Off adventuring!

[Joeboy]

Nowt wrong with Lentils - having lentil (red) soup made with stock from the Christmas Ham.

Not just Lentils we should increase in our diet - any of the legumes/pulses should form part of a healthy diet. Great way of getting veg protein too.

May have posted before, but there’s a company that supports UK, mainly organic, farmers producing a variety of pulses and grains -

https://hodmedods.co.uk/

We’ve used, and will continue to use, quite a few of their products - local shop stocks them.

Just reminded me, I have parsnips to dig up on our return.

[Mr Gus]

I ask, due to the tendency in the uk to have it limited to red split dal at indian buffets, ..elsewhere green not really present on the uk cafe / mainstream restaurant radar, sad that, lentil n bacon soup (even in a can) ought be tried, appreciated & utilised, was chuffed when daughter started eating it as a kid.I

Lentil, on its own or as part of a 7-seed soup n stew thickener (variety) is good stuff but so pitifully neglected.

[Joeboy]

Standard solar for joe is my recommendation also, these portable panels get ridiculously hot & are £ v watt pricey for very little energy return compared to normal panels.

They are typically not deemed rainproof, so really need watching & moving / packing away.
Whilst handy to have for occasional use the elements are going to take their toll on fold out solar if used regularly.

outdoor portable solar is often so reactive to cloud that it is next to useless here, peak solar season, radios, phones etc have to be well protected or else they overheat, a connected radio may go intermittent due to heat exposure/ micro shadow if it is run off usb connection but doesn't have a thoughtful pass through design.

I'm ok hooking up a smaller usb powered xtar battery charger for 2x aa /aaa / 18650 but any bigger (a 4 cell charger) too much stop start from micro-shadowing affecting charging continuity.
A glass solar panel of say 60 watts is going to trounce a typical fold out portable solar, as well as not get walked on.
Joe has a roof top garden thingy from which i'd set up a few powerbanks to be on standby for use as & when, & can be bundled into a pack for mobile charging / top ups with a bug out type bag with a small fold outsolar to take up slack when adventuring.

Maybe, even frame & mount a cheap flexi solar panel & hook it onto an exposed wall / balance it

Renology have 30W 12V small rigid frame panels. I reckon I could parallel a couple of those together, chuck in a charge controller at the correct amps with a 5V USB out and we'd have an offgrid Turkish LV solution. SWMBO is shaking her head in dismay...

There is also a Bluetti 200W folding 4 solution available but I (and I hate to say it) don't need that much power. Hmmn, I may have to give myself a serious talking to. Already growing arms & legs!

[Mr Gus]

Tell wife, depending on wind power out yonder a length offold out panel in the wind could easily sound like the lotioned hand of a door locked onanistic teenage boy, & simply laid out on the floor its a trip hazard, before & after a medicinal gin!

Compared to the tiny oblong of a small solar panel built onto a tight corner of the foof terrace, ..placed well dans-le shelving unit stylee, its shade for your chilled drink too

A 60 watt alu frame "kinve" panel is 65 x 67cm
A 110 watt 120 x 67 cm.
So you have something to work from & comparison to a concertina fold out jobby which would be BIG (as in long)

Context, & a bit of gripfix maybe ?

[Joeboy]

Tell wife, depending on wind power out yonder a length offold out panel in the wind could easily sound like the lotioned hand of a door locked onanistic teenage boy, & simply laid out on the floor its a trip hazard, before & after a medicinal gin!

Compared to the tiny oblong of a small solar panel built onto a tight corner of the foof terrace, ..placed well dans-le shelving unit stylee, its shade for your chilled drink too

A 60 watt alu frame "kinve" panel is 65 x 67cm
A 110 watt 120 x 67 cm.
So you have something to work from & comparison to a concertina fold out jobby which would be BIG (as in long)

Context, & a bit of gripfix maybe ?

Thanks Gus, I will likely come back to a small rigid panel as the solution. Just got to.rein in my MORE!!!! PV urges.

As an aside and a bit of a milestone, the home battery went full today for the first time this year. Admittedly there's nobody there but the freezers, gas boiler, pump, network hubs etc etc. Nonetheless, incremental progress has been made, watched and noted over the past few days.

Turning off the Go charging window now, CLICK.....Epic!
PB 01.20hrs - 16.20hrs (100% soc to 99% soc) 06/01/22.

[Mr Gus]

You are already limiting yourself via the handy, and portable & deploy anywhere 60,000 mAh powerbanks.


However, knowing you (as we do) you will buy a cheap but good (enough) diddy solar controller for under £10, & have a small dedicated li-ion battery with carry handles inna rainproof, sun reflective box, ..your chance to play with a small quick mount / demountable battery, & think onward from their as to what could run from it as lightweight energy proofing.

I like the idea of window hinge s/panel mount with battery weighting & gubbins in a mobile box (like a rollie tool box) which can be clipped to a wall for extra stability & wheel chocks. ..& thrown (gently) into a car boot as a family bug out power utility unit.

Of course there is nothing stopping you buying something like a "jackery" 250 / 500 watt hour unit & buying the right connector for it (cos their solar fold out panels are v.pricey, = "compact & bijou peter, compact & bijou" ..& your wife can plug *suitable* kit straight in, whilst using proper small scale alu frame panels might solve a few problems of "reluctant other half's"

[Joeboy]

You are already limiting yourself via the handy, and portable & deploy anywhere 60,000 mAh powerbanks.


However, knowing you (as we do) you will buy a cheap but good (enough) diddy solar controller for under £10, & have a small dedicated li-ion battery with carry handles inna rainproof, sun reflective box, ..your chance to play with a small quick mount / demountable battery, & think onward from their as to what could run from it as lightweight energy proofing.

I like the idea of window hinge s/panel mount with battery weighting & gubbins in a mobile box (like a rollie tool box) which can be clipped to a wall for extra stability & wheel chocks. ..& thrown (gently) into a car boot as a family bug out power utility unit.

Of course there is nothing stopping you buying something like a "jackery" 250 / 500 watt hour unit & buying the right connector for it (cos their solar fold out panels are v.pricey, = "compact & bijou peter, compact & bijou" ..& your wife can plug *suitable* kit straight in, whilst using proper small scale alu frame panels might solve a few problems of "reluctant other half's"

There is a gen 3 Jackery 100W on FB for £150. I really don't want to start down the path out here. Well,not much. I'd like to keep it at toytown level.

[Bugtownboy]

I'd like to keep it at toytown level.

Small VAWT attached to the balcony balustrade then ?

[Joeboy]

I'd like to keep it at toytown level.

Small VAWT attached to the balcony balustrade then ?

Got that covered for my 12V garage lights in Scotland!

[Mr Gus]

How much wind do you get out there anyway?

I was looking at 100 -160w claimed output fold up hiking solar, the length was 55 inches through 85 inches length to site & set up, which is likely more horrifying a thought than a smaller perma panel which remains set up.