Good morning!!!!

[dragoneggs]

68F and partly cloudy @ 23:30, expecting a low of 62F overnight.

Contacted the Kubota dealer about exchanging the extra seal kits, parts guy said "can do" ... but it would probably take a while to get seal kits for the lift cylinders as Kubota recently opened up a new parts DC in (I think) Kansas and the kits would be coming out of there. Difference in price was like $4 a side more expensive. He said the timing was bad (summer, lots of demand) + coupled with the pandemic and just normal logistics of getting a new facility up and running.

Also found out that the "extra" o-ring that was supplied in the kit goes on the rod in front of the gland nut ... just to prevent getting paint on the portion of the rod that actually retracts into the cylinder body. I know the lift cylinders had those before they eventually deteriorated and fell off.

The cylinder piston/urethane seal combo is wrapped in some foam which is being compressed by a hose clamp ... hopefully it will be compressed enough to insert into the cylinder by tomorrow morning.

The boiled linseed oil won out ... got all the wood parts coated, but not all sides ... so a little more to do there. Also one side still to stain on the plywood bottom. Have to see what we have in inventory.

Made a run out, got rid of more paper at the recycle bins down at Lockwood UMC, then to Harbor Freight for a couple of cheap paint brushes, Subway for dinner, and finally Home Depot for returns and pick up F-channel and concrete crack sealer. Skipped Menards for the time being ...

Hey it's not morning yet! I'm a big fan of linseed oil for wood finishing!

 

[rswyan]

Drew,

Glad to see you got some decent bagels ... hang in there ... :thumbsup:

 

[sodamo]

With the solar systems that David and now, RNG have, why am I paying for electric? Between the two of them, the entire Western half of the US should be powered up..... :thumbsup:

Guess we could just beam you some, Ted

 

[rswyan]

Hey it's not morning yet!

True ...

I'm a big fan of linseed oil for wood finishing!

Tell us more ... :thumbsup:

 

[rswyan]

Here are a few photos of the finished system.

Very impressive ... :thumbsup:

The battery bank voltage is displayed in the upper right corner. I was told it would be a 48V bank, but this one turns out to operate in the 54-55V range for some reason. ...

Has to do with the voltage required to actually charge a 48 volt bank I'd suspect.

See if this sheds any light on things:

48 Volt Charger Tutorial | ChargingChargers.com

 

[sodamo]

Additionally...
I think RNG has Outback FM100 charge controllers

http://www.outbackpower.com/downloads/documents/charge_controllers/flexmax_100/flexmax100_manual.pdf

Also needs to find pertinent battery specific info. I think he got SimpliPhi lithium which will have its own profile.

My SimpliPhi 3.8 lithiums are set to live between 49.2-60.0 vdc but are usually in the 52-54 range.

 

[rswyan]

Additionally...
I think RNG has Outback FM100 charge controllers

http://www.outbackpower.com/downloads/documents/charge_controllers/flexmax_100/flexmax100_manual.pdf

Also needs to find pertinent battery specific info. I think he got SimpliPhi lithium which will have its own profile.

My SimpliPhi 3.8 lithiums are set to live between 49.2-60.0 vdc but are usually in the 52-54 range.

:thumbsup:

 

[dragoneggs]

I'm a big fan of linseed oil for wood finishing!

Tell us more ... :thumbsup:

I probably cannot summarize it as well as Wikipedia so I post the link here.

Linseed oil - Wikipedia

I especially like that it is natural and very flexible using with different chemicals and processes. Also works on concrete and is present in soaps, inks, etc. A very cool natural oil.

 

[dragoneggs]

I'm a big fan of linseed oil for wood finishing!

Tell us more ... :thumbsup:

I probably cannot summarize it as well as Wikipedia so I post the link here.

Linseed oil - Wikipedia

I especially like that it is natural and very flexible using with different chemicals and processes. Also works on concrete and is present in soaps, inks, etc. A very cool natural oil.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Additionally...
I think RNG has Outback FM100 charge controllers

http://www.outbackpower.com/downloads/documents/charge_controllers/flexmax_100/flexmax100_manual.pdf

Also needs to find pertinent battery specific info. I think he got SimpliPhi lithium which will have its own profile.

