Jekyll2024-03-28T20:42:00-04:00https://mouse.mousetrap.net/feed.xmlthe mousepadunending dorkinessfrater secessusa series of early-morning mistakes2024-03-28T17:03:07-04:002024-03-28T17:03:07-04:00https://mouse.mousetrap.net/blog/a-series-of-early-morning-mistakes-Note to self: don't attempt to troubleshoot or fix stuff until an entire cup of coffee is onboard.
## setting the stage
My system makes a healthy amount of power but I rarely charge or discharge the bank at high current.
* max net solar charge is usually around 30A (after loads are popwered)
* alternator charging is typically ~30A, when it is being used
* my background daytime loads are maybe 10A and nighttime 3-4A.
* my biggest load ([3qt instant pot]({{site.afflinks.instantpot}})) is theoretically ~54A but I'm usually running it around noon so net current from the bank is maybe 25A.
For all these reasons the POS terminal of my bank is fused at 80A and it's been in no danger of popping.
Until today.
## mistake 1
<a href='https://img.mousetrap.net/2024/IMG_20240328_121836.jpg'><img src='https://img.mousetrap.net/2024/thumbs/IMG_20240328_121836.jpg' align='right' /></a>
I was making some potato, bean, and cheese breakfast burritos for breakfast. I'd already brewed coffee then put some potatoes on the 300w hotplate to warm up.
I started drinking the coffee and got out the other ingredients from the fridge. The beans were already in the instant pot where I'd cooked them.
I turned on the Instant Pot to reheat the beans.
**At this point both the 54A instant pot load and ~23A load were running, plus the 10A daytlme loads. POP!** And it was early enough the solar wasn't supporting any meaningful part of the load.
Since I've never popped that fuse it took me a minute to figure out what had happened. The shunt was still showing some early morning charge so the batteries couldn't have melted down..... I looked at the POS fuse and saw it was baked, then saw the separate fuse coming from the charge controller. Ah.
I replaced the fuse.
## mistake 2
I did not disconnect the loads before restarting the inverter. And I forgot that both loads were auto-on, and that my electric mattress pad would come on at full blast (~15A) when the 120vac came back online.
At this point we are once again over the fuse rating *and* over the inverter's 1000w continuous rating.
## dodged a bullet
The fuse did not pop.
## and got hit by a cannonball
... because the inverter died. My first assumption was that being powered on near the continuous rating injured something. Or maybe it died when the fuse popped on its power feed. The manual does not warn that either of these conditions could be destructive. A few years ago I asked about powering on with a load and the consensus was that it was not a problem. Or maybe it is....
I was still half-asleep so I don't *know* when the inverter died. I know I didn't smell the suspecious popped cap aroma until I had replaced the fuse and cranked up everything at once (accidentally).
I opened the case and hoped the user-replaceable blade fuses were popped; no such luck. I also didn't see anything obiously scorched or leaking. :-\
## raiding the parts cabinet
I reached into the parts box and got my old 300w PSW inverter out to hold me over. It will run the small AC loads I have (mainly the heated mattress pad) until I procure a replacement.
I'll be cooking on propane or crockpot for the forseeable future.
## warranty (LOL)
<a href='https://img.mousetrap.net/2024/IMG_20240328_114910.jpg'><img src='https://img.mousetrap.net/2024/thumbs/IMG_20240328_114910.jpg' align='right' /></a>
It's a Chinese inverter so there is little chance they will replace it at 11 months under their 12 month warranty on parts/labor. I didn't think they'd reply at all but I got an autoresponder asking for details and pics.
The spare inverter was already in place so I popped the hood to get a connection for the inverter. The pic above is my attempt to show that
* the green power LED is on
* the USB outlet is live and charging the mini kb
* but the 120vac outlets show 0v. They actually show a little under 1v for a moment before it goes back to 0v.
I won't cry if they reject the claim. That kind of thing is baked into the low price of Chinese gear. And it's conceivable that I did it no favors by powering it up with loads attached.
