#poolpond — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #poolpond, aggregated by home.social.
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THE TRENCH IS DUG
a video
Doing some final measurements to figure out exactly what the lengths are so I can calculate voltage drop for the solar panels.
Good news! The full length is only 97ft! That is a voltage drop of 1.4% for 10/2 wire. Good enough for solar! (2% or under is recommended for micro-inverter based solar installation)
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nothing distracts from a #tradewar like digging!
this last extension of the trench is not fun. I am about halfway there! thankfully it is partly cloudy and relatively cool. good trenching weather.
it would be cool if electricity could wire itself... preferably wirelessly. ⚡️
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So... sort of a #poolpond update.
I'm trying to make some decisions on wiring. I thought I had it figured out last week... then I double and triple checked... and it turns out I was not right at all.The problem is my own doing of course. I want to have the *ability* to have a whole bunch of solar panels spread around the yard. So I need to make sure whatever I put in the ground is correct, because I will NOT be digging any more trenches in the next 20 years!
After some extensive research over the past few days/nights I believe I've come to the conclusion that I should run two, AWG-10/2 wires from the house for solar for the 240V connections. (I was only planning on one initially)
Because of how grid-tie solar micro-inverters work, they are not well suited to being spread out across a yard... or at least it's expensive to do because they all use their own proprietary cabling between the inverters and the AC cable junction box.
I would like a maximum of 20 panels spread around the yard! (see image).
It might work out fine because I *think* I have enough wire to make two branches out from the house, one to the south fence (left) and one to the greenhouse area.
But I still get a little confused/unsure about whether the solar strings need to be isolated on their own branch, if I can go from, say, the south fence, with 6 panels, and then add go to the patio with the same wire and ending at the greenhouse, each adding two panels as we go.
I might be overthinking and the answer is 'of course' it's just electricity, as long as everything is in parallel and doesn't add up to 20 or 30A, you're fine.
But this stuff always makes me nervous.. because trenches... and technology.
On the bright side, I ordered som surprisingly inexpensive direct-bury Multimode fibre cable today! That will be going in the trench from house to greenhouse along with a run of CAT5E if I still have enough of it in the box in the basement downstairs!
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Pipe and electrical wiring going in the trench!
The plumber came today with the water pipe so this is all very exciting. Now that I, back to work I don’t have much time except in the evenings and weekends but we’ll get everything in there and cut to appropriate length so we can cover up the trench!
Yay!
I had a minor panic when I realized I originally, with our old shed, used 3-conductor wiring for the Enphase inverters. But this time I bought 2 conductor (single phase).
But I double checked the wiring diagrams and indeed single phase is adequate for up to 9 panels.
All good!
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Doing some #poolpond math as someone was asking about power usage/cost.
I have been running the pond pumps (Jebao 20000) at 50% normally. They show on the controller to be using around 63 Watts. So that’s 126 Watts total. The pumps run continuously, 24/7.
When we are in the pond, or if I am doing something that disturbs it and it needs a clean, I’ll put them up to 95% temporarily which is 160 W on the display. So 320W total.
I am thinking that in the winter when we are not swimming as much (lol!), and the demands are lower as there is less plant and other growth, I’ll reduce it to minimum which is 30%, which I believe is 15W. So that’s 30W total.
Ok, so now that we have those three modes we can talk about cost and comparison.
Cost: My power cost is based on time of day (cheaper overnight, normal in day, more expensive in evening), so we will keep it simple and say I pay an average of about 11c/kWh.
Comparison: for comparison, since I talk about my #EV a lot, let’s compare to my Kona EV. Which has a 64kWh battery.
Here comes the math:
Let’s say I never do anything but run it at 50%, 24hrs a day and 365 days a year. The math is easy.
63Wx2pumps = 126Wx24hr =3024Wh or 3.024kWh per day
3.0kWh x 365 = 1095kWh per year1095x11 cents = 12,045/100= $120.45
Or
1095kWh / 64kWh = 17 “fills” of my Kona EV.Realistically, I will be running these pumps in various configurations and power levels throughout the year. I might even only run one pump at times. I am not sure yet.
But at this point let’s break it down something like:
2% of the time at 95% (320W)
40% of the time at 50% (126W)
58% of the time at 30% (30W)That works out to:
95% / 320W for 7.3 days = 56kWh = $6.16
50% / 126W for 146 days = 441kWh = $48.51
30% / 30W for 211 days = 151kWh = $16.61Total: $71.28
If your question is “why is that so much less than running my hot tub like 20 times a year?”… it’s the “hot” part. There won’t be any heating in my poolpond. You swim in whatever temperature it chooses for YOU. 😂 🥶 🥵
Well. That was fun. 🧐
To complete the nerding, I have attached a snap of the user manual with the various pump ratings/specs. It is searchable online for Jebao pumps.
Now you too can have a poolpond!
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PS. Bonus video!
After I got out of the pond and was standing be the bay, a robin flew down on the other side of the hazelnut tree and landed in the bog filter pond!
After she checked me out for awhile to make sure I wasn’t threatening, she had a bath! Then two starlings came and joined in, and a stellar’s jay came and caused a ruckus, as they do 😂 but my phone died. This was the only video I got.
