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They moved the sun!


Ukiyo

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I'm almost entirely reliant on Solar for power at the moment.

Some time ago my solar controller suddenly went into load disconnect mode and has only just started to come out of that mode more recently which is ironic as today is the winter solstice!

 

I realised after a while that this was because they had moved the sun and now my North facing panels couldn't pull down so much energy. This happened last year and I remember the power did come back at some point. A friend of mine reckons they will put the sun back where it should be after a while too.

 

So I'm wondering does anyone have any idea when the sun might be back where it ought to be and my panels will start pulling in the power again.

 

I wish I had taken notes when it happened as then I would know when it might happen again.

 

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Set your alarm for 0700 on May 1st and get up then.

 

t2230.gif

 

Loafer that sounds like a great plan although it also seems like I might miss a bit of the sun coming back maybe.

I know when it went away it wasn't on such an easy to remember date.

Edited by Ukiyo
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I'm almost entirely reliant on Solar for power at the moment.

Some time ago my solar controller suddenly went into load disconnect mode and has only just started to come out of that mode more recently which is ironic as today is the winter solstice!

 

I realised after a while that this was because they had moved the sun and now my North facing panels couldn't pull down so much energy. This happened last year and I remember the power did come back at some point. A friend of mine reckons they will put the sun back where it should be after a while too.

 

So I'm wondering does anyone have any idea when the sun might be back where it ought to be and my panels will start pulling in the power again.

 

I wish I had taken notes when it happened as then I would know when it might happen again.

 

 

 

How about rigging up some big lights in front of the panels...?

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How about rigging up some big lights in front of the panels...?

 

 

Already got some although they only come on at night (which to be fair is most of the time at the moment) but it just doesn't seem to generate enough power. I'm tempted to put my panels on my door in the hallway though which is generally well lit 24/7.

That might work but would probably be a bit of a give away.

 

In any case I've not really come across lights that are as good and economical as the sun.

Although the lights are handy when it is dark and you are stumbling around.

It seems that this November and December not only have they moved it, they have stuck it behind a curtain too.

Awful return from panels this winter so far.

 

Okay I'm really glad it's not just me. I had a falling out with some Sun Cult types recently and I had wondered if they might be partially responsible.

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I'm beginning to think you live in a house, yes?

 

Not many boats on the UK canals big enough to have a well-lit hallway !

 

You are right - must be a house, our boat hallway is not well lit - even with the LEDs I've now put in. Nothing like the 100W bulbs in the hallway in the house.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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Already got some although they only come on at night (which to be fair is most of the time at the moment) but it just doesn't seem to generate enough power. I'm tempted to put my panels on my door in the hallway though which is generally well lit 24/7.

That might work but would probably be a bit of a give away.

 

In any case I've not really come across lights that are as good and economical as the sun.

Although the lights are handy when it is dark and you are stumbling around.

 

Okay I'm really glad it's not just me. I had a falling out with some Sun Cult types recently and I had wondered if they might be partially responsible.

 

 

Are you actually in an off-grid house and near London?

 

I'm wondering if getting a grid connection might be an idea as the sun isn't going to be delivering usable power again for a few weeks yet.

 

Or buy a generator like the rest of us!

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Are you actually in an off-grid house and near London?

 

I'm wondering if getting a grid connection might be an idea as the sun isn't going to be delivering usable power again for a few weeks yet.

 

Or buy a generator like the rest of us!

No grid and no sun here (a few weeks might be pushing it?!) but kettle's on (the Morso) if you're looking for that cuppa, MtB

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We got up early today and went up the hill to watch the sunrise. We waited 15 minutes and gave up and went back to the boat. It was really late. It is obvious to me that the sun is just not reliable any more, I think all those who invested in solar panels have made a big mistake. I blame David Cameron myself, he is doing all this negotiating in Europe when he should really be looking after the English weather.

