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Forum Index : Solar : Deciding if I should build this solar heater
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rogerdw Guru Joined: 22/10/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 852
Posted: 08:53am 07 Oct 2021
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That's cool. There's probably as many different versions of jibs as there are tractors out there.
Mine came with the tractor when I bought it and is obviously home made too.
My tractor is also a David Brown, but is a 30C model from the early 50's I believe.
The book says the 3 point linkage can lift 1,300 lb at the end of the links ... though of course the jib is a couple metres longer, so much less at the end.
I can feather the hydraulics to soften the movement either way ... but if I'm not thinking, it can get real sudden.
It was a good lesson to see how fast the slasher can drop if I'm too sudden on the lever ... there'd be no time to get your feet out the way if it decided to drop ... so I'm really careful around any equipment that's not resting on the ground.
The jib lifted the motor ok, but it wouldn't lift the slasher or the rotary cultivator off the trailer when I brought them home ... had to do some part lifting and part dragging onto blocks, which worked ok.
I'm not sure. I think it got low on oil which was a surprise ... but I also believe it had some 'history' before we bought it. Luckily we found a replacement motor and it wasn't too painful. The old one looks like it had been hot inside at some stage though.
Yeah, I'm very happy with it, especially considering the price. $750 and it also included that jib, a grader blade, a small bucket to fit on the 3 point linkage.
It was not going when I bought it ... but was just a fuel blockage from rust in the tank. A good clean and then it ran sorta ok ... but then after I stripped the carby and cleaned it out, it ran much better.
Not long after, the starter motor died ... but I pulled out the windings and replaced a 1 inch length of flat copper wire where it had fused.
I hadn't really, though I liked Tony's idea of making my own out of copper. In fact I wondered about picking up an old copper tank from a water heater and cutting the material out of that. May be time to add panel beating to my list of skills. Cheers, Roger
Warpspeed Guru Joined: 09/08/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 4406
Posted: 09:50pm 07 Oct 2021
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Roger, You mentioned earlier that one of your (many) problems had to do with a fence and access on that side of the house. Could you hoist it up to the roof on the opposite side of the house, slide it up to the ridge, then lower it down the other side ?Cheers, Tony.
rogerdw Guru Joined: 22/10/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 852
Posted: 12:26am 08 Oct 2021
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No, the other side would be really difficult ... enclosed yard, flimsy pergola roof etc ...
Definitely my best bet will be to lift it up in sections ... a person on the roof and two lifting and carrying the main frame up ladders.
Then each bank of tubes ... then the sheet metal ... and then assemble it on the roof.
As usual, I make things harder in my head than actually doing stuff.
Of course if I hired a crane with a big enough reach to place the completed unit on the roof, that would be great ... but I'm too cheap for that ... goes against the principle of 'free' heating energy. Cheers, Roger
Davo99 Guru Joined: 03/06/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1578
Posted: 02:13am 08 Oct 2021
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The great majority of engine failures we saw at the yard were low oil or water and people Just wanting to get them home.
$750 for that tractor was a steal! terrific bargain and you can buy all the parts for those old things very readily and cheap as chips. There is something to the sound of a Petrol Tractor as well. Love diesels but The petrols just have a character that's for sure.
I'd like to get an old grey Fergie If I could find one in good, not necessarily perfect condition. I'd keep it at Dads just to annoy him. He hates the things for some reason.
I haven't seen a Copper water heater in as long as I can remember. Do they still have them down there? Some local company or something/ The great majority of the ones I see here are Rheem and then the Dux upright type. They are steel cylinder and some are Vitreous lined. Might be just as easy to go get a copper sheet.
My Guy showed for the panels... Eventually. Never going down that road again. Finally turned up an hour and 10 Min late after clearly lying where he was and when he'd be here. I heard the Dog going Nuts like I have never heard her before and then my wife is saying there is someone up the Top yard. Raced out and here is the "Chap" , going through the stacks of panels I had up there. He's driven his van round the side, parked in front of the garage and then walked right up the back.
