New solar system in Paradise

[Bruce S]

I am visiting BThumble up by Canberra, and if I can get a hold of her and she is around, Amanda as well.

Pack your winter woolies. Canberra is just 3hrs north of me - and they've been having -3 to -5 overnight of late!

Rossw;
 I'm sure Rich will chime back in, but he's North of me by about 6hrs (if you obey speed limits) -5C for him will be almost Long sleeve shirt maybe jacket.
They measure snow in feet up on Lake Michigan.

Richhagen; Have fun on this trip!! too. We still on for next Nov?

A of J: Those pics sure make me lonely for the ocean again. With pics like those you might need to start planning a tent farm  .
Thanks for the info on the crocs. I knew from watching several shows of NG that they were protected, wasn't so sure about Human/croc encounters.
Cheers

[wpowokal]

Rich Sydney/Canberra are a loong loong way south of us, plan a little sunshine and visit the Great Barrier reef, oh and Commander may surprise you.

http://www.flightcentre.com.au/product/1032337?WT.srch=1&gclid=CMK-mp3hl6kCFQlspAod1hvntQ

Have a look at the imbedded video, we have not seen any cassowary yet but are told one visits our lot, only time will tell.
http://www.daintree-holidays.com.au/daintree-tourist-information.htm

A bit of info on croc attacks in OZ all with a common thread, can you pick it?
http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/crocodile-attacks.html

TomW this mob would probably supply a sign with whatever you like in the crocs jaws
http://www.corporateoz.com/party_supply/crocodile_road_sign.htm

No we have not settled on a house name yet, I am leaning towards 'Paradise Found' for this home, the house we built back in West OZ we called Ard Na Mara (hope I spelt that right) Gaelic for house on a high hill where on a clear day you can see the sea ( a literal translation).

The pics of the local mobile phone tower set up, notable is the pathetic height of the tower. The orange around some of the panels denotes their ownership by the telco, just makes it a bit harder to have them on ones roof.



Allan of the jungle

[richhagen]

Hi, yes, a balmy 23 Fahrenheit (-5C) for an overnight low is not that cold for me, but I suspect that it is rather chilly for Canberra.  We usually get a few days where the high does not get much above about -18C or so and can spend more than a week below -5C, but compared to sparweb and hiker, where I am at is still quite balmy I would think. 

I would love to visit the North, but I have not made any plans to head up that way as of yet.  Might pop in at the lodge up there though, as I am sure my son would love to visit a few beaches (relatively crock and jelly fish free though) and I would then be compelled to drop by with a couple of cold beverages and inspect your system.  Just a guess, but given the time of year, the most pleasant beaches are likely fairly far north.

I met Commanda last time I was in Australia.  She is one talented lady.  She is basically the electronics / computer tech guru at her company as I am sure would surprise no one here.  She solders an order of magnitude better than I as well.  She was moving I think, and she has been working with lithium iron phosphate batteries and some other toys more recently.  I will write her, and maybe she will pop in to say hello.   I would always be interested to hear what she has been up to.  I've met some really top notch people in Australia actually.  I was impressed with the skilled folks I met there. 

[ghurd]

Summer here officially started Monday.
I am at 41N.  31C yesterday.  4C tonight.
At least it stopped raining here, and the sky was BLUE!
G-

[zap]

Allan, I think you should just go into the ferry business.  That seems like some pretty good scratch for crossing a river!  Power it with solar and call it green?

[wpowokal]

Zap they only sting the tourists we get a pass and for a princely sum of $14 can but a book of 50 passes for friends/guests/tradies/ delivery people etc.

Allan of the jungle

[zap]

Zap they only sting the tourists we get a pass...

Ahh haa... tourists!  Now the price makes sense.

[wooferhound]

I'm not too sacred of the Crocodiles, but those sneaky Drop Bears are what would bother me . . .
Hoping you are well away from that kind of threat ?

[wpowokal]

Wrong type of trees around here for drop bears, did see our first Cassowary yesterday though.

