Okanogan 14x24 by a lurker :)

Started by Oljarhead, September 21, 2009, 02:53:09 PM

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Tickhill

I believe heaven will be in a constant state of autumn! Give me autumn almost year round.
"You will find the key to success under the alarm Glock"  Ben Franklin
Forget it Ben, just remember, the check comes at the first of the month and it's not your fault, your a victim.

Pray while there is still time

JavaMan

Quote from: Tickhill on September 20, 2010, 03:34:17 AM
I believe heaven will be in a constant state of autumn! Give me autumn almost year round.

If my dad hasn't fished it out already, I believe that fishing season will run concurrently with hunting season.


OlJarhead

Frustration!

I'm getting ready for our next trip and realized that I can't get all the porch supplies and truck them up since my trailer can only handle 1200lbs and I've got 6 batteries, the solar rack, solar panels, wheel barrel, cement and windows to carry not to mention our personal gear, food etc etc :(

So it looks like a trip up to unload the trailer then a trip to Omak to Home Depot, then load up the 900+lbs of supplies, then back to the cabin!  Grrrr

So, if all goes well we won't start until Wednesday but perhaps we can kick butt when we start.

Yonderosa

I just got back yesterday from an extended weekend trip.  Temps were mild 50-60's during the day but not dipping down to much at night.  Didn't need the heater at all.  Mostly overcast, some sun breaks, periods of rain and some impressive lightning.

Had a conversation with an old timer in the Colville tribe and learned a bunch from him.  I had noticed that all of the Ponderosa Pine in the area have their inner needles browning.  He said it happens when they have too much rain.  He said it happens every few years around there.  He also gave me one of those you dumb coastie looks and said "You got no idea what kind of treasure you got here do ya?"

I told him I felt mighty blessed to have property in such a beautiful spot.

He said, "That ain't what I'm talkin' about!  Look all around here.  You got a gold mine of 'Shaggy Manes' around here."  He then picked one and took a bite of the stalk.  "They're even better in gravy." 

He knew all kind of things, wished I had a note pad and a pencil.  I hope I've made a friend of him.  The dude is an encyclopedia with little exposure to formal education, a bit grouchy but has a lot of life experience and paid attention along the way.  This here ignorant WETsider got schooled and enjoyed every minute of it.  ;)
http://theyonderosa.blogspot.com/

"The secret to life is to be alive.  To live ultimately by one's own hand and one's own independent devices." -Ted Nugent

OlJarhead

Lost internet for most of the day!  Yikes!  However we did manage to get the solar panels ready for the final phase!  INSTALL!!!


First had to clamp them to the rack, then carefully drill mounting holes and fit SS nuts and bolts.  Carefully!  I didn't have a way to stop the drill (and didn't feel like making one) so I just carefully drilled all 26 holes :)  No misshaps!  (whiles brow)....


And soon they were all sitting on the frame and bolted down.




Of course we had to take them all off for shipping but it was nice to fit them and make sure everything would work.  Once we're at the cabin and the pole is in the ground in cured concrete we can mount the rack and install the panels!

615 watts of sun power :)

Also got the copper and standoffs for the battery bank and all the wires for the system -- just need to terminate the 1/0 (solder anyone?)....and we're set :D

Can't wait.


MountainDon

Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

OlJarhead

We've got the power :D

OK, sorta.  Just got back late last night and will report shortly!

Cheers
Erik

OlJarhead

So here is the problem:

You can put your solar panels approximately 30-35 feet from your cabin (50 feet of cable and you need some to go under ground and some to go up to the panels and inside of the cabin etc) and to the south of the cabin is a camper that's been there forever...and you have no truck.....the solution?

Or is it just Hill Billy camping? hahaha

Anyway, we 'got 'er done' and the camper was moved to it's new (temporary) home without too much trouble (ok so Josh had to stand on the tongue to add some weight to it but otherwise....well those straps were useful and the PVC pipe came in handy but.....ahhh never mind!)

MountainDon

Hey don't laugh too hard. That could be handy some day.   ;D


Actualy I have a friend who has a similar camper on the front end of a long gooseneck flat bed trailer. He carries his modified CJ on the rear portion of the trailer. Pulls it all with a Powerstroke.
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.


JavaMan

That thing any good inside?  about this time every year I start wishing I had one of those ... would make heading up to my place much easier ... of course, if I actually finished the shed, I wouldn't have to think about a place to sleep  d*

OlJarhead

Quote from: JavaMan on September 28, 2010, 02:51:38 PM
That thing any good inside?  about this time every year I start wishing I had one of those ... would make heading up to my place much easier ... of course, if I actually finished the shed, I wouldn't have to think about a place to sleep  d*

Yes.

