Yesterday spit rain enough for regular speed windshield wipers while on I-15 to ST George & back. Late in afternoon up in Hurricane the temp dropped both because of time of day and 600′ higher. I am staying @ Jem TH @ 4200′. Late yesterday afternoon when I drove out to camp it was snowing big wet snow flakes. Rain was mixed in. My ventilation fan in the ceiling leaked for the first time since 10/26/08 when it was roofer sealed by old school buddy S (that’s his nickname from school days). Leak ceased when snow only fell. Sky lightens almost 7:30. Saw pristine dry snow all around. Mountain sides were dressed in white hiding the reds & yellows of desert.
I walked out to the highway to learn of its condition to drop into town. Hwy drops down a steep wash on no shoulder cranking turns hardtop. I did not want to negotiate the downhill unless conditions were in my favor. Before i reached the hwy an suv drove in. I now had a track to the cleared hwy. I decided that I needed to go into town to at least buy propane that I figured I needed to fill up on Wed.
I now have a solar panel to charge the rig battery for sound system usuage. I still hold my breath when I turn the key after even just 1 late day, night, & early morn radio usuage. I beleive I drained the battery after 2 days of flat out sticking in the van listening to sound draining the battery. The radio was played so long because I was healing & not leaving the van. The solar panel gives me comfort that I putting power back. I wonder if I am keeping energy up.
Question to my readers ( read Les). Under ideal conditions the charger puts out 5 watts per hour. The van stereo does not state it’s power requirement. How many hours of 5 watts per hour will I need to make up for stereo consumption?
Drove out using the suv tracks. No funny business to check out traction. I figured if I didn’t make the hard road I could be stuck until snow melts & road dried out. Hwy was bare, wet, & dry making wash drop safe.
Bought propane, 5.3 gals; 5.8 is max. I would have run out before dinner if I would have stayed @ Jem waiting out drivable dirt road.
Today i hung out @ bike shop and later the city library, no Cosmopolitan mag. Tonight I plan on dirtbagging here in town. Forecast temp is 9 deg. Jem would be colder w/ slippery condition.
Hurricane is just outside the wrath of this strong winter storm. Hurricane got about an inch of snow. New Harmony near Cedar City about 40 miles north got 19. Route to Flag is affected by this storm.
Church Rocks is outside of Hurricane along I-15 is a good ride when wet as it binds the sand together. Tomorrow could be primo condition. I plan on sampling.
Using OTE wireless @ 230 megs vs my card @ 56 ks. Pictures still take time, almost the same annoying slowness.
Hi Craig,
I thought you were going to somewhere warm? You better head south or get some skis if you are staying there. You have more snow than we do. It is really cold here but no snow in town. Les will need to know the watts usage on your stereo before he can help you. Can you put a meter on the battery to see it charge level?
Craig, saw that Brianhead received 18 inches of new fluffy stuff. Thought you might see some. Regarding your electrical usage, your stereo has a rating for power consumption. If you can find the model you could look it up on the internet to find power consumption. It is probably also on the label of the radio if you can get to it. Here’s a rough but probably adequate guess-ti-mate. Depends on the output level (how high you crank it).
Average is probably 5 to 10 amps. crank it high ’till you hear distortion and you’ll be using 8 – 12. By then your car stereo will shutdown or die if it’s not the speakers that gave in first.
So the answer is if you are listening at low levels and your panel is in bright sunlight, you’re probably producing what you’re using. On down the line, you might want to add a second panel (in parrallel to the first).