Allan of the Jungle

[12AX7]

Drop bears?

ax7

[wpowokal]

http://australianmuseum.net.au/Drop-Bear

a word of caution from
Allan of the jungle

[DamonHD]

I'm pretty sure I've seen a couple of Aussie drop-bears that have emigrated to London to hassle the Kiwis ("what do you call a sophisticated Australian?"...).

Rgds

Damon

[12AX7]

Wrong type of trees around here for drop bears, did see our first Cassowary yesterday though.

Allan of the Jungle

Had to google "cassowary".   *yikes*  another critter from Jurassic Park!
I'd not worry about the drop bears,  the cassowary will wipe them out!

ax7

[wpowokal]

We seen our first Cassawary a few days ago on the sid of the road to Cape Tribulation it was totaly un fazed by trafic, Parks and Wildlife rangers here tell us that we will have them visit our yard just keep the dogs under control, I am unsure if that is for the dogs of Cassawary's benefit.

Since the panels were installed we have had our first two days of overcast conditions, yesterday fell short of a full recharge, I also took the opertunty to test the little Lister diesel generator, I had to slow it down from "as found" because the inverter can only syncronise between 45 - 55 Hz (we are 50Hz) that achieved the voltage dropped to an acceptable 253V.
The generator does not have an automatic voltage regulator(AVR) fitted it is regulated by capacitor on the excitation side, this is a common method but does have it's limitations.

 It does not have auto start facility so the inverter can not have control of it but that is not a problem at this stage, and I am not buying a new unit until I have been through a full year to have a full understanding of what I actually need.

Tonight will be interesting we are 300m from the pub and tonight and tomorow the Banditos (patched bikies)  are encamped with resultant loud music, burn outs etc, last week it was the British motorcycle club, that played until 11Pm. If necessary it could be a good time to run the generator as I am sure we will not hear it over the "music', generally this will only happen a very few times per year and as long as it basically ceases by midnight(the pub's licence is until midnight and the are already lots of cops over this side of the river) it is not a problem to me.

Allan of the jungle

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[Boss]

Jesus Mary and Joseph, what the hell? These are cassoways?
Yeah, might want to keep the puppies and little kids penned up

[TomW]

it "should be cooked with a stone in the pot: when the stone is ready to eat so is the Cassowary"

I suspect they are safe from the cooking pot.

I bet they can put a hurt on you if they got kicking with those feet.

Tom

[wpowokal]

Some less dramatic pics here http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/worlds-most-dangerous-bird.html

Allan of the jungle

[David HK]

It seems to have the appearance of a turkey.

I suppose Australia is lucky not to have drop crocodiles.

Thanks for the on going contributions to this thread, because its turning out to be a quick form of education.

David in Hong Kong

[bj]

  Agreed David,  much to learn, and all of it here.  Kind of "One stop shopping".

[wpowokal]

Just in case you wanted to know but were afraid to ask..........
The name Cassowary comes from two Papuan words, 'kasu' meaning horned and 'weri' which means head.

They belong to a primitive family of birds called 'ratites' which include emus, kiwi,ostrich and rhea.

most grow to around 1.5m high although some reach 2m.

The casque (bit on top of head) is not horny or bony but a tough keratinous (Keratin refers to a family of fibrous structural proteins. Keratin is the key structural material making up the outer layer of human skin.......... from Wikipedia) layer of skin covering a core of firm cellular foam like material (similar to styrofoam) and is not a crash helmet.

Allan of the jungle 

[wpowokal]

Things grow well up here.........

Spuds after 1 week

spuds after 2 weeks

doggy doo after?

OK I do have a real project, repairing an inverter which I will post on when I have progressed a little more on it..

Allan of the jungle

[wpowokal]

Pleased to report that the new solar system is going well, I have only run the DG every few weeks to expel the spiders and moisture, but then it is not the wet season yet and to that end I have been working on a small Lister that will couple to a 55-0-55 V generator. This motor is quieter and is in a different location to the bigger Lister, sort of boots and braces, if we get a good cyclone and the solar panels fly away and if a tree falls on the back up generator shed then I still have back up, I will post some pics of this project when it is all assembled.

