Recent Posts

General Discussion / Re: Hi All

Last post by eColumbus - January 16, 2026, 04:13:33 PM

Welcome Clockman,

Sure, go ahead and post your files, and if you have something about solar trackers, there is a place for that too.

I wish you happiness and success in your new life in Wales.

Ed

General Discussion / Re: AI

Last post by MaryB - January 16, 2026, 03:03:22 AM

Quote from: Bruce S – on January 15, 2026, 01:30:33 PM

Here at work, the MUST use the latest Win version that stays updated , unfortunately, is the route we must go since the Dispatch vendor only has their software working with Windows.
The W11 version's AI stuff is so embedded in it we (IT) have to resort to using PowerShell scripts to find and remove them every time an update gets loaded.
In a home-based system, this might not be a big issue for a while, but the CPU and memory hits these hooks starts showing up in speed losses pretty quickly. Our Workstation are no slouches either, even the GPU's though no bleeding edge , are some pretty good ones.
Any unfortunately, none of the WINE based apt's I've tried in Linux distros work well enough to move even the field based tablets over to a good distro.

Cheers
Bruce s

That is what keeps me away from Linux... I have Win only software that fails under any of the emulations I have tried. Some uses direct hardware access and that is where the problem lies...

General Discussion / Re: Posting Images

Last post by SparWeb - January 15, 2026, 08:47:29 PM

Yeah, I already did something wrong. There was supposed to be an image between the first and second lines of my previous message. I'm still learning too!

General Discussion / Re: Posting Images

Last post by SparWeb - January 15, 2026, 08:46:16 PM

OK, good, that worked. In the toolbar above the dialog box the button for inserting the image in-line looks like this:

Wherever your cursor is in the dialog box, this tool then inserts the code necessary to display the image, which looks like this:

Code: [Select]

[img]https://www.website.com/image.gif[/img]

One more button that seems to be helpful: at the far right of the toolbar above the dialog box is an "eye" that is labeled "view source". Actually what it does is toggles between raw code and a preview of the way it will display after you post it. Your image should transform from code in square braces to a copy of the image you want to include.

Interestingly, this preview is different from the preview you get above your post when you click the Preview button below the dialog box. Well, this is the first time I've tried both of these buttons in the same post, so let's see which one takes.

Is anyone confused? Maybe it's better to just click buttons and try it!

General Discussion / Re: Posting Images

Last post by SparWeb - January 15, 2026, 08:35:26 PM

There is a button above the new post dialog box that says "insert an image" which might be working now.
I tried it yesterday and the image didn't show up. I've used it now writing this post, and it might be working.
(I can't be sure until after I click to submit this "Post".)
It should appear right below:

General Discussion / Posting Images

Last post by SparWeb - January 15, 2026, 08:31:17 PM

Please be patient folks, as the new forum gets set up (and the new users get used to it).

we can include images in our posts, when we need to. To post an image, use the "add files by dragging & dropping or selecting them" at the bottom below the new post dialog box. This will insert the image at the bottom of your post in thumbnail size. Users will click on the image to see it full size.

Once things get rolling I would like to see more functions enabled, so that images can be inserted in-line with the text.

Wind Power Machines / Re: Interfacing wind turbines to the grid

Last post by SparWeb - January 15, 2026, 08:22:24 PM

Quote from: bigrockcandymountain – on January 15, 2026, 06:07:54 AM

Have your wind turbine charge batteries, like it does right now. Use a dump load battery charger to spill the excess power, but instead of a resistor bank like we both have, use a grid tie inverter (simple, maybe micro inverter) hooked to the dump load instead. There would be some confusion of the mppt tracking of the inverter, but otherwise i think it should work.

LOL
Consider your cobwebs shaken out! I left just enough tantalizing hints that you picked up on my train of thought, didn't I? A very similar thing has been on my mind lately.
I have progressed from a basic circuit analysis, to a diagram, and now I'm starting to consider the code I'd need, because I'm going to use a microcontroller as the brains of it.

The Sol-Ark has many inputs: PV, Battery, Generator, and Load.
Actually, Load is bi-directional, meaning it can supply 240VAC back-up loads and it can accept inputs too. You can even connect your generator to the Load terminals, even though it's got a Gen hook-up right beside it. Load functions like like it's another grid-tie interface. It's designed to allow micro-inverters to be hooked up, expanding the possible PV array options connected through the Sol-Ark to include combinations of either or both DC and AC solar panels.

So that got me thinking...

General Discussion / Re: AI

Last post by Bruce S - January 15, 2026, 01:30:33 PM

Here at work, the MUST use the latest Win version that stays updated , unfortunately, is the route we must go since the Dispatch vendor only has their software working with Windows.
The W11 version's AI stuff is so embedded in it we (IT) have to resort to using PowerShell scripts to find and remove them every time an update gets loaded.
In a home-based system, this might not be a big issue for a while, but the CPU and memory hits these hooks starts showing up in speed losses pretty quickly. Our Workstation are no slouches either, even the GPU's though no bleeding edge , are some pretty good ones.
Any unfortunately, none of the WINE based apt's I've tried in Linux distros work well enough to move even the field based tablets over to a good distro.

Cheers
Bruce s

General Discussion / 3D printing files

Last post by Bruce S - January 15, 2026, 01:19:26 PM

In the past year, I've been accumulating files that I send to a friend's 3D printer to test them out.
My purchase of a nice 3D printer as a Birthday Present to me :-), went south when we had to replace the faithful van.
However, I do still have the SRTs and all of them are marked as free by the inventor/maker.
I might try to load them here along with a link to the maker's U-tube account.
He's no longer among the living , but I did get explicit answers from him and later his brother about sharing these, to the affirmative.
I was a one point trying to get him to join as a member to the old forum, but when that started looking shaky I opted to stop bugging him about it.

Since they're up on "thingiverse" I could merely post his user account name so anyone can grab them.

Cheers
Bruce

Wind Power Machines / Re: Interfacing wind turbines to the grid

Last post by bigrockcandymountain - January 15, 2026, 06:07:54 AM

I'm feeling like my brain has gone to rot without fieldlines to challenge it. It's good to read a post that makes me think.

Here is my feeble attempt at a solution. It is in no way correct or advisable, but might actually work.

Have your wind turbine charge batteries, like it does right now. Use a dump load battery charger to spill the excess power, but instead of a resistor bank like we both have, use a grid tie inverter (simple, maybe micro inverter) hooked to the dump load instead. There would be some confusion of the mppt tracking of the inverter, but otherwise i think it should work.

There was a guy (toysforwatts) i think on youtube. He did a bunch if chinese turbine testing. He used a small battery and a grid tie inverter (very cheap one) to export the energy back. I think it was just battery voltage that triggered the export, and the battery was only big enough to smooth out the surges in power. It boiled a lot.