After a few days at the duplex in Montreal seeing the kids and recharging our batteries we returned to the cabin with Richard who arrived by train from Georgetown and got ready to start the next phase of the construction - setting up the solar system! Just after we arrived back at the property Mathieu and his crew of four from WattOSoleil in Montreal arrived and spent the next three days putting in the electrical solar system. First thing was, atop the wooden frame Marie and I had built last month, to erect an elaborate aluminum frame to hold the 16 panels. Once that was finished Richard, Mathieu and I ran the 100 feet of heavy wiring from the array up the bank and into the house through the carlon pipe we had put in place earlier. It took the next day to finish installing the panels and wire them to one another. The housing for the batteries was built, the pipe installed to vent them outside and the batteries hooked up to the inverter and array and by the time you could say 'no more electrical bills' we had power! The weather was superb and we had all the sun necessary to make electricity - and to run the system making sure all was okay. During that time Marie and I had a chance to take Richard to the bakery in the village and except for making him dig some holes, lay a trench, pile firewood and wash dishes I think he had a relaxing four days with us! Now we await the arrival of Dad and Lyn from Florida....gws
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| Mathieu deep in thought |
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| The panels.... |
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| and the batteries.... |
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| Richard the supervisor watching the action from below |
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| Mathieu and Louis with the first two panels in place |
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| finishing the first row of eight |
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| Richard still supervising... |
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| view of rear of array |
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| top row going on |
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| rest area outside Notre Dame des Bois |
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| Me and Rich digging a trench |
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| constructing the battery housing |
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| taking a break at Mamie |
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| Inside Mamies |
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| I,m right here! |
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| the finished array |
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| view from back with wire running up to house |
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| back of solar panel |
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| array and house |
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| view of solar array and wood construction |
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| finished panels and battery housing in mechanical room |
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| the 16 batteries |