Now having spent some $80k on this total power system I was a little pis*ed off when I found out about this gem, for $10K I could have had 2Kw 24/7.........http://www.rense.com/general9/unveil.htm, admittedly it is still a bit away from full production so I would have needed something.

I will ponder my navel while the concrete cures on the engine block for my little Lister.

Allan of the jungle

[TomW]

Some blokes have all the fun....

Probably not as much fun as a straw pump but fun none the less.

Tom

[oztule s]

I always thought those north Queenslanders were a bit different.... now I know.

Beware the tropical sun Alan.....in time, it seems to have a deleterious effect on the locals mental functions.....





............oztules

[wpowokal]

You are all jealous!

"I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it" - (Act II, Scene IV).

[wpowokal]

Following up on what I alluded to in an earlier post this is an update on my little Lister LT1 project, while not yet finished I will post an update before there are too many pics for the limit.

As stated the engine is a single cylinder Lister LT1 which I came by second hand for  kings ransom, the generator is new, I believe it is a Mecc alite http://www.meccalte.it/index.php?s=125.

The badge it carries is I suspect from the company that marketed it..........



On their site Mecc alite state

"Reduced speed running
The self adjustment of the portable series allows to operate on a reduced speed without undergoing any damage. "

I am relying on this to avail myself of the option of running at 1500 or 3000 RPM, it will be set up like this.



Ok so it will be set up like this....

[ Specified attachment is not available ]

Now to measure out a board that will allow correct spacing of all mounting bolts as I bury them in concrete.......

[ Specified attachment is not available ]

So forward in time, the concrete set and a temporary fuel tank set up we get ready for a run, I used a resistor bank across the 110V AC with the motor running at aprox. 1500 RPM...

[ Specified attachment is not available ]

All systems go and at this load it is farting a little but I was under no illusion that this little gem was a virgin, amps shown are at 58V AC........

[ Specified attachment is not available ]

So I upped the anti a little and reduced the resistance and upped the motor speed, the pic speaks for it's self, but to be fair this motor has not worked for many years and I have not even checked the air cleaner it could be full of crud....

[ Specified attachment is not available ]


Now I have to source one or two new MCB's for the incoming cable and a suitable shunt so the inverter can see this source as separate from the solar and another terminal strip that can take more 16mm SQ cable for the positive connections. The company that installed the solar system, www.solarworks.com.au will hopefully be able to supply my MCB and shunt needs, they come over this way fairly regularly so within a few weeks it should be a goer.


Then I need an enclosure, ATM I am leaning towards prefab concrete walls, it does not need to be large just something to catch as much of the noise as possible.

Allan of the jungle (retired)

[wpowokal]

It all got too hard so here maybe are the pics, it all started when I did not notice that my sketch was far too large in KB, in trying to correct 



so now you have the pics horribly out of sequence but.

Allan

[wpowokal]

We had our first day when I had to use the diesel generator, the batteries were not full at the end of the previous day so yesterday being very wet and overcast I bit the bullet and started the big Lister. Now even that is a drama, the starter motor is a bit wonky and needs sometimes to be given some TLC to start the engine (I don't have a crank handle), the commutator is a bit different, think of it as a disc on the NDE end  and I believe there is some end play in the rotor such that the brushes struggle to make contact.

Once we get back into good sunshine I will remove the starter and cast my evil eye over it, unfortunately the Little Lister that I was working on has a malfunction in the new generator, unable to work that one out yet. It will only make 6VAC on 110V windings but if shorted will generate, albeit at low voltage. The rotor has two back to back diode groups in the excitation circuit and so far as I can tell they are OK not that I have removed one yet.

We have had 5.5" of rain in three days which is a good start to our wet season, last night the creek crossing was under some 300mm (1') of water but it was cross-able again an hour later.

