Threads that go off topic - here and other forums.

[cuppabillytea]

Hope you're on Gas. Gas hot water systems are better by far and they are situated outside.

[cuppabillytea]

My house has just been hit by Lightning. Could someone pleas go and find my Ticker?

[V8Ian]

My house has just been hit by Lightning. Could someone pleas go and find my Ticker?

Found it,

it's racing.

[cuppabillytea]

Oh thanks Ian. I didn't realise it looked so pretty.

[DiscoMick]

Hope you're on Gas. Gas hot water systems are better by far and they are situated outside.

Nope, and I have no plans to go on gas, after considering it. Rather than add another bill, I'll increase our existing solar and make more hot water for free.
Also decided not to add a specific solar hot water system, but simply to increase our solar capacity. Keep it all one system.
We are renovating at the moment, so that is soaking up all the spare cash (no toys for the Defender either). Once that's done, more solar is the next step.
Just got an estimate to extend our solar to a hybrid system with a battery bank, inverter and extra panels - around $10k all up.
Batteries are said to last a minimum of 10 years, more likely 15. Predicting future costs is a lottery of course, but I do know that in 15 years time electricity will cost a LOT more (going up 15% a year in recent years) and batteries will be a lot better, so I'm planning for the future.
Of course, with a hybrid system you're still connected to the grid so there is a grid connection fee. Maybe down the track we'll increase the battery storage and go off the grid altogether. The cost is falling all the time. The idea of having NIL electricity bills is appealing.

[cuppabillytea]

Nope, and I have no plans to go on gas, after considering it. Rather than add another bill, I'll increase our existing solar and make more hot water for free.
Also decided not to add a specific solar hot water system, but simply to increase our solar capacity. Keep it all one system.
We are renovating at the moment, so that is soaking up all the spare cash (no toys for the Defender either). Once that's done, more solar is the next step.
Just got an estimate to extend our solar to a hybrid system with a battery bank, inverter and extra panels - around $10k all up.
Batteries are said to last a minimum of 10 years, more likely 15. Predicting future costs is a lottery of course, but I do know that in 15 years time electricity will cost a LOT more (going up 15% a year in recent years) and batteries will be a lot better, so I'm planning for the future.
Of course, with a hybrid system you're still connected to the grid so there is a grid connection fee. Maybe down the track we'll increase the battery storage and go off the grid altogether. The cost is falling all the time. The idea of having NIL electricity bills is appealing.

We don't have gas either. We are also about to renovate and I was considering putting gas on. Yours is a very convincing argument. So, I will invest the gas money in extended Solar. Perhaps we will even take it all the way and go off grid. Should investigate the cost of that. We have about 80 square Meters of North facing Roof at exactly the right angle.
Thanks for the sound ideas.
Cheers Billy.

[Homestar]

Well, the mighty Vectra is dead....

No, not from mechanical failure as many of you would think! - its actually been a ripper little car, but from an inattentive driver running up its back end while SWMBO was stopped at a give way sign waiting for a truck to go past...

The impact was hard enough to punch the car out into the intersection, and thankfully the truck avoided the situation.

So, their insurance has paid up (a lot more than I paid for the car ) so the hunt is on for a replacement....

Will advise the outcome, but it will be another cheap, souless (but this time Japanese) run about but maybe an SUV type thingy that SWMBO can get in and out of a bit easier as she has a stuffed knee...

I'll add a couple of grand of my own to upgrade slightly I think - there are a LOT of good little cars out there for under $5K...

[jx2mad]

Glad no-one was hurt and I know about getting in and out of some cars. I have two artificial knees and the legs do not bend as far. Jim

[The ho har's]

old news Gave. Read all about it on FB, I told her to buy a Disco Sport

Mrs hh

[Dark61]

my feet have warmed up a bit.
cheers,
D