Author Archives: ellen

Measuring Power

Posted on March 2, 2026 by ellen

I’ve been measuring some of our power usage for over nine years. I started with an Efergy system that used Current Transformers (CT) and reported the usage to a central internet server from which I could pull detailed reports. I … Continue reading →

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Protecting the Spa in Cold Weather

Posted on January 8, 2026 by ellen

This is the third year I have set up a vinyl carport over the hot tub. We use the tub most weekends with the grandkids who love jumping in and swimming underwater. The tub also has one strong badu jet … Continue reading →

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Solar Roof Supplement

Posted on January 8, 2026 by ellen

Last spring we mounted ten of the old solar panels from our first Tesla solar install on our solar overhang. The wiring to connect the old inverter to the panels took a bit of study. I used the wiring diagram … Continue reading →

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Winterizing the RV

Posted on October 31, 2025 by ellen

We have had our 2018 25b for almost five years now. I added several updates to make travel easier with grandkids. I love going on trips in the RV but every year before the temps get cold the water needs … Continue reading →

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Another Fall Chore

Posted on October 31, 2025 by ellen

Every summer I know I have to recharge the water softener for the dishwasher. We just get too much spotting and the dishes don’t seem clean enough without it. But we don’t have a whole house water softener precisely because … Continue reading →

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Washing Machine Fix

Posted on October 30, 2025 by ellen

The used washing machine stopped draining this week. It’s a 2008 model but purchased in January 2009 and we bought the set used in 2016. Always a pain when something you use all the time stops working. I really didn’t … Continue reading →

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Repainted and Rewired Lantern Light

Posted on October 30, 2025 by ellen

After painting the garage front I was reluctant to remount the lantern light. It was dirty so I took it apart and cleaned it. I took out the glass and scrubbed them and used mineral spirits because they looked like … Continue reading →

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Garage Siding Paint/Stain

Posted on October 11, 2025 by ellen

For some reason the former owners tried to paint part of the cedar siding. They chose the front of the garage and ran out of paint before it was finished. So since late 2011 when we acquired this place we … Continue reading →

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Reused Solar Panels

Posted on October 10, 2025 by ellen

Way back In 2018 after speaking with solar vendors at the international solar home competition in Denver we decided to have solar panels installed on our garage roof. After comparing the panel specifications and the battery backup systems we used … Continue reading →

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EG4 Solar Powered Mini Split

Posted on August 25, 2025 by ellen

It’s been awhile since I got excited and motivated to install an upgrade to the house.We are in the process of adding solar to the front overhang because we had stored 12 panels from our original solar installation that my … Continue reading →

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Victron RV Upgrades

Posted on March 28, 2025 by ellen

I have been using Victron solar and battery meter equipment in the RV since we installed solar. The Victron Cerbo allows access to the equipment through WiFi. The WiFi access is available through phone apps. But it’s not easy to … Continue reading →

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New Well Pump

Posted on March 5, 2025 by ellen

We bought the house with an existing well pump system that had been installed in June of 2000. It was still working fine in February of 2025. However we had plugged in the circuit breaker incorrectly so that it was … Continue reading →

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Nuisance GFCI

Posted on March 5, 2025 by ellen

Today I replaced a GFCI breaker with a regular breaker. After our rewiring in 2016 we had all GFCI outlets installed in the bathrooms but the GFCI breakers were not replaced in the panel. One tripped in the middle of … Continue reading →

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Challenges and Successes in 2024

Posted on February 20, 2025 by ellen

In a year so many things are created and break and have to be fixed! My big hobby this year was using the Cricut cutter to make several projects. I ran into a Cricut guru on the Internet that I … Continue reading →

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A New Year- 2025

Posted on January 7, 2025 by ellen

We are slowing way down on adding improvements to our passive solar home. Some projects have ended in utter failure and some just can’t find an installer or building to further our dreams. But its a new year and maybe … Continue reading →

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Birthday Camping

Posted on January 3, 2025 by ellen

I like to go camping with the family for my birthday weekend every year. This year we tried Eleven Mile State Park for the first time. There is a small reservoir and a marina and a few electric sites for … Continue reading →

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Major RV Roof Leak During Hail Storm

Posted on May 7, 2024 by ellen

It was actually the vent not the roof. We were camping overnight with the grandkids to break up the weekend when their parents were taking a birthday trip to New York City. The campground was also a shorter drive to … Continue reading →

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New Tesla Y Long Range EV

Posted on March 22, 2024 by ellen

Unfortunately I backed into my son’s brand new EV in our driveway. My rear fender was dislocated and my son’s aluminum trunk was bent. I called to get an estimate then I called to find out what a trade in … Continue reading →

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RV Pressure Tank

Posted on March 22, 2024 by ellen

I installed a pressure tank during the camping season last year. In the fall I didn’t winterize for the first cold snap but ran electric heaters and the furnace as backup. When I got around to winterizing I used the … Continue reading →

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Pool Shelter Kite

Posted on March 10, 2024 by ellen

Unfortunately we found that once the ground thawed the stakes no longer held tight in the ground and we woke up the other morning to see the pool shelter completely blown over. Depending how you look at this accident the … Continue reading →

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