## replacement
If I have to get a replacement my criteria are
1. 1000w continuous
1. bolt-on power terminals, not screw knobs
1. fans come on as needed, not constantly
1. replaceable fuses
I suppose I could leave the little Aims 300w PSW in place and pick up a 1000w MSW to run the hotplate, coffee maker, and instant pot.
## made breakfast, finished coffee
I warmed the ingredients and tortillas over propane and finally polished off that cup of coffee. What a morning.frater secessusNote to self: don’t attempt to troubleshoot or fix stuff until an entire cup of coffee is onboard.backchannel: a small car setup2024-03-27T11:44:41-04:002024-03-27T11:44:41-04:00https://mouse.mousetrap.net/blog/backchannel---a-small-car-setup-From (a /r/urbancarliving thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/urbancarliving/comments/1bobas4/house_battery_setup/)
## the setup
* [Renogy 20A DC-DC](https://amzn.to/3TylxR7)
* [Giandel 1200w PSW inverter](https://amzn.to/3xb8JZr)
* unnamed [100Ah LiFePO4 battery](https://amzn.to/3TUlctq)
> It will be running my fridge, a 500 watt induction cooker, electric water kettle, portable monitor. Used to charge laptop, phone, batteries for power tools, tablet and what ever else needs a charge.
## some thoughts
This seems to be a thoughtful setup for inexpensive power. I took a *Chemistry and aewsthetics of wine* course as an undergrad in the late 80s. One quote sticks with me: "anybody can buy a good bottle of wine for $100; the trick is to find a good bottle of wine for $10". I think OP has done a good job of it.
### the DC-DC and battery
20A charging is spot-on the 0.2C charge rate used by many mfg to calculate cycle life. No mention of the car's (miniman's) alternator rating, but most should be fine at 20A. If not, this one can be derated to 10A via the LC terminal.
### inverter and AC loads
The inverter seems a bit oversized for the bank. Assuming 85% inverter efficiency and a max 0.5C draw from the batteries our AC loads should be ≤545w. Our cooker fits under that; not clear about the kettle.
### the cooker
[Note: the [500w induction hob](https://amzn.to/43AYSIA) sounds interesting. I suppose because of economies of scale the small ones can cost more than the full-power ones. We could just run full-power ones on LOW/MEDIUM but many of them pulse full power. [This](https://amzn.to/4asuiTJ) 500w model seems to be adjustable in 100w increments and I'd give it serious thought at $40.]frater secessusFrom (a /r/urbancarliving thread](https://www.reddit.com/r/urbancarliving/comments/1bobas4/house_battery_setup/)errands in Alamogordo2024-03-23T16:46:51-04:002024-03-23T16:46:51-04:00https://mouse.mousetrap.net/blog/errands-in-Alamogordo-There is a concept in poker called "optimal play". Since you can't control the cards you get you have to manage your choices to get, on average, the best overall outcome.
* I asked my mail forwarder to send my mail here to Alamogordo
* I assumed that would take a few business days so I placed my Amazon order that had been waiting
* so I could pick up both on one trip to town (along with PF shower, grocery run, etc)
Turns out my forwarder *didn't* send the mail on time, Amazon *didn't* ship everything when they said they did. Of course the delayed item is the one I really wanted.
So I'll have to make at least one more trip to town.
On the upside, I was present when the local grocery store was marking down some meat. I got 1.5lb of bacon for $1.99. Woot!frater secessusThere is a concept in poker called “optimal play”. Since you can’t control the cards you get you have to manage your choices to get, on average, the best overall outcome.backchannel - fixating on LiFePO42024-03-21T16:24:25-04:002024-03-21T16:24:25-04:00https://mouse.mousetrap.net/blog/backchannel---fixating-on-LiFePO4-One of my goals on /r/vandwellers is to get people to stop [special pleading](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_pleading) about LiFePO4 in general and LiFePO4 direct charging in particular.
