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In a previous post I explained a new eco project I was going to work on for camping trips or other “off grid” purposes. Instead of purchasing a separate battery, I decided it would be easier (and cheaper) to just utilise the car battery. I picked up a cheap solar trickle charger from a car boot and skipped the inverter as every device I wanted to use could plug in via the car cigarette lighter point. Total cost £10, bargain!
However, I discovered that the trickle charger only produced 1watt, which wasn’t enough to keep anything going by a long way and I flattened the car battery on the first day of camping.
This is obviously going to cost me more then £10. So I’ve now purchased a 13watt briefcase solar panel which will recharge the car battery a fair bit quicker. And to prevent full discharge again I’ll also be getting car battery protector.
The advantage of using the car battery instead of a seperate one, is that the majority of the wiring is already there, and should the battery go too low, you can always start the engine and leave it idling over to help charge up if the panel isn’t sufficient.

Next camping trip is the British Grand Prix. I’ll let you know how I get on.

I’m currently planning a new small time Eco project. If my theory is correct, then it would make an ideal thing for anyone camping, caravanning or just wanting to provide themselves a little electricity while outdoors.
Three key ingredients will start this up I think. (And I’m only working on this from what I think I know).

• A deep cycle 12v battery is the heart of my power (approx £65)
• To charge the battery I’m thinking solar (approx £30)
• Then to transfer the power to device an inverter (approx£25)

I’m guessing most of this, but in theory will this be enough? How long would the battery last? But at under £150 for this and this basic I can’t be right can I?

How easy would it be to expand? Can you add additional charging devices (wind, water) and/or extra batteries to store the charge easily? And how would you wire them up?

I’m probably forgetting something obvious. Any comments or further ideas, please get in touch and let me know. I might try and get this up and running during the summer and try it out.

The vegetable plot is coming along nicely as can be seen in this panoramic pic. I’ve so far planted the Leeks on the far left. On the far right is my granny smith apple tree. Next to this my wigwam for the pea plants and rosemary plant. The peas are planted and so they have a little more ease climbing the wigwam, I tied string around it. This should help the stability of the structure also.
tomorrow I’ll be transferring the Rocket, salad leaves and Pak Choi into pots so they can continue to grow neatly before I transfer them into the plot.
The center of the plot has a piece of trellace, I’m not sure if I’ll be using this or not. If it does get used, it’ll probably be for the Chilli plants.

In other news, I’ve had a day off work today while work commenced on the ceiling of my dining room (it had some water damage from a burst pipe). While the first phase of fixing was under way (plastering over top ready to artex to match front) I took Jack out for a 3 hour hike over the Graig where I put took a few photo’s of a farm that I pieced together for this panoramic.
I also took some photos overlooking Pontypridd and Trefforest and pieced them together to create this other panoramic.

Needless to say, Jack is completely knackered now.