It's actually not too bad -- needs a little work (and a stove) but if you could use it you would be welcome to come pick it up and loan it as long as needed -- but if you want to bring it back you'll have to ask!!! hahahahahahahahaha

Seriously though, I might be willing to 'loan' the camper out to you.  It needs a tarp on top to keep the water out (we have one of those) or some kind of roof paint/tar to re water proof it.  The bed works, lights work etc.  We just took the stove out for the cabin :)

OlJarhead

Quote from: MountainDon on September 28, 2010, 02:28:48 PM
Hey don't laugh too hard. That could be handy some day.   ;D


Actualy I have a friend who has a similar camper on the front end of a long gooseneck flat bed trailer. He carries his modified CJ on the rear portion of the trailer. Pulls it all with a Powerstroke.

haha Don!  No thanks.  It's already off the trailer and back on it's own 4 legs (and a couple blocks) waiting to be moved (or moved away).....we have a nice mouse infested tent trailer for camping :)  d* ???

dmanley

Erik, we were camping last year at a Tn state park and actually saw a family with a set up similiar to this.  The camper was mounted on a flat bed trailer, which gave them some front porch area.  The unit was held onto the trailer with rachet straps.  Talk about redneck.  Kept wanting to get a picture of the thing but they were always sitting on their porch.  They probably would have been proud to have someone take a pic but I just didn't have the nerve to ask.

OlJarhead

Quote from: dmanley on September 28, 2010, 09:12:44 PM
Erik, we were camping last year at a Tn state park and actually saw a family with a set up similiar to this.  The camper was mounted on a flat bed trailer, which gave them some front porch area.  The unit was held onto the trailer with rachet straps.  Talk about redneck.  Kept wanting to get a picture of the thing but they were always sitting on their porch.  They probably would have been proud to have someone take a pic but I just didn't have the nerve to ask.

haha we used rachet straps to keep it from falling off!

Hey, DManley...is this Don?  My cousin? 


OlJarhead


Once we got the camper moved we began digging our hole.  We needed to go down 3 feet in rocky ground!  It actually took HAND digging at times!  Yes, seriously.  But we managed to get the pole concreted in (5 bags of concrete) and then began to work on the porch.

Once the porch was well underway and we'd given the concrete a couple days to set we installed the rack and panels.


We used butyl (sp?) tape as a gasket between the panels and the rack and affixed them with all stainless steel bolts.


I didn't have the declination handy so set the poles to just past magnetic for now. 


I noticed that we got full sun around 10am and that lasted until about 2pm.  Prior to 10am we had some minor shadows and after about 2-2:3-pm we had some shadows but they are all from trees that will be turned into lumber eventually.

I think we'll get about 6 hours of sun in the spring and fall...not sure about the winter yet.


Our backwoods solar set up ;)  Actually this is more of an R&D type install and I'll be replacing some of the wiring and shortening the 1/0 cables by quite a bit.  I changed much in my original plan but for now it all works and the batteries are on float :)  By around 4:30pm I watched the bank go from 12.54 vdc to 12.58vdc in a very short time as the controller took over and the panels provided the charge -- this AFTER the time I expected useful light :D


I finally managed to get the porch cleaned up and the temporary box more or less installed -- we were 4 hours past scheduled departure and I was very upset with the mess outside but alas, time was no longer a luxury so we rigged up and headed out in the road warrior for another 4 1/2 hour drive home.


I did get this last shot however, at just after 6pm on our way out...how I wish I had another day!!!

I plan to head back next week to clean up and finish the solar install....

but for now :D  We have POWER!

Tickhill

OJ, looking good! First class adjustable mount.  [cool]
"You will find the key to success under the alarm Glock"  Ben Franklin
Forget it Ben, just remember, the check comes at the first of the month and it's not your fault, your a victim.

Pray while there is still time

JavaMan

Quote from: OlJarhead on September 28, 2010, 03:47:51 PM
Quote from: JavaMan on September 28, 2010, 02:51:38 PM
That thing any good inside?  about this time every year I start wishing I had one of those ... would make heading up to my place much easier ... of course, if I actually finished the shed, I wouldn't have to think about a place to sleep  d*

Yes.

It's actually not too bad -- needs a little work (and a stove) but if you could use it you would be welcome to come pick it up and loan it as long as needed -- but if you want to bring it back you'll have to ask!!! hahahahahahahahaha

Seriously though, I might be willing to 'loan' the camper out to you.  It needs a tarp on top to keep the water out (we have one of those) or some kind of roof paint/tar to re water proof it.  The bed works, lights work etc.  We just took the stove out for the cabin :)

Well, one of the reasons I haven't yet pulled the trigger on acquiring one of these already is that if I did, it would mean I'd have to actually clean out the back of my truck!  So don't hold your breath on me coming to "borrow" it   ;D

OlJarhead

Quote from: Tickhill on September 29, 2010, 03:59:09 AM
OJ, looking good! First class adjustable mount.  [cool]

Thanks :)  My neighbor built it after we discussed what I was looking for -- cost was about 15% of what it costs to buy one!!!

