Ol' guy missed his peoples. He'll get used to you, and start gloming on for pets and treats. Kitties want their hoomans. They don't *need* them, but definitely prefer to have family around.
Great episode. Buster is a survivor, and a big cat too… not starving for food , but definitely starving for affection. Nicely done. You are his people now.
Poor little creature, 4 years of running away from every danger that the desert can offer, I wonder how it quenched its thirst! It's wonderful that you managed to bring him closer, in that moment he suddenly remembered what it means to be loved. He must have been amazed to see new life in the house! Thank you for giving hope to little Buster!
Buster was waiting for you guys to rescue him, he will love you forever. When he brings you his catches you are his humans. Thank you for caring for him. He probably has worms and parasites from eating rodents, you may want to take him to a vet to get checked out.
Buster just put your channel on the map ! You’re right about “He’s seen some stuff “ It makes my heart happy , you were able to befriend him. Cats are the road to riches on TH-cam !!
Heartwarming. My cat who was abandoned at the shelter took 5 years to come to me on the sofa and sleep next to me. take good care of the cat and give her a hug from me.
Amazing bond between humans and domestic animals. Just guessing how lonely the poor cat was. Great gesture guys, humanity survives on kindness and love for everyone.
I lived in NW Arizona and cats had a hard time not being eaten by coyotes. You might want to add a door to Buster's shelter and put in a small passageway for Buster...small enough to keep the coyotes out. I'm enjoying your videos.
@@HerbOMatic That's one way that they work. For us, we had one, then we got another and then the wife said that we needed another, I said that we didn't so we compromised and got another, then it happened again and now we have 4...
We have started to establish more of a boundary around the house. I like the Coyotes but I do clap and they run like heck to start to establish our spot.
Those batteries are beyond shot. Replace them with lithium iron phosphate and never look back. Don't even bother adding additional lead acid. When I switched to lithium everything improved. charging, discharging, less voltage sag, better performance in every single way. You have excellent solar charge controllers, and a fairly basic inverter. The reason your second outback charge controller doesnt work is most likely its solar string is tied into the replacement all in one unit. As a expert electrical engineer and solar aficionado I would love to come work on your system or just talk you thru the upgrades. Especially the well pump system that needs a new panel. Everything can be upgraded so easily and cheap these days.
He would have to change charge controllers and settings. Li-P0 are a great choice if money is no object, however they don't do well in extreme heat or cold applications that desert conditions would bring. Wet cell will give you the most bang for your buck and have proven to be an extremely reliable source of energy storage, that will provide you with more than adequate capacity and stable operation so long as basic maintenance is provided regularly. Remember that golf carts have been using deep cycle wet cell batteries for many years and that they remain the primary choice. I would recommend you continue with wet cell deep cycle wet cell batteries. You will need to do a inventory of what you currently have in regards to panels, charge controller inverter and determine your load requirements by performing some math to establish what you will need to add or change in the current configuration. The redundant charge controller serves as a backup unit for when primary charge controller fails, which It will at some point no doubt. The inverter is the heart of the system and most expensive component, so always use the utmost caution when changing anything in the system configuration as full sine inverters cost thousands of dollars to replace. 👍 Would strongly recommend that you contract with a reputable solor contractor to evaluate your existing system and perform load/storage calculations for you and give you a consise list of recommendations based on them performing the necessary calculations. Off grid solar is one of those things in life where anyone can do it, but very few can do it correctly. It's money well spent to enlist a pro to know exactly where you stand and gain the best information regarding your specific needs. Just sayin, I ain't got to live there. 😊
Just because golf carts use lead acid batteries doesn’t mean they are the best choice for off grid solar. LiFePo4’s will give you 10 times the lifetime than lead acid. You can also safely discharge completely (to discharge voltage) unlike lead-acid. The stress test you did probably damaged your lead acids. Don’t buy more lead acids…waste of money.
Short term the system is working. Batteries are getting cheaper and better every year so the longer those last the better off you are. But you can get one of the larger LiFe standalone "generators" for less than 5K as a fallback. (useful for a lot of things) Something like the Anker 3800i or the new Jackery Explorer 5000. When your lead acids eventually fail you can live off the "portable" one for a while.
if those batteries were shot they wouldn't hold a charge or be able to give out anything so that's a lie. The only reason those batteries are still alive is due to 1 simple reason. The solar panels kept the batteries fully charged. If you didn't know, Lead acid is best stored at a full charge, so when you have a solar panel system that constantly charges them everyday and keeps them fully charged, it is doing wonders to them when in storage. It also helps if there is a periodic load on them, in this case the solar charge controller whenever it's night time. The inverter could have been on 24/7 as well for all we know.
If you close off the fireplaces, the house will cool down faster and with less load on the A/C. Washing the dust off the solar panels will increase the charge since the light is not blocked. Kindness to animals is never wasted. He felt abandoned when his owner died and no one took care of him. All of my cats for the last 30+ years were strays or cats who had their owner die. Bless you for caring. Likely he was on the edge of starvation.