 

.............Dave

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We got up early today and went up the hill to watch the sunrise. We waited 15 minutes and gave up and went back to the boat. It was really late. It is obvious to me that the sun is just not reliable any more, I think all those who invested in solar panels have made a big mistake. I blame David Cameron myself, he is doing all this negotiating in Europe when he should really be looking after the English weather.

 

.............Dave

No - blame the Chinese..............

 

..........think about it

 

NQETA: should say for PC purposes IMHO

 

Kettle's still on the Morso

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Maybe you went up the wrong hill.......

 

Maybe, I suspect Bedwyn is just not the right sort of hill. We thought about going to Averbury but that would probly have been full of hippies.

 

We will probably go to Honeystreet in a week or so, Solstices and Sunrises and moons and eclipses and stuff is just better managed down there. I might even need to cover up our little solar panels so they don't get overloaded.

 

............Dave

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We got up early today and went up the hill to watch the sunrise. We waited 15 minutes and gave up and went back to the boat. It was really late. It is obvious to me that the sun is just not reliable any more, I think all those who invested in solar panels have made a big mistake. I blame David Cameron myself, he is doing all this negotiating in Europe when he should really be looking after the English weather.

 

.............Dave

 

 

I'm not sure he is doing that much negotiating. I think the other parties just said no and that was the end of it.

More like a short chat, but you are right he should get back to England and find someone who can control the weather to sort things out.

 

To be fair to Mr Cameron he has (along with his party) been trying to discourage people from using solar power, I guess because he knew it would be this unreliable. I mean who knows when the sun is going to shine or the wind blow. (I mean other than weather forecasters and google and stuff) Personally I never would have guessed they would be moving the sun about all the time like this. It does seem quite impractical. I just want them to put it back and stop messing with it.

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Are you actually in an off-grid house and near London?

 

I'm wondering if getting a grid connection might be an idea as the sun isn't going to be delivering usable power again for a few weeks yet.

 

Or buy a generator like the rest of us!

 

 

Always amused when people people living aboard talk of people living in houses! Lots of people live in flats of course and a flat would be a much more sensible guess given London and the hallway has lights on 24/7. Although you would also be guessing wrong. wink.png

 

To be fair it's more of a corridor than a hallway.

 

Planning on fixing up a boat to stay on. Whatever I have come up with will be quite an upgrade.

I'm very much enjoying chatting to people about their setups here and seeing photos of their beautiful boat kitchens and stuff. captain.gif

Edited by Ukiyo
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Always amused when people people living aboard talk of people living in houses! Lots of people live in flats of course and a flat would be a much more sensible guess given London and the hallway has lights on 24/7. Although you would also be guessing wrong. wink.png

 

To be fair it's more of a corridor than a hallway.

 

Planning on fixing up a boat to stay on. Whatever I have come up with will be quite an upgrade.

I'm very much enjoying chatting to people about their setups here and seeing photos of their beautiful boat kitchens and stuff. captain.gif

 

 

Ahem. 'Galleys'...

 

:D

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OK OK we're feeling GUILTY we've got it, IT'S COOKING THE 180 PANNEL on the roof of our trailer 300 mtrs from the beach near Almeria 80 ltr chest fridge / freezer on full time, loads of tv and some lighting, fridge's been running for 3 years I'd forgotten the panel was there, best thing since sliced bread, don't worry we'll bring the sun back around march time.

We'll be looking for a boat in the spring so look after them during the winter.

Edited by Jack48
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So I'm wondering does anyone have any idea when the sun might be back where it ought to be and my panels will start pulling in the power again.

 

I wish I had taken notes when it happened as then I would know when it might happen again.

 

Here's a tip: Find a big pointed stone and stand it up where the sun disappeared. You can put up some more when it reappears and when it makes you really hot. Then you'll know what's going on next year.

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Here's a tip: Find a big pointed stone and stand it up where the sun disappeared. You can put up some more when it reappears and when it makes you really hot. Then you'll know what's going on next year.

 

 

Yeah! Good idea, lots of them in a big circle so I can keep track of it properly.

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