Hello folks!

Given that we haven’t had a Free Talk Friday thread in the last time, I now take it upon myself to post our Off-topic thread for the weekend. I always enjoyed reading these threads so I don’t want this tradition to die.

Here you can post:

  • what’s currently happening in your life
  • what you’re currently reading, watching or listening to (book, movie and music recommendations)
  • Any cool projects you’re working on atm
  • Jokes, Memes and other funny stuff not fitting elsewhere.

So, I hope everyone has fun over here. Stay safe, stay healthy! ✌🏻

  • waldenMA
    5·
    6 months ago

    One of my recent projects/hobbies has been the solar setup in my shed. I started with a single 100w solar panel from Harbor Freight, and I’m on my 3rd charge controller after getting the bug (twice) to upgrade.

    The location of the shed gets a lot of partial shade and I wasn’t getting much juice out of the single panel. It was enough to get by, but I had to be mindful of how much I drained the battery. I figured if I added a 2nd panel, at least one of them would have sun at any given time, more than doubling the output. I hooked up the second one yesterday, and sure enough today I more than doubled my previous record for watt-hours! The bar graph below has the most recent date (today) on the left.
    Very impressive improvement.

    Another bonus… Harbor Freight mailed me 2 panels for the price of one. They’re typically over $100 each so that was very nice of them. I’m a member of an RC airplane club and they have solar panels so people can charge their RC airplane batteries – I’ll likely donate this extra panel to them if they’re interested.

    I also got a bunch of little goodies in the mail to improve the wiring. A big DC circuit breaker and some fuses for safety (and the ability to quickly disconnect things if I need to) – some bus bars to make the wiring nice and neat, and some better wire to run outside to the panels. I’m looking forward to reworking everything and getting it nice and neat.

    • gcgallant
      4·
      6 months ago

      Very cool project. I also fly RC (well, used to). Your solar power project is a natural offshoot of the types of tinkering involved with the RC hobby.

      • waldenMA
        4·
        6 months ago

        It’s a great hobby, isn’t it? Wood, adhesive, engines, motors, electronics, linkages, radios… and that’s all before you even go flying!

        • gcgallant
          3·
          6 months ago

          And the flying inevitably results in fixing wood, adhesive, engines, motors, etc. :)

          I mostly fly FPV quadcopters and thermal gliders, but I live in one of the most regulated air spaces on the planet. The latest set of FAA restrictions have taken all the fun out of it for me.

          • waldenMA
            3·
            6 months ago

            Oh man, don’t even get me started on that stuff. It’s horrible. I live within 5 miles of an airport so I couldn’t fly here (legally) if I wanted to. I do all of my flying at an AMA club. Since having a kid a year ago I’ve only been out there a few times.

            • gcgallant
              2·
              6 months ago

              Since having a kid a year ago

              I’m impressed that you have time for your solar power project!

    • DaveWave94OP
      3·
      6 months ago

      Really interesting project! Sounds like it’s working great so far.