I have only ever went looking for one dog (Buddy at the pound) every single other animal has been one that needed help so they live with me until they check out 15 years later.
Edge of starvation for 4 years? Cats are the most successful predators on earth. And we saw him carrying food. I think you underestimate how many rats & mice run around the desert.
The water in the lead acid batteries covers the "plates" is what I think you wanted to say. That's incredible that cat has survived out there with coyotes and rattlesnakes and other predators. I like your version of a portable outchair😂
I’ve converted them to efficient refrigerators too. $10 digital temperature controllers can take care of it. I use some larger silica desiccants to keep moisture down.
chest freezers typically have thicker insulation and whenever you open the door you don't loose as much cold energy as cold air is heavy so it stays in the freezer as it's shaped like a bowl.
Another suggestion - install a ductless AC with a high SEER rating and variable speed compressor. These units use less electricity for a given amount of cooling - they can also efficiently heat. Have a generator on hand to charge the batteries when the solar can't keep up. Important to use a 'smart' charger with the generator for the lead acid charging. Once you have the battery bank sized to where you want it, the generators capacity should match the charging current requirements - having a generator with a larger capacity than what just does the job simply wastes fuel.
yes, Air Sourced heat pump technology has come a long way, and is “off grid solar friendly” because they ramp up and down, and don’t have surges the way traditional AC’s do. Herb needs some $$$$ to improve the technology at the Air Ranch, we need to get him more subs so he can get some sponsers for the channel 😉
Having experienced the same situation in taming a feral Tom cat that was stealing food off the porch this made me smile! I named him griffin, he would run every time I opened the door. One day he came up on the porch while I was out here sitting and I lured him closer each day for about a week. Finally he let me pet him but only for a minute for a few weeks and then one day he jumped in my lap and laid down and went to sleep. Now every evening around 8:30-9:00 he comes to eat and then naps in my lap for a while. If you saw him now you would never believe he was once feral and so skittish!
That says alot about you guys that the cat warmed up to you so quickly. You must be good spirited and have good genuine hearts. Animals instincts can tell. Sure, the tuna helped lol, but the cat accepted you guys very quickly which is amazing. Awesome job, and great videos!! Thank you.
Thank you for taking care of Buster. Give him as much wet cat food as he can handle. This helps slow, possibly stop, CKD. Our cats wouldn't touch wet food, we got them as adult cats, both clocked out at roughly 15 years. As to the battery question, LiFePO4 are awesome. Unfortunately, you will have to move that setup inside the main house, as they do not react well if charged in a frozen state. Out Back FLEXmax MPPT charge controllers, are very reliable, looks like you have twinned 60's, good setup if there is little possibility of panel shading. For those that have shading issues, it's recommended to go to individual MPPT controllers, per panel, Victron makes the best, from all the sailing types, who have those issues. Local to me, friends use them to keep the batteries in their hunting/fishing camps, up to snuff. If you size the battery bank, so that you work off of the top 40% they might outlast you, by years. Best wishes from the far North.
I'm definately going to ditch these batteries when I have the $. LiFe seems to be the consensus. I've priced it and they are more expensive but are cheaper in the long run from what I gather.
Also, Buster is getting tuna and some dry food. I leave him without sometimes (always has water) because he get the rats. Would wet food have vitamins that's missing from tuna?
Herb, Kylie, Your videos are not supposed to make me cry! LOL Awesome Buster Got a new Family! Soon got back to normal though with Poop in the bath tub. 10/10 A+++ Will watch again.......
Lead acid batteries are OK, but you can only discharge them 50% to avoid damaging them. Lithium ion can be discharged more and has a higher energy density, but also cost more. Your system looks old but if it can run an AC unit for multiple hours, it's doing well!
was thinking the same. Keep the Pb-acid batteries and start another system with LFP-batteries.....scale it up as time and money allows. PV-panels are quite cheap right now.
If it’s in your budget upgrading to LiFePO4 is the way to go. Check out @WillProwse on his suggestions on how to design an off-grid system. He lives in Las Vegas so the climate is similar to yours. You will be amazed at the difference in performance and lifetime compared to lead-acid batteries 😊.
@@zaneenaz4962Pb and LiFePO4 have incompatible charging profiles so they have to be kept separate from each other. Maybe the Pb batteries could be repurposed for another use (like powering shop equipment?) until they die.
I love how the value of measurement is your belly haha skin darkness, height hahaha you see so many batteries sponsored on TH-cam you think you could get to replace the batteries for you! That cat moment was awesome! Maybe when you clean out that garage build buster a secure hut for him!
Aww, that's awesome! Buster definitely missed having his people around, and he hasn't gone feral yet. Looks like he'll be back to his usual level of friendliness in no time. Be careful of the brown recluse spiders when using that desert latrine, though.
First and for most it is amazing what you are doing for Buster, and I am so glad you guys are feeding him and taking care of him, he deserves all of the love! One thing I would recommend for your solar setup would be to clean your panel off with some soap and water especially with how dusty it gets out there it should definitely help with the efficiency and efficacy of your panels. I would also try and see how old the panels are since they drop in efficiency pretty quickly about 1% per year. If you can also get a hydrometer to check the specific gravity of your batteries to see how healthy they are as far as acid to water levels. Hope this helps with at least keeping it up!
