Solar trailer rides again!

Andy-Mat

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Oct 26, 2018
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Yesterday's energy numbers: 1477Wh generated, and had I needed more could have had it as battery close to full all day. Just at the top of the hills full recharge rate was in use.

1405Wh consumed, highest daily total yet, and probably 20 higher as this data logger channel has an offset error of about -2Wh pet hour.

Difference is down to running camera off USB. But not exact, my homegrown logger is not to be relied upon to high precision.

Road highlight going back to Saturday is this group of 5 motorcyclists. First two or three OK, last one OK, but number 4 down the middle forcing two cars to the edge at a closing speed of about 100mph.

View attachment 47308

Sunset and sunrise.

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Non-EU red tape.

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All well here, time to pack and go.
Impressive trailer, power performance and photos. Very well done, the best and most interesing post(s) on Pedelec!
Regards and many thanks
Andy
 
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WheezyRider

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Apr 20, 2020
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Yesterday's energy numbers: 1477Wh generated, and had I needed more could have had it as battery close to full all day. Just at the top of the hills full recharge rate was in use.

1405Wh consumed, highest daily total yet, and probably 20 higher as this data logger channel has an offset error of about -2Wh pet hour.

Difference is down to running camera off USB. But not exact, my homegrown logger is not to be relied upon to high precision.

Road highlight going back to Saturday is this group of 5 motorcyclists. First two or three OK, last one OK, but number 4 down the middle forcing two cars to the edge at a closing speed of about 100mph.

View attachment 47308

Sunset and sunrise.

View attachment 47309

View attachment 47310

Non-EU red tape.

View attachment 47311

All well here, time to pack and go.
What is the peak Watt rating of your PV array? Are they wired in parallel or series? Impressive figures! Love the photos. Yesterday here was awful, cold and very wet.
 

matthewslack

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Nov 26, 2021
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The Guernicar deflector is invented!

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matthewslack

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Nov 26, 2021
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What is the peak Watt rating of your PV array? Are they wired in parallel or series? Impressive figures! Love the photos. Yesterday here was awful, cold and very wet.
Three 110Wp panels, so 330Wp total. Front panel has its own charge controller as I can shade it in some sun angles. Other two panels have to be parallel to keep voltage below 36V battery voltage, as the boost charge controllers need that. A 48v bike could put them in series. Controllers are Elejoy MU400SP.
 

Nealh

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Aug 7, 2014
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West Sx RH
Copper pipe lagging a good idea, one could go longer. It would either break or rebound.
 
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matthewslack

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Nov 26, 2021
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I should have mentioned on my last post that I am entering the Far North, where 4G cannot be guaranteed, so if I drop off the radar for s while don't assume the worst!

The Guernicar marking pointy finger has had more effect than I could have hoped for. It extends about 400mm, and I can hear people behind doing a double take, and then with a tiny number of exceptions, giving me the whole lane.

It has marked its first car I think, and a rather nice electric Zoe, so I'm glad it has no hard core. In a passing place overtake, me stationary, on the way to my latest paradise.

From the tent, lawn, water, mountains.

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The other way, field with sheep, perhaps Jacobs, saltmarsh sand and sea.

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This is the land of extraordinary mountain shapes.

An Teallach and Stac Pollaidh are amongst them. I'll recaption later, but need to rehydrate and work on a new mechanical defect first, as well as upload today's two pre-Guernicar van incidents to Police Scotland.

First sight of the water leading to Ullapool.


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More later, if not asleep.
 

guerney

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Sep 7, 2021
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It has marked its first car I think, and a rather nice electric Zoe, so I'm glad it has no hard core.
It needs a realistic looking silver bladed bendy rubber knife on the end! Or a fake severed limb wobbling about on a spring, to remind drivers what's at stake. Bloody drivers...

Perhaps it could trigger a loud piercing alarm when hit? MY cheapo GPS tracker light has a panic button, which sends a text marking it's exact location - triggered by collision, that might also be useful evidence... if the GoPro doesn't record GPS in the EXIF of timelapse photos.

A realistic looking severed leg waggling about on a spring on the passing side, which emits a blood curdling scream when hit, sends it's GPS coordinates by text, and snaps timelapse photos, might be a good Mattslacar Deflector/Kikka Mark X? The GoPro could be disguised as an auto-rotating eyeball on the big toe, which blinks occasionally.

Or a severed head wearing a GoPro.










 
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guerney

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It has marked its first car I think, and a rather nice electric Zoe, so I'm glad it has no hard core.
Guerney , you are truely one sick puppyo_O;)
Hi-viz tape doesn't seem to be noticeable for some drivers - maybe something shocking or funny would? It's bonkers that a driver wouldn't be wary of something sticking 40cm out from a trailer, unless they're seriously impaired visually or texting. GoPros have Image Stabilisation, therefore would still provide smooth footage worn on a prosthetic severed head waggling about on a spring about 40cms out.
 
