What prep items did you get recently?

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    Binary male Lesbian
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 27, 2013
    40,749
    Woodbine
    Added 50 Magpul 30rd mags MOE Gen2 , from Palmeto State Armory's early Black Friday sale with there promotion code got them for 8.99 each and over 5 you get free shipping. I know that a lot of you can't take advantage of it but see if they will ship to a address out of MD. The price is just too sweet to pass up throwing a few more in the box

    I’m jelly
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,673
    I guess not really prepping so much, but an “off grid” project. I didn’t really want to run an extension cord 150-200ft to my chicken coop and I am tired of needing to bring their water in to my garage most evenings in the winter or run hot water out to them once or twice a day to melt the ice.

    So I built a solar chicken water heater. I designed it to expand the solar panel capacity if needed.

    Two 25w panels to be mounted on the roof of the coop. 35ah AGM battery. Renogy 10a charge controller. 150w 12v inverter. 12v timer to control when the inverter gets power.

    I am looking to run the 80w heater an hour a day. Trying to figure out if I should run it for an hour at 11am. Or how I have it setup now which is 30 minutes at 11 and 15 minutes at 1 and 3pm to help it stay ice free through more of the day. I am guessing an hour at 11 is probably the better approach, but I’ll test it.

    I designed the system. So I can add solar panels if I need to. But I am hoping if I am looking at maybe 90wh or draw per day (inverter isn’t 100% efficient, the charge controller only pulls like .1w, but that is still 2.4wh a day and the timer pulls a little juice when it turns the relay on). The coop is at the edge of the woods, but this time of year, assuming a sunny day, it gets filtered sunlight through the woods until about noon. Then it is direct sunlight until around 3:30 or 4 when the sun hits some cedars and then is pretty heavily shaded until sunset. Low sun this time of year, even with the panels aligned at their best I am assuming maybe 2-5w of power till noon on a sunny day and 20-30w noon to 3:30.

    So maybe 110-130wh per sunny day. Depending on just how dark an overcast day is, maybe 5-15wh on overcast days. I am hoping that’ll average out enough to work well.

    One other factor is the chicken water heater has a thermal cutout switch. So after awhile it’ll cycle. Just throwing a block of ice on it and plugging it in to an outdoor outlet it seems to burn around 60wh an hour with ice on it. If it was all melted I assume it’ll use less as it’ll be warmer and cycle more. But I don’t want to count on that.

    Anyway, I can easily add another one or two 25w panels or I have my eye on a 60w panel that is basically the same price as two 25w panels I am using. And it is voltage matched close enough mixing it in should only reduce overall array efficiency 2-3%. Making 2x25 + 60w better than 4x25w panels by at least a bit. Unsure what I’ll do if I expand power producing. 3x25 or 4x25 gives me more flexibility.

    In a year or two I’ll be building a shed/workshop that’ll be powered by solar within about 20-30ft from the coop. I’ll just run an extension cord then. I’ll probably repurpose the panels or the whole thing as a charge maintainer for my tear drop trailer that I am building. The trailer I am shooting for a pair of 100w flexible panels on the roof and a 100ah lithium iron phosphate battery. But where it’ll be parked the panels are basically going to be pointed north west…and the setting sun will be going through the trees in the summer. Winter, I doubt it’ll get even high angle direct light. I am designing the trailer so I can plug in a portable solar panel if I am camping somewhere in the shade, so I can setup a 60-120w folding panel maybe 10-20ft away in the sun. Or if I need extra panel while camping.

    And then when home and parked I can have one or more of the 25w panels on a small post next to the park pad oriented south and plug it in to the camper to keep the battery charged. Especially since lithium batteries means I’ll need to have a battery heater to keep it from freezing. I don’t expect that’ll use much power with an insulated battery box, but a 12w, 12v heating pad with a thermal switch might still pull 20-40wh of power a day if really cold out. Maybe more.

    And I could add some landscape lights run off 12v around there.

    Anyway, it’s been an interesting project. I’ve been learning a lot putting solar power in to practice. Not just knowing the theory. A lot better than dropping $2000-3000 on the power systems for this workshop and finding out I didn’t size or do things right. In some ways worse, the $1000-1500 on the camper for electrical power and finding out I have to take it apart because I didn’t do something right.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,673
    Here is the setup not on the coop.
     

