Did someone mention winter?

[Rolfe]

 

[Kenp1]

Are those all season tyres, look like it from the tyre tracks?

 

[Rolfe]

Yes. I had them put on a week ago. None too soon, obviously. They coped very well.

The snow had only started when I left about 7.25 for the Gaelic psalm-singing session in the church in the next village about three miles away (which is at about 1,000 feet). I turned on the pre-heat as we were packing up about ten, and the wipers cleared the windscreen, but I had to get out and clear the front lights by hand when I realised I couldn't see where I was going. I didn't remember to turn on snow mode immediately, but even so I didn't get any wheel slip. The road had been ploughed and gritted, but as the snow was still falling it was slightly hairy nonetheless. But the tyres were great. I should probably pay the garage bill.

 

[MG Clive]

No snow in Cumbria yet, but we might see some today

 

[Rolfe]

I was just thinking how incongruous it is to see a car that has just been driven for three miles with an inch of snow lying unbroken on its bonnet!

 

[Bam Bam]

You've made it look like a BYD Seal or something with the corner scoops from the snow.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

I used to have a car with a constantly failing thermostat , so for winter I covered half the radiator with cardboard. For the SE maybe the same for the air vents which do not have the auto shutters, then again the auto shutters may get blocked/ frozen in place. Could help the A/C system if the bottom of the condenser is not snow bound. And as for that illegal number plate ???

 

[Everest]

Yeah! It's Caliban the Snow Leopard

 

[T1 Terry]

Often wondered what the car park would look like at the Deb mashed potato factor if things went wrong ....

Much cooler day here as well, only got to 18*C they reckon, but it was still a tad warm in the sun ...... should I take a photo of a hot full sun day so you can all sit around it to keep warm?

T1 Terry

 

[Rolfe]

Couldn't hurt.

 

[Rolfe]

I thought maybe today's solar would be pathetic if the panels were covered in snow, but I heard them shed their snow once the sun had hit them, and in any case the snow was significantly lighter here than it was where Caliban was parked for the evening and where he picked up his snow leopard suit. Actually generated 8.5 kwh today and counting.

When I went into the garage to plug Caliban in a few minutes ago (I have a long-ish trip tomorrow) I saw that all the snow had melted off him apart from a little sort of moustache on the duck-tail. Which suggests I don't have to worry about frozen pipes in the garage just yet. I used to imagine that the residual heat from Prospero's engine would help keep the water pipe clear, but Caliban's an EV...

 

[Everest]

Actually generated 8.5 kwh today and counting.

PV panels have a negative temperature coefficient of voltage (and hence power), typically around -0.3%/°C. In this weather (just sub-zero where you are?) then cell temp is likely to be only 5 to 10 degrees, compared to around 40 to 50 C in summer time. Hence, for a given irradiance, they should produce maybe 12% more power when that cold.

 

[Rolfe]

40 to 50 C in summer time! Have you any notion where I live? To be fair, I don't know what temperature the panels themselves get to in full sun in summer and I do see the power drop off when they warm in the sun, but I don't think I can fry eggs on them. A really warm day around here is in the low 20s.

 

[Everest]

40 to 50 C in summer time! Have you any notion where I live?

Oh yes I'm talking about cell temperature, not ambient. Cell temps will often get 20 to 30C hotter than ambient in full sun, so 40 to 50 in summer is likely.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Oh yes I'm talking about cell temperature, not ambient. Cell temps will often get 20 to 30C hotter than ambient in full sun, so 40 to 50 in summer is likely.

Much experience of Barlinnie , have we ?

 

[Rolfe]

Oh yes I'm talking about cell temperature, not ambient. Cell temps will often get 20 to 30C hotter than ambient in full sun, so 40 to 50 in summer is likely.

I didn't think the difference was that much, given that there's virtually always a breeze blowing on them.

 

[Archev]

I didn't think the difference was that much, given that there's virtually always a breeze blowing on them.

I just looked over to the winter wonderland otherwise known as the Pentland hills to the south of Edinburgh. All glistening and Bonny with their sugar coating today. Gosh it’s a different world over there

 

[Archev]

Much experience of Barlinnie , have we ?

Other holiday establishments are available

 

[Rolfe]

I just looked over to the winter wonderland otherwise known as the Pentland hills to the south of Edinburgh. All glistening and Bonny with their sugar coating today. Gosh it’s a different world over there

It's what the Icelanders call "window weather". Weather to be observed from the comfort of indoors. I went out just long enough to plug Caliban in (which I didn't do last night) so that he's charged for tomorrow, and have a look at the solar panels. Brass monkeys, frankly.

 

[Everest]

I didn't think the difference was that much, given that there's virtually always a breeze blowing on them.

Obviously wind will be a factor - but my gut feel is that it will provide minimal cooling of cells in comparison to solar heating.

PV panels are not that reflective and only around 22% efficient at converting light into electricity - the remaining 78% of light energy will heat the cells up. When ambient was around 23°C we measured ours - most cells were in the mid 50's (°C), but the range was from about 46°C to 64°C IIRC.