Best of the Season, Merry Christmas to all!

icarus
icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
As we close in on Christmas, I would like to extend the best wishes for the season to all of you out there, and to your friends and families. As we go through our tumultuous lives, please take a minute to reflect on the joys of the season, to be thankful for what we have, and to remember those who are in some way in need.

I honor my time spent here, remembering all t he generosity of many members here who so freely give thier thoughts, and wisdom, knowledge and support to so many. May all your days be bright, (allowing maximum PV output), and filled with peace and joy.

Merry Christmas all,

Tony. (Icarus)

Comments

  • Slappy
    Slappy Solar Expert Posts: 251 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, merry Christmns to all!

    Merry Christmas
  • Rybren
    Rybren Solar Expert Posts: 351 ✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, merry Christmns to all!

    A big, hearty thank you to all who have helped make my journey into solar so much easier.

    Merry Christmas to one and all.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, merry Christmns to all!

    Bah! Humbug, I tell you! Humbug!

    (Stepping out of character and into another. :p )

    It's hard to gift-wrap a solar panel. :D
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, merry Christmns to all!
    Bah! Humbug, I tell you! Humbug!

    (Stepping out of character and into another. :p )

    It's hard to gift-wrap a solar panel. :D

    that's quite a bit easier to do than to put a ribbon around all of the help that has been given here all year long.:D

    MERRY CHRISTMAS everybody.
  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, merry Christmns to all!
    Bah! Humbug, I tell you! Humbug!

    (Stepping out of character and into another. :p )

    It's hard to gift-wrap a solar panel. :D

    Is it for me! LOL

    Happy Holidays to all that visit here.

    I have learned so much invaluable knowledge from all who participate, and that is the best gift all! Thanks so much to everyone.
  • bill and rosa
    bill and rosa Solar Expert Posts: 26
    Just wanted to say Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to the forum.

    Thanks for all of the help and advice I have gotten here. I still read and learn. But thought it was the right thing to do to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New year.
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: Just wanted to say Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year to the forum.

    I merged these threads, just because. :D
  • waynefromnscanada
    waynefromnscanada Solar Expert Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, Merry Christmas to all!
    icarus wrote: »
    As we close in on Christmas, I would like to extend the best wishes for the season to all of you out there, and to your friends and families. As we go through our tumultuous lives, please take a minute to reflect on the joys of the season, to be thankful for what we have, and to remember those who are in some way in need.

    I honor my time spent here, remembering all t he generosity of many members here who so freely give their thoughts, and wisdom, knowledge and support to so many. May all your days be bright, (allowing maximum PV output), and filled with peace and joy.

    Merry Christmas all,

    Tony. (Icarus)
    And indeed, Merry Christmas to you too Tony, and to all the other folks on here.
    I couldn't have said it better than you did, that's why I tacked my little message onto yours. :D:D:D
  • firerescue712
    firerescue712 Solar Expert Posts: 95 ✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, Merry Christmas to all!

    It is now the eve of the birth of Jesus. God sent us the best gift ever with this birth.

    This year's best gift was all the help and advice ya'll gave me this year. Merry Christmas to all. Have a safe and joyous holiday!

    Keep the fires burning, but only in approved areas.

    Jesse (Firerescue712)
  • SteveK
    SteveK Solar Expert Posts: 387 ✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, Merry Christmas to all!

    Just popping-in to offer my belated best Christmas wishes to all the members here. I hope you all found the holiday season in good health and spirits.
    Whether you choose Christmas, Xmas, Hanukka, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Shot Show, Super Bowl or other more personal and this-worldly and "mankindly" celebrations....or not....., please remember this. We are all in this thing togther.
    Peace and respect,
    SteveK wrote that.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Best of the Season, Merry Christmas to all!

    Hi Steve--Nice to see you are still around and kicking. Hope all is going well with you and your family.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • SteveK
    SteveK Solar Expert Posts: 387 ✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, Merry Christmas to all!

    Thank you Bill. We are doing exceptionally well here. The circle of life has been busy in our family but we are at a net gain presently. Pumping out college grads seems old hat now...$$$ ka-ching!

    I'm glad to see you are well too and still around to keep boneheads (read me) on the path to successful implementations!
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Best of the Season, Merry Christmas to all!

    Steve, if you figure out the safe and sane way to raise kids 1.0--Let me know. (yea, the kids are doing well, but it does not mean that all is unicorns around the house).

