John Weiland

I've tried making hawthorne jam before, but was disappointed with the outcome....the flavor seemed to decline from the processing.  As you noted, the seeds are pretty large and the pulp a bit like an over-ripe apple.  But they grow very well here so I'm glad to see them bear fruit in any year!

Allen Jackson wrote: This was educational... I'm finding that when my engine is off (with no loads on the battery box) it's slowly charging my vehicle battery/electrical system.

This is very helpful for many reasons, but also because I may have solved a Christmas present conundrum for my brother, mentioned above.  No doubt he too will be running into the the slow trickle-charge issue....even moreso since I suspect he won't be using solar panels as much as you are.  The DC-DC box between the vehicle battery and the DC power station would be great for him to try and won't break the bank.  

As an aside, the weekend's project will be to remove 6 X 6V legacy (=HEAVY!) lead acid batteries from my farm-yard golf cart...one or more seem wonky or underperforming and it's a good time of year to do some testing. In the meantime, I'm going to try replacing them with 3 and 4 LiFePO4 batteries (100Ah each) to provide the stock 36V or alternatively an upped 48V to the system.  Good rumor has it that the better quality carts of yester-year had components built like a tank....hence motors and controllers that can handle the increased voltage to 48V (power draw is the same....just a slight reduction in current).  The one component I did invest in is the solenoid which some say is best to keep at the same voltage as the battery pack.  The experiment:  Can these "non-locomotion" 12V batteries (100 amp BMS) power the cart at either 36V or 48V?  Because of the current demand at 36V, the BMS might be tripped.....but if the potentially 200-250A draw is distributed *equally* across all 3 batteries, it might be okay--especially as start-up and cruising amps range from ~50 - 150A.  It also could be a complete bust....but that's the excitement of experimentation!   Fun!!...... :-)

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:......If he did not do it, he would have protested his innocence.....

Yup....Understood for the most part.  The wishy washyness of my statement here comes from the rare possibility of a personality trait that *tries*, but when confronted with failure or accusation is fatalistic enough to just walk away without comment, irrespective of guilt.  But what I was additionally curious about is whether or not this was a 'communication exchange' firing.  The classic 'pink slip' is unidirectional firing.....no exchange.  I'm going to assume that the OP engaged in a communication exchange firing which would give the terminated employee a chance for rebuttal.  (I worked in a place where the only opportunity for rebuttal to termination was lawyering up.)  No response by the accused could indicate guilt of the actions or fatalism quirk.....either of which would likely recommend termination for reasons already illuminated by the OP.  But again, all speculation and assumption until we may hear/read additional info.....  Bottom line for Kara A. is it's dissappointing either way as repeat occurrances are undesireable and often costly.

Kara Ann wrote:
Anybody with comments to share on this? I could use some encouragement. Confidence in humanity is having a drought moment...

Just wanting to confirm that you have proof of him as the guilty party.... Did he admit to it when you fired him?  If there is no confession, but you have other present or past workers that are in the vicinity and know about both the truck and the credit card, any chance it could have been another person?

Allen Jackson wrote:We made it home safely and there's 55% capacity left in the battery. We won't even unload the van tonight, and just let it run until morning

Just such an odd coincidence.  I travelled a bit this weekend to visit family.  My brother and his wife pulled up in a "new" (used...1998) conversion van with much of the same intent as yours. They had a Jackery power station, a 12V fridge/freezer combination, stowed solar panels for recharging, a trickle charger from the 12V port inthe van for the Jackery, and a sleeping bunk built in.  As his lifestyle has been pretty mainstream, I'm wondering if this approach is becoming more popular now for being more mobile and off-grid,,,?

Although it's rather the wrong time of year for the following suggestion, are you using the roof rack of your minivan while traveling?  In a pinch, would strapping down two of your solar panels on that roof supplement in any significant way the trickle charging from your vehicle alternator....during mid-summer of course with the longer days?  I realize this could cause too much drag on the car, but perhaps with some sort of roof spoiler to reduce friction? So nice to see the utility of even these small battery set-ups, the recharging diversity that one can implement, and the utility of the bluetooth monitoring of it all.

Edit for additional tangential question:  Will sodium ion battery cells require a BMS purchase specific for that chemistry or will the same BMS's sold for LiFePO4 be usable for sodium ion?  I could see where it might just be a matter of tweaking the parameters controlled by the BMS to allow its use with that chemistry, due to the different discharge curve and perhaps other idiosyncracies of those cells but don't know for sure.  Just looking ahead to potential future builds.....  Thanks!

