Boast about your latest purchases here...

[ChrisF]

1 hour ago, FondTF2 said:

Gel Deep Cycle from Maiden Electronics. 

R3850 to be exact 

 

 

Just ordered a solar regulator .... have a couple of solar panels I want to connect to the UPS box to extend run time ....

 

Will enjoy it later.

 

For now a grudge purchase

[Showtime]

I needed to know if I was missing out on flats.

Really cannot fault the shoes but the first ride definitely wasn't what I was hoping.

I have many unmaintained rocky trails here and felt I will be able to ride the dodgy bits that I walked on my clipless for fear of falling. In practice I couldn't maintain power to keep going on very rocky sections where I could power through using clipless so ended up walking more. 

Also find myself second guessing the foot position the entire time and wonder if the zero float is an issue.

Will definitely give them an extended run.

 

[patches]

Not cycling related... not even running related (as I am far too lazy), but decided to purchase some new "work shoes".

I wear tekkies most days as I walk to and from the bus stop and run around the hospital. I only change into more formal shoes or safety-boots if I'm attending big-boy meetings or wandering around construction areas.

Ashamedly this is the 2nd most expensive footwear I have ever purchased. MX boots being first.

 I know these are an overkill for walking shoes, but I just liked the look 😅

(I better grab my flame-suit for when the running thread peeps see this, haha)

On Running Cloudace

[M L]

On 6/29/2022 at 2:52 PM, TheoG said:

What batteries did you get from where?  GEL or AGM?  At that price probably not Lithium?

 

On 6/29/2022 at 3:27 PM, FondTF2 said:

Gel Deep Cycle from Maiden Electronics. 

R3850 to be exact 

I will never do GEL or AGM again. My 100Ah lasted 2 years with not a lot of load shedding. Cost R3,300. Now replaced with a Lithium for R7,500. Been very happy running computers, internet, lamps and the TV with stage 6 load shedding. Well worth it if you put any value on your working time.

[TheoG]

9 minutes ago, M L said:

 

I will never do GEL or AGM again. My 100Ah lasted 2 years with not a lot of load shedding. Cost R3,300. Now replaced with a Lithium for R7,500. Been very happy running computers, internet, lamps and the TV with stage 6 load shedding. Well worth it if you put any value on your working time.

Agree.  I have 4 x 200Ahr GEL batteries and they are pretty poor.  Not withstanding the load shedding onslaught very well.

I'm looking for Li batteries but the best price I found so far for a 4.8kW is ~R22k.  What did you have for only R7.5k?

[Fisan]

11 hours ago, patches said:

Not cycling related... not even running related (as I am far too lazy), but decided to purchase some new "work shoes".

I wear tekkies most days as I walk to and from the bus stop and run around the hospital. I only change into more formal shoes or safety-boots if I'm attending big-boy meetings or wandering around construction areas.

Ashamedly this is the 2nd most expensive footwear I have ever purchased. MX boots being first.

 I know these are an overkill for walking shoes, but I just liked the look 😅

(I better grab my flame-suit for when the running thread peeps see this, haha)

On Running Cloudace

I have a comment somewhere on the Hub that these are some of the most popular Mall shoes in Cape Town 😄

But what really irks me is when I see people walking around in S/Lab trail shoes (clearly clean and never seen a grain of gravel)... 

But hey, I also have a pair of Nike Free Run thats purely for casual and travel wear. Super comfy, light, and I like them looks.

 

[Cardio Goth]

11 hours ago, patches said:

Not cycling related... not even running related (as I am far too lazy), but decided to purchase some new "work shoes".

I wear tekkies most days as I walk to and from the bus stop and run around the hospital. I only change into more formal shoes or safety-boots if I'm attending big-boy meetings or wandering around construction areas.

Ashamedly this is the 2nd most expensive footwear I have ever purchased. MX boots being first.

 I know these are an overkill for walking shoes, but I just liked the look 😅

(I better grab my flame-suit for when the running thread peeps see this, haha)

On Running Cloudace

I've noticed that, here in Austria at least, a lot of people who spend significant time of their feet for work wear On shoes. 

