So let's see, since last we spoke I started a new project. Yeah, I'm full of projects. Oh, I got a new job too. I'm still with the Guard, but I'm the S-1 of a Brigade now. That's a fancy way of saying, "Personnel Officer". What else? Oh, I put my packet in for Major, so I should be promoted soon. Which is nice, because we could really use a little extra ching-ching lyin' about so we can do a little more around the lot and perhaps the house. So, to that end, the lot I mean, I bought a bunch of batteries. Wait, lemme back up a little. See, I bought a couple of solar panels from Harbor Freight last month. They were on sale for about 169.00 a piece so I picked a couple up. I dabbled a little with the idea of a solar recharge for our trailer batteries a couple of years ago, but I only purchased a 15 watt trickle charger. So, we went up to Currant Creek with the family over the 4th of July last year and I wired up four, vice two batteries to the trailer, along with my charger and it sort of planted a seed in me.
OK, let me just lay it out for you. See, I can't get power on our lot, until we get water. We cant get water, until we have a septic system. We cant have a septic system...uh...until we have water??? Yeah, you heard me right. It's a vicious cycle of stupidity. I'm trying to out-dumb the County of Duchesne, but I'm afraid they're going to win in this regard. Usually I can out-dumb someone. They ask me a dumb question, and I ask a dumber one, until both of us regress to basically reptilian responses and gutteral exchanges. So anyhow, we filed for our taxes, and believe it or not, but when you have five kids, and you haven't changed your deductions since 2003, chances are you've over-paid and you have a sizeable chunk of change coming your way. So, this year, after Turbo-Tax and I went to work, we had a nice dent in what we needed for my 6500.00 septic system, and what I had anticipated to be a 2500.00 water connection. Well, as it turns out, the water (private) that WAS 2500.00 last year, sold their last share, but the City water, at 7800.00 for a connection fee was still available. (Lucky me). So, I told the contractor to just put in the Septic and we'd get the water later. He informed me that is not an option, and that we needed proof of potable water to the lot before we could pull the permit for the septic. So, I said, fine. Whatever. Just put in the water this year, and I'll do the septic next year. Yeah, no dice fellah. Turns out, you can't have the chicken, without the egg. You can't have the egg...without the chicken. So I'm right back where I started from. And...as you guessed it, not a pot to p....in.
So, we decided instead to pay off some bills. Here's the good news. We'll have all the kids' braces (x3 of them) paid off, our single credit card again at zero, and Stacey's eye surgery paid off. Plus, if you act now, we can pay our tithing (which we planned to anyhow) and pay for our Teasdale trip and have a couple hundred bones to put back in the lockbox for the Zombie Apocalypse. No rest for the wicked I tell ya.
So, during this whole discovery session, I purchased those aforementioned two solar panels from Harbor Freight and planned a little experiment at the lot. See, here's my plan. Two 90 watt solar panels, charging 7-10 deep cycle batteries. Then I purchased among other things, an inverter, to turn the DC, into 110 AC, so we can run the microwave, hair dryer, TV etc without firing up the generator. So, all told, I had three batteries from last year, and purchased four more. Yeah, I used my Navy Federal Account Slush Fund (I dump a 100 bucks a month into it for just such an occaision via alotment) Anyhow, so I then ordered through Amazon.com a solar charge controller (30 amp) and the inverter at around 80 bucks. The batteries were about sixty bucks a piece. Then I'm going to build a stand for my panels to get them about six feet off the ground, and a little shed to put the battery bank in. I'm actually incredibly excited about the whole deal to be perfectly honest. Well here's the kicker. Stacey really wanted this Honda EU generator. They're normally about 1200 bucks new. So far I've spent around nine hundred on my little experiment and I still need to build a shed and do some creative wiring to make this whole thing work.
So, I know we're upside down on this whole deal, but I could give two-chits to be honest. It's really a fun little science experiment, and I'm really enjoying to the figuring on how to wire it all up and how long this will last. How many panels I need, and how many batteries are sufficient for our needs. So I'm enjoying it. Anyhow, I needed a shed anyhow, and so I have plenty to do this next Spring to keep me occupied.
Where were we? Oh yeah, so we went to Teasdale this weekend, it was cold but we had a great time. We rented a little bigger cabin this time, and we hung out with our friends each night and watched a movie and ate dinner together. Not necessarily in that order. We hiked six miles round-trip to a waterfall, and we drove down into the park on another day when it was really cold.
Hey, listen, I gotta cut this short. Everyone needs a bath and I've got to get re-engaged again. I hope you enjoyed by little rant, and if you see me feel free to ask me what the hell I was thinking with creating more work with the solar power deal instead of just buying the high-speed generator.
Anyhow, all the best and see you later,
J
