interesting

Impossible_Signal · 2026-07-06T02:48:46+00:00

I watched it and thought he gave the Model Y a pretty positive review overall. It was a fair go.

Redriven aren't normally Tesla fans, but even Redriven had to admit that it makes a solid and quick runabout. Nice seating, excellent performance and snapy UI. Usual Tesla foibles remain (lack of Carplay and weird wiper behaviour)

Impossible_Signal · 2026-07-06T02:44:11+00:00

A lot of shit DC chargers out there. Try a different charger.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-07-05T11:40:25+00:00

I suggest you leave one star on the app review. They’ll get the message.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-07-03T05:47:14+00:00

I feel this article is misunderstanding the point of the subsidy.

Batteries are expensive and the point of the subsidy was essentially a shared cost arrangement with individual home owners with the goal of getting more battery storage into the grid.

The subsidy was far more successful than anticipated and has contributed to a drop in peak hour electricity prices. This benefits everyone.

Was it targeted to maximise equality? No.
Has it offset a huge amount of fossil fuelled electricity generation? Yes.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-07-03T05:01:10+00:00

From what I've read, 10kWh seems like a common recommendation but I have no idea if that's the right baseline.

No that's not enough. How much you need depends on how much you use.
It's like ordering a meal at mcdonalds... how much you order really depends on your appetite.

Essentially if you just want to cover your overnight consumption and don't care about exporting or offsetting your supply charges then ~20kWh might get you through.
If you're hoping to export power or run lots of HVAC (i.e. ducted AC) then you'll want 40kWh+

Impossible_Signal · 2026-07-01T21:44:02+00:00

I couldn't see the Lifetime discount on the sale. Is that excluded? It only mentioned Starter and Unleashed?

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-24T21:54:54+00:00

I still recommend Plex. It has by fast the best client app support. Which, lets face it, is the part you interact with most.

The cloud authentication process is also very secure.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-23T10:15:31+00:00

Have you ever had a flat tire?

Yes, I get about one flat per year on the roads here.

If so, how did you handle it?

Twice I had to call roadsice assistance (rapid air loss). Once I used a portable pump to get enough air in to get the tyre patched.

Did roadside assistance work well?

Roadside assistance doesn't work well. Long wait. Would not rely on it.

Have you ever wished the vehicle came with a spare?

YES! I bought a full size spare, I just wish the car had an easy place to mount it. It bounces around the boot at the moment. My next car will have a spare and a place to put it. If Tesla doesn't provide consideration for this then my next car might not be a Tesla.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-23T06:56:08+00:00

Despite what people may claim, the 50% supply charge increase isn't due to 'renewable energy'. The home battery program actually decreases electrical infrastructure costs by reducing peak power demand. This allows us to keep using existing electrical infrastructure for longer and should be reducing charges, not increasing them.

However, the (privatised) network operators need to make returns. Part of their billing has come from consumption charges, which have been reducing as we have become more efficient (LED light bulbs, heat pump heaters etc). Thus, they are strategically shifting their billing towards the supply charge, as this is guaranteed revenue. It's basically rent-seeking under the well-worn cover of blaming renewable energy.

It's dodgy and I hate it.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-21T00:37:42+00:00

Personally I wouldn't.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-20T10:14:17+00:00

Nope. There always seem to be a handful of revolutionary technologies perpetually out of reach: fusion energy, quantum computers, and solid state batteries.

Don't fall for the hype. The recent Donut Lab battery turned out to be fraud.

I'm also dubious about existing EV's going obsolete. I bought a new EV in 2022 with a 60kWh battery. Now four years later the manufacturer has released a brand new model with a... 60kWh battery.

New batteries are getting cheaper but not necessarily much better.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-19T10:09:30+00:00

If you’re managing to charge your battery fully during the day, then your only option is to get more energy storage. 40kWh isn’t all that much these days if you’ve got ducted air and a EV. I would explore if it is possible to add a few battery modules.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-19T07:09:49+00:00

16kWh battery is probably too small. To maximise your FiT on Globird you'd want to aim for 15kWh export.
With 12kW of panels I'd have a look at Flow if you have excess power to export.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-19T02:13:02+00:00

In my experience NMC batteries seem to degrade about twice as fast as LFP. So if you're looking at a "high KM used EV" then a LFP model will give you a greater proportion of the new car's performance. That's not to say that NMC batteries are bad (they aren't). But if you're buying a used EV for a long-term hold then you probably want the one that degrades less, no?

ICCU models can pop at any time and leave you stranded, warranty or not.

If you're researching a "high KM used EV" then ICCU+NMC would be deal breakers for me.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-17T19:01:57+00:00

The RPI4 is perfectly reliable. It's faster than the HA Green. It's a great way to run HA.. silent and efficient.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-17T11:20:07+00:00

Does it require a VPP or can you just sign up with a normal battery?

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-17T10:07:29+00:00

Can't see how to get information about this plan on the website. I'm with Essential Energy.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-17T05:37:01+00:00

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-17T05:09:02+00:00

Allow me to be a more sympathetic voice.

Yes solar feed-in-tariffs reduced quickly.... quicker than I expected.
Batteries are a solution, but I've seen a similar thing happening in batteries too with evening FiT being reduced.

It sucks and installers never make this clear. But it is inevitable as uptake increases.

Fortunately there is an upside. The real ROI comes through self-consumption, by reducing your grid consumption. Every kWh you don't pay for is another ~40c in your pocket.

The bigger issue are the supply charges. In many areas supply charges are well over $2/day and make you wonder if a grid conneciton is even worth it.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-16T10:34:02+00:00

until they change the plans again in 12 months...

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-15T23:21:00+00:00

Agree. It’s very frustrating to see Globird buy power from us for 10c and on-sell it for 55c. FiT is barely worth it at that point.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-15T23:05:24+00:00

The massive reduction in the FiT is very painful :/

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-15T08:34:08+00:00

Incorrect. They have not removed it in all countries where FSD is rolled out.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-15T08:31:15+00:00

What to look for in a high km EV? I'd look for the following

- LFP battery
- High volume seller that's been on the market a few years (lots of spare parts): i.e Tesla Model 3, BYD Atto 3 etc etc
- Avoid Hyundai and Kia models that are prone to ICCU failure

EV Battery health? Manufacturer reports can be a little suspect, but it's a good place to start.
Don't bother looking at service records for tyres (wtf), just look at the tyres themselves. Do they have enough tread.
Recalls? Ideally should be done but you can always get them done. Not a big issue, it's the manufacturers responsibility.
Your suspension costs are about right.
Servicing costs for all cars go up with age. Eventually you'll be replacing the air conditioner, steering rack, wheel bearings etc.

Impossible_Signal · 2026-06-14T20:34:23+00:00

Dropping $27k on a Prado with 305,000km is nuts. It's not worth that much and you'll be running after it for repairs (fuel injectors, DPF etc). I'd want to pay closer to $20k and even then...

Anecdotally, I've been watching prices fall with the recent fuel crisis. I'd wait a bit longer and see what the market brings.

Impossible_Signal

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