> the vast remainder of the followers of this reddit should understand that we just can not expect a OEM alternator to comply with the ampere demands of a discharged LFP bank
... the ampere demands of ANY bank. A chassis-grounded AGM at 50% DoD will suck [similar current to LFP of similar capacity](https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:12v:directcharginglfp#analysis_of_van-relevant_installs).
All alternator charging requires thought. Not just with LFP. The special pleading about LFP borders, perhaps unintentionally, on [FUD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty,_and_doubt)
> if it is just hooked direct. Victron has an relatively inexpensive B2B charger that if sized to 1/2 the rating of the alternator will do wonders for the inexperienced
... ANY DC-DC sized to ≤50% of the rating, I'd say. If we're talking about the utterly clueless 1/4 to 1/3 might be more appropriate.
> and those, like me, with a forgetfulness that may leave the switch on when it should be off. :)
Are the owners of DC-DC more likely to remember to disable the charger when it should be off? How many understand how those DC-DC charging profiles work or how it affets the chemistry?frater secessusOne of my goals on /r/vandwellers is to get people to stop special pleading about LiFePO4 in general and LiFePO4 direct charging in particular.foot drop2024-03-20T17:20:26-04:002024-03-20T17:20:26-04:00https://mouse.mousetrap.net/blog/foot-drop-Ugh, new symptom, likely related to existing lumbar radiculopathy - "foot drop".
I usually walk on dirt paths but walked in the shoulder of a road the other day. Why is my left foot slapping on the asphalt? Took a few more steps and realized the outside of that shin was numb/achey. Weird.
Stood still and lifted the front of my right foot with the heel on the ground; all systems go.
Repeated on the left side and I can't pick those toes up at all. Dangit.
There is some increased foot pain, which I'm used to. But the left foot cannot be precisely placed. I just found this out the hard way by falling 2x on a short walk. I was planning to walk doggo further but two hard falls in 5 minutes is all the fun I can stand.
I am 95% confident in my doctors' DX that cervical and lumbar radiculopathy are causing my symptoms. But 100% of my symptoms (new, old, and those unexplained to nerve impingement) continue to be consistent with MS.
I have a video appt coming up for the 28th where my most recent xray and MRI will be interpreted. I'll report back with all the news that's fit to print.frater secessusUgh, new symptom, likely related to existing lumbar radiculopathy - “foot drop”.backchannel - Renogy's “isolated” 60A DC-DC2024-03-20T15:28:46-04:002024-03-20T15:28:46-04:00https://mouse.mousetrap.net/blog/Renogy-DC-DC-and-isolation-[from [a thread on reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/comments/1bj09wj/which_dc_to_dc_charger_are_you_using/)]
>>> My 60a Renogy DC to DC charger just bit the dust.... I need an **isolated** version
> It definitely is **isolated**
Renogy is sloppy with their language, reusing words that have existing meanings (cf. "Boost" for absorption, etc).
* that product page mentions "Isolated input/output" without further comment
* p10 of of [the manual](https://www.renogy.com/content/RNG-DCC1212-20-BC/DCC1212-204060-Manual.pdf) states: "The DC-DC input and output terminals are isolated, **meaning that the output voltage can be kept stable without interference from the input circuit**." This is odd wording in this context but appears to refer to the completely normal ability of all DC-DC to have distinct voltages on the inputs and outputs. It's what makes them DC-DC chargers.
* p9 states "The DC-DC **share a common negative ground**"
* the wiring diagram on p10 shows both of the charger's NEG terminals running to the chassis ground.
Common negative grounds are antithetical to the concept of [**isolated** DC-DC chargers](https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:12v:b2b#isolated_chargers).
Is it conceivable that Renogy's lowest-end 1212 series is galvanically isolated but they aren't explicitly saying so *and* are encouraging non-isolating installation? Yeah, I guess. I don't have one in front of me and can't test continuity between the NEG terminals. There is zero chance OP could be walked through using a multimeter.
