Recent content by Skypower

Yeah, I’m not installing for others either. Family’s passed on and all my friends are self sufficient or just pay for it. Definitely not doing it for a neighbor even for cash. Too many new water heaters have issues and I don’t need to be in the middle of it. My advice is free.

I use a use a tubing cutter that I modified the wheel in a lathe. I thinned and sharpened it but not to a razor edge. I mark the knob so it doesn’t get too deep and nick the strands. If I know the lug barrel is a bit tighter than normal(or AWG vs metric variation) I’ll cut it twice so there’s a...

I think that OP’s Solaredge inverter is an older unit and isn’t controlled by the utility(they have to buy). It would be nice if the OP could keep it (and grandfathered rates) and get batteries with a parallel system. That might take some creativity.

What the state of confusion believes and common sense (you) may be two entirely different things. I’m on your side….. and I feel your pain, because I’m here too. For a while more anyway.

I replaced my 23 year old water heater last year with another gas heater. The thing was $1000 with 12 year warranty and It was 200 dollars more than the same unit that was sold out of California. I was curious to see what the difference between the two units was some I looked up the parts list...

You need to find an electrician that has done this before (your present system AND off grid). He can probably find a creative solution. What ever you do, don’t contact POCO or any agency first. Let the electrician pull that thread. Done too early can get a snowball rolling the wrong way...

Carbon monoxide is accumulative and takes an amazing amount of time to leave the body, so if you’re working on or around engines every day…….. Normally you have one carbon monoxide detector centrally located, but all my detectors were old and just replaced all them in the living space the...

Glad that was an easy fix. A bit unsettling. It’s always amazing how terminals tend to loosen with time. It’s primarily after the initial tightening and much less thereafter. Chinese DIN breakers are the worst offenders, but even these eventually stay snug. This does make me wonder about the...

I’d be pulling the buss bars off to either side of the affected cell and twist some Scotch bright on the contact surfaces then wipe off the surface with acetone and assemble. If you use NO-OX-ID A Special do not get it on the threads as the reduction of friction will increase the tension force...

The only thing that I can find advantageous to a 24 system is 24 volt alternators are plentiful.

You don’t put shoes outside around here. You’ll find a mouse or a baby rattlesnake in it. Yes I’ve found both. The snake cured me of that habit.

Ting tang Walla Walla bing bang! Sorry 🥴

I’ve opened up the Watts24/7 200 amp version. I was curious about polarization and I found out that both sides were symmetrically exact. That being said I don’t know if top or bottom is best for positive. There are huge arc chutes, thermal and magnetic interrupts. By design the moving contacts...

Ignition projection not protection 😂

I’ve been using “Willy Weather” App for may years for figuring out how the weather would be for wind when I was boating. The last few years I’ve also been using it for solar. Select the UV at the bottom and you’ll see three days into the future. It’s been amazingly accurate for solar energy.