That is the size of the fridge that we keep in our old Minnie Winnie, and we have solar on it. When your batteries are cleaned up, they will work more efficiently. That is an amazing kitty, so glad he has survived the coyote and the bobcat!!
I can’t even imagine how much work you have to do there. I think it’s gonna take a lifetime to be honest, but you’re in a great location and got a huge property. Can’t beat that.
Just found your channel and subscribed. What a cool property and path you are both on. I live nearby and have a lot of experience with off grid solar. I'd be happy to stop by to help you assess (free of charge) your current setup and do the best to maximize it until you determine your long term plan.
My old boss was called Buster, and if I knew that he could be brought off with a can of tuna I might still be working there 😭. Back to buster the cat 😺, honestly that was so warm hearting from you guys to make friends with him, to earn an animals trust can be hard work, not only that with no human contact for years was just mind blowing. Bless you both. Gary 🇬🇧🇬🇧
With all that open space, I would build a larger solar array on the ground where there are no shadows all day. I hate lead acid maintenance. LiFePO4 should be way easier. I don't know the upper and lower temps where you are at but getting batteries with upper and lower temp regulation may be important. You could put some fans in that battery shack to get some airflow. You can spend a lot of time messing around with either not enough solar or enough battery capacity. Just bite the bullet and do it right. You will end up going full throttle later anyway. It is an addiction for me! I'd also look into wind generation with all that blowing there. Can really help out at night or several cloudy days in a row.
It was awesome watching you two rescuing Buster! As far as the batteries go, keep the Lead Acid ones only if you feel nostalgic about them. Lithium-Iron-Phosphate is soooo much better though There are many to choose from however Battle Born brand are made in Reno, Nevada and have a great reputation.
LFP for sure. If you'll be renovating, you'll need lots of power. Since it's off grid, those batteries will be everything. Lead acid can only pull half the capacity without damage and you lose capacity fast as you draw it down. Let's not forget the corrosive terminals and maintenance. With LFP, there's zero maintenance. Just make sure to get the self heating LFP if that area will go below freezing at night.
That's a good idea about the self-heating! I was wondering if I would have to heat that shed. I'm going to get a generator as a backup and for Renovation in the meantime. I have to limp these batteries along for a few months to a year. I think with a little love they will squeak by with a Genny for help.
Now she has broken me into tears with the cay, ( the tough ol cat) I seen the bobcat and coyotes, this cat is a good cat smart one thanks BigAl California
Watching that rabbit scratching that lump of grass to get to the good stuff was hilarious. For you to run the house and not have to worry about running a of your appliances you will eventually need to upgrade your solar equipment. There are companies that sell blem solar panels and equipment including lithium ion batteries for cheap just because the have a scratch or dent but are fully functional. You can save tons. I hope you guys get that at home feeling real soon.
Maybe give him some wormer in his food if all he had was mice and rats. Also, on your solar display , isn't that % on the left side display ,not volts ? Sewer tank needs pumped , or leech field line is plugged . Good luck !!! 😊
Buster rocks! Before I moved out the the High Desert, I had a feral cat in Coarsegold, CA, she ate all the rodents in my yard and my neighbors yard, which kept the snakes away. Feed the cat, he'll still hunt and earn his keep. Also, (I'm out near the Sky Walk) I have a Swamp Cooler I'm not going to use, it has very low hours, Your welcome to it if you want. Let me know, I'll send you my phone and we can go from there.
By the way if you can afford it, go lithium all day long. No worries with the water top up, Basically maintenance free. I follow a guy on TH-cam called Red Poppy Ranch and as he lives off grid he upgraded his system from lead to lithium batteries the other year. Maybe check him out, with your superior brain power you'll understand the system much better than I would. Love the channel. Gary 🇬🇧🇬🇧
Animals feel the loss of someone like humans do. So sad he has been there for so long without anyone. He would have wondered what happened. Sad the family didn’t step in and help him , knowing he was there alone. He is very lucky to have you guys.
Hey a 48 volt system will charge to 56.7V that's default for most systems.. they will alarm at 44 to 48V ( discharge warning) and then shut off. It looks like your batteries are cooked.. you may be able to use your system to bring them back a little more maybe to 80% of total output, but now your looking at only 20% of your total battery can be used. This is why we went with lithium from BMW I3 batteries are amazing.
the batteries are in a desert where temperatures go high and low everyday. Lithium is not a great choice, Lead acid works much better and can be charged under freezing conditions
aww man, you forgot the most important thing with your lawn chair outhouse. You gotta have a Sears catalog! can't have an outhouse without reading material/backup toilet paper
If your going live there you need a major upgrade. Get rid of the lead acid. Go with lithium 48v system tops off of about 57.6 to 58v .I have 20k watt Solar and have 12v 24v and 48v systems of lithium . It took me 15yrs to get to this point. Good luck
LFPs are the way to go in my experience. You will pay a lil more up front, but you can discharge them further when required . Also you get more charging cycles out of the batteries in their life. We changed the shop from Li-Ion to the LFPs and have not regretted it.
