How's this for a cool solar electric installation?
This is a 105 watt solar panel from Home Depot. It's charging a large 12 volt marine battery though a 10 amp digital charge controller. There's a 200 watt inverter powering the Internet cable modem, a wifi router, Vonage phone device, and a cordless phone. It's totally separate from the main house system.
Notice the old electric meter on the house? It's no longer connected to the grid. I'm debating if it should be removed from the house, or if I should keep it so people don't know I'm actually off-grid.
Once the snow melts down a bit, the panel will be mounted somewhere on the house. It doesn't hurt the panel to sit on the snow. In fact, a cold solar electric panel is more efficient than one sitting in tropical heat.
The woodstoves are warming the house. The kitchen stove's pipe had some creosote deposits. Once cleaned up the draft improved. Down in the basement, the big woodstove had a loose door gasket. A little gasket cement and it was good as new.
I'd planned on spending the night home in my bed, but my daughter asked us to stay one more night at her place -to watch our granddaughter so she and her husband could go out. There's always tomorrow.
-Sixbears
Rule #1 for grandparents: Never pass up a chance to spend time with a grandchild!
ReplyDeleteWe've some catching up to do.
DeleteWow, you sure do have lots of snow!!
ReplyDeleteLucky me!
DeleteWe too live off grid, surounded by neighbours who are connected to the system.
ReplyDeleteWe get a chuckle when the grid goes down and they phone us to ask " Do you still have power?"
As for your old meter, you could operate in "stealth mode" but it's a brand of liberation not having one of those eyesores hanging on your house.
Now that is a" cool looking" installation! Sorry, I couldn't resist!
ReplyDeleteHey, as long as it works, right?
Cool indeed! Eventually the snow will go, right? Then it can be mounted proper.
DeleteWish I could afford to go solar.
ReplyDeleteIt's possible to do it a little at a time.
DeleteGlad your back to the homestead. Nice storty about the neighbor digging you out. When I was back in Pennsylvania I used to snow blow the neighbors sidewalks 4 or 5 houses on each side of me just cause, I don't miss the snow much. I have yet to shovel heat down here in MS.
ReplyDeleteI even seem to forgotten how to walk on slippery walkways. It doesn't take long to forget.
DeleteCan't that snow be used for something?
ReplyDeleteIt seems like a lot of something is going to waste...
I've been melting it for water until I can straighten out my frozen supply line situation.
DeleteSurely this is a site well worth seeing.
ReplyDelete