Sunday, January 20, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Solar Install From our very first conversations about what was needed in the bus and what was merely a luxury item, it was clear that Jen would go anywhere as long a cold beverages were a possibility. Whats not to love about this girl? Being that we also want to be as far away from society as we possible (we aren’t really the KOA type) for as long as possible… solar clearly became our option for staying off-grid and keeping food and bevies cold. We did a ton of research here and also got a bit of help from a local who had done a few RV and marine installs (last thing we wanted to do after dropping the change for a solar panel and batteries was to hook something up wrong and fry all the components…). After running calculations for our power draw needs online and taking into account everyone else’s setup and feedback, we ended up going with a Kyocera 135W panel. According to most blogs and posts we’ve read from other VW owners using solar this should be clear overkill for a weekend away, but should allow us to stay gone as long as we want and might even work here in the less-than-sunny pacific northwest.The solar panel feeds two 12 volt batteries running in parallel and stored under one of our seats. Since we didn’t have a method for storing the batteries outside of the bus, we had to go with AGM (sealed) batteries as they don’t off-gas like common batteries and can be used in confined and low ventilation areas (like our bus).For the solar controller we went with a Sunsaver Duo, which seems to be the controller of choice with the added bonus of being very affordable and easy to use. The handy panel tells us how much energy we are pulling off the sun, how much we are drawing at any given time and how much power we have left to draw. We also hooked everything up to the starter battery so that we can track its power level and recharge it from the sun as needed. An isolator ensures that the starter battery wont draw down and leave us stranded simply because we stay up late and leave the lights on like motel 6.We also installed an inverter to make sure we could convert the DC into AC for an outlet to charge our phones, ipod and other necessities while out and about. This should also let us run a lighting system and we’ve started looking into LED lights that will work for our needs. We purchased a Truckfridge 49 a few months ago and have been dying to use this thing in the bus. All works as planned and the system is smooth. We still haven’t really tested how long we can survive off a charge but the fridge runs fine even on wet days here in VAN and our drink are cold as planned! We have a ton to learn/discover about the real workings of the system, but our learning curve has already been huge. In case it’s helpful, here’s our whole system (a diagram I pulled together well after this post now that i really know whats going on)
http://www.thedangerz.com/solar-install/
Solar Install
From our very first conversations about what was needed in the bus and what was merely a luxury item, it was clear that Jen would go anywhere as long a cold beverages were a possibility. Whats not to love about this girl?
Being that we also want to be as far away from society as we possible (we aren’t really the KOA type) for as long as possible… solar clearly became our option for staying off-grid and keeping food and bevies cold.
We did a ton of research here and also got a bit of help from a local who had done a few RV and marine installs (last thing we wanted to do after dropping the change for a solar panel and batteries was to hook something up wrong and fry all the components…).
After running calculations for our power draw needs online and taking into account everyone else’s setup and feedback, we ended up going with a Kyocera 135W panel. According to most blogs and posts we’ve read from other VW owners using solar this should be clear overkill for a weekend away, but should allow us to stay gone as long as we want and might even work here in the less-than-sunny pacific northwest.
The solar panel feeds two 12 volt batteries running in parallel and stored under one of our seats. Since we didn’t have a method for storing the batteries outside of the bus, we had to go with AGM (sealed) batteries as they don’t off-gas like common batteries and can be used in confined and low ventilation areas (like our bus).
For the solar controller we went with a Sunsaver Duo, which seems to be the controller of choice with the added bonus of being very affordable and easy to use. The handy panel tells us how much energy we are pulling off the sun, how much we are drawing at any given time and how much power we have left to draw. We also hooked everything up to the starter battery so that we can track its power level and recharge it from the sun as needed. An isolator ensures that the starter battery wont draw down and leave us stranded simply because we stay up late and leave the lights on like motel 6.
We also installed an inverter to make sure we could convert the DC into AC for an outlet to charge our phones, ipod and other necessities while out and about. This should also let us run a lighting system and we’ve started looking into LED lights that will work for our needs. We purchased a Truckfridge 49 a few months ago and have been dying to use this thing in the bus.
All works as planned and the system is smooth. We still haven’t really tested how long we can survive off a charge but the fridge runs fine even on wet days here in VAN and our drink are cold as planned! We have a ton to learn/discover about the real workings of the system, but our learning curve has already been huge.
We did a ton of research here and also got a bit of help from a local who had done a few RV and marine installs (last thing we wanted to do after dropping the change for a solar panel and batteries was to hook something up wrong and fry all the components…).
After running calculations for our power draw needs online and taking into account everyone else’s setup and feedback, we ended up going with a Kyocera 135W panel. According to most blogs and posts we’ve read from other VW owners using solar this should be clear overkill for a weekend away, but should allow us to stay gone as long as we want and might even work here in the less-than-sunny pacific northwest.
