There was no plan, but here I am

[Gypsi]

I'm pretty darned impressed with what you have already done!

Thank you Marianne. it's easy once I got past the point of letting people think I was crazy, and just moving forward. My daughters still claim me, but holidays have migrated to their houses. I have my kitchen about 1/4 demolished - or it looks like it with the gaping opening where the range once was. Eventually a cabinet front with nice wide deep drawers for pans will go there, and one drawer for extra induction cooktops, but my first job is to pay the mortgage and buy the stuff. Second is basic life operations. Third is finishing construction. Will post some pics when I have time to do the scans of the old ones. I set up a photo album for my uncle and found great shots from the first year or 2 after I bought the house. Most of the changes are to the yard and corner lot. They are dramatic. The house LOOKS on the outside about the same. The interior I have been working on, and sealing up gaps and cracks...

Gypsi

 

[AmericanHomesteader]

Good luck with all your projects. Sounds like you are off to a good start. Let me know if you need help designing your solar power system.

I will probably need the help, but I followed your parts links Sunsaver, and first I need money.

I do not know if I can daisy chain batteries and solar panels off the current rig I've got. I have a NPower 400 watt inverter, an NPower 7 amp Solar Charge controller, and an Npower 15 watt solar 12 volt battery charger. I initially used my truck battery from the chevy I don't drive often, but when I needed the chevy, I bought a lawn mower battery at Home Depot. This system won't put enough charge on to continuously run a 5 watt and a 3.3 watt air pump 24/7, with 12 to 13 hours of good charging time. The battery would go dead after 2 days on the truck battery, about a day on the lawn mower battery if I let the air pumps run overnight. So for an emergency heat of the day backup, it was ok. But it's not much. Especially since I spent $150 on the main components at Northern Tool. (the lawn mower battery was only $25)

I have a Costco card - they want $399 for a 40 watt solar panel, not sure if it is 12 volt or 24, the price put me off. I run a very lean budget...

Anyway, that's what I've got. I've taken residential wiring and jump-started plenty of vehicles. Can I expand on this in a reasonably priced manner, or did I buy junk?

Hi 399.00 for a 40 watt panel is high and it would be 12 volt being that small, here is a link to a place in Maimi fl that has great pricing, im looking at buying a charge controller from them http://www.sunelec.com/solar-panels-c-5.html Good luck on your projects.

 

[Gypsi]

Well before I go buying solar, money has to roll in the door, which it is not inclined to do at this time of year. So I am preparing to build an Earth Oven - shouldn't have to buy as much stuff for it. And at the moment, laundry is on the laundromat plan, unless I luck out and all that is wrong with my washer is a belt. not sure if I will be that lucky, I'll have to open it to find out. Surgery keeps getting postponed. I REALLY need to clean my garage. So for today, I broke down all the styrofoam coolers in it and glued the flat pieces to the inside of the garage door (which faces north, and brings in 9/10ths of the cold air into my kitchen/ dining areas now that the window framing has been replaced)

Swapped rock for firewood yesterday. Threw a rod in the chevy trying to do that swap on Thursday. My friends with the fallen oaks delivered, all neatly chopped and everything.

Don't desperately need a fire in the woodstove tonight, but it was chilly all day, and I was outdoors for most of it.

 

[BarredBuff]

I cant wait to here about the earth oven!!

 

[FarmerChick]

I didn't say HI yet so.....

 

[Gypsi]

Hi again everyone. All plans are slowed down a bit. A semi in a hurry knocked 6 cars around today. My small truck was one of them, I was in it. I seem to be ok, truck is totaled, and the truck driver took off, so cash for home improvements is likely to be scarce while I wait for my insurance claim to be settled. (ain't looking fast either, they of course would prefer the trucking company to pay, remains to be seen if said company will pull a fast one and get rid of the guilty truck.)

gypsi

 

[Denim Deb]

Do you know what trucking company it was? If so, you and the other drivers need to go after them. File a police report for leaving the scene of the accident, and keep pushing!

 

[justusnak]

Hi Gypsi, and welcome! I have been busy here lately, and don't get to cruise through here as much as I would like
Sounds like you have a lot going on, and GREAT plans!
I am so sorry about the accident. I hope you continue to feel OK, sometimes it can take several days after the accident to "feel" it.

 

[Gypsi]

Do you know what trucking company it was? If so, you and the other drivers need to go after them. File a police report for leaving the scene of the accident, and keep pushing!

I called 911 immediately, police officer finished filing the report from his car while I was in it, staying warm, waiting for my tow truck. I started my insurance claim along side the highway, and followed up with them this evening. Is it slander to say who it was? No plate number, but he slowed down then changed his mind and sped off, we know who his company is, and they are big. Going to an epsom salt bath now. My left ring finger and the lower ribs on the left side of my body are sore for some reason.

 

[Denim Deb]

If it's the truth, then it's not slander. Even if you didn't think it necessary to go to the ER after the accident, I'd at the very least go to a good chiropractor. And, keep an eye on any areas that hurt. I was in an accident a few years ago-got run off the road and totaled my truck. I was taken to the ER, they did X-rays, which showed nothing. But, after I kept complaining about pain in my ribs they sent me for a bone scan. The bone scan showed I had 4 cracked ribs, probably from the air bag deploying.