I would not be walking around with all of those scorpions and rattlesnakes that you already showed us bare feet arounf in there lol thanks BigAl California
I don't know anything about your charge controller but notice it says "SLA", if that is for the batteries there may be a setting for flooded batteries that would manage them better. Looking forward to more Buster content 😺
I'm happier with LiPo. Temperature may be an issue, but if you're looking to replace in the future, the efficiency is worth it. If you can clean up the existing batteries for now at a low cost, it's worth it. Ravens are a good sign.
Replace all the connection cables between the batteries. Cleaning will help but if the ends are so bad they are rotting, your cables are trashed. My Cat Ruger looks just like Buster, He was watchin in, and as I pointed out how Busters more friendly , Ruger said, “ You give me a full can of tuna and I will think about being a more friendly cat 🐈”. :)…. Long live the Golden kitties.
Plant deciduous trees on the West and East side of your house (Sycamores for example, plant them yesterday) so they shade you from the sun in the summer and loose there leaves for direct sun in the winter. Build a huge ground mount solar array (easy to install if you buy pre-made racking, easy to clean), and you can adjust the angle to the sun on the Summer and Winter Solstice for max power.
Befriending and feeding Buster was the best part of my day. Thank you so much!
It was a good day for us too.
Ol' guy missed his peoples. He'll get used to you, and start gloming on for pets and treats. Kitties want their hoomans. They don't *need* them, but definitely prefer to have family around.
No cat can resist tuna and a good chin scratch. Buster looks like a tough little kitty.
To survive four years with all the rattlesnakes and coyotes around, that must be one tough cat.
Cleaning all the connections with baking soda and water and a wire brush will help a lot.
I would be thinking about adding a Vortex Wind Turbine....
Coka Cola works wonders.. Lol😆😆
I agree with Maus, a wind turbine is needed.
Aw, my reply got deleted. Was it the cuss words or the lameness of my attempt at humor? Sorry if I broke a rule. 😀
I'm going to replace the jumper leads they are just about gone! But I bought a box of baking soda to clean the rest!
Great episode. Buster is a survivor, and a big cat too… not starving for food , but definitely starving for affection. Nicely done. You are his people now.
More like Buster has trained new staff.
Guys, I've been rescuing cats the last few years and this legit made me cry! Thank you for taking care of Buster!
Yes they handled them nicely i thought
Absolutely the best!
@Zaraqkhan1 and your comment doesn't matter.
That is incredible how buster didn’t forget how to be loved.
Poor little creature, 4 years of running away from every danger that the desert can offer, I wonder how it quenched its thirst!
It's wonderful that you managed to bring him closer, in that moment he suddenly remembered what it means to be loved.
He must have been amazed to see new life in the house!
Thank you for giving hope to little Buster!
It had to be crazy to the cat to all the sudden see people around regularly again.
Cats are originally from the arid regions of the great deserts. They can actually survive on the moisture from the blood of their prey.
More like the local wildlife were relieved when they started feeding him tuna. :)
Buster was waiting for you guys to rescue him, he will love you forever. When he brings you his catches you are his humans. Thank you for caring for him. He probably has worms and parasites from eating rodents, you may want to take him to a vet to get checked out.
He wanted to be part of your family or he would have never come out
Buster brought a tear to my eye. little guy just needs some love.
@@garywagner5831 Yes I agree 💯👍
As a cat owner and lover, I approve this video! He's going to be a very loyal cat once a bond is established! ❤️🐈⬛🙂
I am a retired Aircraft Mechanic, that brought me here. The scorpions would be a deal killer for me! I am also a cat lover, thanks!
Buster just put your channel on the map ! You’re right about “He’s seen some stuff “ It makes my heart happy , you were able to befriend him. Cats are the road to riches on TH-cam !!
Heartwarming. My cat who was abandoned at the shelter took 5 years to come to me on the sofa and sleep next to me. take good care of the cat and give her a hug from me.
Amazing bond between humans and domestic animals. Just guessing how lonely the poor cat was. Great gesture guys, humanity survives on kindness and love for everyone.
I lived in NW Arizona and cats had a hard time not being eaten by coyotes. You might want to add a door to Buster's shelter and put in a small passageway for Buster...small enough to keep the coyotes out. I'm enjoying your videos.
He seems to sleep atop the grader! This is a good idea, especially a hole that goes into another room.
my heart just sang when Buster let you in.
bless you for wanting to bring him into the family.
so looking forward to your journey on the air ranch.
That cat is like Newt in Aliens..surviving in a VERY hostile environment! Very sweet he's getting use to you guys too.
I'm up to Five cats. I was normal with 2, the wife had 2, then we got married > 4 now with 5 it's crazy cat people territory.
