Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Solar troubles




Friday 2 November 2012

The sun is now so low in the sky it is casting a shadow onto our panels on the zone.   Schrodinger has made a beeline for the only sunny corner.  


 When Dave built the zone it was positioned further down the field and further back.  Then we had to move it for the excavation to start last spring.  This was fine over the summer.  But the trees have grown, especially one of the smaller cypress – quite close to the repositioned zone –  which seems to have shot up overnight.   So our electricity production is seriously reduced.

What’s more, both the taller trees and the zone now shade the water heating panel, leaving us only a small time period during which water heats up, so it’s only lukewarm at best.  And the generator chooses this time to start squirting oil out of its cylinder head gasket.  So cold washes and little electricity, such hardship.

Which all means that we’re on the alert for some willing friends to help move the zone back to its earlier position.  I am rushing to finish the top section of the terraced wall, so the zone can be put back as close to the edge of the excavation as possible, to avoid all shading.


Meanwhile, I’ve cleared out the sofas and the tarpaulin floor, ready for a move.  The chickens have leapt into action to help make sure there are no worms or bugs left inside.

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