[Grease_Monkey]

17 hours ago, Showtime said:

I needed to know if I was missing out on flats.

Really cannot fault the shoes but the first ride definitely wasn't what I was hoping.

I have many unmaintained rocky trails here and felt I will be able to ride the dodgy bits that I walked on my clipless for fear of falling. In practice I couldn't maintain power to keep going on very rocky sections where I could power through using clipless so ended up walking more. 

Also find myself second guessing the foot position the entire time and wonder if the zero float is an issue.

Will definitely give them an extended run.

 

Give it a good few rides to get used to, you have to correct alot of bad habits when you get on flats from clipless. Your foot should also be more centered on the pedal than with clipless so you are likely going to want to slide your saddle forward on the rails and drop it by 5mm (+/-). Once you get your heel down while pedaling you will be able to ride very efficiently, even over very rocky stuff. 

 

Alot of cyclist see flats as the beginner option, IMO, it takes alot more skill to ride well with flats than with clipless - flats don't let you hide any bad habits. 

[NicoR]

POC Omne Air Spin after splitting my previous helmet in three at Berg & Bush.  

 

 

[Showtime]

30 minutes ago, Grease_Monkey said:

Give it a good few rides to get used to, you have to correct alot of bad habits when you get on flats from clipless. Your foot should also be more centered on the pedal than with clipless so you are likely going to want to slide your saddle forward on the rails and drop it by 5mm (+/-). Once you get your heel down while pedaling you will be able to ride very efficiently, even over very rocky stuff. 

 

Alot of cyclist see flats as the beginner option, IMO, it takes alot more skill to ride well with flats than with clipless - flats don't let you hide any bad habits. 

Thanks for the tips. I will definitely give it a few months before comparing with clipless again.

[M L]

1 hour ago, TheoG said:

Agree.  I have 4 x 200Ahr GEL batteries and they are pretty poor.  Not withstanding the load shedding onslaught very well.

I'm looking for Li batteries but the best price I found so far for a 4.8kW is ~R22k.  What did you have for only R7.5k?

My inverter setup is nowhere near 4.8kW, so using a single 12.8v 100Ah. Bought it off Takealot.
 

I assume 4.8kW is a 48v battery? Then R22k sounds like a really good price imo.

[ChrisF]

8 hours ago, M L said:

 

I will never do GEL or AGM again. My 100Ah lasted 2 years with not a lot of load shedding. Cost R3,300. Now replaced with a Lithium for R7,500. Been very happy running computers, internet, lamps and the TV with stage 6 load shedding. Well worth it if you put any value on your working time.

 

In fairness .... a single 12V gell battery is meant for no more than 20A x 12V = 360W load, based on 2 and half hour load shedding ... with ENOUGH time to fully charge before the next session.

 

 

500W loads will push the battery tooooo hard.

 

A slow charger wont recharge it in time ... next loadshed taking it past 50% .... again shortening the battery life.

 

 

We have a 12V gell system.  Load is managed,  battery never discharged to 50%.  Fast charger takes it to 95% with the Stage 4 short charge intervals.

 

The battery is going on 4 years, and working perfectly.

 

 

The hard reality .... most homes use more than 350W off these systems and work the batteries hard .... then one of the lithium battery types is a MUST 👍

[Steady Spin]

8 hours ago, TheoG said:

Agree.  I have 4 x 200Ahr GEL batteries and they are pretty poor.  Not withstanding the load shedding onslaught very well.

I'm looking for Li batteries but the best price I found so far for a 4.8kW is ~R22k.  What did you have for only R7.5k?

Good price. I paid R25k per battery for 5.5kW units in December. 

Which brand is that?

[TheoG]

17 minutes ago, Steady Spin said:

Good price. I paid R25k per battery for 5.5kW units in December. 

Which brand is that?

Pylontech

[Steady Spin]

Just now, TheoG said:

Pylontech

Very good price indeed. Great brand. Just be very careful when shopping online. Lots of scams out there. Ask on powerforum.co.za if you’re unsure. 

[mecheng89]

Thank you @EasyBike!