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WheezyRider

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Apr 20, 2020
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Hi-viz tape doesn't seem to be noticeable for some drivers - maybe something shocking or funny would? It's bonkers that a driver wouldn't be wary of something sticking 40cm out from a trailer, unless they're seriously impaired visually or texting. Gopros have Image Stabilisation, therefore would still provide smooth footage worn on a prosthetic severed head waggling about on a spring about 40cms out.
Needs to have a sign below the severed head "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LAST PERSON WHO CLOSE PASSED ME!" :)
 
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WheezyRider

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Maybe this is the answer...


However, instead of killing the driver they take a video of the car and the driver and automatically upload footage to the relevant authorities. Can you imagine how driver behaviour would change if they got chased by a swarm of drones? Or maybe their AI just targets the car's tyres...depends how you feel on the day and the closeness of the pass :)

Would give them something to think about...
 
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guerney

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Sep 7, 2021
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Maybe this is the answer...


However, instead of killing the driver they take a video of the car and the driver and automatically upload footage to the relevant authorities. Can you imagine how driver behaviour would change if they got chased by a swarm of drones? Or maybe their AI just targets the car's tyres...depends how you feel on the day and the closeness of the pass :)

Would give them something to think about...
Reminds me of "Blood Music" by Greg Bear:


...and "Prey" by Michael Crichton

 

guerney

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Sep 7, 2021
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Needs to have a sign below the severed head "THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LAST PERSON WHO CLOSE PASSED ME!" :)
Can you imagine how driver behaviour would change if they got chased by a swarm of drones?
A hi-viz orange drone hovering over the trailer's passing side, a couple of feet away at windshield height? It could recharge wirelessly on a pad (and reload ketchup) when needed, as a freshly charged drone replaces it? Carrying fake severed heads with swivelling eyeballs squirting ketchup and the sign, of course...

Some DJI drones have a "Follow me" function - specific distances from a tracked point on the passing side would have to be programmed, which would mean custom drones or/and drone control software/hardware/firmware, because the DJI software doesn't seem to have those parameters.

 
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WheezyRider

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A hi-viz orange drone hovering over the trailer's passing side, a couple of feet away at windshield height? It could recharge wirelessly on a pad (and reload ketchup) when needed, as a freshly charged drone replaces it? Carrying fake severed heads with swivelling eyeballs squirting ketchup and the sign, of course...

Some DJI drones have a "Follow me" function - specific distances from a tracked point on the passing side would have to be programmed, which would mean custom drones or/and drone control software/hardware/firmware, because the DJI software doesn't seem to have those parameters.

That's interesting...I've been wondering for a while if it would be possible to have a drone "wingman" when you are cycling. It would pop up as someone approached and react to vehicle behaviour and give warnings. Now it looks like the software control etc is not far off.
 

guerney

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One of my neighbours has a unexceptional looking car which beeped progressively louder as I walked closer to it, turned out upon subsequent quizzicals that it was one of (increasing in value) Nigel Mansell's old touring championship Granadas, equipt with an ultrasonic proximity alarm - would something similar work for a bike trailer? Rapid ultra loud beeps when it's about 4ft away, all out mind melting 140db alarm when the distance is down to 1ft? There are already "RADAR" devices for bikes.
 

WheezyRider

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One of my neighbours has a unexceptional looking car which beeped progressively louder as I walked closer to it, turned out upon subsequent quizzicals that it was one of (increasing in value) Nigel Mansell's old touring championship Granadas, equipt with an ultrasonic proximity alarm - would something similar work for a bike trailer? Rapid ultra loud beeps when it's about 4ft away, all out mind melting 140db alarm when the distance is down to 1ft?

That's very easy to do with a microcontroller and an ultrasonic sensor.
 
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guerney

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That's very easy to do with a microcontroller and an ultrasonic sensor.
Hell I'd buy two. The BeepyRider is invented. Next stop: Kickstarter? We already have a test pilot. Something like that could wake up dozy drivers of self "Driving" cars out of their Netflix fantasies, and idiot texters.
 

guerney

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That's very easy to do with a microcontroller and an ultrasonic sensor.
The owner was probably mistaken, it's microwave RADAR - might also give thieves pause, when approaching a locked up bike?

 

guerney

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That's very easy to do with a microcontroller and an ultrasonic sensor.
Which microcontroller would you choose? It'd need a stable IDE.
 

WheezyRider

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Which microcontroller would you choose? It'd need a stable IDE.
Depends on your abilities. The natural choice would be an Arduino nano, or ESP32, but if programming is not your thing, you could go something simple like the Crumble (Redfern electronics) which is purpose designed for children with a Scratch like interface that's easy to use. You could have a distance sensor set up in less than 10 mins with that. There is also a more grown up version with the M5stack system that is ESP32 based, but comes in a package with a display and uses a scratch based or C+ type interface.
 
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