----
I mentioned the possibility of using a relay.
> Not sure about the relay - the problem before was that my house battery was connected to my standard auxiliary battery under my passenger seat (2005 Sprinter). I had no way of knowing how low my batteries were so the house battery was overdraining the auxiliary battery until both were fucked.
What does any of that even mean?
It sounds like a poorly understood problem led to a poorly planned solution that yielded poor results.frater secessus[from a thread on reddit]backchannel - solar rules of thumb2024-03-18T13:04:35-04:002024-03-18T13:04:35-04:00https://mouse.mousetrap.net/blog/backchannel---solar-rules-of-thumb-[this is a response to [a thoughtful post](https://www.reddit.com/r/vandwellers/comments/1bh9iwt/buying_a_van_soon_are_these_specs_enough_to/kvcggt2/) on reddit.]
> two ratios that I followed in my build
Valid starting points. I want to bring up a couple things that may warrant consideration.
> Solar should be twice the Watts as batteries have **usable** Amp-hours.
The *usable* part could result in undersizing the array, especially problematic with lead chemistries.
* The traditional [ratio rule of thumb](https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:solar:panel-bank_ratio) is 1:1 panel-to-Ah. So 200w for 200Ah.
* basing panel wattage on *usable* Ah would mean 100w for 200Ah of lead (ie, 100Ah usable), or 0.5-to-1.
* 100w of panel would require ~**14 hours of FSE** (full sun equivalent) to fully recharge 100Ah usable (lead), about 2x what is available anywhere in CONUS. ([blog post on this topic](/blog/2020/07/02/the-problems-with-11-solar-charging/))
Undercharging isn't a problem for Li chemistries. But since usable % is greater (~80%) the *usable* criteria trips us up in a different way. Even assuming perfect charging efficiency a 0.8:1 ratio won't cut it in CONUS. Let's use 200Ah again for consistency.
* we need to replace 2,048Wh (160Ah x 12.8v) with 160w of solar to get back to 100%
* assuming 85% solar harvest efficiency this will require over **15 hours of FSE** (2,409Wh÷160W), again ~2x what is available in CONUS even under optimal conditions.
> Batteries should have triple the Ah of daily usage to account for cloudy days.
Reasonable, assuming lithium. There is little downside to running [larger Li banks](https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:12v:drop-in_lifepo4#sizing_the_bank).
With lead banks having more bank than can be charge fully/regularly is a recipe for [battery murder](https://rvwiki.mousetrap.net/doku.php?id=electrical:batterycide).frater secessus[this is a response to a thoughtful post on reddit.]a string of successes2024-03-17T16:12:05-04:002024-03-17T16:12:05-04:00https://mouse.mousetrap.net/blog/a-string-of-successs-even a loser like me can win sometimes
## boondocking
[![view from the road](https://img.mousetrap.net/2024/thumbs/IMG_20240315_132830.jpg)](https://img.mousetrap.net/2024/IMG_20240315_132830.jpg)
[![weekenders](https://img.mousetrap.net/2024/thumbs/IMG_20240315_103355.jpg)](https://img.mousetrap.net/2024/IMG_20240315_103355.jpg)
I'm back to boondocking and it does my heart good.
This spot is small and overused but still better than being in the city. In the first pic the van is center-left. There were probably a half-dozen rigs on hese few anchors when I got here. Over the weekend it got quite full (2nd pic) and noisy. :-\
## sun
The solar harvest has been terrific. Even on overcast or partly cloudy days I've been able to do all my cooking and other duties off solar.
Today has been partly cloudy, I'd say 50% cloud cover. But I hit Vabs by 1300 and made coffee, oatmeal, cornbread, and red beans off excess solar. Must have got some cloud-edge because the controller maxxed at 45A at least once.
