Starting small

[Green Aura]

Could anyone explain to me why some people can go to their garage and find useful things, as JW described above?

If I open any cupboards or drawers all I find are miles of Spectrum, Amiga or PC cables and acres of old circuit boards.

Why didn't I marry someone with useful hobbies/skills

I'm slightly envious

[juperwort]

been like it since childhood. Wherever I go, a large stash of useful bits follow.
I also have an interest in old aircooled vw's a by-product of which is a shed full of bits..
The scrounge gene is also quite strong, and my mind is always on 'What could I use this for'....

[Sirbendy]

That's familiar..;) I hoard as well.

I'm currently running 2x3 watt panels into an old 5ah 12v SLA battery and using it to charge phones, AA batteries (using a 12v charger), act as a 12v test station for the electrical/electronic bits on the car and so on. The battery is quite happy, but I will be upgrading to an old scrapyard 12v car battery soon, as it's only £10 for one.

Once I've done that, I'll be modifying the container that it's all in with an inverter and a 240v socket with switch to give me an additional point of emergency power as and when I may need it.

It's taking a back seat, as we have a small person on the way, but as I also have cats (and therefore can't have candles), I've got a lot of LEDs and salvaged PC parts sat in a box, and I'm playing with joule thief 1.5v LED driver circuits as a safe alternative. All good fun. If my solar security light can light up my kitchen using 3 LEDs, I'm quite looking forward to seeing what a bigger array can do.

I've also got 50 RGB colour phasing ones, with a mind to making some DIY "pretty light" things for sprog to look at. Sad, isn't it..

I've already got a salvaged uplighter fitted with a low brightness CFL lamp hooked up to an old UPS for room lighting at night in there, so even if the power goes out we can still do the middle of the night checks and so on with decent light.

I'll get my coat...

[brett53]

ah glad i am not the only "hoarder" here then - i have a whole load of useful "stuff " tucked away for future projects

well a slightly different take on this is my system - i started out with rain water harvesting to run the loo ( saves a fortune ) and it went from there

it all started when the water meter got installed - and the biggest use was loo flushing - soooooo - a few rain barrels and a small pump later + finally a use for some gel deep cycle batteries from my mobility scooters that ,whilst no good for driving them , work just fine and hold their charge well in low draw situations ( scoots take a high draw and last about a couple of years of daily use - but "retired batteries " will still give good service - i have a couple of 10 year old ones that are STILL going reasonably strongly )

well it went from there - 3 x 12 w solar panels ( again maplin specials ) - a 6 amp charge controller or 2 and some others for things like reading lamps here and there , and i ended up with the plumbers and electricians nightmare that runs quite a few things here now - ex mobility scooter batteries are regularly "donated" to me , and a lot of times they are fine - given a little TLC - so far only 2 have been declared U/S and recycled

current amp /hr capacity is approx 1550 in total - + 600 lts of water storage , but hope to upgrade this if i can find a 1000 lt IBC at a good price ( for our long summers )

trouble is it becomes addictive - and if one can manage with out wanting to run 'HI draw " stuff - quite do'able too for not a lot - certainly lighting for area and emergency use is possible - as well as small computers etc

one things for sure if you have an "inventive" bent - and are not too worried about the "look " of things - then this is the way to go - start small - and have fun learning as you build up your own system - no doubt a few "experts" will differ with my opinion - but then when have I ever listened to them

if it does what YOU want - then what the heck ?? - works for me

[brett53]

perfectionists - expert types and people who are not in to Wallis and grommet style engineering /plumbing / electrics -PLEASE AVERT EYES NOW - as the following may offend sensibilities



the feed in to the shed from the O/S tanks - as you see i favor quick and dirty plumbing techniques



a general shot of the shed with some of the batteries - and the electricians nightmare that runs it all

there is much to do yet as this years snow and ice taught me a few lessons - vis water butts freeze ( especially the O/S ones

the rest of the place don't look like this - honest

[juperwort]

Quite an impressive amount of gubbins you have there. Are they really bungees holding up those pipes ? Class.

[brett53]

Quite an impressive amount of gubbins you have there. Are they really bungees holding up those pipes ? Class.

your eyes do not deceive you need some strain relief for pipes ?? - bungee straps provide it _ take up any flex caused by movement

i use them all over this place there's one holding a solar panel on the roof - a couple holing a load of box section against a wall + my ladders - they make great door closers for the shed - and i ALWAYS have at least 6 aboard the scoot - just in case i see something that may come in useful on my travels

[Carltonian Man]

- and i ALWAYS have at least 6 aboard the scoot - just in case i see something that may come in useful on my travels

Be prepared... Nice one B53

[juperwort]

....and I assume those travels go past all the regular skip haunts?

[brett53]

....and I assume those travels go past all the regular skip haunts?

rare things skips round here 100 odd quid to hire one and 35 quid "permit" fee ( doubling if you give less than 3 days notice ) for the privilege of parking it outside your house on the street - thank you local council

but we have lots of back lanes - rich pickings to be had sometimes