Internet is OUT! on my Off Grid mountain relay station - 1450

[@thomasdesloovere4200]

Sounds like the issue is high resistance in the CCA (Copper-Clad Aluminum) cables. When the charge controller tries to charge, it raises the voltage to push current to the battery. If the cables are corroded or too resistive, some energy is lost in the wire as heat, causing the voltage to build up at the controller instead of being delivered to the battery. This makes the voltage jump all over the place. Check the cables for corrosion or replace them with pure copper ones of the right gauge. Also, measure the voltage drop across the cable while charging-high drop = bad cables.

[@MyPlayHouse]

The cable is replaced in the next video,, but with two 30w panels and 12v battery,, Max theoretical amps is 5A Even the 0,75mm2 should do that.

[@webluke]

Portugal and Colorado are about the same longitude, so it looks like the weather is similar to the high desert I live in on the western side of Colorado. We do get cold in the winter because of the altitude. I have one of those cheap controllers on a 30W solar panel that charges a motorcycle battery that runs my weed-killer sprayer. I just left it out under the solar panel in the cart for the entire summer and winter.

[@MyPlayHouse]

It is impressive that those 2 30w panels can keep power on my equipment up there.

[@adlerweb]

The battery wire looks like speaker wire. Those are more often than not of questionable quality, using CCA (so basically aluminum) and are prone to failures. I had similar problems with fluctuating voltage in the past as the voltage drop over the cable with higher currents caused the controller to get into some kind of oscillation.

[@MyPlayHouse]

But it went up to 16V,, and down,, weird as heck!!

[@Friendroid]

Many people coming to portugal nowadays, to the point that it almost doesnt feel right, but I would be happy if you were my neighbour. Your place is turning out great and you seem to really apreciate that area.

[@MyPlayHouse]

It's a weird one,, many little villages is dying out, as the last old people there pass away,, And young people want to see the world (and make the big money) or like in the big city's. But you are getting the best people,, people with money that wants to do stuff!! In Denmark we mostly get broke people :-)

[@Friendroid]

@MyPlayHouse that's how I see it too. My parents have a difficult time adapting to this new reality because they dont speak english. And I have seen some groups of expats forming to defend our national health system, which is important because politicians and their financers are trying to push everyone to the private sector. In a few years we'll be like the USA if we believe private hospitals and insurance companies.

[@skynetcybersystem3tech]

👍✨🌟 Hello sir, I admire you very much, you have built a lot of beautiful things, starting from beautiful super servers to beautiful house number two and a super system, perfect connection, I admire the work you have done ✨🌟

[@MyPlayHouse]

Happy New Year @skynetcybersystem3tech Really hope that 2025 will be a year, that will bring back more happiness,, - Morten

[@Arachnoid_of_the_underverse]

Hi Morten , You could lay yourself a path out and spray some weedkiller down so your path stays relatively clear of growth.

[@MyPlayHouse]

It has been growing since 2017,, If I can get on top of it,, It will be fine.

[@jamess1787]

Morten, Random suggestion. Use the 12v output [or battery] port (and step down) to pull a NC/NO relay NC when it doesnt have power, bridge the negatives together through a 1A diode and a 33ohm wire-wound resistor (only allowing current to flow from solar panel to the battery) This will bypass the solar charge controller when the battery is offline after the battery disconnected from low-voltage condition. You are welcome. (I had to do this with a supercapactor system i installed, because the capacitors would drop below the minimum voltage and the solar charge controller wouldnt charge it back up. You waste power, but its a small amount and a moot point.)

[@MyPlayHouse]

I have been messing with this in my bunker,, a diode and a 120ohm 5w resister,, But I do not have it running yet. Maybe I can just use a DC-DC steep down,, set it to 12v and power it from the panels and directly to the battery(maybe a diode) whn ever the battery voltages is over 12v, it should not do anything.

[@davidanderson2436]

getting your exercise in! woot woot! Hope you have a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!

[@MyPlayHouse]

Thank you! You too!

[@kuhrd]

Nice inexpensive setup for providing internet. If you get the chance to find an inexpensive or second hand sealed outdoor enclosure you could potentially put the connections, the controller, and the battery all in a weatherproof box. Another trick would be to use inexpensive black outdoor rated sheet rubber like that used in construction to drape over or wrap the things you don't want to get wet.

[@MyPlayHouse]

I do like to try to do stuff on the cheap. Even if it is not always that cheap.