## VictronConnect-x86
<a href='https://img.mousetrap.net/2024/victron-linux.jpg'><img src='https://img.mousetrap.net/2024/thumbs/victron-linux.jpg' align='right' /></a>
I'd downloaded the [Victron Connect app for linux](https://community.victronenergy.com/questions/43667/victronconnect-for-linux-download-instructions.html) a couple years back but never got it to work right. It could see the devices but crashed consistently when I tried to select one.
*Something* (linux update? a recent Vic BT update?) changed in the interim because ``VictronConnect-x86_64-v5.90.AppImage`` loads and runs correctly now. Coolio. Newest V6 core dumps immediately.
## scripting
This is one of those cases where you struggle with something, lay it aside, return later on and things just fall into place.
### normalization
I've been wrestling with audio normalization on the Myth pi. Challenges:
* some OTA broadcasts (almost always HD) have very low audio
* the Pi doesn't have much grunt so I want to minimize the workload
I started playing with [ffmpeg's speechnorm filter](https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-all.html#speechnorm) (``-filter:a speechnorm``) and it's starting to come together. Single pass, not too heavy, does a decent job with the levels.
It went so well that I wanted to leverage it on my podcasts, yt vid, and movie DLs that are Processed Elsewhere. Took me a while to figure out that the ffmpeg on the box Elsewhere has an older version of ffmpeg that predates speechnorm. Oh. I d/l'ed a new statically-linked version and it's working well.
Previously I was unpacking all my podcasts to wav so I could compand/normalize and delete silence. Then encoding to ogg. Now with speechnorm and native ogg support it's a one-liner: ``-filter:a silenceremove=1:0:-50dB,speechnorm``.
### subtitles
My previous movie processing script was not preserving embedded subtitles. It would crash when none were present so I stopped trying. This time around I used ``ffprobe`` to check for the presence of subs. If present I define the sub-related command otherwise set it to null:
~~~
if [ "$CHECKSUB" = "subtitle" ]
then SUBS=" -c:s mov_text "
else SUBS=""
fi
~~~
I inject the $SUBS string into the ffmpeg command later on; if it's null it has no effect on the command. Nothing there.
I use *mov_text* since that's mp4's preferred format. I output mp4 because mp4 with x264 plays back with hardware decoding on the pi.
## comments
[mastodon comment thread](https://vmst.io/@fratermus/112113387455087795) for this postfrater secessuseven a loser like me can win sometimestwo week banking nightmare appears to be over2024-03-15T13:49:23-04:002024-03-15T13:49:23-04:00https://mouse.mousetrap.net/blog/two-week-banking-nightmare-is-over-## TL;DR
I deposited a check. The sending bank acted squirrelly[^squirrelly], confusion ruled the land, my bank ([Ally]({{ site.afflinks.ally }})) suspected foul play and locked all my accounts on Feb 29th.
[^squirrelly]: they made one attempt (!) to contact the check sender for verification on a phone number from the 90s instead of what's on their account (!!) then marked it [Refer To Maker](https://www.routingtool.com/refer-to-maker.html) (!!!). A snowballing shitshow ensures.
During the lockout my direct deposits and 2023 tax refund were deposited in the inaccessible accounts, so I couldn't use them for damage control or to access cash. Luckily I still had my [Amazon Prime credit card]({{ site.afflinks.prime }}) for short-term needs. Unluckily the payment date was coming up and I had no accounts to pay it from....
I scrambled to open accounts elsewhere and moved all my direct deposits over. I had Chase pay my Prime CC from the new savings[^funded]. All those emergency maneuvers were completed by yesterday. This morning (Mar 15) the two banks finally talked to each other and the sender; it was resolved within an hour. grrrrrr......