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work... worth it
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ok. the branch behind the shed is not gonna happen today. It will be a chore... lots going on there. But got started at least and the branch to the intake bay pump is done.
ready for the plumber tomorrow.
ready for a dip in the clear water of the pool pond NOW 😝 🏊
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got some of the intake bay branch done... but also hungry!
time for leftover burrito fixings. the tomato is actually from the plants on our deck!
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branch to the pump in the large pond done!
2 more to go... the sun is starting to break through the morning fog. time is ticking!
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main trench is complete!!
including branches to the south fence, patio area and greenhouse!
now just need to make 2 or 3 final branches. two short ones to the edge of the pond for each pond pump wire and one long one along the back of the shed to the north fence post for wiring into the shed and to the fence!
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taking a breather while the sprinkler does its thing watering both the flower/blueberry garden, and the hazelnut tree, and the poolpond itself!
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made good progress so far this morning. it is so much easier in the cool of the morning!!
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3hrs of work.
feels like I barely got anything accomplished but i know thats not true and there are results. Got the windy part down to 18" and managed ti start on the small Ts for the patio and greenhouse.
really wanted to be done today but tomorrow will be another day and I can definitely get it ready for the plumber.
now to shower... to eat/drink... and hopefully nap
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trenches are not my favourite
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Oh and my bald spot is peeling.
Wear a hat folks. 😆
#backyardProject #DIY #poolpond -
Well, I made a good dent before the fog burned off and the time alarm went off to get onto other things. Got my workout. 🥵 💪
Just got to have it absolutely done by Monday, but I think I can definitely finish it tomorrow. 🤞
Got electrical conduit and wire yesterday! Plumber comes Monday afternoon!
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give me strength to conquer this today!
#backyardProject #DIY #poolpond -
the #poolpond plants are growing in number and size.
shifted a couple around yesterday as they were a little unhappy, specifically the banana looking plant (red and green broad leaves)
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progress....
the shop vac is alot easier, and a bit faster, than clearing out the dirt with the pick.
but still have to check the depth every little bit to make sure I am at 18. Only some picking needed to get it down to grade.
the fog has burned off. sun is out. sweating now 😅
this is the easy trench though. The one going across the back is a little more complicated and messy because I had to drive over it a couple of times with the trencher.
and now it is in full sun
#PandemicPond #BackyardProject #PoolPond #DIY #Gardening -
overflow trench dug out, extra drainage pipe from the #PandemicPond put down and covered with drainage rock. Ill cover this with fabric cloth and then level with dirt/grass so it is mostly invisible.
I am not actually hooking it up to the perimeter, drain and sewage lines directly but it will go into that space. There won't be much flow here at all and in time I could add a T to one of the access pipes to allow for water to enter the system there... but it's not a big concern. Something for another day.
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Pond looking a little calm?
Oops. Apparently, I pulled the plug on the extension cord feeding the pumps when I plugged in the shop vac. I was afraid I popped the breaker, but I actually just pulled the plug.
And that is why we are doing this trenching project. Lol #BackyardProject #PoolPond #DIY #Gardening
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so I am picking away here with my trusty pickax when I look over and realize there's a shopvac right there. And the dirt is dry and fine-grained.
Work smarter, not harder, friends.
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clearing the trenches...
somehow, with my first ever, try at a mechanical trencher I managed to actually make the trench between 18 and 20 inches deep. It needs to be at least 18. So far so good as I clear the loose stuff from the trench.
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back into the trenches, literally. I'm continuing to get the trenching done for electrical, internet, and plumbing out to the shed.
If anyone sees this who has experience with home fiber networks I would be interested in their advice. Our home is mostly wired with CAT5 but there are increasingly heavy bandwidth loads over the past few years.
We have 10Gb fibre to the house from Telus. I would like to gradually add a few ports of fibre to key points but it is out of my day to day networking experience.
First question would be, can I bury fibre with the electrical?
suggestions welcome.
here are some pics. I have dug this trench before, almost 20 years ago.. when we first put solar and power to the old shed. 110 and 220V circuits.
different route this time arohnd the ponds, and also more connection points for both 220 solar and 110 home. Only want to do this once every 20 years at most, so now is the time to do it all. 😝
#poolpond #backyardProject #diy #networking #fibre #cat5 #gardening #home
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CW: cw: selfie 🤳
most people probably don't put fabric down underneath gravel or a patio, but as you can see, there was a lot left over for the pond. 😂
omg it is so hot to work around in the sun 🥵
done. Im done. i went in the pool. it was good 🏊 💧
lunch and nap time
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CW: cw: selfie 🤳
it's already pretty hot in the sun. And the patio area is in need of a lot of help/dirt to level it out.
I'm sweaty but grateful for the grape arbour to hide under for a break.
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back around to the backyard and the #poolpond project. got one pad levelled and cloth down for the greenhouse (8ftx8ft). Now levelling the pad for the patio/sitting area and paellero / bbq spot (10ftx10ft)
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success!
checked on the pandemic pond this morning and even though it was hot yesterday it is still nearly full!
Very little evaporation loss! Looks like that woody debris on the edge of the water was the culprit.
Woot! IT troubleshooting skills for the win. 😝
#poolpond #pandemicpond #pandemicpond #pondlife #gardening #home #diy #IT #TroubleShooting