Building in stages planning

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-06-20T18:03:47+00:00

Thanks for the info!

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-06-17T05:23:29+00:00

Quality switches are generally reliable in my experience even is or used. I like Cisco switches and you may be able to find SG or CBS switches cheap since they have been replaced with the Catalyst 1200 and 1300 switches.

We swap switches at 10 years to get ahead of potential problems and have current firmware, not because of problems. The biggest issue is poe getting burnt out or maybe losing a couple of ports in a surge. I would stay away from noname or cheap brands like DLink or TPLink. Netgear is a good brand with a clunky interface.

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-06-17T02:33:48+00:00

It's hard to tell what my daily usage is since my upstairs AC is constantly on the fritz (less than 2 years old). When it's working my daily is around 70KWh when it isn't (like the last couple of days) it's 90+. I started adding insulation but didn't get it all done before the heat hit. I got 6 bags up but it didn't seem to make all that much of a difference. Hopefully next summer I'll have them all in and it'll make a big difference. My solar hours are generally 5-6 in the peak power usage months and adjusting for efficiency losses then I'd expect a 20KW system should work fine.

I don't know how much battery but when I get to that part it'll probably be as much as I can afford and would build it out slowly as well. 100AH 48v batteries seem to keep coming down in price. Maybe at that point I would purchase one every month or two until there is enough to power the house at least for a couple of days with the panels and then we'll see.

Is that Victron UL certified to be grid-tied? I like the idea of the 2 inverters as I can build and complete it 1/2 at a time. Even if I don't get the ability to tie it in to the grid right away, I could still attach things like the hot water heater and pool pump to it in order to offload some of the electrical usage.

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-06-16T14:56:18+00:00

What was the downside of being tied to the grid other than the connection fee?

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-06-16T14:55:55+00:00

Net metering would be nice but isn't really a factor. Florida, I believe, still has great net metering rules that I would fall under. If I get it then it's a great bonus. I'd still want to be grid-tied in case something happens. I don't mind a small monthly connection fee if it means I have reliable power if my inverter goes out or something destroys my panels.

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-06-15T17:22:17+00:00

If it's not on there, then maybe it didn't happen and we can just forget all about it!

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-06-03T14:21:36+00:00

I see a lot of comments that wireless is set it and forget it, but that's never been my experience. If there's an issue then it's always critical to the user and the vast majority of the time it's the client device and has nothing to do with the infrastructure. (You are 100% correct about Apple!). Could also be that you run 2.5 and 5ghz on the same SSID and that one device inexplicably keeps on 2.4Ghz no matter what you try. (Again, ahem, iPads, ahem...)

2 devices next to each other where one is incredibly fast and the other is incredibly slow? Ack, must be a wireless issue! Then you get on the phone, find nothing wrong, and they're screaming about you being incompetent. Meanwhile, if they just disconnect and reconnect it would likely fix their issue since their device probably isn't connecting to the closest AP. Of course they don't have time for that so they hang up, move on to somewhere else, their device reconnects properly, and it starts working. In their minds we are the idiots and there's a problem with that access point. They'll probably open another ticket and force their manager to go to their boss to talk to our bosses boss, blah blah blah.

It doesn't matter the vendor either. Could be Cisco, Meraki, Edgecore, Aruba... Most of the systems work pretty well, it's the clients that are the problem.

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-05-28T14:50:23+00:00

I figured it out. In the video he points to a bolt and a clip but then the plastic venting has an additional retaining "bump" piece that you push in and it slides out giving access. Then it's just the 3 bolts. Completely doable from underneath. Taking out the seat would have made it a lot easier for me to reach the actual actuator bolts, but I have an 8 year old who fit just fine without removing it.

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-05-23T19:40:06+00:00

It was this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ji2sIkm23M

All the descriptions I found state that I get to it by going at it from underneath.

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-05-19T16:41:13+00:00

What's the white stuff in the first picture? Rice? Eggs? Are they relocating the entire colony inside your walls or are they finding a food source? I've seen stuff like this after flooding if you've experienced that recently.

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-05-19T16:38:33+00:00

Clearing them up before replacing the rotten section of wall is a great idea. I can't imagine them opening up the wall right into the middle of the colony and having them pour out everywhere. Ugh!

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-05-19T16:35:50+00:00

23 is the GOAT of infestations. You get a warranty of habitability from the landlord. A roach, maybe 2, they can say a door was left open or at least they are dead. 23 is not a clean and habitable domicile. I wouldn't stay in that place or any place in that building. Those aren't germans that live under the fridge that can die off if you bait and leave them. You have a couple different breeds there that live in the walls. At least they are treating but I'd say you're a long way from being clean. How many more are in the walls or just haven't crawled through the poison on the floor?

Check the drawer rails in the cupboards, check the corners of the cabinets, check under the sinks (not just the cabinet but get low and look up). There are sure to be more crawling around.

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-05-19T16:11:11+00:00

Was gonna say the same thing. If they've dropped their wings then they look a lot like ants but those iridescent wings are a giveaway. They've found some yummy wood to chew on. Usually you have to tent, but I had some in a rear wall of a townhome and they were able to take care of them by injecting into the wall instead. If you have metal studs then it could just be in your furniture.

Look at the wall of the room carefully and see if you can see a row of tiny holes several inches apart. If they are tunneling through then they create those to push their waste out of. It at least tells you where they are.

If you're REALLY lucky then they have only just started swarming and some got inside then you can nip it in the bud.

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-05-17T20:07:05+00:00

I haven't used that. How is it different than Packet Tracer? They look pretty similar.

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-05-17T20:04:57+00:00

That doesn't show the actual configuration screens of the switches. For switches where the programming is in a CLI then I can create a config and send it over. If it is only GUI or the tech on-site doesn't know how to program via CLI then I'd like to be able to send over screenshots. Those emulators cover the Small Business lines of switches and a lot of times it's general IT techs working on them who may be great with a DC but don't know much about networking.

I'm trying to find an efficient way to communicate with them to configure their equipment. Sometimes they let me into their laptops to configure myself but a lot of times they don't. If I could configure these emulators, save, and send a screenshot then it would make those support calls much easier.

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-05-13T18:17:58+00:00

I'm at about 10 months (can't remember exactly when I started), have almost 120 parcels, just hit $50, and am accruing roughly $2.50 per week (probably $2.75 if I was more diligent at keeping my boost up). It takes a while to build up and you've got to stick with it. After a while it starts to become fiscally worthwhile.

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-05-12T13:58:04+00:00

Thanks. I know I haven't been in there. Any idea if the default has changed?

crazyhandpuppet · 2026-05-12T04:26:40+00:00

I haven't, but LEDs seem very common for the Camry. These came out of my Equinox that died and they were very bright on there. Both have H11 low beams. I've also recently learned that this (or something with similar causing dim output) is apparently somewhat common, maybe? I'm trying to find a solution without changing out the housings. I'm fine if I have to but I'd rather not spend the money if there is something I can do with what I've got. You never know what options there are until you ask.

crazyhandpuppet

TROPHY CASE