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    Deep Thought

    Active Member
    Jan 27, 2013
    575
    Columbia, MD
    I guess not really prepping so much, but an “off grid” project. I didn’t really want to run an extension cord 150-200ft to my chicken coop and I am tired of needing to bring their water in to my garage most evenings in the winter or run hot water out to them once or twice a day to melt the ice.

    So I built a solar chicken water heater. I designed it to expand the solar panel capacity if needed.

    Two 25w panels to be mounted on the roof of the coop. 35ah AGM battery. Renogy 10a charge controller. 150w 12v inverter. 12v timer to control when the inverter gets power.

    I am looking to run the 80w heater an hour a day. Trying to figure out if I should run it for an hour at 11am. Or how I have it setup now which is 30 minutes at 11 and 15 minutes at 1 and 3pm to help it stay ice free through more of the day. I am guessing an hour at 11 is probably the better approach, but I’ll test it.

    I designed the system. So I can add solar panels if I need to. But I am hoping if I am looking at maybe 90wh or draw per day (inverter isn’t 100% efficient, the charge controller only pulls like .1w, but that is still 2.4wh a day and the timer pulls a little juice when it turns the relay on). The coop is at the edge of the woods, but this time of year, assuming a sunny day, it gets filtered sunlight through the woods until about noon. Then it is direct sunlight until around 3:30 or 4 when the sun hits some cedars and then is pretty heavily shaded until sunset. Low sun this time of year, even with the panels aligned at their best I am assuming maybe 2-5w of power till noon on a sunny day and 20-30w noon to 3:30.

    So maybe 110-130wh per sunny day. Depending on just how dark an overcast day is, maybe 5-15wh on overcast days. I am hoping that’ll average out enough to work well.

    One other factor is the chicken water heater has a thermal cutout switch. So after awhile it’ll cycle. Just throwing a block of ice on it and plugging it in to an outdoor outlet it seems to burn around 60wh an hour with ice on it. If it was all melted I assume it’ll use less as it’ll be warmer and cycle more. But I don’t want to count on that.

    Anyway, I can easily add another one or two 25w panels or I have my eye on a 60w panel that is basically the same price as two 25w panels I am using. And it is voltage matched close enough mixing it in should only reduce overall array efficiency 2-3%. Making 2x25 + 60w better than 4x25w panels by at least a bit. Unsure what I’ll do if I expand power producing. 3x25 or 4x25 gives me more flexibility.

    In a year or two I’ll be building a shed/workshop that’ll be powered by solar within about 20-30ft from the coop. I’ll just run an extension cord then. I’ll probably repurpose the panels or the whole thing as a charge maintainer for my tear drop trailer that I am building. The trailer I am shooting for a pair of 100w flexible panels on the roof and a 100ah lithium iron phosphate battery. But where it’ll be parked the panels are basically going to be pointed north west…and the setting sun will be going through the trees in the summer. Winter, I doubt it’ll get even high angle direct light. I am designing the trailer so I can plug in a portable solar panel if I am camping somewhere in the shade, so I can setup a 60-120w folding panel maybe 10-20ft away in the sun. Or if I need extra panel while camping.

    And then when home and parked I can have one or more of the 25w panels on a small post next to the park pad oriented south and plug it in to the camper to keep the battery charged. Especially since lithium batteries means I’ll need to have a battery heater to keep it from freezing. I don’t expect that’ll use much power with an insulated battery box, but a 12w, 12v heating pad with a thermal switch might still pull 20-40wh of power a day if really cold out. Maybe more.

    And I could add some landscape lights run off 12v around there.

    Anyway, it’s been an interesting project. I’ve been learning a lot putting solar power in to practice. Not just knowing the theory. A lot better than dropping $2000-3000 on the power systems for this workshop and finding out I didn’t size or do things right. In some ways worse, the $1000-1500 on the camper for electrical power and finding out I have to take it apart because I didn’t do something right.

    I just went through the same project in very similar circumstances. My advice is that you will need far more panel watts that you think you need. They put out less than rated and there is much loss in conversion.

    In my case even a 100 watt panel was not sufficient to run a 50 watt 'bird bath heater' to keep my chickens' water warm around the clock.

    Best of luck to you, if nothing else as you say it's an interesting project and you will learn a lot.
     