Sam Potter wrote: Plus winter is coming......

The first most accessible stress buster I feel is humor... and relevant to the clipped phrase, the following is offered:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZTjcxjz_8U

Sam Potter wrote:
So what ways do you and your people relive stress so we can keep doing our thing instead of being mad at the bad guys?

Being mad at the bad guys is acceptable as a short realization of fear that their actions invoke.  Then time to move on.  Meditation comes in many forms,....have you tried any of them?  I used to think "But which meditation is the *right* one...?", then came to realize you need to find what's right for *you*.  A more classical 'sitting' meditation was what helped me get started, but I find now that attending to detail and sequence in tasks or even pleasant walks can help in this regard.  As an example, washing the dishes once was a task I despised and my mind could churn up all sorts of resentments and regrets while blindly immersed in the procedure.  Now, it's more about carefully observing and cleaning each utensil and tableware item with purpose. Same with walks....rather than have the mind spinning away on that road rager you experienced an hour earlier.....that ridiculous sneer they wore and self-riteousness they exuded....engage with the immediacy of the leaves falling around you or the feel of the northern breeze on your brow.  When the mind starts to drift, kindly tell it like a child "no...right now I'm engaging with *this*....." and bring your focus back to the observed entity at hand.  It seems simplistic and silly, but with repeated practice can have a remarkably powerful effect. Good luck!

Allen Jackson wrote:....

At least for a 12 Vdc LiFePO4 system, the stock alternator output voltage is high enough to charge the batteries, so as long as the BMS is configured for such, it will charge without blowing a fuse or tripping a breaker.

Out of curiosity, how does that work with respect to surges in either amps or voltage with variable engine speed.  I realize that there are voltage regulators in car electronics, but if, say, the amperage is beyond what the BMS 'recommends' for the cells being managed, does it simply shut off the ability for the battery to accept charge and then recover once the amps are back in range?  If so, I could see where a separate charger is less of a concern....the BMS essentially serving the same function.  Or?.....

Thanks!

That sounds like a fun and educational trip, Allen....thanks for posting this.

I think one example of the charger that M. Pearson was referring to is demonstrated here, although it comes as part of an add-on to a portable power unit:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r29jk4OyOJs    

Victron's version is shown here....and I'm immediately intrigued!  
https://www.amazon.com/Victron-Energy-24-Volt-Battery-Charger/dp/B0F43Z9R53/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11SA759Q2P2XE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.wQqVjiogszb9YmxEDHxJJwNXheb2W-VzltHjPLEfihAKoiCWMBX_uaHc41TB59AqGrAGhQDWFVvLJZNT3wDa3MnfCIsKDtgycSW5tZDG3Y21bE_kwl00Gs03KbbalLlIA8ZnTPmLRv8QHgjVTfrjQpJaFdaMG_KF1RXGHp4P-HSfDqyq_BpSAdB-aO5lnDQFgczMpo_TLrs1aGn8TBu4RdKQB8Kd6fPSkGPOr2d0u4yhrGBDPkatCJEA5_96gJoNT3q0z5AmSCMgUWIBsWRYhRJ2hnCjkJcnm5cYhGzVLAY.XQScvxBCHoLmgauk0P9b5OBMI5Ds775aYcXGT9a6qj8&dib_tag=se&keywords=alternator+charger+dc+to+dc+bluetooth&qid=1792060582&sprefix=Alternator+charger%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-1

I had not heard of these until now and they look like a more simple, albeit lower power alternative to adding a generator to your engine serpentine belt that I'd also seen advertised.   The alternator charges would make sense for most individuals it seems.

Pearl Sutton wrote:...

My death plans are to die suddenly down in my pasture and no one find my body till the buzzards are done.  That's my ideal death :D  

Yup....we have a 'deep enough' river by our house.  I'll have the log raft ready and will tell wife or other close friends to lay me on it, put match to the kindling and push it from shore.

Thekla McDaniels wrote:.....But in a good Halley’s comet year, it lights up half the night sky.  In a dark sky place it will be spectacular.  In a light washed out city, I  think it will still be prominent, not something you have to “know where to look for “ to behold.

As I said, nothing pressing here with me.  Plenty of time to consider it.

Couldn't help myself:        

But yes, good to think about these things just so people know.  For a site like Permies.com, I likely would tell a family member or friend just to hit the "Contact" page and leave the information there.