with the little pwm controller for now; I'll probably just add another panel first and see what difference it makes over winter, maybe add a proper PV isolator too (and use the right colour wires on the PV side!) ... Oh and bin off the cheap Chinese breakers, they suck.

[Yorkshire Andy]

I'd go for a mppt control before adding another panel the efficacy of the mppt Vs pwm will probably be as good as adding another 30w worth of panels to your set up some manufacturers quote 30% greater efficiency over pwm

[Peter]

We have a portable system, a folding 100w panel with charge controller and battery leads, bought for camping,
And a small permanent setup, two 120w panels on the shed (south facing roof) two 80Ahr leisure batteries
with a 30A charge controller, the system is just for 12V lighting and rechargeable devices .

[deckard]

I've heard the mppt controllers aren't really worth it until you start using higher voltages on the PV side or go over 200w, but it depends on cost really. Epever ones are supposed to be good and cheap, so maybe worth a spin but I'm primarily thinking a bit more on the panel side for when it's overcast first.

Have you experience of upgrading from pwm to mppt?

It'd also be nice to have better batteries as the ones I've got are mismatched; a 110ah leisure battery and an 85ah car battery, I keep them isolated from one another at all times except when I'm boiling the kettle, then I combine in the car battery to ease the draw on the main battery. A couple of proper deep cycle or traction batteries would be good, but expensive too.

[Yorkshire Andy]

I've heard the mppt controllers aren't really worth it until you start using higher voltages on the PV side or go over 200w, but it depends on cost really. Epever ones are supposed to be good and cheap, so maybe worth a spin but I'm primarily thinking a bit more on the panel side for when it's overcast first.

Have you experience of upgrading from pwm to mppt?

It'd also be nice to have better batteries as the ones I've got are mismatched; a 110ah leisure battery and an 85ah car battery, I keep them isolated from one another at all times except when I'm boiling the kettle, then I combine in the car battery to ease the draw on the main battery. A couple of proper deep cycle or traction batteries would be good, but expensive too.

My standby system only has 60w of panels and a pwm 2 way split charging unit that provides standby backup power and the solar keeps two 110ah batteries topped up with a 20a mains charger for cyclic use which gives quick charging in the event of rota cuts..


My daily system comprises of a 300w inverter a 50ah lithium iron phosphate battery 2x 100w panels and a renology mppt .. that powers lighting for the shed the CCTV and a few other odds and ends the 100w just about coped last winter this year with the mppt and extra panel it should give me plenty...