@@HerbOMatic That's one way that they work. For us, we had one, then we got another and then the wife said that we needed another, I said that we didn't so we compromised and got another, then it happened again and now we have 4...
Buster broke my heart . What a sweety . Such a champ .
Cleaning the panels will give you about a 20% gain in generation
I gotta get my but on the roof.
@@HerbOMaticdont put water on them when they are warm, its glass an could explode. Do it at night or early in the morning
Use water free from chalk, like demineralized water. Otherwise it will stain and do you no good
Stopping the chemtrail spraying will give you another 20%
@@coocookachoo2806 Yep, that fly ash ain't good for panels or lungs!
Congratulations Buster! Clearly, his memories of laps and skritches were still present. Congratulations on your new furry son you two.
We have started to establish more of a boundary around the house. I like the Coyotes but I do clap and they run like heck to start to establish our spot.
Those batteries are beyond shot. Replace them with lithium iron phosphate and never look back. Don't even bother adding additional lead acid. When I switched to lithium everything improved. charging, discharging, less voltage sag, better performance in every single way. You have excellent solar charge controllers, and a fairly basic inverter. The reason your second outback charge controller doesnt work is most likely its solar string is tied into the replacement all in one unit. As a expert electrical engineer and solar aficionado I would love to come work on your system or just talk you thru the upgrades. Especially the well pump system that needs a new panel. Everything can be upgraded so easily and cheap these days.
He would have to change charge controllers and settings. Li-P0 are a great choice if money is no object, however they don't do well in extreme heat or cold applications that desert conditions would bring. Wet cell will give you the most bang for your buck and have proven to be an extremely reliable source of energy storage, that will provide you with more than adequate capacity and stable operation so long as basic maintenance is provided regularly. Remember that golf carts have been using deep cycle wet cell batteries for many years and that they remain the primary choice.
I would recommend you continue with wet cell deep cycle wet cell batteries.
You will need to do a inventory of what you currently have in regards to panels, charge controller inverter and determine your load requirements by performing some math to establish what you will need to add or change in the current configuration. The redundant charge controller serves as a backup unit for when primary charge controller fails, which It will at some point no doubt. The inverter is the heart of the system and most expensive component, so always use the utmost caution when changing anything in the system configuration as full sine inverters cost thousands of dollars to replace. 👍
Would strongly recommend that you contract with a reputable solor contractor to evaluate your existing system and perform load/storage calculations for you and give you a consise list of recommendations based on them performing the necessary calculations. Off grid solar is one of those things in life where anyone can do it, but very few can do it correctly. It's money well spent to enlist a pro to know exactly where you stand and gain the best information regarding your specific needs. Just sayin, I ain't got to live there. 😊
Just because golf carts use lead acid batteries doesn’t mean they are the best choice for off grid solar. LiFePo4’s will give you 10 times the lifetime than lead acid. You can also safely discharge completely (to discharge voltage) unlike lead-acid. The stress test you did probably damaged your lead acids. Don’t buy more lead acids…waste of money.
Short term the system is working. Batteries are getting cheaper and better every year so the longer those last the better off you are.
But you can get one of the larger LiFe standalone "generators" for less than 5K as a fallback. (useful for a lot of things) Something like the Anker 3800i or the new Jackery Explorer 5000. When your lead acids eventually fail you can live off the "portable" one for a while.
if those batteries were shot they wouldn't hold a charge or be able to give out anything so that's a lie. The only reason those batteries are still alive is due to 1 simple reason. The solar panels kept the batteries fully charged. If you didn't know, Lead acid is best stored at a full charge, so when you have a solar panel system that constantly charges them everyday and keeps them fully charged, it is doing wonders to them when in storage. It also helps if there is a periodic load on them, in this case the solar charge controller whenever it's night time. The inverter could have been on 24/7 as well for all we know.
If you close off the fireplaces, the house will cool down faster and with less load on the A/C. Washing the dust off the solar panels will increase the charge since the light is not blocked. Kindness to animals is never wasted. He felt abandoned when his owner died and no one took care of him. All of my cats for the last 30+ years were strays or cats who had their owner die. Bless you for caring. Likely he was on the edge of starvation.
I have only ever went looking for one dog (Buddy at the pound) every single other animal has been one that needed help so they live with me until they check out 15 years later.
@@HerbOMatic Fantastic! Good to hear.
Edge of starvation for 4 years? Cats are the most successful predators on earth. And we saw him carrying food. I think you underestimate how many rats & mice run around the desert.
The water in the lead acid batteries covers the "plates" is what I think you wanted to say. That's incredible that cat has survived out there with coyotes and rattlesnakes and other predators. I like your version of a portable outchair😂
👍✅ Never thought I would see a tug at my heart strings video from you two but you suprise yet again👏
I hope this channel explodes. Plz keep up the videos and keep beeing you. Greetings from Sweden
Chest freezers use almost no power once they're cold, they're stupid efficient
I’ve converted them to efficient refrigerators too. $10 digital temperature controllers can take care of it. I use some larger silica desiccants to keep moisture down.
