Measuring Solar Panel Performance

Under a scheme in the UK, we are able to have solar panels for electricity generation for free, the basics of the scheme is that you can use as much electricity as you can generate and the remaining generated electricity that goes back into the grid gets paid to the company who supply the Solar PV System.

So we have had one fitted, and obviously I was very keen to see the benefits of having the system, so I bought an OWL CM160 to try and monitor the electric usage.  

The software that comes with the OWL is ok, however doesn't really have much functionality other than displaying historic/realtime usage.

So my intention is to, output the data collected from the OWL to a file that can be read/visualised by external sources, then use this to remotely monitor the data, ideally from my iphone, android phone, or my ipad via apps that I will build.

I intend to hook up another OWL monitor to measure Solar generated power against the house consumption so I can compare the 2.

I will break this up into stages as I go through the project.

LED Doorlock indicators

Check out this write up by my dad on his doorlock status lights!!

Really cool project, with some real world uses

http://grizzly-grizzlysblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/door-lock-indicators-first-project-to.html

Google+

Have just received my invite, will check it out and post thoughts soon.

Automated hallway Skirtingboard Lighting

Here's a slightly more involved project of mine, finished today (almost) using a second box of the LED decking lights I bought for my kitchen plinth lighting project.

When I fitted my new kitchen I put new flooring in though the hall into the kitchen, and at the same time removed all the skirting to be replaced.

When I fitted the flooring I laid some connecting wiring under the floor, just for this reason.

So, skirting board bought, box of LED lights, and a day off, here we go again!

Kitchen Window Etching the techie way!

Now here is my next problem to solve, our house faces a road with nothing but the driveway between whats happening in the kitchen and the passing pedestrians and cars! This became more apparent when I re-fitted the kitchen as I took down the old blind etc.

I looked into electric blinds, however I found they are either huge money, or not really suitable for what I need.

So my solution was to put my vinyl cutter to good use.

Android Collectables coming to stickface later in the year

Coming sometime towards the end of the year to http://shop.stickface.co.uk the fullrange of Android Collectables!!

I will be ordering direct from the distributor in the USA, email me if you want to pre-order the 16 piece box sets

New phone in the house!!!!

I have finally got my hands on a Dell Streak, I have been after one for a while and a deal came up on xda-developers that invloved me swapping my HD2 for a streak. I have to say I have been missing out for a while by not having a streak, it is pretty much the perfect phone for me.

I have 2 contracts meaning that my iphone is used for the majority of my actual phone calls, and the second line that is in my streak is mainly used for text, email and web browsing. The large screen makes this perfect for this, although its a bit tricky to carry around everywhere.

Currently the streak is running dj_steve's 1.9 streakdroid rom, which is very good, superfast and everything works as it should, I will be however cooking my own in the very near future.

Due to the fact that I am a bit funny about my phones and the rear battery cover had a few scratches on it, I used some Carbon Effect Wrapping Vinyl (post to come about this stuff, its awesome) to cover the rear door, as seen below.

All I need now is to find some jeans that have 3 front pockets! 1 for my streak, 1 for my iphone, and 1 for my change/keys unless I incorporate my NFC cash card into the rear cover and find a way to drive the car and lock the house without keys!!!!