Solar Stuff And Duck/Chicken Stuff

So I haven't posted in over a week. Haven't really had much to post about. The solar inverter worked fine in everything except the solar part. It wouldn't even read that their was any solar power coming in at all. And I know the solar panels work because I checked each one with a multimeter. So I sent it back and have been waiting for the money to go back to my card. It finally has and now I need to order a whole new system.

I'm not going to try any short cuts this time. I'm going for the tried and true system of solar panels, a charge controller, batteries and an inverter. Trouble is, it's going to be a lot more expensive. For example, I'm going to have to get two charge controllers. My panels put out enough amps that I can get a charge controller that can handle 40amps and should be able to handle 4 of my solar panels. There are charge controllers that can handle all 8 of my panels. But they're not very common and so are very expensive. More expensive then buying two separate 40amp controllers.

So just a little while ago I ordered one mppt charge controller and a bluetooth thing that attaches to it so I can monitor the system from inside my house. Yes, simply a thing of convenience. But I'm much more likely to check that more often than I am to climb under our house and check the controller itself. The controller is from Renogy, a popular name in the solar world so I should be good to go. Mppt is important because they help to use your solar panels more efficiently.

Then once I've got that mostly paid off, I'll order an pure sine wave inverter. Renogy does have one in my price range. But I'm not sure if I'm going to get that or a Vertamax inverter. They're also supposed to be really good too. Pure sine wave is better than modified sine wave because the power fluctuates less and you have less chance of having a power spike.

I'm only ordering components that have really high ratings and lots of them. I'm tired of messing around. I want my solar power!

In other news, I'm slowly working on my garden. I've lost most of my seedlings that I've started so far because of this weird weather and late season frosts. I think I also started most of them too early and they've been in those toilet paper rolls for too long. Not enough space to grow for very long. So I've restarted a lot of them in baggies. I've got several things sprouting in the baggies and we should (SHOULD) be past the frosts. I'll put plastic bottles over them at night just in case.

As you can see from this picture, the chicks in the chicken tractor have been 'preparing' part of the garden for me. I've also bought some u-posts and fence wire to use as trellises. I need to finish putting those up. I can also use that same wire to finish the duck tractor. Not sure if I should use it for the ducks or for chickens. Eventually I want to have everybody out on pasture but just not sure if the chickens should go first or the ducks. I'm also not sure how far the ducks will wander so I'm a little nervous about that.

Yeah, I think I'll put the chickens out there first. The ducks have their kiddie pool in the pen area and I'd like to monitor if the hens go broody.

Anyway, like I said. Not really much going on to report. Just been waiting for the money from that other inverter to be returned on my credit card, researching solar components and slowly getting the garden in order. Not very exciting stuff. Just a lot of looking and waiting.

Oh, something slightly interesting (at least to me) is that I've been trimming the sheeps' hooves and putting some medicine on them for hoof rot. With this extremely wet winter/spring, the sheep have been in danger of hoof rot since our property holds water like a sponge. One of the girls were limping the other day so we grabbed her and tried to treat her foot. You're supposed to put these rubber booties on their feet and put the medicine in that. But those wouldn't stay on so I just put the stuff straight on her hooves. But after the hoof trim and cleaning, she was already walking much better. I was able to do one other girl the next day by myself and I'll do the last one today. Then I'll get the boys done. But the boys area stays fairly dry so they should be ok. But I'm sure they still need a trim.

I'm also going to get some stone pavers for the girls' shelter. That way they'll have some place dry to stand and walking on the stone will help to keep their hooves trimmed down. I'm not going to do it for the boys because their shelter faces the sun and I'm afraid laying on the stones in the sun will make them too warm.

Ok, gotta go feed the animals soon so I'm going to go and finish my own breakfast. Take care all and have a good day.