I've got a bunch of them left over from my vending business. One was 15 years old when I bought it 15 years ago for $50!
That's a really good Idea too! You can feel the fridge dump all the air on your feet.
chest freezers typically have thicker insulation and whenever you open the door you don't loose as much cold energy as cold air is heavy so it stays in the freezer as it's shaped like a bowl.
You two petting buster was the sweetest thing I've seen in a long time!!
Another suggestion - install a ductless AC with a high SEER rating and variable speed compressor. These units use less electricity for a given amount of cooling - they can also efficiently heat. Have a generator on hand to charge the batteries when the solar can't keep up. Important to use a 'smart' charger with the generator for the lead acid charging. Once you have the battery bank sized to where you want it, the generators capacity should match the charging current requirements - having a generator with a larger capacity than what just does the job simply wastes fuel.
yes, Air Sourced heat pump technology has come a long way, and is “off grid solar friendly” because they ramp up and down, and don’t have surges the way traditional AC’s do. Herb needs some $$$$ to improve the technology at the Air Ranch, we need to get him more subs so he can get some sponsers for the channel 😉
Petting the cat brought a smile to my heart.
Having experienced the same situation in taming a feral Tom cat that was stealing food off the porch this made me smile! I named him griffin, he would run every time I opened the door. One day he came up on the porch while I was out here sitting and I lured him closer each day for about a week. Finally he let me pet him but only for a minute for a few weeks and then one day he jumped in my lap and laid down and went to sleep. Now every evening around 8:30-9:00 he comes to eat and then naps in my lap for a while. If you saw him now you would never believe he was once feral and so skittish!
I'm glad you helped out Griffin! They give back what they can! Buster is helping keep down the mice. I hope buster naps in my lap eventually.
I mean, how in the world did that cat survive an onslaught of coyotes and Bobcats? And for four years.
Thanks for showing kindness to Buster, that made my day
That says alot about you guys that the cat warmed up to you so quickly. You must be good spirited and have good genuine hearts. Animals instincts can tell. Sure, the tuna helped lol, but the cat accepted you guys very quickly which is amazing. Awesome job, and great videos!! Thank you.
Thank you for taking care of Buster. Give him as much wet cat food as he can handle. This helps slow, possibly stop, CKD. Our cats wouldn't touch wet food, we got them as adult cats, both clocked out at roughly 15 years.
As to the battery question, LiFePO4 are awesome. Unfortunately, you will have to move that setup inside the main house, as they do not react well if charged in a frozen state.
Out Back FLEXmax MPPT charge controllers, are very reliable, looks like you have twinned 60's, good setup if there is little possibility of panel shading. For those that have shading issues, it's recommended to go to individual MPPT controllers, per panel, Victron makes the best, from all the sailing types, who have those issues. Local to me, friends use them to keep the batteries in their hunting/fishing camps, up to snuff.
If you size the battery bank, so that you work off of the top 40% they might outlast you, by years.
Best wishes from the far North.
I'm definately going to ditch these batteries when I have the $. LiFe seems to be the consensus. I've priced it and they are more expensive but are cheaper in the long run from what I gather.
Also, Buster is getting tuna and some dry food. I leave him without sometimes (always has water) because he get the rats. Would wet food have vitamins that's missing from tuna?
@@HerbOMatic Yes, plus tuna has some heavy metal, not good.
I know, I love tuna as well, so I don't have it as much anymore.😭
Aww buster the cat is awesome. He just needs human love again.
Herb, Kylie, Your videos are not supposed to make me cry! LOL Awesome Buster Got a new Family! Soon got back to normal though with Poop in the bath tub. 10/10 A+++ Will watch again.......
Lead acid batteries are OK, but you can only discharge them 50% to avoid damaging them.
Lithium ion can be discharged more and has a higher energy density, but also cost more.
Your system looks old but if it can run an AC unit for multiple hours, it's doing well!
Nowadays price per Kwh is almost the same y LiFePO es way better than Acid/lead.
was thinking the same. Keep the Pb-acid batteries and start another system with LFP-batteries.....scale it up as time and money allows. PV-panels are quite cheap right now.
If it’s in your budget upgrading to LiFePO4 is the way to go. Check out @WillProwse on his suggestions on how to design an off-grid system. He lives in Las Vegas so the climate is similar to yours. You will be amazed at the difference in performance and lifetime compared to lead-acid batteries 😊.
@@zaneenaz4962Pb and LiFePO4 have incompatible charging profiles so they have to be kept separate from each other. Maybe the Pb batteries could be repurposed for another use (like powering shop equipment?) until they die.
@@zaneenaz4962yes they are, especially used ones that are availble dirt cheap, and he has tons of space to make ground mounts to hold them
I love how the value of measurement is your belly haha skin darkness, height hahaha you see so many batteries sponsored on TH-cam you think you could get to replace the batteries for you! That cat moment was awesome! Maybe when you clean out that garage build buster a secure hut for him!
