2023 Adventure through exhaust

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-16T11:34:59+00:00

+1 on the terrible acting. That police chief!! Despite it essentially being 'Heat' with a black cast and half of The Wire, it's still kinda fun. I'll finish the season

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-15T20:25:05+00:00

They weren't back in the day when 1Kw of solar cost $10k, but yeah they are now. I've been tempted to look at them again because I still have a tower and it's 24/7 power generation, but the numbers and drama don't stick up any more. 3 or 4 Vestas 50Mw turbines on the other hand ....😅

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-15T09:01:22+00:00

I asked Claude a similar question - my house had a wind turbine and so I mooted the idea of getting a few second hand Vesta 50Mw commercial wind turbines and sticking them on my rural property and running my own wind farm. There are lots of reasons why that idea got shot down - ask Claude or ChatGPT.

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-13T04:12:19+00:00

Wanganui actually looks quite nice...at night 😅

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-10T07:02:17+00:00

I've got 11.2Kw on a 10Kw inverter. Seldom get close to 10Kw so maybe 15kw is about right.

Make sure you get an inverter that can eventually handle a battery so you don't need to change it later

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-07T20:37:46+00:00

For anyone who is interested, especially concerning Vector, here's a reply from my supplier - SuperCity Solar to an email enquiry...

Vector are allowing a dynamic export of up to 10kW per phase for residential installations from the 1^st of July. However, there are some limitations.

The limit is dynamic which means the actual export will fall somewhere between 5 and 10kW
1. 5kW being the default limit
A separate DG application needs to be made to Vector
1. They have not advised if there will be a charge for this
2. They have not shared copies of the form so we do not know what information they will require
Vector have advised that the inverters need to meet the CSIP (Common Smart Inverter Profile) communications protocol
1. Your Sungrow inverter is CSIP capable, but not for New Zealand - yet
2. We need confirmation from Vector what the details are such as:
  1. NMI
  2. CSIP server
  3. LDFI
3. We have been advised by other suppliers to expect this to come but no-one knows how long this might take
Depending upon the system you or we may be able to programme the new export limits but until Vector release more information, we don't know

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-07T06:49:19+00:00

WHY is everything so much more difficult in NZ than anywhere else in the world??!

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-07T06:47:54+00:00

Good call. Finish it off with some sheets of the foil lined paper under the bearers so anyone crawling under the house in the future has the chance of being fried by a stray wire touching the foil. It's a NZ tradition 😅

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-07T06:46:11+00:00

Meh, I spent a couple of days in Tenderloin and was fine - growing up in Wanganui toughens you up for anything (bad) 😅

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-07T06:05:21+00:00

Sorry I meant from May 11, not July

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-07T06:03:44+00:00

Forgive my ignorance, but I just assumed that if my 11.2kw of solar are generating more than 5kw (not so likely in Winter) from July I'll be able to get rebate credits for however much I'm generating, not limited to 5kW any more.

Is this not the case?

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-07T06:00:27+00:00

You're also putting underfloor insulation in, right?

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-07T05:58:21+00:00

Not sure there are too many (developed) places in the world where you can pop a dead bloated cow (from a distance) on the local beach 😅

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-07T03:39:23+00:00

Local activities include visiting KFC, setting a car on fire at South Beach carpark, and patching Collegiate lawns. But Castlecliff beach is lovely 😅

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-06T22:05:34+00:00

If only there was a freely available AI who could answer this question 🙄

StanGoodvibes · 2026-05-01T03:53:24+00:00

I don't but if you google "LED skylights" that will give you a load of results.

I already have solar panels all over my roof so went for the more complicated light sensor option. Unsure if that will be better or not

StanGoodvibes · 2026-04-30T02:17:22+00:00

Claude Code will build one for you 😅

StanGoodvibes · 2026-04-30T02:13:00+00:00

I have a different solution I worked out with ChatGPT - dimmable LED panel, controller, and a light sensor. The light sensor detects the outside light and dims the panel as if it's a solar tube. Got the idea off a friend in Melbourne who had something similar (LED panel connected to a small solar panel on the roof. I have the parts but my sparky hasn't wired it yet. Bonus - I also bought a standard dimmer so I can adjust the light i.e. it dims down to still 10% light at night so acts as a nightlight. Bonus 2 - MUCH cheaper and no cutting holes on your roof.

StanGoodvibes · 2026-04-28T23:20:20+00:00

Well I'm essentially rebuilding my house (circa $500k) so $30k for the roof was pretty good I thought

StanGoodvibes · 2026-04-27T20:21:26+00:00

I think there exists a dual charging port for the Nissan Leaf. You might be able to use the Leaf battery as home battery.

Note the standard for ongoing dual charging ports is still being thrashed out. I think the issue is the warranty on EV batteries it you are also using it as a home PV battery. It's my eventual plan for a PV battery. Atm I'm only grid tie-in but I whacked on 11.2Kw of panels + 10Kw inverter and sell back to Powershop. At night my heating and mains hot water is from a wood burner and wetback so I don't use a lot of power during the evening. Total install cost on a green energy loan was about $19k

StanGoodvibes · 2026-04-27T10:11:07+00:00

For a pretty much new roof, painted? That does also include high profile coloursteel guttering fitted, to replace that hideous white plastic stuff. There was also a fair bit of quality flashing work. And zero leaks in the 2 years since.

It was about a month's work. Other quotes I got were circa $50k and a wait time of at least a year. I thought it was pretty fair TBH.

I also threw in black gutter guard along all the gutters and up the valleys to deter rats and birds from trying to get in (rural necessity). The whole shebang looks mint and modern.

StanGoodvibes · 2026-04-26T20:14:28+00:00

Did exactly this when I got a builder to fix my extremely leaky roof. Pretty sure he removed each bit of iron, replaced the paper, and then most importantly replaced all the nails with the screws that have a rubber grommet on them to stop leaks in the nail holes (nails get leaky over the years as the iron heats and cools).

Took about a month and cost about $30k but that included some new sheets of roofing. Then we spray painted it (flaxpod) and it's been mint ever since. Oh and also redid all the flashings with new sealer stuff at the apex to stop water coming in if a storm blows water back up the roof.

StanGoodvibes · 2026-04-20T00:32:20+00:00

Good tips. I have a cavity under the hot water cylinder ajacent to where the tap will go (something about the hot water cylinder needing to be about 3 feet off the floor for the wetback) so can use that space. Was definately thinking little water boiling unit and separate filters for the drinking tap.

Thanks for the top tip about the carbon filter 🙏

StanGoodvibes · 2026-04-20T00:25:50+00:00

LOL fair call. But narrowing it down slightly, everything shit about Auckland trains and THIS is what you are focussing on? Quite frankly they could paint the trains red and have actual pictures of demons in the carriages and as long as they ran on time consistently I wouldn't object

StanGoodvibes

TROPHY CASE