pickup up packages, reprovisioning, and installing the new controller

Busy day.

UPS store pickup

I had zero faith that Amazon would deliver my package today after shipping it late on Saturday, but it arrived at 0930. Ok, I’ll go get it.

Turns out Amazon shipped it in two packages so I got dinged 2x $5. :-(

groceries

Stopped at Smiths and got essentials. Picked up some beef and cheese in the mgr’s clearance aisle. You know the CoL is high when even the marked down stuff is a reach.

installed the controller for the portables

I installed the Victron 75/15 for the reasons I mentioned previously.

Moving the wiring over to the new controller gave me a chance to put bootlace ferrules on the wires that didn’t have them. Very happy with how nice ferruled ends are to work with.

Got the new controller configured and it started pulling immediately. Max output was ~180W, which tracks precisely with the 50% increase in rated output. The practical differences are better voltage control (talks to the SBS) and better performance at low light levels. It rained a bit and panel voltage never collapsed as it would with the EpEver.

One unexpected benefit is that while looking at either controller there is a field for combined harvest: Network Total Power. Neat. [Update: looks like it tries to syncronize charging states, too. I triggered EQ on the smaller Vic and it took the other one into Eq also.]

While I was in there I removed a fossil from my FLA bank days: a timer that activated opportunity loads only after a delay. The purpose was to let the bank get to Absorption before running elective stuff. Not an issue with Li.

installed the new boosted OTA panel antenna

I had a boosted panel ant before, then destroyed it somehow. Don’t remember. As a stopgap I picked up a small panel which works well enough in urban areas.

Out in the boonies I wasn’t getting much so ordered this normal-sized boosted panel. Mucho better-o. The MythTV Pi is happily recording again.