Aww, that's awesome! Buster definitely missed having his people around, and he hasn't gone feral yet. Looks like he'll be back to his usual level of friendliness in no time. Be careful of the brown recluse spiders when using that desert latrine, though.
PS...feeding Buster tuna is great but the smell will bring in the coyotes for sure. Buster needs a secure shelter.
I need to do that real soon!
Buster needs to be invited in the house. More food, safety and company
@@Frank-ThoresenThat will come in time, Herb & Kiley are building trust with Mr Buster ✅
Absolutely beautiful what you did for this putty cat ❤️💯🚐🤟✌️🐾🙏
Buster really wanted to have a family again. Well done!!
This episode was worth watching if nothing else, you saving that cat. Warms an old man's heart. I know what it's like to lose an animal you cared for.
First and for most it is amazing what you are doing for Buster, and I am so glad you guys are feeding him and taking care of him, he deserves all of the love!
One thing I would recommend for your solar setup would be to clean your panel off with some soap and water especially with how dusty it gets out there it should definitely help with the efficiency and efficacy of your panels. I would also try and see how old the panels are since they drop in efficiency pretty quickly about 1% per year. If you can also get a hydrometer to check the specific gravity of your batteries to see how healthy they are as far as acid to water levels. Hope this helps with at least keeping it up!
Air-to-ground heat pumps are amazing these days.
Excellent Kitty.
As an orange cat dad this warms my heart.
That is the size of the fridge that we keep in our old Minnie Winnie, and we have solar on it. When your batteries are cleaned up, they will work more efficiently. That is an amazing kitty, so glad he has survived the coyote and the bobcat!!
well; that were a crap-load o fun bro. keep it comin!😀
Cats pick there owner, thank you for your patience to home your new pet 👏👏👏
Great video! Cat was very receptive after 4 years; I didn't think he would come to you guys.
You kids have made a friend!
You have been chosen by a cat, you now live in its territory 😊
Love and protect Buster at all cost. He will be your best friend!
Also.. Take him to the vet. He will hate it but layter on will be greatfull.
I can’t even imagine how much work you have to do there. I think it’s gonna take a lifetime to be honest, but you’re in a great location and got a huge property. Can’t beat that.
Just found your channel and subscribed. What a cool property and path you are both on. I live nearby and have a lot of experience with off grid solar. I'd be happy to stop by to help you assess (free of charge) your current setup and do the best to maximize it until you determine your long term plan.
My old boss was called Buster, and if I knew that he could be brought off with a can of tuna I might still be working there 😭. Back to buster the cat 😺, honestly that was so warm hearting from you guys to make friends with him, to earn an animals trust can be hard work, not only that with no human contact for years was just mind blowing. Bless you both. Gary 🇬🇧🇬🇧
Those portable a/c systems are terrible inefficient.
You can get larger mini split systems that use less energy to remove way more heat!
If you take off the inlet hose so it recycles the air instead of cooling hot outside air.
@@joshuasprinkles3490that's not how those work, or how any ac works.
The twin hose ones aren’t that bad. It looks like he is using a twin hose setup.
I came here today because of the cat, thank you. For the content 😎
Good job with the cat you guys!
With all that open space, I would build a larger solar array on the ground where there are no shadows all day. I hate lead acid maintenance. LiFePO4 should be way easier. I don't know the upper and lower temps where you are at but getting batteries with upper and lower temp regulation may be important. You could put some fans in that battery shack to get some airflow.
You can spend a lot of time messing around with either not enough solar or enough battery capacity. Just bite the bullet and do it right. You will end up going full throttle later anyway. It is an addiction for me!
I'd also look into wind generation with all that blowing there. Can really help out at night or several cloudy days in a row.
Tough smart kitty. Survivor for sure.
As a cat lover you have gone up 1000% in my books - also you need to clean and tighten the terminals on the batteries🇬🇧😊😊
Cables are rotting, I plan on swapping them out. Thanks, we love cats and dogs. Animals are the best friends.
In no time Buster will be bunking with you guys and the precious pup.
So glad I subscribed! Really enjoying the videos! Yay for Buster too!!
It was awesome watching you two rescuing Buster! As far as the batteries go, keep the Lead Acid ones only if you feel nostalgic about them. Lithium-Iron-Phosphate is soooo much better though There are many to choose from however Battle Born brand are made in Reno, Nevada and have a great reputation.
So cool your petting Buster.
The wife was so happy about that. I'm happy he has a family now, poor dude.
The aircon is cool, too. But an inverter type 'A' is much more efficient.
LFP for sure. If you'll be renovating, you'll need lots of power. Since it's off grid, those batteries will be everything. Lead acid can only pull half the capacity without damage and you lose capacity fast as you draw it down. Let's not forget the corrosive terminals and maintenance. With LFP, there's zero maintenance. Just make sure to get the self heating LFP if that area will go below freezing at night.
That's a good idea about the self-heating! I was wondering if I would have to heat that shed. I'm going to get a generator as a backup and for Renovation in the meantime. I have to limp these batteries along for a few months to a year. I think with a little love they will squeak by with a Genny for help.
I choked up when he let you pet him.
Now she has broken me into tears with the cay, ( the tough ol cat) I seen the bobcat and coyotes, this cat is a good cat smart one thanks BigAl California
Buster deserves to be an indoor cat now
they way to a man's heart is through his stomach. good job buster proving that true.
Watching that rabbit scratching that lump of grass to get to the good stuff was hilarious. For you to run the house and not have to worry about running a of your appliances you will eventually need to upgrade your solar equipment. There are companies that sell blem solar panels and equipment including lithium ion batteries for cheap just because the have a scratch or dent but are fully functional. You can save tons. I hope you guys get that at home feeling real soon.
Maybe give him some wormer in his food if all he had was mice and rats. Also, on your solar display , isn't that % on the left side display ,not volts ? Sewer tank needs pumped , or leech field line is plugged . Good luck !!! 😊
Buster rocks! Before I moved out the the High Desert, I had a feral cat in Coarsegold, CA, she ate all the rodents in my yard and my neighbors yard, which kept the snakes away. Feed the cat, he'll still hunt and earn his keep. Also, (I'm out near the Sky Walk) I have a Swamp Cooler I'm not going to use, it has very low hours, Your welcome to it if you want. Let me know, I'll send you my phone and we can go from there.
You get a thumbs up for giving love and tuna to the ginger.
I enjoy your videos, keep them coming. The scorpians, I could do without for sure. Yep, the desert is no joke!
By the way if you can afford it, go lithium all day long. No worries with the water top up, Basically maintenance free. I follow a guy on TH-cam called Red Poppy Ranch and as he lives off grid he upgraded his system from lead to lithium batteries the other year. Maybe check him out, with your superior brain power you'll understand the system much better than I would. Love the channel. Gary 🇬🇧🇬🇧
great work with the cat, it put a smile on my dial.
Animals feel the loss of someone like humans do. So sad he has been there for so long without anyone. He would have wondered what happened. Sad the family didn’t step in and help him , knowing he was there alone. He is very lucky to have you guys.
Hey a 48 volt system will charge to 56.7V that's default for most systems.. they will alarm at 44 to 48V ( discharge warning) and then shut off. It looks like your batteries are cooked.. you may be able to use your system to bring them back a little more maybe to 80% of total output, but now your looking at only 20% of your total battery can be used. This is why we went with lithium from BMW I3 batteries are amazing.
I've heard that Nissan Leaf batteries are amazing as well if you can find them.
the batteries are in a desert where temperatures go high and low everyday. Lithium is not a great choice, Lead acid works much better and can be charged under freezing conditions
aww man, you forgot the most important thing with your lawn chair outhouse. You gotta have a Sears catalog! can't have an outhouse without reading material/backup toilet paper
That cat is a real survivor 😳
The Mrs. is very alluring!
You are a lucky guy
If your going live there you need a major upgrade. Get rid of the lead acid. Go with lithium 48v system tops off of about 57.6 to 58v .I have 20k watt Solar and have 12v 24v and 48v systems of lithium . It took me 15yrs to get to this point. Good luck
this will certainly be an exciting adventure
Buster is awesome! Find Buster's shade place and put a well maintained water bowl there.
LFPs are the way to go in my experience. You will pay a lil more up front, but you can discharge them further when required . Also you get more charging cycles out of the batteries in their life. We changed the shop from Li-Ion to the LFPs and have not regretted it.
Thanks!
Hey thank you for kicking in on the insanity! Thank you for your service so that I and others have the freedom to pursue happiness.
you guys are doing great love your animals
I like the stick holder.
Awesome with the meow.❤️❤️❤️
I would not be walking around with all of those scorpions and rattlesnakes that you already showed us bare feet arounf in there lol thanks BigAl California
I’m not even a cat person , but this was great viewing 👍🏻
Buster gonna need a water source too ! 😻😻
I don't know anything about your charge controller but notice it says "SLA", if that is for the batteries there may be a setting for flooded batteries that would manage them better. Looking forward to more Buster content 😺
I'm happier with LiPo. Temperature may be an issue, but if you're looking to replace in the future, the efficiency is worth it.
If you can clean up the existing batteries for now at a low cost, it's worth it.
Ravens are a good sign.
San Tan Solar has pretty good deals! Their batteries are amazing
You got a pretty decent fan base. I would start reaching out to solar companies to see if they wanna sponsor some new batteries
Replace all the connection cables between the batteries. Cleaning will help but if the ends are so bad they are rotting, your cables are trashed. My Cat Ruger looks just like Buster, He was watchin in, and as I pointed out how Busters more friendly , Ruger said, “ You give me a full can of tuna and I will think about being a more friendly cat 🐈”. :)…. Long live the Golden kitties.
Plant deciduous trees on the West and East side of your house (Sycamores for example, plant them yesterday) so they shade you from the sun in the summer and loose there leaves for direct sun in the winter. Build a huge ground mount solar array (easy to install if you buy pre-made racking, easy to clean), and you can adjust the angle to the sun on the Summer and Winter Solstice for max power.