Pirate Camp Winter Season 2022-23

[user 423]

Fire!... da daa daaaa bumm bumm Fire!!

Arthur Brown?

 

[RvNaut]

Arthur Brown?

Jim Morrison

 

[RvNaut]

 

[abnorm]

So what was the cause of the meltdown of the solar charge controller? Curious minds want to know? Lol!!!

As Jason noted the wires were loose..............the feed is #10awg on the roof and changes to #12awg inside the rig......small wires squashed flat and highly corroded .....HEAT ! The old battery box is located Behind the Shower/Bath enclosure.....Wire access thru the waterproof TP dispenser !

There's even an (unnecessary) SAE/Zamp plug/socket connection on the solar wires THRU the roof...................The socket facing UP allowing water to enter the connection ?

The shunt is also not working atm?........still troubleshooting! A dozen+ different installers/repairmen have touched these wires....The #1/0 wire to the inverter is connected to a #10 wire in a cabinet and fused at 15Amp from the RV fuse box......wonderful

Of course that's a new 40 Amp Solar Charge Controller ($150).................the old melted one was a plastic $20 Walmart model..............How can you rely on that ?

 

[maki2]

..The #1/0 wire to the inverter is connected to a #10 wire in a cabinet and fused at 15Amp from the RV fuse box

Now that is a crazy situation. Someone who assumed they knew how to wire it and never even bothered to double check or review that particular products wiring safety needs.

Pirate Camp is literally rescuing the lives of people that sailed into port on that old ship.

 

[RvNaut]

..now with less dramatic music..

 

[Camper]

Great job Abnorm....

 

[abnorm]

^^ VERY COOL JASON !....................That was the Campfire Potluck hosted by Ann............Good Times !

Thanks Camper.......""Hey.......Get out here Old Man !""

Maki.......at least it's fused too small....it blows quick under load !........A new inverter/location and wires are expected...................

 

[NctryBen]

That was fun thanks Ann..... and Jason, nice footage. Those beans made things move along pretty good.

 

[Sleep]

Another great evening with great friends! Nice videos Jason. Ann I need that recipe!

 

[RvNaut]

Rain Notice - Late Sun through Tue here in Q... should be steady rain at points during this period.

 

[abnorm]

^SOAP and Water ! ............................Nekid Camp


I'm working on a design/build Portable Power Station/Solar Generator for MarkW's tent.............(Hey TX)

Lithium battery......inverter......solar charge controller......fuses/fuse block/MC4's......USB and Ciggy plugs

All in a plywood "box" with a carry handle.......(solar panels not included)........a half-assed DIY Jackery

Introducing : The YAKery..... "named for a large ugly Beast-of-Burden....."

 

[bullfrog]

^^^Okay if you add a 120 charger for the lithium battery as well you should have all the options of the commercially sold ones like the Jackery except by using components more cheaply/easily repairable. The big discussion forum argument was you could buy the more compact commercial unit cheaper and with their warranty and increased reliability they were the better buy. How much have you spent? What think you? Is it smaller than a Prius? Lol!!!

 

[Headache]

Rain Notice - Late Sun through Tue here in Q... should be steady rain at points during this period.

Yep sending some good precip. We'll see how much survives going over the various mountain chains until it reaches you.

I want the shuttle bus in that video....

We'll be leaving after Michael gets off work on Thurs the 22nd and arrive shortly thereafter. Will the big holiday toodoo be on Christmas, or on Christmas Eve? We'll be at the food bank Christmas Eve.

 

[maki2]

I would much rather have an Abnorm built Yak-Box than a commercially built Jackery. The receiver is a fortunate person.

Jackeries do not charge quickly from 110v so not an essential feature for an off grid life.

 

[Headache]

Introducing : The YAKery..... "named for a large ugly Beast-of-Burden....."

Works hard and does a good job!

 

[abnorm]

Frog....Mark had purchased all of the equipment before his van died.....He expected to INSTALL in his vehicle..........

The components are large and will be RE-installed in his future ride BUT for now he needs to use them in a tent !

We'll compute the suggested retail price later !...........He uses a small solar generator now to power a 12V Fridge

His "Jackery" w/flex panels uses a separate wall-wart for A/C charging.......Do some models have built-in chargers ?

I have a classic 12 V Automotive Charger available for loan..........and he also owns a Gas Generator to run it.....

YAKery specs....................Approx 10" x 17" x 20" tall...........

Headache the bus is Debbie's.......Christmas Day Happening !...........Christmas Eve Campfire....Santa Watch !

Thanks Maki

 

[maki2]

I just looked at the official NOAA forecast for the coming week. Sunday night shows as a 50% chance of less than a tenth of an inch of precipitation. On Monday it decreases to a 20% chance with no measurable precipitation anticipated. No chance of rain on Tuesday but the next few nights starting Tuesday do bring an increasing chance of some early morning frost but not any actual freeze warnings as of yet.

A little winter rain and consolidation of humidity into frost on the plants and ground will be nice for the desert plants and small creatures.

 

[maki2]

Brian known as B&C in the forum will be arriving in Pirate Camp sometime on Saturday. Be sure to go over and say hello when you see him outside. Remember his knee causes him too much pain for him to do a lot of walking around the area to visit with others in Pirate camp. Not a lazy person or an unfriendly one, he just has more pain if he does much walking around. An old injury from his youthful motorcycle days when they had to put a metal rod in his leg to fix him up after a crash.

 

[jacqueg]

His "Jackery" w/flex panels uses a separate wall-wart for A/C charging.......Do some models have built-in chargers ?

Far as I know, they all use wall warts. I've had RockPals, EcoFlow, and now a Jackery. (I WANTED to like the EcoFlow, but I had a charging problem with the one I bought, and could never raise EcoFlow customer service about it. Fortunately I bought it from Home Depot, and had no trouble returning it to them.)