Life at Roy Creek Ranch is a mix of big projects, everyday ranch work, and experiments in sustainable living. In these posts you’ll find updates on our solar arrays and the “Really Big Battery,” gardening adventures, recipes from the ranch kitchen, and travel stories from the Hill Country and beyond.
This post is an overview about building the Virtual Pipe Organ Stop Tab MIDI Encoder, and continuation of “Building a Great Virtual Pipe Organ: MIDI Encoders for Pedals and Stops.” For readers interested in the technical design and firmware details … Continue reading →
With the structural modifications to the organ console complete, it was time to turn to a less visible—but absolutely critical part of the Virtual Pipe Organ project: how the physical controls would be encoded as MIDI.
Continue reading →After years of battling Hill Country soil, invasive grasses, and time constraints, we decided to completely revive our old vegetable garden using organic methods. The hard work paid off, bringing back the joy of homegrown produce and memories of my Nebraska roots.
Continue reading →Back to the Virtual Pipe Organ Project (VPO) It’s been a while since I worked on the Virtual Pipe Organ (VPO) project, using Hauptwerk software, but it’s not forgotten. Last week, with Marilyn’s son visiting, I had a chance to … Continue reading →
The EV Experience — One Year On About a year ago, we purchased a Hyundai Ioniq5 electric vehicle. There were several reasons: __________ We’ve had the vehicle just over a year now, and it’s time for an update. The car itself … Continue reading →
The inverter I installed in 2020 was limited to 6000 watts output, not enough to reach the minimum specification for Level II charging, 7500 watts. Also, it had some problems starting with the charging loads. I often had to start the charge at lower rate and adjust the rate upwards to something like 5000 watts. Workable, but something better would be nice.
Continue reading →About a year ago, Marilyn and I made the leap and purchased a Hyundai Ioniq5. Our motivations were rooted in reducing fossil fuel reliance, harnessing solar energy for transportation, cutting fuel costs, and simplifying vehicle maintenance.
Continue reading →After we bought the Hyundai Ioniq5 electric vehicle, we needed a charging system at the ranch. A recommendation from a friend and my own research led to the Emporia Classic EV Charger.
Continue reading →I’ve made about 20 posts regarding my adventures in Solar Energy. They all lead to a Solar-powered “Gas Station” for an Electric Vehicle (EV). As prices for solar equipment have come down, the idea is within reach on my budget.
Continue reading →With the completion of 95 copper bus bars, I was nearly ready to assemble the Really Big Lithium Ion Battery. There is a little process involved though. The Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo) cells I was using had been in storage for a while and though new, would need a some maintenance. There would be 64 of them, arranged in 16 sets of four cells.
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