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The Awesome Hyundai Ioniq5 and Free Solar Charging

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on May 13, 2025 by JimMay 13, 2025
photo of Hyundai Ioniq5 Charging in Denton, TX

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.

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Posted in solar | Tagged america, charging, electric vehicle, electrify, emporia, EV, Flying J, Francis energy, Hyundai, Ioniq5, solar, travel, wb0mmc

Solar Ioniq5 EV Charging: Self-Reliance and Reduced Carbon Emissions

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on May 8, 2024 by JimMay 13, 2025
photo of the Hyundai Ioniq5 electric vehicle

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.

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Posted in solar | Tagged DIY, energy, EV, how to, Hyundai, Ioniq5, power, PV, self-reliance, solar

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

How to Add an Awesome Wood Stove for Winter Heat

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on November 8, 2023 by JimDecember 7, 2023
photo of the first fire in the woodstove

With 8 kilowatts of Solar panel to meet our power needs, it was time to think about winter heat. The solar power could be used to pump water, provide lighting, charge various devices and run small appliances, it just wasn’t going to be enough for heating — especially at night. We have a nearly endless source of deadfall live oak here at the ranch though, and a wood stove was the obvious answer.

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Posted in solar | Tagged build, castings, DIY, energy, fireplace, Georgetown, hearth, heat, hill country, homesteading, how to, howto, independence, intrepid, off-grid, patio, power, pump, solar, stove, Vermont, wood, woodburning, woodstove

Build a Really Big Lithium Ion Solar Battery: The Box

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on October 19, 2023 by JimOctober 19, 2023
photo of the Completed lithium ion solar battery box ready for finish

The first step in building a really big lithium ion solar battery is the enclosure. At a minimum, it will hold 64 of the LiFePo4 cells and support their weight; about 325 lbs. It also occurred to me having some mobility would be nice.

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Posted in 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 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

Solar Power Eases A Bad Ice Storm

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on February 14, 2023 by JimFebruary 15, 2023
photo of 5 Kilowatt Solar Array with ice

Solar Power Update With several posts regarding the installation of solar power at Roy Creek Ranch, one might wonder whether or not it worked. Read on and learn about our experience in an emergency situation. The Solar Array is enlarged … Continue reading →

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Posted in solar | Tagged charge controller, controller, DIY, electric kettle, hill country, kilowatt, kilowatt-hours, kWh, off-grid, panel, solar, space heater, storage, tankless, toaster oven, update, water heater, wood stove

How to Upgrade a Solar Power System

Roy Creek Ranch Posted on February 13, 2022 by JimFebruary 13, 2022
photo of the "New" solar panels and mount

Upgrading a Solar Power System It was time to upgrade the solar power system installed for the shop almost two years ago. I’ve been happy with original system, but it needed expansion as soon as funding permitted. I also wanted … Continue reading →

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Posted in solar | Tagged charge, controller, DIY, how to, howto, inverter, kilowatt-hours, mppt, panel, solar, victron, wb0mmc

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