Jan according to Google, change of address, misc

January 2023, according to google

westward ho

yep

changing my mailing address

Since 2018 I’ve been using iPostal1 as my mail forwarding service. This year my niece will be taking over those duties. My thinking is it should give her:

  • a job reference
  • practice running a microbusiness
  • pocket money
  • all without leaving the house

On the last point, it might take a trip or two to the USPS a year. But most of the stuff can be handled digitally or mailed in manilla packets from the mailbox with the red flag up.

So I spent the last week hoop-jumping with various vendors to prove I am who I am and that I can change my address. Yay.

miscellany from American Girl

Odds and ends from the desert….

Victron, after two weeks use

The MPPT algorithm on the 150|45 continues to impress:

  • squeezes every available drop of power from the panels in all conditions.
  • responds quickly to changing conditions and load adds/drops
  • while adjusting to changes it makes reasonable baseline power

So would a new one be worth it at 200% of the EpEver’s price? No, IMO. But +20% for an open box is money well spent.

In the graphic on the right we see panels coming up to Vmp by 0721. Making ~100w by 0745.

The little drops on the orange voltage line are MPPT algo full rescans every 10 minutes. There are high patchy clouds so the blue wattage line is all over the place.

Nitpicks:

  • runs noticeably warmer than the hugely-heatsinked EpEver. I expect some derating in hot weather.
  • BT dongle is overpriced and overcomplicated when a wire would do
  • the app is slow to reconnect and demands a reconnect whenever you switch away to another app
  • not Victron’s fault, but the fanbois are immensely annoying

dry milk

I dislike the flavor and texture of reconstituded powered milk so I have not been carrying it. Been relying on evaporated milk instead. But I picked up a box of dry (3x 1qt pouches) at wally world and did the math:

I picked up some nonfat powdered milk on my last run and have been doing some math.

  • looks like the powered costs about 1/2 as much as evaporated, approx $0.31/cup in this package. $4.96/gallon.
  • ~23g of dry milk per cup of water to make 1c of reconstituted milk - updated the cooking by weight page with this info

I’ll start using the dry in situations where the texture will not stand out. Right now making an Idahoan Cheesey Scalloped Homestyle Casserole (ie, potatoes) in the rice cooker for a first run. The instructions called for hot water so I put the water in the cooker first to heat it up. When near-boiling I added the rest.

$1.24 for the box, $0.31 milk powder, $0.16 butter pat. Half for lunch and half for dinner, so $0.86 per meal. 271Wh from solar.

taxes

Did my taxes. My total income for 2022 was $5000 (457/401k distributions). I’ll get back ~$1000 in taxes minus about $50 penalties for the 401k. Those funds were mixed on the advice of a financial advisor. I knew better and followed his instructions anyhow.

comments

mastodon comment thread for this post
twitter comment thread for this post

Updated: