What did you do today? - 2022 version

[street]

^ nice!! Happy BD!!

 

[NW-Bound]

I have been busy playing with my new set of LFP cells. These are Headway 38120 format cells. They are only 8Ah each, but can push 200A continually hence are big and heavy for their capacity. The energy density is 1/2 that of the common LFP cells. They came in a package of 48 cells in a 24V assembly for an unknown industrial application.

I don't have the need for this power (you can drain the cell in 2.5 min and charge them in 5 min), but they come in an industrial assembly that is rugged and convenient to use. In measuring the cells, I found that there was an intermittent connection in a balance lead, and had to take the assembly apart to measure each individual cell. So far, they all measure higher than 8Ah. Perhaps it's the loose connection that caused the assembly to be pulled out of service. I still need to check each of the cells out, because one weak cell can ruin the performance of the whole pack of 48 cells.

I will put everything back when I am through. Everything is bolted together, hence the disassembly is not destructive.

The $/kWh is not that good, but the intention is to use the rugged industrial assemblies as is for a solar app I am planning.

I liked the above used industrial LFP assembly, so bought another one. It arrived yesterday, and I immediately took it apart to test each of the 48 cells.

In contrast with the 1st assembly that was hardly used after being rejected due to a bad internal connection, this 2nd assembly shows signs of wear and tear, and an attached sticker shows it was put in service in mid 2020. Even so, the cells tested so far still meet specs in terms of storage capacity. In contrast the cells of the 1st assembly show as much as 5-10% capacity above specs.

 

[Walt34]

Made my first RMD from the Vanguard IRA. They make it about as easy as it could be.

 

[steelyman]

I ordered some Bose surround sound speakers on Tuesday and they arrived today (Thursday). Wow! No supply chain issues there.

 

[Gumby]

I took my newly corned beef out of the brine and put the dry rub on it. Tomorrow, I will put it in the smoker to make it into pastrami. The young wife is baking rye bread so we can have Reuben sandwiches tomorrow for dinner.

 

[Ronstar]

Woke up with a hankering for breakfast burritos. So I went to the grocery store as soon as they opened and got ingredients for breakfast burritos. Cooked and ate a couple. Then to the workshop for a few hours. Outside temp got 45 degrees warmer than yesterday morning, so I went for a hike. Now getting ready to watch tv the rest of the day.

 

[gayl]

They are still working on those 3 rooms!!

Meanwhile had gardeners pull down almost all the oranges, put most out front for the taking (gone by 6pm), squeezed another 3 qts (so 6 total), and gave away an additional 6 buckets & 1 box to the gardenersView attachment 41624

 

[street]

Went and searched for moose sheds. No luck but I will go back tomorrow again.

 

[RobbieB]

Out the door at 8:30 for the sea trial & survey. Surveyor was on the boat all day yesterday on the inside. So wifey and I got a couple of egg mcmuffins on the way and a couple of dock sandwiches for the survey and we had a nice 2 hour boat ride in the bay followed by the haul out and bottom inspection.

Cost 12 hundred bucks already and I don't even have a boat yet.

Found out that both toilets don't work (one more than the last survey), but everything else seemed to be in line. The boat is solid. Hull is solid, engines run good and smooth, clutches are smooth, rudders are smooth, auto pilot works good.

The most revealing thing was wifey said, for the last half hour I wasn't worried about anything. I was diggin' watching the scene and learning about piloting the boat. Twin engines and smooth clutches are a wonderful thing. Fly deck and salon deck controls are always on. Cool seeing the controls move remotely.

Going out Saturday to reserve a slip in Stockton, the game is afoot!

 

[rodi]

Robbie - fingers crossed that this is the one.


I sold a car today. We decided that we did not need 3 cars (2 small suv's and the scooby van). DH and I will share the rav4 and I sold my subie to CarMax. It's a good time to sell a used car. But because the market is so hot it took more time than I wanted, even with an appointment. While I was waiting, DH was down the street buying parts for the van. So after I deposited the check from CarMax he changed the alternator on the van and magically a bunch of stuff that was acting up (like the heater/ac fan) started acting correctly, and some troubling noises went away.

And last time we sold a car, DH was in an accident the next day - bringing us down a car. This time we got a call from older son saying the beater pickup wasn't starting. Hard to troubleshoot over the phone and he's up in Claremont. We'll know more tomorrow... but we may be shopping for a new beater vehicle for him.