The solar panel feeds two 12 volt batteries running in parallel and stored under one of our seats. Since we didn’t have a method for storing the batteries outside of the bus, we had to go with AGM (sealed) batteries as they don’t off-gas like common batteries and can be used in confined and low ventilation areas (like our bus).
For the solar controller we went with a Sunsaver Duo, which seems to be the controller of choice with the added bonus of being very affordable and easy to use. The handy panel tells us how much energy we are pulling off the sun, how much we are drawing at any given time and how much power we have left to draw. We also hooked everything up to the starter battery so that we can track its power level and recharge it from the sun as needed. An isolator ensures that the starter battery wont draw down and leave us stranded simply because we stay up late and leave the lights on like motel 6.
We also installed an inverter to make sure we could convert the DC into AC for an outlet to charge our phones, ipod and other necessities while out and about. This should also let us run a lighting system and we’ve started looking into LED lights that will work for our needs. We purchased a Truckfridge 49 a few months ago and have been dying to use this thing in the bus.All works as planned and the system is smooth. We still haven’t really tested how long we can survive off a charge but the fridge runs fine even on wet days here in VAN and our drink are cold as planned! We have a ton to learn/discover about the real workings of the system, but our learning curve has already been huge.
In case it’s helpful, here’s our whole system (a diagram I pulled together well after this post now that i really know whats going on)
Zipolite, Mexico The main “street” through zipolite is a pedestrian corridor with a few fledgling bars and restaurants. As always, we picked the one with a gathering of people, ... www.thedangerz.com/zipolite-mexico-2/?utm...rss...
Zipolite, Mexico
The main “street” through zipolite is a pedestrian corridor with a few fledgling bars and restaurants. As always, we picked the one with a gathering of people, ...
www.thedangerz.com/zipolite-
Zipolite, Mexico
We are spending our days exploring the small coastal towns and beaches of Oaxaca….and loving it. We spend most of our days (before and after the sun reaches its sweltering peak) walking the length of beaches and meeting locals. First we were hoping to find an area for camping or a restaurant that would allow us to stay beside them with a view of the ocean, now it’s simply to soak up the local atmosphere.
The main “street” through zipolite is a pedestrian corridor with a few fledgling bars and restaurants. As always, we picked the one with a gathering of people, then stopped for dinner only to realize the owner of the new establishment was the same guy thats helped us to our cabana a few nights back. We enjoy sitting with the young entrepreneur and his friends, talking about life in Zipolite and getting the insiders’ perspective. As we return to the candlelit ambience of our palapas, 100s of people now line the street sipping a beer/cocktail from the bar behind them or selling their handmade jewelry and sculptures on the curb. Several musicians are playing/drumming and as we reach the end of the street we can see the twirling glow of the firethrowers behind us…just too late for the show.
We are no longer in our plush palapa cabana (that was only a two day treat) but have returned to the bus and are parked on the opposite end of the beach. The west end was a collection of rustic chic bungalows as where here we are amidst rundown houses, tents and ramshackle palapas that look to be overrun with the group we left behind at the rainbow gathering. Zipolite has become famous for its nude/free lifestyle and attracts hippies and backpackers (primarily from europe but) from around the globe. The number of tourists we see here is higher than many other places we’ve been but they seem to leisurely fit in rather than taking over. Its almost impossibly tranquillo here, which we find out later that it might have something to do with the amount of herb and mushrooms grown in the mountains nearby.
Further down this end of the beach we stumbled across a tiny pocket cove called playa amor (love beach). This tiny secluded beach behind the point is your reward for scrambling up some stairs and down the other side. It’s a gorgeous spot that attracts most of the nude sunbathers but also an amazing place to grab a rock and catch the sunset- something tells me we’ll be returning. Yesterday we ventured north to see the beaches of mazunte and san agustanillo. Each beach has its own beauty and vibe, but all are framed with beautiful rock outcroppings and points that hug the sandy shore. We could stay in either of these for a while but we have already arranged a steal of a deal in zipolite parking on the beach for 50pesos/night, so we return to our new temporary home.
Wedged in between two locals homes on the beach, our view each morning is of the sun coming up over the point and its light filtering through the palapas built to hold hammocks for family friends and the occasional tourist in need of shade and a cold beer before continuing down the beach. Im trying to remember the last time i saw anyone in north america see a mexican (or any other) traveller and stopped them to shake their hand and say “welcome to my country, i hope you love it here”, much less would let them park alongside their home and come inside to use their sink and bathroom or play with their kids. Hospitality and community have a slightly different meaning here, and we are enjoying every second of it.