[^funded]: funded by a replaement check which went through with zero drama
## lessons learned
1. if things go awry, **have a new check cut** instead of redepositing (even if CS says it's ok to do so)
1. have accounts in different financial institution so one bank can't do critical damage to your liquidity
1. have some cash on hand[^cash] in case you need to deposit something to open another account
1. have any direct deposits go to separate institutions for the same reason
1. you can't pay a [Chase]({{ site.afflinks.chase }}) CC balance with a Chase savings account
1. you can't Zelle from a Chase savings account although [Zelle itself allows it](https://www.zellepay.com/how-it-works)
1. USAA "disables email verification 1x/year", which may result in being locked out of the website.
There were also some subjective lessons. Ally and USAA customer service is exceptional; Ally fraud department ranges from unhelpful to bizarrely hostile. Chase's in-person lobby experience continues to feel predatory, like walking onto a used car lot.
[^cash]: I had $12 cash, not enough to meet the CC $35 minimum at least.. Normally I'd have a bit more but I'd expected the check to be deposited so I hadn't made a routine withdrawal from my retirement account. I couldn't make a withdrawal *now* because it too would be direct deposited in the locked account. Then I remembered: **I had pesos** in my passport pouch. I had ~700 pesos which was ~$40 after conversion. I used that cash to pay the minimum and paid off the rest a few days later when the new savings balance was available.
## conclusion
*I really like Ally* and I am glad they reopened my account[s]. My Ally savings account yields ~44x (times, not percent) what my new Chase savings yields. My Ally checking yields the same as Chase savings.
I will keep the new checking and savings (different institutions) open just in case.
### silver lining
I didn't realize it at the time but my new checking might be eligible for a $200 incentive. I opened the account on the last day of the offer:
>> A qualifying direct deposit is a single Automated Clearing House, also known as ACH, electronic deposit of $100 or more of your United States military salary pay, retirement pay, **military disability pay**, or annuity pay for a surviving beneficiary from Defense Finance Account Service....
My VA disability benefit is small but should meet those requirements. If so, it feeds the emergency fund. If not it's no harm, no foul. I'll report back in ~June when the payout timeline appears to be satisfied (next direct deposit + 60 days).
## comments
[mastodon comment thread](https://vmst.io/@fratermus@lemmy.sdf.org/112101485413922662) for this post
[lemmy comment thread](https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/13851008) for this postfrater secessusTL;DRboondocking resumed2024-03-12T11:11:05-04:002024-03-12T11:11:05-04:00https://mouse.mousetrap.net/blog/boondocking-resumed-I got my ducks in something resembling a row yesterday and departed El Paso this morning for the Alamogordo area.
## opened another savings account
<a href='https://img.mousetrap.net/2024/IMG_20240311_085233-rotated.jpg'><img src='https://img.mousetrap.net/2024/thumbs/IMG_20240311_085233-rotated.jpg' align='right' /></a>
The replacement check arrived at the USPS and I picked it up. On the way out I got a pic of NASA's [super guppy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_Spacelines_Super_Guppy) parked in the adjacent airport. I'd seen it flying for the first time a few days earlier and seemed like the most unlikely shape for something in the air that wasn't a blimp.
I went to Bank of America first to see if they could pre-clear the check so [another slow-motion disaster](/blog/2024-03-05-preparing-to-leave-wintering-spot.html#bank-shenanigans) doesn't occur. The clerk (a manager filling in for someone on break, one supposes) said it was impossible. There is, in effect, no way to deposit a check without endangering my accounts. WTF.
Since I have an account at Chase I opened a savings account there and deposited the check. I hope it is drama-free.
## VA meds
I went to the VA to pick up a blood pressure refill before leaving town, as this will save me remailing costs. They'd done it before but this time the clerk said she couldn't fill the whole thing and would have to mail the rest. So not only will I have to pay for remailing but I'll get get double-dinged by the VA for the fill. I did not scream in frustration..
## laundry
Laundry was the only thing that day that went to plan.
## back in the scrub desert
I am happier and Muffin is *much* happier out of town. I'll be here for 14d then move on to Capitan or Albuquerque, depending on weather.frater secessusI got my ducks in something resembling a row yesterday and departed El Paso this morning for the Alamogordo area.