My SimpliPhi 3.8 lithiums are set to live between 49.2-60.0 vdc but are usually in the 52-54 range.

Yes to the FM100 charge controllers, David. I'm waiting on a revised Single Line Drawing for the electrical system, and when I get it, I'll post a copy here. It lists all the components by name and model number, and shows, roughly, how they are connected.

The battery bank is a bit of a mystery. This contractor strives to source made in USA components, and in some cases, the closest they've been able to get is more like assembled in USA from Chinese parts. That's the deal with both the solar panels and the battery. The battery company name is API, and the unit is called a Lipo4 Energy Storage Systems Battery Bank. Their web presence leaves much to be desired, but I'm promised tech specs and manuals for the unit I purchased. I'm particularly interested in battery voltage level vs. state of discharge, since the controllers rely on voltage levels to trigger switching between the various sources of recharge energy. Since it's so new, there seems to be a kind of mystic about what charge/discharge levels lead to the most longevity, and I'd be surprised of there is a cut and dried recipe for the best approach. I've repeatedly stressed the need to keep the batteries fully charged to be held in reserve for dire needs, and so far they appear to be listening. But until we get past the final building inspection and are fully incorporated into the utility grid, we can't really implement what will be the final configuration.

But I'm liking what I see so far. After breakfast this morning, I disconnected the system from the grid and left it that way until about 8PM. I got all my 3 phase shop tools back on line, used some of them while puttering, and the solar panels were still able to keep the battery voltage at what seems to be a 54V target. I'm getting more light dimming than when grid powered when I start up the pony motor for the phase converter, or the big air compressor, but no tripped breakers or lack of power. The surge currents from those motors were a big unknown, but it seems like a non-issue. By the time I switched back to grid power, battery voltage was fifty-two point something, but I didn't see a big surge from the charge controllers to bring them back up in a big hurry. Don't have much of a feeling for what any of this means yet, but I am trying to pay attention and learn by doing.

Like every other solar contractor out here, these guys run around all day with their hair on fire trying to keep up with demand. So far they've delivered on their promises, but it requires patience on the part of the promisee (apparently I just made that word up). I look at the whole lithium battery situation as a big crap shoot. The technology is moving at such a rapid rate, there's absolutely no long term test data available, and one supplier's info seems as legitimate as the shysters out there. Anybody can put together a pretty web site, right? So it boils down to reputation and credibility, using the BBB and Yelp! and whatever other rating services you pick, but most of all performance and execution on commitments. So far so good with this contractor.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Can you tell us more about the Kubota K-PAD, RS?

Best parts system I've found so far is the Messik's web site, and it leaves a lot to be desired...:grumpy:

 

[RoyJackson]

2020-06-18, 0330

57 right now...high in the upper 80's today...
Thunderstorms moving in (almost everyday for the next several)...that might modify my weekend plans...

 

[daugen]

66 in Greenville NC going up to 81 today with possible afternoon showers.

up early, first batch of "nasty" chemo did not upset my stomach much, but left me with quite a headache last night. Took one more tylenol, just have to suck it up.
So...decided it was good time to hook up tiny hp laserjet printer to pc, new unit and I think designed for portable use. Fits on my small desk just fine. Had to move pc to floor and that's when excitement started. Not sure why, but Klipsch speaker system set up a howl that I thought would wake everyone in the place. Super loud hum and of course I pulled the power plug, which accomplished nothing, since I forgot it was all hooked into UPS. Ok. Thing is wailing in my ear, waiting for pounding on door to start, and finally figured out by turning volume down on on speaker it shut up. Sounded like some kind of feedback howl, and oh my was it loud. Sure going to check my cables before fiddling with that again, and it may be just missing a connection cable. Not what I wanted to do at 2am here.

