Melting Ice fm recent Ice Storm

NO pictures BUT our folding non-waterproof 220w solar panel now has survived lots of snow storms and now thick ice from the recent western New York (WNY) ice storm! It's been on our front awning at the wrong slant to the sun [hoping to fix this angle in Spring if  that ever arrives], but there's a tiny bit of freezing water dripping from above, and the wattage input to the solar battery has increased from yesterday's 2watts to now even springing UP to 8watts even under a mostly cloudy sky with outside temps of freezing and less at night for some months!

Sure, it's a tiny input wattage from the sun BUT it IS charging our solar batteries and I'll happily take any wattage instead of no wattage at all, or the alternative of plugging it in to AC power, which is what we purchased these panels and batteries to avoid!!

How are YOU powering your devices and electronics? We know that one of our three 300w solar batteries will power our TV up to almost six hours, and that's about how long we watch the tube in a normal day. The only reason I am still not buying a higher wattage battery is that it'll require double the time to charge via our use of sun-power!

NO images to illustrate the system we use, BUT we are happy we finally quit talking about it, and actually do something about it. Granted, we may not be getting much now BUT something is better than nothing, and we are on our way to sunpowering more devices and appliances. Also, we are learning how to utilize our batteries in powering various household items.

It's just a matter of time! HOW are you planning for your solar-powered future?

Still Charging up our Life and our Devices via Solar Power

It's been a while. Always too busy with our photography and it gets busier by the day. It's gotten to the point when we go out for the sunset, I'll not take a camera while Sheila will take hers. I'll have my SSG A50 so IF it's impressive and awesome, I can record the moment. The other day we were at the sunset and not only did I not take the camera, the phone was at home too!

About two years ago we picked up a small 21 watt folding solar panel. Yes, that small! We just wanted something small, light, and functional to use on our many trips around the area able to charge our phones and other devices while on the road.

The pandemic changed all that! BUT we still have it and just started using it again. In fact, it's inside our home and stuck to the window that's getting some good sunlight, and charging Sheila's phone. We recently picked up two more: A DOKIO 220W Solar Panel and a few days later a LIPOWER 100W Solar Panel. Both are portable and both fold its four panels into a compact size. We also picked up a 300watt Pure Sine Wave EnginStar Portable Power Station/Battery, and we have been charging that with either one of the two solar panels, while the 21w original one is right now serving as a functional backup. We've been both charging the solar battery with great results, and while the output from the solar panels isn't really high, it is charging! Using the fully charged solar battery everyday and charging it is an interesting project but a worthwhile investment into the future of solar power. So far we have solar power our 52" Sony flat screen TV, living room LED lights, yesterday an older model HP laptop, and more. If nothing else, seeing the wattage used in real-time really opens eyes as to how much we really use and are so dependent on elecrricity in this modern age! 

Are you solar charging your life too?

I will update this in the coming days.