thirteen in 13 challange - Alternative Energy

I've been learning about batteries, and after planning on getting some Costco golf cart batteries I decided I would try fixing some free batteries that I already have. First I'm going to get a new computer controlled battery charger and try charging up the batteries. If they won't hold a charge then ill attempt desulphating. Its 1/3/13 and I just picked up my new battery charger. I opted to go with the schumacher 150a microprocessor controlled unit suggested by Stephen Harris at battery1234.com. Later today ill hook up the old batteries and let them charge on the 2amp setting. For 24 hours and see if they are any good. I got the charger put together and two of the 4 batteries hooked together and the charger on the. Only one cell in each battery was a tad low, so I topped them off with distilled water. I hooked the charger up to them and they were reading 11.6v which I think is a pretty good sign because they have been sitting, unused for at least 5 years! I hit the 2amp charging selection and pressed auto charge and the charger started humming away. 1/8/13- Well, I got the 150amp schumacher charger recommended by Steven Harris on battery1234.com. It has desulfating mode in its programming, but the batteries are too far gone to even hold a charge...so I guess I'm going to have to get some new batteries. I did figure out how I can use the batteries and inverter as a business expense in my event decorating business though... as well as a lot of other equipment preps that I might want to get.

I will be getting a set of 6 Costco GC2 6volt golf cart batteries. 

I will also be getting a 2000W inverter to go with them. I have an event decorating business that i have been running for 7 years now. I recently got a request for some lighting in a off-grid location. I will be getting the above mentioned items to be able to perform this new service. This way i will be able to use the items as a business expense!


Breaking news!! I just scored big on 10kW of solar panels. Only .35 cents per watt. Also got a xantrex 5kW GridTie inverter for only $1500. I'm selling 1/2 of the panels and the 5kW inverter to my dad and will be helping him install a system on his house this year!


Update 5/6/2013

I have my basic system set up.  I purchased the costco GC2 golf cart batteries last week. I decided to go with 8 instead of the original 6 I was thinking. I have the hooked up in sets of 2 for 12v. the 4 sets of 2 are then wired in parallel for a battery bank that has 800 to 880 amp hours.  After searching the inverters i decided that there were a lot more 12v things available and they were more commonly stocked that the odd voltages 14, 36, or 48. Plus i already had 2 12v inverters. I have a 400 watt and an 800 watt...

I got a super cheap charge controller on eBay months ago...I hooked it up yesterday to a sharp 125watt 12v panel that i had everything seemed to be in order so i hope that the charge controller doesn't cause me any trouble. I'm not 100% sure that one panel will charge such a large battery bank, so i am looking into the midnite solar classic 150 charge controller. With the classic i will be able to use 2 or 3 of the larger 285w 36v panels that i was given off of the solar project at the place i work. As i understand it the classic can take the higher input from the panels and drop it down to 12v for the battery bank. 

One other thing I have started on is installing a solar sub panel in the garage next to the main breaker panel. I need to do some more wiring, but firstly i plan on getting my 2 chest freezers off grid. Then i will expand from that point!

thirteen in 13 challange - Fitness

It is new years eve, sitting at a family get together. I feel full, and I only had a serving of meatballs, and some pulled pork.  As I've researched the paleo diet I've decided that I'm going to have to do a modified diet for my month trial. With 2 children under 4 eating a lot of meat isn't a real option, and throwing all carbs out of the house. I'm going to have practice some self control! Ill be eating paleo breakfast and lunch, and a low carb dinner.  

My starting numbers are;

Weight:263
Waist:48"
Chest:48.5"
Right bicep:16"
Left bicep:15"

So I'm on day 3 of my 30 trial of my modified paleo diet. The first 2 days went well. I do like eating lots of meat and veggies! As a person with celiacs disease its really not much different than my normal diet, although I do notice that I'm eating less, or snacking less than I used to. I have decided to do a weigh and measure every week to chart my progress.

1/4/13-
I took the day off work today for my daughters 3rd birthday. We went to Six flags which was fun, and I was able to stay on my paleo diet. We even went out to dinner at chic-fa-lay. It was difficult to stay off the fries but I did it!

1/6/13-
Sunday we switched schedules to  early church. I like this better than 11am like we did last year. Its just get up, get ready and go. There is no time to start any projects or be tempted to eat anything. One week mark is still a few days out.  I'm very interested in seeing if I've lost anything.

1/8/13-
Weight:258
Waist:48"
Chest:48.5"
Right bicep:16"
Left bicep:15"

Although my measurements haven't changed at all the scale says I lost 5 pounds. I'm not surprised that my measurements have not changed. I have not done any exercising or weightlifting. I have noticed that I have been eating a lot less in both frequency and portion size. Having a gluten free diet defiantly does not mean I have a carb lessdiet. In fact it seems like you are always in search of something to replace the standard carbs that most people eat. I did have several birthdays in my family this week but was able to mostly stay on the "modified paleo" diet. I'm going to continue on the next week and see where this takes me. I'm also going to start doing morning push ups to build up my stamina and build muscle.

1/15/13

Weight:255

Waist:48"
Chest:48.5"
Right bicep:16"
Left bicep:15"

This past week I lost 3 pounds...which is pretty good loss for 1 week.

1/22/13

Weight:253

Waist:47"
Chest:48.5"
Right bicep:16"
Left bicep:15"

Not as dramatic of a loss as earlier in the week, but I'm down another 2 lbs! If i stay with the Paleo diet i think i will be able to reach my target weight goal of 200-205lbs and 60 lbs lost by June! They say that it takes 21 days to make a new habit...and here i am. I'm pretty well on the path and view my judge mymeals against a paleo standard.

1/29/13

Weight:253

Waist:46.5"
Chest:48.5"
Right bicep:16"
Left bicep:15"
 

Well...its been 4 weeks now and my total loss this month has been 10 pounds. I think that is quite an accomplishment. My weight has always fluctuated +/- 5 pounds from 260. It really didn'tmatter what i ate or even how much i ate.  Ive been telling other people i know about the paleo diet and I've gottena few people turned on to it. My family has always eaten more on the healthy side than most, but the processed snacks have always been our downfall. Going dairy free was pretty easy for meI will be starting to have a little bit of Grass fed butter and raw milkin February to introduce more healthy fats and fat soluble mineralsin my diet. I have been growing our supply of chicken and turkeyson pasture for the past two seasons, and my family has recentlybegun having seafood, organic beef, and grass fed buffalo burger.

Month 2 update-

  Ive been on my modified paleo diet for 2 months and i feel that things are moving along nicely. My weight loss up to February 26th is a staggering 15 lbs! I have been increasing my physical activity as the days are getting longer and warmer. Homesteading is hard work!    

Month 3 update- 

  Im calling the diet a huge success. So far ive lost 20 lbs in the 3 months ive been doing it...with only moderate walking and gardening efforts. No heavy or time consuming exercise!