[@InssiAjaton]

FYI - to get “some” tolerance about the UV of sun rays, you better use black plastic. The transparent film lets the damage proceed through several layers, while the black one limits the rays to one or two layers. Depends on film thickness, of course. But better in any case.

[@MyPlayHouse]

Thank You...

[@GeertDroid]

Some suggestions: 1. Use a decent outdoor cable instead of cheap speaker wire. 2. Use a decent MPPT solar charger like a VICTRON. 3. Calculate power usage at a bad day and take that into account when choosing the right solar panel(s). 4. Use a box that is resistant against the elements that will last for years.

[@MyPlayHouse]

Well,,, 1. Cable will be upgraded in the next video. 2. Not worth it, I got a sec. panel,, so like 100% improvement for like €45, way better an return on investment than an MPPT (and especially a Victron,, they are expensive) 3. I did do that,, that 280Ah 12v battery fully charge, should last at least 280 hours aka 12 days of no sun,, and as Portugal has 300 sunny days a year.. It was not depleted. 4. I hope that is the case in the next video. I do kind of enjoy messing with this,,, everything can be fixed by just throwing money after it,, but I enjoy the challenge of trying to do this on the "cheap" (It is not really that cheap,, but still)

[@StanisawSwierczynski]

@@MyPlayHouse and what is the energy requirement ? how many watts does the watt transmitter and receiver consume?

[@dasiro]

you should get some long bits, which really make screwing in screws in tight places a delight. They're like 10cm long and so you can avoid hitting your screwdriver against stuff.

[@MyPlayHouse]

I forgot the bits,, at the house,, so I worked with the one that came with the drill :-)

[@alcampbell]

Hi Mortem havent stopped by in awhile. Good job on this one. We`re still keeping an eye on you from North America. LOL.

[@MyPlayHouse]

Hi @alcampbell Thank You very much! glad you liked the video :-) Thank you for watching! :-)

[@markarca6360]

Another option is to switch to an MPPT solar charge controller, which is more efficient. Also, the wiring from the battery to the charge controller should be of a higher gauge.

[@MyPlayHouse]

I looked at this in a previous video,,, an MPPT might give you 10-20% more. The extra prices for an MPPT charge controller for this tiny setup, is so much, that I got an extra panel instead,, 100% more power.

[@tdevosodense]

Hi Morten, is it not better with a 10meter pole a the house , for the LTE antenna ??

[@MyPlayHouse]

Might be,, would love to test that.

[@radosawwalczak9630]

Hi, I hope you connected positive wires of solar panel through diodes? Otherwise one of them may discharge through other one, which will be visible in bad weather conditions. Please do it. You'll se the difference in charging during winter.

[@MyPlayHouse]

I beleave there is an Diode in the Panel,, and probably also in the charge controller.

[@UnkyjoesPlayhouse]

nice little system :)

[@MyPlayHouse]

Yes,, and most of the time it works well,, works now,, I am typing on solar power :-)

[@aardwolf21]

The solar panel wires have been consolidated with solder, then screwed down onto, can I suggest a google as to why they became a bad contact, fiddling with the wires and moving them probably fixed the bad contact temporarily. Good luck fixing it again in a years time.

[@MyPlayHouse]

Nothing wrong with the wire connections.

[@aardwolf21]

@MyPlayHouse Definitely not why it worked after you wiggled them (9:05).

[@dfgaJK]

Would a passive RF repeater work? I.e two high gain LTE frequency antennas, one pointed at the tower and one at the house joined together by a piece of coax?

[@MyPlayHouse]

Uhh there is 220meter,, coax gets expensive for that much.

[@dfgaJK]

@MyPlayHouse I mean have both antennas up on the hill 1m of coax?

[@BenReese]

How much is StarLink in Portugal? Would probably be more reliable and you can mount it closer, but probably more expensive too.

[@MyPlayHouse]

I believe the StarLink is about €400 and €60 a month,,, I can afford that,, but I do not trust the guy running that show.

[@BenReese]

@MyPlayHouse I totally get that. I use a lot of services and shop with companies where I don't support their politics; and I suspect you already do too. The guy who started my ISP put work before family. Had cancer and didn't tell his family until a couple weeks before he died. They gave their teen up for adoption because they couldn't run the company and raise the teen... The owner is now dead. The company sold days before he passed. The Internet service is Internet service... We also buy cheap electronics from China - very likely profited by child and slave labor. But that $150 mini PC, or knock-off HBA card, or affordable 2.5Gbe switch is too hard to pass up. I hate the assumed methods of getting there, but it's hard to pass up the bargain. Like his politics or not, he's running the most successful satellite Internet company, the most successful space travel company, and (debatably) one of the most successful electric car companies. When it comes to an ISP, it works or it doesn't...