Asked him what he was doing up there and first got a wave off as he continued picking up panels and carrying on till I yelled at him to get out of there before I had the dog drag him down arse first. He came down and I said what do you think you are doing? he said I here to buy panels. I said so WTF you doing up there? Why didn't you come to the front door and knock like a gentle man and let me know you are here? He said I just look at panels. I said you'll be looking at a paramedic I ever catch you in the place again unannounced.
Far out! I wouldn't even do that at a friends place unless they knew I was coming and they had what I wanted up the yard and then it would be people I knew and had made arrangements with. Wouldn't THINK of doing it when I was going to buy something from a stranger. Am I too old fashioned or people just don't give a Fluck anymore? He stood there looking at me and I'm looking at him wondering do I tell him to bugger off now and forget it or keep going? Mrs says hurry up and get him out of here so I thought OK, we'll keep going.
Social Distancing was observed, this guy Reeked. I have never smelt such bad BO in my life and I don't smell like no daisy at times. All jokes aside, I couldn't even stand 4 M away down wind from him. Wife said she could smell him and she was over 8M away on the back verandah. I know it's that far cause we measured for something the other day. I have no idea how anyone gets to smell that bad or how long since this guy bathed. It was beyond disgusting!
I asked Twice was his vehicle or trailer big enough to fit 57 panels and he said he had a Van. I pictured the regular Toyota type he had and thought that won't be big enough then thought to the Mercedes and Vw's My mate has which are like caves and thought they would be more than fine in one of them. Now he has this toymotor thing I'm thinking this will be entertaining.
He opens it up and it's already 3/4 Full with other panels. I said how the hell did you imagine you are going to fit all them in there? He said I have to come back for what I can't get. OH, bloody great! I said when you coming back? He said I come about 9:30 tonight. I said pigs arse you are! I have a life and you have given me enough grief already.
Pulls out phone and says what about 6:30. I said don't give me some bullchit and turn up at 9 because you'll be going home with my boot in your backside and no panels. He says no 6:30. Fine.
I said I'll move these all out the front, pick them up there, no need to come up here again. Reiterated a few times till he understood. Then he says Oh but lot of work to move them all. I said no, only about 30 panels, little bit of exercise before I go to the gym. Clearly he was stupid enough to believe it. Was telling me he's sending the things over seas so the community can build a 20 Kw solar station with batteries and he needs about 500 Panels all up. I said 500 panels is a lot more than 20 Kw! He looked at me and said is it? Obviously knows as much about solar as he does about manners and personal Hygiene.
He's Jammed the panels in with the others on the side then put a layer on top. No securing what so ever, in perfect line to slide back through the tailgate window or decapitate him if he hits the brakes or runs into something. So off he goes reversing down the driveway and gets fully off the drive and onto the recently laid grass. Why was I not surprised? Just another face palm moment with this arse clown. I come in and Mrs and I are watching him and then gets almost on the drive and has both wheels on one side up on the Concrete edge of the pipe that goes over the Culvert. Mrs and I are standing there saying he's going in, he's going in!!
Fortunately he didn't because that would have been more pain in the arse and off he went up the road in the blue smokescreen coming out of the moving tradgety.
Went and got the tractor, moved the 3 remaining pallets out the front and put my car across the driveway so he couldn't get up the back. About 6Pm I get a message he has been called into his Disability work ( hope he showered before he went in lest he killed someone that couldn't get away from the stench) and will come get them at 7:30 this morning. I said fine, they are out the front, be quiet when you pick them up I have elderly Neighbours that sleep in.
Bout 8:15 the blue fog wafts down the street and he manages to reverse up the driveway without ending up in the ditch. Miracle! I always help people load up and I get annoyed when people stand and watch me without offering any help when I get something but I thought stuff this guy. Sat there having a Cuppa watching and making sure he didn't go roaming around anywhere. I have plenty of room up the back now, a Tractor and a couple of bags of lime in case of such " emergency's" but luckily they weren't needed.