Aves de Huatulco, Oaxaca, México Birds of Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico
Aves de Huatulco, Oaxaca, México
Birds of Huatulco, Oaxaca, Mexico
(Haga clic en las imágenes para ampliarlas - Click on images below for larger view)
| 1 2 Violet Crowned Humming Bird-Amazilia vioiceps-Colobri Corona-violeta 3 4 5 6 Cinamon Hummingbird - Amazilia rutilia - Colobri Amazilia Canelo 7 Colima Pigmy Owl - Glaucidium palmarum - Tecolotito Colimense 8 Pacific Screetch Owl - Otus cooperi - Tecolote de Cooper; Sabanera 9 Ferruginous Pygmy Owl - Glaucidium brasilianum -Mochuelo Comun 10 Golden Cheeked Woodpecker - Melanerpus chrysogenys Carpintero Cachetidorado 11 Lineated Woodpecker - Dryocopus lineatus - Carpintero Lineado 12 Black Sripped Woodpecker - Xiphorhynchus lachrymosus - Trepador Pinto13-144Black Vulture -Black Vulture - Coragyps atratus - Zopilote Negro15 Grey Hawk - Asturina nitida - Aguililla/Gavilan Gris16 Grey Hawk (immature) - Asturina nitida - Aguililla/Gavilan Gris17 Solitary Eagle - Harpyhaliaetus solitarius - Aguila Solitaria18 Laughing Falcon - Herpetheres cachinnans - Halcon Guaco19 Osprey - Pandion haliaetus - Gavilan/Auila Pescador20 West Mexican Chachalaca - Ortis poliocephala - Chachalaca Mexicana21 White Bellied Dove - Leptotila jamaicensis - Paloma Caribena22 Inca Dove - Columbina inca - Tortola Colilarga 23 24 2526 Squirrel Cuckoo - Piaya cayana - Cuco Ardilla27 Lesser Ground Cuckoo - Morococcyx eryhropygus - Cuco Terrestre Menor28 Groove Billed Ani - Crotophaga sulcirostris - Garrapatero Asurcado 29 Citreoline Trogon - Trogen citreolus - Trogen Citrino 30 Citreoline Trogon - Trogen citreolus - Trogen Citrino 31 Russet Crowned Motmot - Momotus mexicanus - Momoto Coronicafe 32 Great Kiskadee - Pitangus sulphuratus - Luis/Bienteveo Grande 33 Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis - Carinal Norteno (male) 34 Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis - Carinal Norteno (female) 35 Blue Bunting - Cyanocompsa parellina - Colorin Azulynegro 36 Great Tailed Grackle - Quiscalus mexicanus - Zanate Mayor (female) 37 Great Tailed Grackle - Quiscalus mexicanus - Zanate Mayor (male) 36 Great Tailed Grackle - Quiscalus mexicanus - Zanate Mayor (female) 37 Great Tailed Grackle - Quiscalus mexicanus - Zanate Mayor (male) 38 Orange Breasted Bunting - Passerina leclancherii - Colorin Pechinaranja 39 Rufus-backed Thrush (Robin) - Turdus ruopalliatus -Zorzal Dorsirrufo 40 Altamira Oriole - Icterus gularis - Bolsero de Atamira 42 41 Yellow-winged Cacique - Cacicus melanicterus - Cacique Mexicano 42 43 Black Throated Magpie Jay - Calocitta colliei - Urraca Hermosa Carinegra 44 45 46 48 49 50 51 Brown-Headed Cow Bird - Molothrus ater - Vaquero Cabecicafe 71 Boat Billed Heron - Cochlearius cochlearius - Garza Cucharon (female) 71b Boat Billed Heron - Cochlearius cochlearius - Garza Cucharon (male) 72 Tri-Colored Heron - Egretta tricolor - Garza Tricolor 73 Green Heron - Butorides virescens - Garza Verde 74 Little Egret - Egretta garzetta - Garceta Comun 75 Great Egret - Casmerodius albus - Garza Grande 76 Pelagic Cormorant - Phalacrocorax pelagicus - Cormoran Pelagico 77 78 Rufescent Tiger Heron - Tigrisoma lineate - Garza-tigre de Silva 79 Black-Crowned Night Heron - Nycticorax nycticorax - Garza Nocturna (juvenile) 80 81 82 Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularia - Playero Vagabudo; Correlimos Vagamundo 83 84 Cattle Egret - Bubulucus ibis - Garza Ganadera/Garcilla Buyerera 85 Brown Pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis - Pelicano Cafe/Pardo 86 Black-Necked Stilt-Himantopus mexicanus - Candelero Americanos;Ciguenuela Cuellinegro 87 Rufescent Tiger Heron - Tigrisoma lineate - Garza-tigre de Silva 88 Blue-Winged Teal - Anas discors - Cerceta Aliazul |
haga clic en el siguiente para más fotos de la naturaleza de Huatulco
Click on the folowing for more nature photos of Huatulco
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