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Solar panels

11/11
  • obisteve
    obisteve
    9 months
    Yeah, it is complicated. The electricity retaiIers make their plans as difficult to directly compare to their opposition as the people trying to sell you a phone plan.
    I learned a lot in my training in 2001, but I learned more during my 20 years of living off grid, 15 years of that with small solar systems.
    When your backup power comes from a generator you learn to fly your PV system to maximum efficiency.
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    9 months
    Well it's going to be interesting to do a comparison this month as everything other than the pool pump and fridge are still powered up while I am away from just over a month. All tv sets switched off at the wall, bar fridges switched off including hot water tank.... let's see what the bill comes in at. Your 100% correct about how complex they make their plans..... borderline deceptive.
  • Grease Monkey
    Grease Monkey
    9 months
    When we was kids shooting Roo's in the scrub at night you knew which way was what by the sound of the farm generators if you couldn't see the sky, was pretty neat.
  • paulybronco
    paulybronco
    9 months
    Yes hilly a further recreational sport that's slowly being made more difficult with either Greenies from the city who have no idea of the destruction of farm land by feral animals or police ministers telling the population how the government shouldn't trust registered firearm owners. 
  • obisteve
    obisteve
    9 months
    Quoting Grease Monkey on 22 Jul 2023 01:12 PM

    When we was kids shooting Roo's in the scrub at night you knew which way was what by the sound of the farm generators if you couldn't see the sky, was pretty neat.

    Love those old Southern Cross or Dunlite one lung lighting plant motors. Either kerosene or diesel ones. Also seen them turning the shafts in shearing sheds, or with the belt hooked up to a vacuum pump for milking machines. All torque, no revs. Turn on the fuel tap, put in the crank handle, open up the valve lifter, crank those big flywheels and drop the lifter, chug      chug     chug   chug  chug chug chug
    A hippie friend living in the forest at Mapleton ran one for 15 years. Didn't want to drop trees to open up the canopy to make solar possible. She was a whizz at cranking it, but after 15 years she got out the chainsaw.....
  • keith
    keith
    9 months
    Quoting Grease Monkey on 22 Jul 2023 01:12 PM

    When we was kids shooting Roo's in the scrub at night you knew which way was what by the sound of the farm generators if you couldn't see the sky, was pretty neat.

    Quoting obisteve on 23 Jul 2023 11:16 AMedited: 23 Jul 2023 11:28 AM

    Love those old Southern Cross or Dunlite one lung lighting plant motors. Either kerosene or diesel ones. Also seen them turning the shafts in shearing sheds, or with the belt hooked up to a vacuum pump for milking machines. All torque, no revs. Turn on the fuel tap, put in the crank handle, open up the valve lifter, crank those big flywheels and drop the lifter, chug      chug     chug   chug  chug chug chug

    A hippie friend living in the forest at Mapleton ran one for 15 years. Didn't want to drop trees to open up the canopy to make solar possible. She was a whizz at cranking it, but after 15 years she got out the chainsaw.....

    Still, plenty of those old engines restored and seen at the country shows and fairs.
    We had a Lister at home in my young days which ran a 32v 'V' belt system to supply all our needs, and flat belt for the dairy and chaff cutter. 240v passed by was connected at our expense. Kero fridge decommissioned, and B/W TV arrived not long after. As you said a bit of an art to cranking them.
  • keith
    keith
    9 months
    Bit of a different take on things in the West, Gov has a surplus and have passed on to with a $400 credit to all homes, over 6 months. This account 1.94 per day, over past 60 days. No solar at my place.
    Screenshot 2023-07-26 151811.png
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11/11