    How is your system working out so far. I still refer lots of folks to your eu2000i battery charger thread. We have had a couple folks ask for an update on the MeanWell.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, Merry Christmas to all!
    BB. wrote: »
    How is your system working out so far. I still refer lots of folks to your eu2000i battery charger thread. We have had a couple folks ask for an update on the MeanWell.

    An update would be welcome. There's at least one unhappy camper with a meanwell:
    http://forum.solar-electric.com/showthread.php?17909

    --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
  • SteveK
    SteveK Solar Expert Posts: 387 ✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, Merry Christmas to all!

    Hey Bill, on the raising kids thing. I always preferred raising them by the ears. They tend to grasp tightly that way. Only try this aged 8 and above though...lol. I didn't know you had kids! Should have though with the patience you have shown time and time again... Great stuff and best wishes with them and to them!

    Vtmaps, I read that post you linked to. It seemed to end well enough? Did I miss another thread where someone returned one dissatisfied?

    There were some major differences in application between theirs and mine I believe. I read one poster was having an issue that I stated in my testing. When charging with solar simultaneously the output of the MeanWell drops somewhat. There is some interplay. I'm not sure the cause nor was it important to me because, as stated, I was only really looking for Bulk and was willing to do this with simple golf cart chargers if need be. It was for when there was no Sun. For me, I can just plug into the grid if need be. And most times that is what I do.....but I also wanted the generator to handle it for other reasons.

    I did have full intentions of purchasing the 15A model to parallel with mine. I do recall speaking with a MeanWell app engineer and was told there were no problems in doing so. I never did try it. It seemed feasible with the remaining unused capacity of the EU2000i. I just never got around to it.

    So far the charger has been great. I have noticed no problems while running it on the genset with other things plugged into the genset. This includes a chest freezer. I run the MeanWell infrequently. My batteries rarely get depleted to 80% SOC by design. My system is designed to be a backup for critical household systems and not for supplemental power or grid tied w/BBU and the like. Like an SFS system on steroids. It is a stand alone off-grid setup with redundancy.

    Off-my-rocker is the term I believe?...lol

    I know the EU is no Kohler but the reverse is certainly true and the EU shines in other areas like efficiency. I guess there are always tradeoffs to be made.

    I wonder, has any other company started producing an equivalent the the PB-1000-24 in a 1000W version? Last I checked there was no direct competition. It took quite alot of searching to find this efficient and cost effective solution. And alot of questions to BB and the others to help me sift through the inferior products. I am forever grateful to them as well....

    Sorry for being far off topic in this thread. I think I'll order the 15A/500W version just for kicks and see if I can max-out the EU while charging with the 30A/1000W version combined.

    Sorry to be little help if anyone is having issues.
  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, Merry Christmas to all!
    SteveK wrote: »
    Vtmaps, I read that post you linked to. It seemed to end well enough? Did I miss another thread where someone returned one dissatisfied?

    He didn't return the meanwell, but neither did he solve his problem. His work-around was to turn off his inverter when using the menwell. That means he cannot do DC coupling.
    SteveK wrote: »
    I wonder, has any other company started producing an equivalent the the PB-1000-24 in a 1000W version? Last I checked there was no direct competition.

    I am waiting to read reviews of the fairly new Xantrex Truecharge2 battery chargers. They can be paralleled, have remote battery temp sensors, and are PF corrected. I'm not sure how programmable they are, but I suppose they can be used for bulking and DC coupling. And of course, they come with the infamous Xantrex tech support.

    --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
  • SteveK
    SteveK Solar Expert Posts: 387 ✭✭
    Re: Best of the Season, Merry Christmas to all!
    vtmaps wrote: »
    He didn't return the meanwell, but neither did he solve his problem. His work-around was to turn off his inverter when using the menwell. That means he cannot do DC coupling.



    I am waiting to read reviews of the fairly new Xantrex Truecharge2 battery chargers. They can be paralleled, have remote battery temp sensors, and are PF corrected. I'm not sure how programmable they are, but I suppose they can be used for bulking and DC coupling. And of course, they come with the infamous Xantrex tech support.

    --vtMaps

    Well I guess he could have returned it if he was unhappy or dissatisfied. The company I bought from had a return policy. IIRC (which isn't always the case) I paid less than $200 for it but required a satisfaction commitment from them. I see NAWS does not list the Truecharge2 or one. Prices I've gleened have it ~$500-600 dollars. If one needs it they got to pony-up I gather. Looks like a great unit!

    Well, I'm glad I had the luxury of keeping it simple. Gotta love that grid!