Of course last night at around 6pm their fire alarm went off, unplanned for sure, some glitch, and the noise from that right in room had to be 120db. I've never heard such a loud screeching high pitched noise. Clearly designed to get any heavy sleeper awake but it really hurt my ears, particularly with my tinnitus. So perhaps my screw up this morning will be forgiven...

Now to make some coffee, put a Dave's everything bagel in the toaster oven, and work on setting up the new printer. Instructions of course were one page English and ten pages other languages. Need to go to their website, download drivers, etc. They ask if my router is WPS supported. It's the facilities, have no idea but I'll try that method first. Never had luck with wireless printing, but need to this time as I'm running out of receptacles on pc.

not much else planned today, hope to get a walk outside, though I see they lock the front door coming and going so not sure how that will work out. Much rather be outside than having to walk hallways, where staff is constantly asking me can I help you.

hope you all have a nice day. Going to start mine with a toasted bagel and marmalade, and some coffee. Waited five weeks for this...

RS, your project list continues to amaze me.
Bill, if you got stopped at that weight over, what would ticket cost you? Just cost of doing business?

 

[mpham]

Good to hear Drew. Glad things are improving! Hope you get your outside walk in.
56 here going to humid 83. Will try to get a walk in with my wife before it gets to hot and then off to work. No rain for sometime. Ground is so dry nothing is happening with the lawn. Will have to start watering some of the bushes to keep them alive. The same bushes that were flooded all spring.(can't win around here)
Enjoy the summer and stay healthy and safe everyone!

 

[wngsprd]

67, still have drizzle after about 1.5 inches of rain.

Ron, hope you have a special day! HBD.

Ken, good luck getting that cherry out. I left one flush in the ground until the roots rotted enough to shovel and pick it out. No backhoe here.

RNG, looks like you could launch rockets and be mission control with that system.

Sorry it's been so dry in NM and PA.

Taking Coco to a specialist in a couple hours.

Wife home last night after getting her mom back to assisted liviving. She's walking around as normal after getting the heart artery Stent the day before. Amazing.

Missing you, Jay.

 

[Eric Salop]

Good morning. Slept well last night after an afternoon spent dragging chains and hooking up between flotation mats and digger bucket to allow the excavator to slowly tip toe across the boggy ground. We made good progress and had hoped to do the same this afternoon, although will have to see what happens with the weather. A drop of rain is fine, but lightning while next to a long metal boom is too much like Russian roulette for my liking. Approaching thunderstorm did look good though from a distance yesterday, especially while sat out drinking coffee and eating freshly picked strawberries with a dollop of creme fraiche.

Drew, bagels and marmalade sounds a nice treat for breakfast.

Ken, I'm sure you won't be stumped by that cherry, happy rooting around for the tap.

LS, do many people in your area have solar panels ? You certainly seem to get a good allowance of sunshine.

Just heard on the radio that Vera Lynn has passed away. Her voice brought both comfort and hope to just about everyone in this country during WW2 and has been cherished every since. At the age of 103, she also spoke out at the beginning of this pandemic to encourage people rediscover that same spirit that got people through the through the war. Quite a lady Vera Lynn - We'll Meet Again (1943) - YouTube

 

[daugen]

Well times are a changing and I've learned a new word.
When pc home page comes up, down on bottom it said
Juneteenth all day tomorrow.
New word for most of us...
And Microsoft clearly thinks its important

I looked it up, interesting that Texas was first state to abolish slavery. Seems to have taken them three years to do it, but Civil War was
going on, understandable.

a holiday celebrated on 19 June to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the US.
The holiday was first celebrated in Texas, where on that date in 1865,
in the aftermath of the Civil War, slaves were declared free under the terms of the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation.

 

[Buppies]

60 high of 65 today 7.25 in of rain for the week more rain to come. Power out for several hours last night drizzling now

Prayers for Drew prayers for all

 

[Thomas]

56F clear sky upper 80's for high humidity increasing...sure could use good slow soaking rain.

Outside chores done E muffin time. :licking:
Plans for today...trim than mow main lawn done before noon rest of day will be slow motion day because of the heat.

Enjoy the day all.

 

[Buppies]

Happy Birthday Ron!