The natives are restless

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Marc Kurth
Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,189 ✭✭✭✭
in In the Weeds--Member's Choice #1
Over the last 2-3 weeks, I have suddenly heard from some of my very earliest off-grid customers, that I sold batteries to when I started my business. Our AGMs don't just suddenly go belly up, they gradually decay with lots and lots of warning. Each of them said that they knew that it was about time to replace their battery bank but now they are in a very big hurry - are all running scared about where our society is headed. One of them is doing it preemptively even though she feels that she has another year or two of useful life. Geographically, we are talking Pacific Northwest, Midwest, Northeast, and Southwest. It is not regional thing.
I see this as an interesting barometric reading because of their clearly stated sense of urgency. Not that it really surprises me, but the pressure is rising. We have seen just how easily panic buying can disrupt supply chains, so plan ahead at least a little.
Marc

I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
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  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,017 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Agree, I've felt it for a while on the inflation front. Still can't understand how, with the huge expansion of the money supply with "quantitative easing" we didn't show much inflation... Now it's just nuts... I'm 9 years in on a forklift battery. Might order one to replace it at 10 yrs. I don't have much if any liability next year, but it is the last year. (unless Dems expand it, understand they were trying to get that added to the last relief bill at one point.)
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
    My reason exactly for ordering a spare XW and CC.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • Raj174
    Raj174 Solar Expert Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Some of the inflation is absorbed domestically, however much of it is exported to foreign nations that use the US dollar for settlement of debt, which is most of them. Really quite sinister, and something they have been trying to change by forming economic coalitions.
    4480W PV, MNE175DR-TR, MN Classic 150, Outback Radian GS4048A, Mate3, 51.2V 360AH nominal LiFePO4, Kohler Pro 5.2E genset.
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