diy solar

diy solar

This is not a complaint! It’s a suggestion

Sverige

A Brit in Sweden
Joined
Oct 8, 2020
Messages
733
Location
59.5N, 15.5E
I love the clear categorisation in this forum and find that almost everything is covered, but there’s one thing which I consistently find difficult to place into any of the sub-forums, and that’s maybe best described as “general electronics” or maybe “DIY electronics”.

We have sub-sections for batteries, solar panels, Inverters, etc.. even wire and junction boxes, but as DIY solar enthusiasts it seems to me that various, disparate electronics modules and circuits needs a home. I have a strong interest in using my solar charged battery bank to power my home devices directly via DC, so efficiently using buck/boost voltage converter modules is important to me, likewise I’d like to experiment a little with building out a custom control system to manage the power distribution within my home.

I wonder whether there’s space for a new category which covers electronics devices or systems which don’t fit into the other sections, and could also be a home for topics addressing how to convert and wire DC to consumer electronics devices in the home (for example).
 
I love the clear categorisation in this forum and find that almost everything is covered, but there’s one thing which I consistently find difficult to place into any of the sub-forums, and that’s maybe best described as “general electronics” or maybe “DIY electronics”.

We have sub-sections for batteries, solar panels, Inverters, etc.. even wire and junction boxes, but as DIY solar enthusiasts it seems to me that various, disparate electronics modules and circuits needs a home. I have a strong interest in using my solar charged battery bank to power my home devices directly via DC, so efficiently using buck/boost voltage converter modules is important to me, likewise I’d like to experiment a little with building out a custom control system to manage the power distribution within my home.

I wonder whether there’s space for a new category which covers electronics devices or systems which don’t fit into the other sections, and could also be a home for topics addressing how to convert and wire DC to consumer electronics devices in the home (for example).
Yes absolutely. We could do a "DIY Electronics" Section, but what sub discussion forums should we add? If you guys make a list, I can sort them out and create the section.

I am thinking a section for Prototyping and PCB design. A section for troubleshooting DIY circuits. What other sections?

What do you guys think?
 
embedded software, firmware, uP, FPGA, Arduino, Raspberry Pi

Protocols and command sets e.g. CANbus used by Sunny Island, others for Midnight, various BMS.

Development platform Code running on a host (might use a PC initially developing something, later target embedded.
e.g. I use Matlab, some people LabView or Python or C under window/unix/Mac.

gizmos to translate communication between various inverters, charge controllers, BMS, monitors may be popular.
 
In addition to any specific subsections we can think of, I’d suggest having a “catchall” subforum for any electronics topics not covered in other named subforums.
 
An “Analog” sub would be nice. I’ve seen some elegant analog tracking solutions for instance.
 
embedded software, firmware, uP, FPGA, Arduino, Raspberry Pi

Protocols and command sets e.g. CANbus used by Sunny Island, others for Midnight, various BMS.

Development platform Code running on a host (might use a PC initially developing something, later target embedded.
e.g. I use Matlab, some people LabView or Python or C under window/unix/Mac.

gizmos to translate communication between various inverters, charge controllers, BMS, monitors may be popular.
The Solar Geek's corner:
-Software (Microcontrollers, Microcomputers, Cloud software, Embedded)
-Protocols, Communication, Wireless, Gateways , Databases
-Home automation
-Sensors, Actuators and General Electronics, Analog Electronics, Everything running on thin wires...
-PCBs, Prototyping, Casing
-Hacking, enhancing and repurposing devices (voiding warranty)
 
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Dang it Will. I know so little about this I can only suggest a beginners section. Maybe even as simple as "what is an Ohm?" Or some such. But yes, I would love a do it yourself section for the tinkerers here. :)
Having had more than one electronics thing I made go up in smoke I am sure it would be helpful.
My only contribution would be to ALWAYS make sure you have a heatsink where you need it and it is bigger than you think you need LOL. :)

EDIT: Um maybe a section on how to program the EASY way? Or show it in a way that is not difficult for those who know NOTHING about programming this stuff?
 
May I suggest not to go too broad so we can make sure we stay focused on the main topic of this forum in general, so we don't become a generic electronics forum.
The solar purpose is obviously mandatory. (Example: discussing about a database to record voltages/power is OK, about a database to record the members of an association, not)
 
May I suggest not to go too broad so we can make sure we stay focused on the main topic of this forum in general, so we don't become a generic electronics forum.
I agree - “power electronics” will account for a large part of the custom modules or systems folks with our interests need to string together, and maybe “control systems” is another. “General electronics” as a catchall for anything which doesn’t properly sit in any other area might be useful too.

I think a lot of the very granular subdivisions being suggested in this thread could happily sit as threads within a single sub-section, not needing named separate sub forums.
 
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Yes absolutely. We could do a "DIY Electronics" Section, but what sub discussion forums should we add? If you guys make a list, I can sort them out and create the section.

I am thinking a section for Prototyping and PCB design. A section for troubleshooting DIY circuits. What other sections?

What do you guys think?
IMO....there are plenty of forums to discuss those things. I think this forum should remain focused on what it was meant for. For example I know Arduino related things are popular but they have their own forums. On the other hand I am aware there are Arduino projects that can be useful and relate to some of the projects of this forum. But how popular is it here?

I am all for another section and maybe a subsection or two, but I feel there are other forums and resources better equipped to handle PCB design and DIY circuits because of the knowledge already gained within those forums and that's what they focus on. Much like this forum which can't be beat IMO for the things focused on here and the collective knowledge gained from everyone. And I would like to see that continue here and not get sidetracked with unrelated stuff.
 
What I’m suggesting @Gazoo is a section, or sub-section/s which will allow people to post about home brew electronics creations which are relevant to the purpose of this forum and which are not covered in the existing sections. There is plenty within the field of off grid which doesn’t fit neatly into the existing categories battery, BMS, inverter, etc and which can be assembled by an enthusiast from components.

This is, after all, the “DIY solar forum”, so the suggestion fits perfectly with the forum’s purpose, and is not going to get anyone “sidetracked with unrelated stuff”. If someone starts posting off topic stuff which has no place on this forum, like a lidar based cat deterrent system for example, I’d expect the mods to deal with it as they do with any off topic threads in the current sections. Whatever you do with the forum structure, you wont prevent people posting off topic nonsense once in a while. What’s more important is that the structure allows for good housekeeping of the on topic stuff, keeping it all together so people more easily find the info they are interested in.
 
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@Sverige If you read my post you will notice I am basically agreeing with you. I have been fascinated with what others have come up with in all kinds of DIY stuff and would be interested in other projects here. I do stand by my points though and agree with @upnorthandpersonal.
Whatever you do with the forum structure, you wont prevent people posting off topic nonsense once in a while.
Yeah and I have been quilty of that myself....more than once.

What’s more important is that the structure allows for good housekeeping of the on topic stuff, keeping it all together so people more easily find the info they are interested in.
That could be a problem and always has been on any forum I have been a member of. I could be wrong but I don't think there will be a lot of participation anyways. I have noticed interest with forum members using Arduino projects and the like for controlling things and a couple of members designing BMS's. But other than that I haven't seen much action regarding DIY projects that go beyond what most members are interested in. Anyways, like I said it's just my opinion. Whatever is decided is beyond my control and it doesn't matter if I agree or not.

BTW, since you suggested a new category, how many subsections are you suggesting and what do you think the topics of the subsections could be?
 
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