Please follow me at robby.dreamwidth.org

There are indications it could happen in the next month. I'm prepping for that eventuality, and disruptions associated with it. This is posted on Dreamwidth, but LiveJournal could easily shut down.

My older lead-acid battery is not charging normally, so I've ordered another LiFePO4 battery. A goal for me is to next install wiring to the well pump. ( Read more... )

I've ordered another panel for my solar array. In the summer, I can conceivably harvest 1000 Watts of power a day, but in the winter, much less.

The kitten has taken to sitting on the kitchen counter to watch me do the dishes. He likes to watch the water from the faucet.

I will try out a new steam scrubbing machine tomorrow. I hope it can deep clean ( Read more... )

My solar array is installed, and I've stored 280W so far. I'll be eligible for a 26% tax credit for the cost of it.

I mowed the strip of land along the road today, and was surprised at how thick the vegetation had become. We've had lots of rain, and relatively warm temperatures. I pity the fool who isn't keeping up with that job ( Read more... )

I'm watching the official California Covid statistics, and cases are spiking, but hospitalizations are not. In an abundance of caution, I'm self-isolating, and have enough supplies to last me at least another week.

Tomorrow should provide rain relief, and I plan to change the car's coolant.

In spite of the rain, I've managed to continue walking the ( Read more... )

I ordered my Christmas present from China, but it won't arrive until late February. It's a 4000W split phase power inverter. It takes the 24V power from the solar batteries to let me run household devices such as a furnace and well pump. You know I'm a prepper, so the idea is to have a renewable source of emergency power.

I have a small inverter ( Read more... )

This morning, before I had my coffee, I noticed water beneath the sink. It must have just happened, and turned out to be a badly seated gasket at one of the pipe joints. I replaced the gasket and will watch for any more leaks. Did pouring very hot water down the pipes yesterday cause it? I hate to think that the pipe connections under the sink are ( Read more... )

I've gathered all the parts for my starter solar power system. I've done planning, and tested things, but I will wait until after Christmas, and good weather, to actually install it.

The most expensive element is a LiFePO4 storage battery. I bought a good one that may last 10 years. It has bonus USB ports that can be used to power an outdoor ( Read more... )

I couldn't resist a solar power kit, on sale at Amazon, for half price. My plan is to mount the panel on the roof of the shed, and keep a 24V battery bank charged for emergency off-grid power. I could run the well pump and the furnace blower with it. An inverter and batteries are not included, but there is a blue tooth interface for the controller ( Read more... )

I picked the last normal harvest of tomatoes. Next time, I'll pull out the plants, and keep any tomatoes I find. I've also done a lot of mowing and trimming, and cleanup.

On Black Friday, I ordered a smart thermostat, a 10" Fire tablet, and some Hanes sweatpants. Huge discounts that I couldn't resist.

I'm bummed out about news of a South African ( Read more... )