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Roy Creek Ranch

a Log Home in the Hill Country

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Really Great Lithium Ion Solar Battery: Copper Bus Bars

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on December 13, 2023 by JimMarch 5, 2024
photo of 95 copper bus bars -- nearly finished

After building a wooden enclosure for the Lithium Ion Solar Battery, it was time to think about copper bus bars to connect all those cells together. This requires a little math, since the bus bars have to be big enough to handle current demand, but not too big — copper is expensive!

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Posted in solar, Projects | Tagged battery, DIY, how to, howto, ion, lithium, solar

Build a Really Big Lithium Ion Solar Battery

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on August 30, 2023 by JimSeptember 9, 2023
photo of the Really Big Lithium Ion Battery Box

The next upgrade for our Solar Power System was a Really Big Lithium Ion Battery (RBB). When we first installed the system in 2020, I didn’t have a cost-effective solution for Lithium Ion (LiFePo4 chemistry). That came later with the acquisition of a lot of LiFePo4 cells. Since then, I’ve built two small batteries to get used to the technology; one as a portable solar generator, and a slightly larger one to power the ham shack. With those under my belt, it’s time to tackle a 48-volt battery to replace the existing lead acid batteries.

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Posted in solar, Projects | Tagged 16s, 48 volt, battery, battery management system, bms, howto, lithium ion, off-grid, radiob, solar, storage

Add Solar Powered HVAC to Your Home

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on August 13, 2023 by JimAugust 20, 2023
photo showing the mini split head temperature

One of the dreams here at Roy Creek Ranch has been to add Solar powered heating and cooling (HVAC). We’re now producing substantial power from our solar array, and it would be nice to use that power as much as possible. Also, for those times when the grid fails, some heating and cooling will keep us more comfortable and maybe even a little safer in extreme weather.

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Posted in solar, Projects | Tagged Carrier, DIY, howto, HVAC, kill-a-watt, Midea, mini split, solar

Build A Great VPO – Part 3: Amp Repair

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on August 11, 2023 by JimAugust 11, 2023
photo of the Amplifier, ready for servicing

Just before disassembling the Thomas Transistor organ to create a VPO, I tried turning it on for one last listen. I wanted to sample a few of the basic sounds for later use building a sample set or synthesizer patches. It hadn’t been used for quite some time, though I had no reason to suspect it wouldn’t work. Within a second or two of powering the organ, there was a loud pop, followed by a very loud hum. Time to get it on the bench!

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Posted in Virtual Pipe Organ, Music, Projects, repairs | Tagged amp, amplifier, build, capacitor, DIY, electrolytic, esr, howto, MIDI, organ, pipe, re-cap, recap, theater, thomas, transistor, tube, vacuum, variac, virtual, vpo, wb0mmc

Build A Great VPO — Part 2 : Salvage and Move

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on August 8, 2023 by JimAugust 11, 2023
photo of the organ In place with new pedals

we talked about converting a Thomas Transistor Organ into a great Virtual Pipe Organ (VPO). This early 1960’s era electronic organ has good bones, but not worth restoring to its original condition. We can salvage some key components however. In this post, we begin with disassembly. Besides removing the parts we’re not going to use, it will also make the cabinet lighter. This is important since the organ must move to the second floor our home to make way for a remodel. with disassembly. Besides removing the parts we’re not going to use, it will also make the cabinet lighter. This is important since the organ must move to the second floor our home to make way for wood stove.

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Posted in Music, Projects, Virtual Pipe Organ | Tagged ago, american, build, DIY, guild, howto, jensen, leslie, organ, organists, pipe, speaker, thomas, transistor, virtual, vpo, wb0mmc

Build a Handy 12-Volt Solar Generator with LiFePo4 Batteries

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on July 23, 2023 by JimDecember 7, 2023
photo of the completed solar generator

Previously, I wrote about Upgrading a Solar Power System and mentioned a cache of new Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo4) cells. The “ThunderSky Winston” cells had come from a Segway repair operation and were new. A little looking around the ‘net revealed they were still available from GWL Group. With a capacity of 60 Amp Hours (AH) and nominal voltage of 3.3 volts, they looked useful for building a 12-volt Solar Generator.

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Posted in solar, Projects | Tagged battery, bms, build, bus bar, charge, controller, DIY, generator, howto, inverter, iron, lifepo, lithium, management, phosphate, radiob, solar, storage, system, wb0mmc

Discovering Square Foot Gardening

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on August 22, 2020 by Marilyn McCrayAugust 22, 2020
photo of My Square Foot Garden

I have been interested in gardening since I was a child and spent time with my great grandparents who were gardeners. The Square Foot Gardening method was developed in 1976 as a simple alternative to labor intensive and inefficient row gardening. Explore the possibilities . . .

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Posted in Gardening, Food, Projects | Tagged Belton, canning, DIY, fair, hill country, homesteading, how to, howto, ih, international harvester, lee Klancher, mel's mix, Mother Earth News, octane press, red power roundup, square foot gardening, Texas, texas hill country

How to Pour a Concrete Slab for your Shop

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on August 1, 2020 by JimAugust 1, 2020
photo of The New Shop with Concrete Floor

The shop here at the ranch was built in 2000. I got lots of work done there, but by 2011, two things were clear: the wooden exterior doors were in dire need of replacement and it would be nice to have a covered outdoor space to keep sawdust out of the shop. I installed new pre-hung metal doors and with the help of a neighbor, added a 20-foot extension that year — complete with a metal roof. There just wasn’t a concrete slab.

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Posted in Projects, repairs | Tagged build, concrete, contractor, extension, finishing, Genesis Enterprises, Hopson Builders, pouring, shop, wb0mmc, woodworking

How to Build an Inexpensive Storage Shed

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on July 29, 2020 by JimJuly 29, 2020
photo of The finished shed

I’ve been threatening to build a storage shed at the ranch for some time now. After going through everything in the shop and selling, discarding, or giving everything away I could, it was still too crowded to work effectively. I needed more space. A friend had recently mentioned a sale on small buildings at Costco — it was worth a look.

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Posted in Projects, Woodworking | Tagged build, building, DIY, hill country, home depot, how to, howto, shed, storage, Texas, wb0mmc

How to Mount A Solar Panel Array

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on December 10, 2019 by JimJuly 2, 2020
Photo of the Solar Panel Mount site with Piers

With the Solar Generator Project underway, it is time to mount the solar panel array. Last May, I purchased eight Renogy 270-watt solar panels similar to those in the Solar Rainwater Project. At 65 by 39-inches, and weighing 65 lbs., they require a substantial mounting system. In the Solar Rainwater System, I had the advantage of an existing building with a south-facing roof that could hold four panels.

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Posted in Projects, solar | Tagged build, concrete pier, DIY, foundation, hill country, how to, quikrete, renogy, solar, solar panel mount, solar power generator, wb0mmc

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