He went off and I thought glad to see the back of him. I go out to retrieve the pallets and sitting in the middle of the Drive was a Breaker box. It was attached to one of the panels and he's just broken it off. Didn't bother to put it over on a pallet or out the way, just left the box and the pieces he smashed out of it like Rubbish right in the middle of the driveway where the lazy little turd dropped it with the screws sticking up. No manners, no decency, no sense of respect what so ever. Need a good kick in the arse and a smack behind the ear with a 4x2.... and a fire hose and a bucket of disinfectant thrown over him.
I have met some real nice people selling these things but this guy was one I'll never forget for all the WRONG reasons. Wife is worried he'll come back when we are not here but I think I put him off that with the dressing down I gave him and making out the greatest sook of a Pup was some killing beast. Wife and I were laughing that in the 5 years we have had her, we didn't even know she could bark like that. Whatever it was, she took a real dislike to the guy as well. NEVER seen anyone she just didn't want to play ball with. All she did was bark and growl at this guy.
Anyway, I got rid of all my crappy old small panels and the ones with cut and damaged leads but not sure it was worth the aggro. Tried to cover all the bases so I wasn't stuffed around but this twit outsmarted me and still managed to make it an ordeal. Maybe I'll have to ask for references in Future?
Revlac Guru Joined: 31/12/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1022
Posted: 03:22am 08 Oct 2021
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Had a few situations like that... Unfortunately there is a lot of this going on, very rare to see any decent solar panels come up for sale here on Gum-dung, there are a few mobs going round buying up everything and posting adds everywhere to buy more, same with shipping containers all of them get bought then come up for sale 3 or 4 times what they are worth same with 4wd's, sign's everywhere along the roads, wanted to buy. Probably going over seas as well They are everything up. Also seen a few adds posted asking not to sell to them.Cheers Aaron Off The Grid
Davo99 Guru Joined: 03/06/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1578
Posted: 03:29am 08 Oct 2021
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After the guy with the panels went away hopefully nevber to be heard from again, I went to my mates to do his solar setup.
He said he'd leave a Lift out for me but this was not what I was expecting.....
Oh yeah, all good and well for a bloke that's scared of not so heights. Put some panels in it and took it up. There are a lot of things that sensible people are scared of that don't worry me in the slightest but I was really wishing I put in a pair of spare Reg grundys. Of course the thing swings and sways and I gaurantee I was white as a sheet.
I got a bit used to it after a few lifts but to say I was comfortable or enjoyed it would be a dead set lie. I took the thing up to give about a foot over the building for clearance and that was it.
Mate came back after a bit and I said what happened to the bloody forklift? He said I thought you'd have more fun with that. I said a heart attack is what I nearly had not fun!
Got the panels Laid out but had to stop. The roof was so hot I was literally burning myself. Got a couple of blisters on my hands which are quite painful. I'm going back early in the morning to finish off. Just have to finish putting the other half of the brackets on and the DC wiring up there.
For me it may not have been the height as much as having the Boom up above me and being levered out into space. They have a pretty wide swing when you do get up and it was that hanging there feeling that got me. On a fork I don't think I would have worried But the size of this I think also threw me. Geez I'm a pansy. Probably never went more than 18 Ft up if that.
I'm sure real men would enjoy it and want to take it all the way up but not this little cup cake. If you get a lift Roger and you are in any way height wary, get a mate or an operator with the thing.
Don't look like much from the ground up but from up there down and swaying in the breeze, feels like a mile.
Davo99 Guru Joined: 03/06/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1578
Posted: 08:06am 11 Oct 2021
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Today I am reminded of the value of heat storage.
Yesterday it was so hot and Humid here I couldn't work outside in the middle of the day and it was still plenty warm later even when it clouded over. Today I think it got to a Max of 14/15 and felt freezing. Rain which was predicted and they are forecasting for the rest of the week.
As well as the temp fluctuations I think people here are still fighting acclimatization. Stuck in the middle where warm and cool feel more than they are.
Yesterday was well and truly warm enough for the AC in real terms, today it's back to heater weather.
Definitely think I'll look at that water tank storage idea. Hard to insulate but might give me some real world heads up to take the concept further.