    Harrys

    Short Round
    Jul 12, 2014
    3,361
    SOMD
    Pressure Cooker Coming

    My wife bought me a pressure cooker for my B-day coming next week. Now I will be able to can lots of meats, soups, chili, and other things that need high temps.
     
    Last edited:

    Chat-Bot

    Disinformation Governor
    Oct 17, 2020
    4,627
    под скалой
    I just went through the same project in very similar circumstances. My advice is that you will need far more panel watts that you think you need. They put out less than rated and there is much loss in conversion.

    In my case even a 100 watt panel was not sufficient to run a 50 watt 'bird bath heater' to keep my chickens' water warm around the clock.

    Best of luck to you, if nothing else as you say it's an interesting project and you will learn a lot.

    Think at least KW or better and battery banks that can handle them. $$$$

    Why do you think you see panel farms?

    solar-farm-in-rural-county.jpg


    mojave_20121120__MG_6568-Edit_lg.jpg
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,632
    AA county
    I don't know why I enjoy watching people eat old food.

    I keep asking myself the same question. :o

    I think one reason is that I've read countless posts about how long before it's not okay to eat the contents of canned goods but that's only part of it.

    Why do I watch the New England Wildlife guy open canned goods that are obviously rusted to the point of compromise and the contents are dust?

    Why does he buy collector worthy canned goods at premium prices just to open them and dump out their contents?

    There must some perverse reason for both.
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,154
    I guess not really prepping so much, but an “off grid” project. I didn’t really want to run an extension cord 150-200ft to my chicken coop and I am tired of needing to bring their water in to my garage most evenings in the winter or run hot water out to them once or twice a day to melt the ice.

    So I built a solar chicken water heater. I designed it to expand the solar panel capacity if needed.

    Two 25w panels to be mounted on the roof of the coop. 35ah AGM battery. Renogy 10a charge controller. 150w 12v inverter. 12v timer to control when the inverter gets power.

    I am looking to run the 80w heater an hour a day. Trying to figure out if I should run it for an hour at 11am. Or how I have it setup now which is 30 minutes at 11 and 15 minutes at 1 and 3pm to help it stay ice free through more of the day. I am guessing an hour at 11 is probably the better approach, but I’ll test it.

    I designed the system. So I can add solar panels if I need to. But I am hoping if I am looking at maybe 90wh or draw per day (inverter isn’t 100% efficient, the charge controller only pulls like .1w, but that is still 2.4wh a day and the timer pulls a little juice when it turns the relay on). The coop is at the edge of the woods, but this time of year, assuming a sunny day, it gets filtered sunlight through the woods until about noon. Then it is direct sunlight until around 3:30 or 4 when the sun hits some cedars and then is pretty heavily shaded until sunset. Low sun this time of year, even with the panels aligned at their best I am assuming maybe 2-5w of power till noon on a sunny day and 20-30w noon to 3:30.

    So maybe 110-130wh per sunny day. Depending on just how dark an overcast day is, maybe 5-15wh on overcast days. I am hoping that’ll average out enough to work well.

    One other factor is the chicken water heater has a thermal cutout switch. So after awhile it’ll cycle. Just throwing a block of ice on it and plugging it in to an outdoor outlet it seems to burn around 60wh an hour with ice on it. If it was all melted I assume it’ll use less as it’ll be warmer and cycle more. But I don’t want to count on that.

    Anyway, I can easily add another one or two 25w panels or I have my eye on a 60w panel that is basically the same price as two 25w panels I am using. And it is voltage matched close enough mixing it in should only reduce overall array efficiency 2-3%. Making 2x25 + 60w better than 4x25w panels by at least a bit. Unsure what I’ll do if I expand power producing. 3x25 or 4x25 gives me more flexibility.

    In a year or two I’ll be building a shed/workshop that’ll be powered by solar within about 20-30ft from the coop. I’ll just run an extension cord then. I’ll probably repurpose the panels or the whole thing as a charge maintainer for my tear drop trailer that I am building. The trailer I am shooting for a pair of 100w flexible panels on the roof and a 100ah lithium iron phosphate battery. But where it’ll be parked the panels are basically going to be pointed north west…and the setting sun will be going through the trees in the summer. Winter, I doubt it’ll get even high angle direct light. I am designing the trailer so I can plug in a portable solar panel if I am camping somewhere in the shade, so I can setup a 60-120w folding panel maybe 10-20ft away in the sun. Or if I need extra panel while camping.