This was under much muddy water at 2200 hrs last night, pics were no good due to insufficient light.


Pleased to say today has enough sunshine between clouds and rain to charge the batteries so the air conditioner are back on for humidity control. ATM its very overcast and we are back to 1.8Kw incoming but have been up to 6.6Kw (the max the batteries can absorb).

So fun and games in the far north just have to be careful when leaving home to keep an eye on the rain or may not get back across the creek, which would not be so bad would just have to deviate to the pub, being stuck on the house side and running out of grog would be a drama.

Allan of the wet jungle (retired)

[wpowokal]

It is a bit hard to see but this is the muddy water going over the crossing last night, onthe right is the crossing and just on the left you can see the water dropping over the downstream side.

[bj]

Not entirely sure if this applies Allan, but here goes.  Recently finished a genset with a self exited rotor, similar to yours.
Bought it from a local bargain type place, new, and cheap.  Anyway, initial fire-up pretty much same as yours.  Tore it down,
didn't even check the diodes, just replaced them.  Now there was voltage.  Odd thing, it still puts out only a few volts
until about 45 HZ, then climbs quickly to 50 HZ (110V) and at 60HZ (121V). Didn't try higher.  Badging on this one meant
nothing, just stickys.  They claimed the same thing, about not being damaged by underspeed, and I guess that's correct,
as it puts out nada until close to speed, so it can' hurt itself.
   If this is not applicable, please burn.

[wpowokal]

Dear diary this evening I write with some hope, having been awoken early from my afternoon poppy nap I attacked the faulty alternator refereed to in the preceding posts.

I hacked my way into the stator winding terminations to the flying leads with some gusto after resistance readings revealed mega high readings for the windings, to be rewarded with this.




So I cut out the "join" which consisted of the stator wires (4 off) twitched to the flexible flying lead and a small dob of silver solder on the tip, for such a short time in service at well under rated current this was clearly an inadequate join, or was it. I had been running the alternator at around 2200 RPM utilizing the 110V tappings, an action I still believe was within the manufacturers stated safe operating range. So did this cause this joint fail, well I do not believe so, one would expect that if operating at less than rated speed was to cause failure then it would be lack of cooling  from low fan output and result in winding failure, not a termination.

The flying leads were somewhat overheated so I opted for soldering in new wire, for this I utilized a lead/two winding wires simply because I did not have wire of original cross section, my logic  here was that I may as well have good clean wire for the new joint, and so it was made so..




This alternator has two 55V AC windings that can be operated as isolated supplies or as I was using then bridged at mid point for 110V AC, it came as no surprise that the other two stator output connections were found with the same fault. Today I made sufficient repairs to confirm much improved output voltage with a spin by hand.

There are many of this brand of alternator over here, every house has a generator of some kind, indeed my large Lister has a 240V version, it will be interesting to see if more of these failures occur with these units in the future, or indeed how many have been scrapped as burnt out and just replaced. It is fair to say that the Lister man who services this area is very good at his business so maybe not too many.

Allan of the jungle

PS
BJ this unit had operated just fine the evening before and failed when I was testing next day, the engine was still set at the previous operating speed. I was given this unit but I am given to understand that they are not top of the range, a fact I am beginning to understand.

PPS
I do not have any winding varnish to re lacquer the terminations so can anybody tell me if two part epoxy will stand the heat or suggest an alternative? This probably is not critical as cable ties and heat shrink tubing will most probably see many years of service, but for tropical service I would like to re lacquer.

PPPS

While we have had 5.5" of rain over three days, areas south of me have had 1'-2'6' in 3 days, up her it bloody pours.

[ghurd]

"I do not have any winding varnish to re lacquer the terminations "
I have had very good luck with fingernail polish.
I use red so I can see where it is thick/thin.
I do not use the stuff with glitter in it.

Then again, I don't generally work with anything that gets that hot.
G-

[bj]

  For what it's worth, I'd just use marettes, if you have the room.