I did break the stop nut for the rotating head though when I tried to tighten it too much :(  He'd welded the nut top and bottom and it worked fine until I decided I wanted it really tight  d*  So now I'm hoping it stays put until I can get someone with a welder up there to weld the nut all the way around.

Otherwise the mount works perfectly :)  Easy to rotate and tilt!  I can tilt those suckers at least 90 degrees!

OlJarhead

Quote from: JavaMan on September 29, 2010, 08:31:32 AM
Quote from: OlJarhead on September 28, 2010, 03:47:51 PM
Quote from: JavaMan on September 28, 2010, 02:51:38 PM
That thing any good inside?  about this time every year I start wishing I had one of those ... would make heading up to my place much easier ... of course, if I actually finished the shed, I wouldn't have to think about a place to sleep  d*

Yes.

It's actually not too bad -- needs a little work (and a stove) but if you could use it you would be welcome to come pick it up and loan it as long as needed -- but if you want to bring it back you'll have to ask!!! hahahahahahahahaha

Seriously though, I might be willing to 'loan' the camper out to you.  It needs a tarp on top to keep the water out (we have one of those) or some kind of roof paint/tar to re water proof it.  The bed works, lights work etc.  We just took the stove out for the cabin :)

Well, one of the reasons I haven't yet pulled the trigger on acquiring one of these already is that if I did, it would mean I'd have to actually clean out the back of my truck!  So don't hold your breath on me coming to "borrow" it   ;D

Dag nammit!  ??? d*

Actually, that's ok, but if you want to borrow it I'd be happy to let you, though I would actually want it back!  We like having it actually and hope to fix it up some day.

Solar Burrito

Wow, what a power setup, very impressed I am.  [cool] Over 600 watts and all that power and being in Eastern WA you're going to get all the power you need, way more I suspect. crank up the Disco lights and the fog machine it's time for a vulgar display of solar power../  ;D haha maybe I got carried away but this will be a template for my ideal setup eventually.

Our new cabin is tall like yours and is currently blocking our 75watt panel on the shed.   d* We haven't run out of juice
though... not enough lights to drain it...

Dang you got alot of work done, nice work.
Small Shelters, Off Grid Living, and Other Neat Stuff http://solarburrito.com


OlJarhead

Quote from: Solar Burrito on September 29, 2010, 11:31:54 AM
Wow, what a power setup, very impressed I am.  [cool] Over 600 watts and all that power and being in Eastern WA you're going to get all the power you need, way more I suspect. crank up the Disco lights and the fog machine it's time for a vulgar display of solar power../  ;D haha maybe I got carried away but this will be a template for my ideal setup eventually.

Our new cabin is tall like yours and is currently blocking our 75watt panel on the shed.   d* We haven't run out of juice
though... not enough lights to drain it...

Dang you got alot of work done, nice work.

Thanks :)

Really, it was MountainDon that got me going and taught me a ton -- and of course I studied his threads on solar power extensively :D  But I'm still learning a ton!

I used to build MW Backhaul sites for the cell carriers and it often involved wiring up DC power systems so that part of this job was pretty simple compared to those larger systems.  However, as usual I forgot too much!

My list of things to fix:

1.  Bring at least 20 feet of 10awg wire (to replace various other gauges -- all bigger -- that I scrounged at the last minute.
2.  Cut and re-terminate the 1/0 to fit better.
3.  Put the ground rod in and run grounds to everything (our neighbor tells us it will work out in the rocks because the ground rod will just wind it's way down past them all -- like a corkscrew).
4.  Clean up the darn mess!
5.  Seal off the porch and finish the gable end as well as rafter ties.
6.  Buck up the fallen trees and get the branches ready for burning in the winter

And so much more!

OlJarhead

Looks like I'm making a quick trip to the cabin this weekend!  I just got hired in a new job and will start Tuesday (my choice so I could go clean up the cabin and get the door on the porch)....less time to work on the cabin but that's ok :) :D

BACK TO WORK!  WHOOHOO!

MountainDon

Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

OlJarhead

Quote from: MountainDon on September 30, 2010, 06:38:12 PM
[cool]  Happy for you here!

Thanks Don :D  c*

It should be fun stuff; all Ethernet over fiber networks.  I'll start out fusion splicing fiber routes and doing 'as builts' and then move over to system commissioning and programming (all things I've done before except I've not spliced outside of training)...the awesome thing is that splicers make decent $$ :D

MountainDon

Do you still have to pass a color blindness test?  There were too many colors and combinations in the old copper wire systems for me to be able to sort them out.
Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.