    And then when home and parked I can have one or more of the 25w panels on a small post next to the park pad oriented south and plug it in to the camper to keep the battery charged. Especially since lithium batteries means I’ll need to have a battery heater to keep it from freezing. I don’t expect that’ll use much power with an insulated battery box, but a 12w, 12v heating pad with a thermal switch might still pull 20-40wh of power a day if really cold out. Maybe more.

    And I could add some landscape lights run off 12v around there.

    Anyway, it’s been an interesting project. I’ve been learning a lot putting solar power in to practice. Not just knowing the theory. A lot better than dropping $2000-3000 on the power systems for this workshop and finding out I didn’t size or do things right. In some ways worse, the $1000-1500 on the camper for electrical power and finding out I have to take it apart because I didn’t do something right.

    Think about alternatives to powering the heater heaters use a lot of power.

    For example we have used a 60 watt light bulb to keep a horse water trough ice free. Done by putting the water trough up on supports so the light bulb could go directly under the center then super insulating the tank all around and on top except for a drinking hole centered over the light bulb. Other horse owners have converted water troughs to solar collectors by painting the south side black with a lexan "window" in front and super insulation elsewhere.

    Think outside the box to reduce heat loss reducing the work of the heater you use.
     

    Bullfrog

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 8, 2009
    15,152
    Carroll County
    This guy opens and sometimes tastes ancient can goods. This is his attempt at Spam from 1985.

    When the covid panic first started there were several days when the local stores were cleaned out of milk.

    I saw they still had six packs of Boost, Ensure, Carnation Breakfast drink, etc. I also saw they had shelf lives of about a year and figured in a pinch they would do, so I bought some of each and put them on a shelf... then promptly forgot about them.

    I found them recently, about a year post expiration. Not ancient, of course, but questionable. I opened one, examined it carefully, sampled it, nothing bad happened. I eventually drank all of them with no ill effects.

    They taste pretty good and are full of essential nutrients, so they claim, and apparently have an effective shelf life of at least 2 years when stored safely... so I've continued to stock them. I try to rotate them more frequently though.
     

    44man

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 19, 2013
    10,129
    southern md
    Ordered an early summer 1/4 of beef and a hog
    Picked up a 2 gallon bucket of natural sausage casings and put them in the freezer
    Ordered 50 lbs of flour
    Ordered 5 lbs of bread yeast
    Ordered several hundred pounds of grain and corn sugar for backing

    I just purchased a new genny, electric start 6500 watts to appease my wife because she wanted one with electric start and I got her a new Stihl 171 chainsaw just so we would have a new one sitting around but I don’t like either

    So I am in the market for a whole house genny , water cooled , dual fuel and whole house transfer switch but it’s probably gonna be fall when I buy it
     

    smdub

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 14, 2012
    4,642
    MoCo
    Two 25w panels to be mounted on the roof of the coop. 35ah AGM battery. Renogy 10a charge controller. 150w 12v inverter. 12v timer to control when the inverter gets power.

    FWIW, You can get DC water heater elements and skip the cost/inefficiency of the inverter.
    https://smile.amazon.com/Dernord-Immersion-Submersible-Element-Stainless/dp/B017VT68XA
    Those elements are in parallel for 300W. So it about 150W/12V=12.5A each. (12V/12.5A~=1ohm.) Running just one might still be a lot for your small controller & battery. You can put both windings in series for ~2ohms. That makes it a 12V/2ohms=6A load = 75W (which is 1/4 the orig 300W.)
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Here is the setup not on the coop.

    I just went through the same project in very similar circumstances. My advice is that you will need far more panel watts that you think you need. They put out less than rated and there is much loss in conversion.

    In my case even a 100 watt panel was not sufficient to run a 50 watt 'bird bath heater' to keep my chickens' water warm around the clock.

    Best of luck to you, if nothing else as you say it's an interesting project and you will learn a lot.

    Why did you not use a setup like the direct solar water heaters?

    Instead of solar to electric to water heater.

    The only reason I would see your setup would be if you needed the water heated at night.
     

    gtodave

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 14, 2007
    14,156
    Mt Airy
    Why did you not use a setup like the direct solar water heaters?

    Instead of solar to electric to water heater.

    The only reason I would see your setup would be if you needed the water heated at night.

    Got a link? All I can find is home water heaters.
     

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