Another thing that if done from the start would be hugely beneficial to a home's efficiency.
Davo99 Guru Joined: 03/06/2019 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1578
Posted: 05:05pm 16 Oct 2021
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I re advertised the good panels I had left. There are very few people advertising anything bar 1-2 Decent panels and all the rest are small panels in small Qtys.
I advertised the 250W panels I had with 50 available. I have been over run with the same morons that wanted to lowball the hell out of me last time with their repeated stupid offers. They clearly don't read the ads, just send the same dumb message to everyone that comes up. Also seem to thing that people are so desperate to sell them they will take anything and someone Buying them all is some great advantage.
I got suckered today with someone using an alias name whom asked if I was negotiable? I said negotiable as long as there were no stupid offers. Came back with a 3rd of what I'm asking. I wrote back and said what effing part of No stupid offers was so difficult for your pea brain to comprehend? He read the reply but didn't get back to me. bit of luck he won't with any other ad but I'm certain he will.
Only other thing I have had is people asking what are the Dimensions? These are always people that want them for caravans or campers and want something 300MM sq with a 5 Kw output. I put in the last ad, The dimensions are the same as every other panel this size. They will tell you a 250 is too big but then when you say you have 175's which fit their space requirements they say they want something more powerful. Bugger off!
I'm not bothering to even reply to the lame offers, the " what is best price if I take lot" and " what are the dimensions?" messages. One clown has still sent me 3 "I take all give you 25 ea" messages, 2 35min apart.
I found more panels up the back I'd put behind the trailer which I pulled out to sell and I'm half inclined to message stench man to come get them because in the end he didn't pay bad money. I am surprised I'm not getting more interest. I spose between the weather and Lockups things are quiet. Don't know whether to give it another week and hold on to them or just get rid of the things and get the money and the space.
Yes, I came up against these people when I was looking for panels for myself and they were a pain in the arse. Like flys all over everything. Not sure how I feel about them being sent OS. They were hard to get and going for a lot more than they are now. Before the latest convid hysteria, there seemed to be a glut of the things here. I wasn't even picking them up from my supplier and prices seemed to have slumped. I was still getting decent money for them in the country though and I'd take a load up every time I went to see Dad and they would be gone in a few days if not the next morning.
I'm surprised there is not more local people after them especially as I'm the only one advertising on dumbtree round here with decent panels at a reasonable price. Geez I laugh at the ones that think they are going to get $200 a panel even if it is a new ( single) 320W.
Spose if there are plenty here now may as well make some money out them no matter where they go. Installs or more accurately replacements seem to have dropped off a lot so I'm wondering if in another month or 2 the demand will pick up again?
There was a big hail storm around here yesterday so that may initiate a lot of replacements and more coming on the market. Only takes one broken panel on a 2+yo system and insurance has to replace the lot. The exporters will have Field day with that!
Yeah, I can well understand that. I'd rather a local have them than they go to some sh*thole as well. There was a US new report I saw a while back about a guy that traded his work truck at the stealership for a new one and a few months later there were Pictures of terrorists driving it round terrorstan or somewhere still with the " Bills Plumbing" signwriting and his phone number on it. He was getting loads of abusive calls as to why he had given his truck to these people. He left it with the stealer whom put it through the auctions and then it obviously went to the enemy.
He was saying while you can't control where the thing goes, make sure you remove all sign writing. The panels seem to mainly be going to Africa and the Middle east from the ones I have come across Buying them. Some of the first ones I got were from a Middle eastern guy that had gone to Brisbane 900Km away to get them. I marvelled at the grossly overloaded un braked trailer he brought them back on which a bit of quick calculation said 2+ tons and he towed them back with a beat up Tarago!
Braver man than I but how the cops didn't nail him I'll never know. Must have been slow going up the hills and not too fast with the drag of the stacked up trailer on the flat either. I saw him as I was driving up the road and he didn't seem too keen to sell them to me saying he was putting them in a container sending them back to the land of sand.
Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me.
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everything up.
