Crazy things you do with excess power

[DougfromdaUP]

Today is the second day of good sun here in the frozen s***hole of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. After the batteries were charged I was so eager to use the free excess electricity that I washed my favorite long johns days ahead of schedule.

I also put the lunch leftovers into the refrigerator steaming hot.

 

[OffGridForGood]

Hey!! Doug! - you are suffering from the common February disease Cabin Fever !
Now go light the sauna, roll around naked in some freah snow and do a polar bear swim to shake that fever off.
Then use all that excess solar to run the Still like a "normal northerner".
Actually around here we think of the 'U-P' as being down south, but it's all just perspective ya know!
"remember not to drink the first cup from the Still" or you will be worse off than Cabin Fever !!

 

[mapsofilti]

Perhaps export to the grid, or boil the the ocean.

 

[DougfromdaUP]

Perhaps export to the grid, or boil the the ocean.

Unfortunately, no agreement with my utility is possible. They limit your installed panels to an unreasonably low amount. I wanted to provide reliable backup power year-round, so I started with twice as many panels as they would allow for an intertied system.

They won't buy power from me at any time or any price.

 

[OffGridForGood]

So excess power can go to the Still after all !!

 

[timselectric]

Another vote for the still.

 

[wdwtx2.0]

I would opt for the solar death ray from The Man With the Golden Gun.

 

[trdstarlet]

I use a space heater for excess power... I need more batteries lol

 

[MisterSandals]

Another vote for the still.

Yea, but I'm having a hard time with the electric still concept. Call me old fashioned...

 

[OffGridForGood]

hey, get with modern times, better temperature control leads to better rye!
and ya gotta keep it outta sight ya know!
(so the neighbours don't come drink it all)

 

[B-Mod]

Heat shop floor with electric water heater. Heat shop with bit coin miners, and make $'s. Large electric space heaters in my basement. Charge electric cars. Heat my house to almost 80 on a sunny day. I have had my shop as high as 92 degrees. And for some reason I am adding another 14kwh of solar. Oh wait I remember, it is the sucky cloudy days when I can't do any of the above.

 

[ksmithaz1]

hey, get with modern times, better temperature control leads to better rye!
and ya gotta keep it outta sight ya know!
(so the neighbours don't come drink it all)

Mi mamma was raised in a dry county, in the hills of rural Kentucky. Let's just say Grandpa could have used the power wisely, and 'Justified' is not as far off the reality mark as you might think. I'm with OGFG, the best apple-jack comes out when the temperature is stable. Much easier with electricity, and no smoke from burning the wood. Not that I would know anything about those types of enterprises.

 

[Mattb4]

After a couple of sun days here my batteries are all caught up and I could divert production to heating water yesterday. By 1pm it was more than enough to have a glorious warm shower and to run a load of clothes. The organically made electricity from my backyard is so much more gentle and soothing on my skin than the harsh grid supplied electricity which has who knows what additives and potential cancer causing agents is in it.

 

[Kiwi2000]

I feel content that my battery bank has fully charged yet again and my solar is easily covering any of the house's loads and that I now would have 'excess power'!

So I use it to feel secure and as a sense of achievement.

 

[n2aws]

Heat my house to almost 80 on a sunny day.

Oh man, this sounds miserable.
I live in florida. My father-in-law keeps his air conditioner set at 80F. I dread going over there, because I end up sweating the whole time and need a shower when I get home.

 

[OzSolar]

One more for vote the still.

I use excess power and credits for space heating via a 11kW water heater tied to my radiant in floor heating.

A few months ago I replaced my 18 year old water heater with a new one that I converted so both elements could run at the same time. Of course I added a 2nd 30 amp circuit.

 

[murmeister]

We wait to do the "optional" things when our batteries are full and the sun is frying skin:

Run the freeze dryer
Defrost the freezers
Wash blankets
and sometimes even vacuum!

(As far as my wife knows, the sun is never bright enough for me to do the last one! Don't anyone tell her differently!)

 

[Skypower]

Power up the Masterbuilt electric smoker.

 

[B-Mod]

Oh man, this sounds miserable.
I live in florida. My father-in-law keeps his air conditioner set at 80F. I dread going over there, because I end up sweating the whole time and need a shower when I get home.

It is not that hot to be miserable. Remember I am up north, so after sun goes down temp goes down in the house.

 

[Q-Dog]

We run supplemental heat or air conditioning. Today we needed neither, so ran the dehumidifier. And sometimes laundry ... my wife gets a kick out of doing laundry on solar power.