Saturday I'm using 2/3's of the sold car proceeds to pay for the solar panel install.

 

[street]

Out the door at 8:30 for the sea trial & survey. Surveyor was on the boat all day yesterday on the inside. So wifey and I got a couple of egg mcmuffins on the way and a couple of dock sandwiches for the survey and we had a nice 2 hour boat ride in the bay followed by the haul out and bottom inspection.

Cost 12 hundred bucks already and I don't even have a boat yet.

Found out that both toilets don't work (one more than the last survey), but everything else seemed to be in line. The boat is solid. Hull is solid, engines run good and smooth, clutches are smooth, rudders are smooth, auto pilot works good.

The most revealing thing was wifey said, for the last half hour I wasn't worried about anything. I was diggin' watching the scene and learning about piloting the boat. Twin engines and smooth clutches are a wonderful thing. Fly deck and salon deck controls are always on. Cool seeing the controls move remotely.

Going out Saturday to reserve a slip in Stockton, the game is afoot!

Sounds great!

 

[ElizabethT]

A gorgeous, sunny, 70 degree day here, and two days post leg-cyst removal surgery (the cyst was large, and wrapped around my peroneal nerve) I walked three glorious, pain free miles along the beach. Off pain meds after two doses, and feeling terrific. It probably helps that I went into the procedure with a lot of recent hiking and walking mileage as my recovery foundation. I easily walked a mile the day after surgery as well. I would have done more but the recovery nurse scared me when she mentioned not doing more lest I tear my stitches.

Prior to the walk, attended a bridge class where I sort of whooped the other team. Bidding continues to be a challenge, but I am pretty laser focused when it comes to playing out the cards. The adrenaline flows for sure.

Take out burritos at the beach before we walked, Starbucks afterward to soak up more sun, home in time to catch a beautiful sunset, then a Zoom art class after dinner.

It was a somewhat normal, but still very satisfying day.

 

[pacergal]

Beautiful cold but sunny day, heading out to the library later to pick up reserved books, then a nice walk with DH.
Shrimp with ginger garlic butter and a nice parmesan tomato focaccia for dinner tonight.

 

[Gumby]

I got the smoker out and made pastrami from my homemade corned beef. It gave me a chance to try out the ThermoPro remote temperature probe that the young wife got me for Christmas. It was a little finicky at first, but eventually worked quite well.

 

[gayl]

Really cold (50°) but I had to get out. Went to the dog park and then Heather Farms (sort of downtown park) for a very long walk. I think all the construction noise is wearing on me. I could've stopped at floors but oh no. Hope its done by championship games

 

[Walt34]

We received the 1099 form from the retirement plan so I entered that in TurboTax. I still need two more 1099 forms and then I can file the taxes for 2021.

 

[braumeister]

We weren't supposed to have this today.

 

[Out of Steam]

Was a cold day but went to ranch to prune wild black currant and some black currant I planted a few years ago.

I try to do all I can for the wild currant that grows along the crick. It has produced very well since I started helping it along.

My daughter did this to a blackberry patch behind our garage last year. I should probably fertilize it soon.

 

[1242Vintage]

Just getting moving this morning on the West Coast.

Headed out to race mtn bike mid-day … and if I place high enough will race again tomorrow morning with the younger and faster guys.

 

[Tetto]

Started a big crockpot of chili this morning and am clearing the driveway every couple of hours as we get hammered by the snowstorm in CT.

 

[aja8888]

Cut the grass in my backyard for the last time (I hope) this winter. Next, I am going to call my sister in Connecticut and ask her how the weather is today. LOL

 

[Music Lover]

Today's our last day in Florida, we're sad.

We're doing laundry and packing up the car. We did pretty good with food this time and have almost nothing perishable left over, other than what we want for the drive. 3000 kilometers to get home, broken into 3 legs of 1200, 1000, and 800. We plan to leave around 5:00 AM, maybe earlier.

 

[MC Rider]

Took apart the Weber Go Anywhere propane grill and cleaned it up, what a mess.
All the greasy parts are in the dishwasher now.

 

[RobbieB]

Drove out to Stockton and reserved a slip for the Big Boat -

 

[Ronstar]

Drove out to Stockton and reserved a slip for the Big Boat -

Don't try "The Loop" for a while. Lots of ice on the Illinois River.