What Preps are you doing this week? Part 13

[Peter]

[quote=pseudonym post_id=248216 time=<a href="tel:1787861166">1787861166</a> user_id=708]
Legal launch of solar plug and play in the UK today........... Monsoon levels of rain all day


DNO for house use.... not one site available with microinverters on their systems to register their use


It's as if the electric companies don't want people to save money

And that many rules about siting panels and open for interpretation internet's off mad with you can't put them.on wooden fences or wooden shed roofs but they word they use is dwelling house is a building, or a part of a building, that is used or intended to be used as a private home or place of human habitation


If it gets clarified and it's a no no £60 I'll tin the shed roof I dont live or sleep in the shed unless I upset Mrs Andy
[/quote]

Spend £500 to save £100 year off lecky bill ?, that’s £2 a week big deal, can’t buy a coffee for that.

A Jackery 500 and solar panel much cheaper and more useful (mobile), jackery 1000 better but dearer.

[Yorkshire Andy]

snip

Well someone I know... has made over £250 of leccy in 2 years with what was 2x415w panels (£120 for the pair 2 year ago) and £100 on a power stream plug in inverter

These new to the market complete systems are vastly inflated and they've needled the DNOs to remove approval for older units ... All political and point scoring these older units are legal all over most of Europe

[diamond lil]

The Day of the Triffids. My favourite book ever. Read it at school when I was about 14. I've read it several times since and still get scared with those plants. My family are used to me saying I don't like certain plants because they look like triffids. They think I'm strange anyway.

I read it when I was 13 Ara, and it's still good as I'm reading it now . I read a few of his and especially liked the Kracken Wakes.

[Ara]

I haven't read The Kracken Wakes for years (I'll add it to my list of books to re-read) but regularly return to The Chrysalids and Trouble with Lichen. The Midwich Cuckoos was too disturbing.

[diamond lil]

Ara, for disturbing, read A Scent of New-Mown Hay by John Blackburn. It's bloody terrifying

[Frnc]

Realised I have some BOB stuff I should replace. I have a small tupperware repair kit that has various adhesives such as tent repair adhesive, impact adhesive, superglue, tent seam sealant, and Shoegoo (can use to repair air bed). All are about 6 years old. Only the silicone seam sealant has a use by date, and it is well past that. But I think it's easiest to just replace the lot, and then put it all in my expiry date spreadsheet.

Also I have ordered two new bike puncture repair kits for the same reason. The silicone seam sealant is quite expensive, so if it says 1-2 years, I will be extending that.

Of course none of them have been opened. I am going to try the expired seam sealant on my bike helmet cover, and rain cover for my rack top trunk bag. I will test a small area first.

So I'll be busy ordering all these today. Already ordered the sil seam sealant and puncture repair kits.

In future I'll put any adhesives in expiry spreadsheet when I get them.

[Arzosah]

The Day of the Triffids. My favourite book ever. Read it at school when I was about 14. I've read it several times since and still get scared with those plants. My family are used to me saying I don't like certain plants because they look like triffids. They think I'm strange anyway.

I read it when I was 13 Ara, and it's still good as I'm reading it now . I read a few of his and especially liked the Kracken Wakes.

Yay! I haven't re-read him in a while, but I do regularly.

Ara, for disturbing, read A Scent of New-Mown Hay by John Blackburn. It's bloody terrifying

Interesting! Just put it on my Amazon list (I don't buy from Amazon if I can possibly avoid it, but the list facility is still useful).

[Frnc]

Tested heating. All rads turned up (and back down after of course). Later, Ideal came to do boiler service. All ok. Boiler set to 56° for autumn, and hot water to 46.

Got some stuff delivered, and replaced some first aid items. Checked a few others and revised spreadsheet. All in date now.

Got a prescription and new superglue coming this afternoon - glue to replace old ones in BOB and bike bag.

Bit more progress on next door's roof. Been in loft twice. No leaks, touch wood.

[Peter]

snip

Well someone I know... has made over £250 of leccy in 2 years with what was 2x415w panels (£120 for the pair 2 year ago) and £100 on a power stream plug in inverter

These new to the market complete systems are vastly inflated and they've needled the DNOs to remove approval for older units ... All political and point scoring these older units are legal all over most of Europe

I think SHTF nobody will be able to generate sufficient solar power for ALL their perceived uses/wants.

We each must decide what is a sensible level to aim for within our budget and reduce our needs accordingly.

When the freezers die and food thaws out what we can’t eat right away we will salt preserve or can.

Heating will be by burning wood or coal, no electricity no gas so no central heating.

Lighting will be battery (AA/AAA) or windup lanterns, USB lamps, candles or hurricane lamps

Cooking will be with propane while it lasts or wood, even a rocket stove if necessary.

Laundry uses a lot of electricity so it will be hand washing.

We will using our solar power for battery charging, for lamps, radios, USB stuff, power tools and the Jackery.

[Yorkshire Andy]

snip

Well someone I know... has made over £250 of leccy in 2 years with what was 2x415w panels (£120 for the pair 2 year ago) and £100 on a power stream plug in inverter

These new to the market complete systems are vastly inflated and they've needled the DNOs to remove approval for older units ... All political and point scoring these older units are legal all over most of Europe

I think SHTF nobody will be able to generate sufficient solar power for ALL their perceived uses/wants.

We each must decide what is a sensible level to aim for within our budget and reduce our needs accordingly.

When the freezers die and food thaws out what we can’t eat right away we will salt preserve or can.

Heating will be by burning wood or coal, no electricity no gas so no central heating.

Lighting will be battery (AA/AAA) or windup lanterns, USB lamps, candles or hurricane lamps

Cooking will be with propane while it lasts or wood, even a rocket stove if necessary.

Laundry uses a lot of electricity so it will be hand washing.

We will using our solar power for battery charging, for lamps, radios, USB stuff, power tools and the Jackery.

The plug in solar isnt a prep per say but a £125 a year saving is £125 in your pocket be you in work or on hard times £125 is £125

Yes shtf power use will have to be rationed like everything else but short term block or rota cuts those with a modern quick to recharge power bank or 2 to keep the essentials running will be sat smug solar gives you more flexibility but if we get 12 hours on and 12 hours off for example ...

I managed a week camping 2 years back with a 100w panel a 256wh ecoflow river 2 and a compressor camping fridge off grid I always had cold food and beer the power bank never dropped below 45% even on hot days ..

Now whilst not shtf image a diabetic relent on keeping insulin cool for example that kit would be a life or death prep a smaller camping compressor fridge run on 12v is far more efficient than a domestic fridge running from a power station via an inverter


Having a few 400w panels on a shed roof means I can charge my bigger ecoflow delta max even on a gray day

Not infallible but a nice luxury to have to retain some semblance of normality and with a bit of jiggery pokery I can runn the gas boiler to heat the house and get hot water