[@88tx]

how did you get the license to put a mikrotik and solar panel in the middle of nowhere? here in my country the ministry people is always out to get us (and i have tried bribing them), i wonder how it is over there.

[@MyPlayHouse]

Well it is on my land. So I do not need anything. Very convenient!

[@sybreeder86]

Couple those up and down the hill and that would be a nice workout 😁😁

[@MyPlayHouse]

Well this Viking, had prepared for a hard winter that never came,, translated,, "I am to fat!"

[@jelle_smid]

So portugal.... nice, however i would personally have moved more up north instead of down south. Will this be a step to a permanent relocation? Or just a place for holiday?

[@MyPlayHouse]

It is kind of in the middle,, for now it is a holiday home,, But the holidays might get longer over time.

[@rhfweb]

Spend 10eur on a proper water resistant back box as well....

[@MyPlayHouse]

I did,, it was €22 uhh next video...

[@JanRasmussen]

Have you thought about putting an arduino or raspberry pi nano to collect data on the incoming and outgoing power as well as battery state?

[@MyPlayHouse]

Would be cool,, I have not gone down the raspberry pi rapid hole,,,, a charge controller with an interfaces would do. :)

[@ValRivman]

Thanks for your video and share. Very disrespectul of you to let that plastic fly away in the nature . You will not last "a bit longer" but the plastic will.

[@MyPlayHouse]

I did bring the bigger pieces with me to the trach. There is a bunch of materials that does not do well in that Portuguese sun.

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

Get yourself some Dielectric Grease. Works great to prevent corrosion.

[@MyPlayHouse]

I think I have some at home,, so I do know of it.

[@bertblankenstein3738]

Getting some exercise while on vacation.😃

[@MyPlayHouse]

A bit much if you ask me,, been up there four times already.. but I can use the exercise..

[@RawmanFilm]

No need to apologize! You are in IT/Server Business - it is a wonder RED BULL did not net contact you for this extreme sport :DD

[@MyPlayHouse]

One could clime, that I might need the excise :-)

[@RawmanFilm]

@@MyPlayHouse I love this conversation :D have a nice Wintertime Morten :)

[@bdosborn]

If you're looking for a how-to video on the jankiest way ever to do PV then look no further!

[@MyPlayHouse]

Ahh I have seen jankiere,, so keep looking :-)

[@BasilParikov]

Hi! We have mass of this “new” controllers from “ali” store. You replaced old shit with new one (basically the same board if you open it).

[@MyPlayHouse]

Yes probably,, I did not sole the issue,, new video is comming,

[@wilbertbirdner1303]

You need a quad bike.

[@MyPlayHouse]

Yes I do..

[@dfgaJK]

time for starlink?

[@MyPlayHouse]

maybe at some point.

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

@dfgaJK no way am I paying $800 plus $120 per month to a right wing nut billionaire.

[@plitshb9338]

Why don't you go uphill with the electric bike instead of walking?

[@MyPlayHouse]

It is way to steep for the electric bike to drive up there,, it does not look as much on video,, but you are not really walking up there, you are claiming.

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

MPPT SCC are more efficient.

[@MyPlayHouse]

MPPT cost a little more,, I got an extra panel instead,, better value.

[@cristianjuliano6589]

I ask... Starlink is not good for you. ?

[@MyPlayHouse]

Maybe at some point.

[@leo_craft1]

Off grid power supply

[@MyPlayHouse]

It has kind of done a good job.

[@bloodcarver913]

Cheap-ass PWM controllers are not as good as a better MPPT charger. Old jungle proverb.

[@MyPlayHouse]

I got a cheap PWM,, but got an extra panel,, 100% improvement.

[@winterburan]

😒Don't use fake Chinese MPPT, use only Victron MPPT charge controllers !

[@MyPlayHouse]

It's not an MPPT controller,,, The Victron MPPT charge controllers is not worth it for this,, you might get 10-20% more,, but for the extra prices you can get an extra panel and get 100% more,, witch was what I did in an earlier video.