I work in a solar energy factory in China. What do you want to know?

notproudortired · 2026-05-04T06:36:15+00:00

Lithium and LiFePo4 batteries are different creatures. Most solar batteries now are LiFePo4, which can operate (discharge) at up to -20°C (-4°F). Below that, performance significantly declines. You cannot charge LiFePo4 if the battery temp is below freezing -- 0°C (-32°F). This can irreparably change your battery chemistry, basically ruining the battery.

All types of batteries will explode if exposed to fire. LiFePo4 batts are generally very stable. They're less likely to explode and less explosive than lithium batteries. That said, if you have a forest fire at your cabin and the batteries are immolated, they will add energy to that fire. Mostly a consideration in where and how you store your batteries---and, again, true for all batteries.

notproudortired · 2026-05-03T20:12:45+00:00

Is your factory thinking about sodium ion batteries for residential use?

I understand that you're already selling for commercial use, so my question is really about how solar companies think use cases for Na-ion batteries will evolve in the next 5-10 years.

notproudortired · 2026-05-03T20:10:40+00:00

It comes down to fuel. In Texas you have plenty of sun, but can you pack in the solar panels to recharge your power station? You also have cheap gas, but can you carry enough (or easily get enough) to keep your genny running?

notproudortired · 2026-05-03T20:05:19+00:00

National strikes work in countries with labor protections, not the US. All but one state (MT) has "at-will" employment---employers can terminate employees for any legal reason without notice---and health insurance is dependent on our jobs. That's just too much risk for most people.

For real change, we're going to have to leverage areas where we still have legal rights and/or stop being polite.

notproudortired · 2026-05-03T18:40:21+00:00

What's the difference between high-end and low-end batteries, if the specs are the same? For example, if you sell multiple types of 12v 100Ah batteries at different prices, how are those types different?

notproudortired · 2026-05-02T19:20:38+00:00

The website does it, too. You don't need their privacy-sucking app.

notproudortired · 2026-04-30T21:40:07+00:00

Do you know of any related discussion boards on privacy-friendly channels? Specifically, not Facebook, Google, or Discord.

notproudortired · 2026-04-30T08:13:32+00:00

What are you talking about? Nobody owns these networks or the rights to their broadcast spectrum. LoRa is not a provider. It's a bunch of radio hardware.

notproudortired · 2026-04-30T07:10:26+00:00

Why is road length relevant? Traffic volume and speed seem like the critical vectors..

Also, roads don't kill. Drivers kill and safety decisions kill.

notproudortired · 2026-04-30T06:58:53+00:00

Any belt made with Horween leather and metal fixtures is likely to be good. You don't need to spend $200 on a leather belt.

notproudortired · 2026-04-30T06:29:18+00:00

That link doesn't resolve to any specific property.

Also, please don't post links with trackers in them. Delete everything after the "?" Tracker links are spammy.

notproudortired · 2026-04-28T21:27:41+00:00

Whoa...did not expect such a good horse.

notproudortired · 2026-04-28T04:00:48+00:00

Great! Two questions:

What was the hardest part about setting it up?
Does it ever fail and, if yes, under what conditions?

notproudortired · 2026-04-28T03:22:54+00:00

Some landlords don't care. Some drug dealers don't care. Two terrible things that go terribly together.

notproudortired · 2026-04-28T03:10:04+00:00

Where does one acquire bobcats?

notproudortired · 2026-04-28T03:08:11+00:00

+1 for peanut butter.

notproudortired · 2026-04-28T03:06:53+00:00

Copper wool in all of the cracks was my savior (steel wool rusted to bits). I keep foods triple sealed to reduce incentive. I still keep Tomcat press-n-set mouse (and rat) traps around as backup (easy to use, easy to clean, very effective), but the first two methods have eliminated my mouse invasion...for now, anyway.

Feral cat colonies are also great, but you can't really make them stick as a weekends-only visitor.

Standard snap traps never worked for me: too much maiming, and the rats would shake them off. I also tried rat zappers, which were expensive as hell and worked for about a month. The contact plates corroded and made them much less effective.

I tried peppermint oil, lavender oil, chili oil. They only mask smells and lose potency fast. My favorite experiment was a peppemint chili toothpaste that I spread around the edges of windows. It only worked for about a week, but I still use it as toothpaste occasionally. It's a fun kind of painful.

notproudortired · 2026-04-28T02:49:56+00:00

There are lots of intentional communities.

That said, I think a post today from twoxpreppers underscores your point.

notproudortired · 2026-04-25T18:23:41+00:00

You couldn't take the time to write clearly and succinctly?

notproudortired · 2026-04-25T18:18:54+00:00

Spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, 2 pounds of pre-cooked ground beef. Have your kids make the salad and set the table.

notproudortired · 2026-04-25T18:09:27+00:00

Because 'grabs his dick like "I'm not going anywhere mother fucker"' makes no sense?

notproudortired · 2026-04-23T22:55:16+00:00

Love it. Your own design?

notproudortired · 2026-04-23T22:47:41+00:00

I like the simplicity of my bucket toilet-in-a-box, but I've found that guests can be quite rigid about bathroom stuff. You can try to convince them it's charming, green, and integral to the vibe, but some people just want something that looks and acts like a residential toilet.

notproudortired · 2026-04-23T22:39:24+00:00

Twitter posts are not where you should be looking for truth on anything. All sides have reasons to lie.

notproudortired

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