Finds From Metal Detecting Hobby Helps Fund Another Hobby....

[billjustbill]

A few days ago it was about 63 degrees, so I decided to go metal detecting at the county rodeo grounds.

In the sand-filled arena, I found some costume jewelry and plated silver saddle trim pieces, along with clad coins and one of the newer Presidential $1 coins.
Outside the arena and detecting down the property fence line, where the cowboys' park their campers and horse trailers, along with some old keys and clad coins, I found a folded, beat-up, faded, and torn $20 bill.

Yesterday morning, I took the battered $20 bill to the bank I'd found. As she took it from the little Ziploc baggie, and began unfolding and looking at the parts, the teller just shook her head sideways and prepared me...

She said. "I don't know.... I'd better go get an approval from my supervisor."

Watching the distant and silent conversation between the two, when I saw the supervisor's head nod in a positive movement, I did feel "$20 better"....

When I totaled all 63 coins and a good twenty dollar bill with the help of the bank, I came home with $27.40. This will be put towards the purchase of another new solar electric panel for my on going solar electric hobby...

The second picture is some of bent gold rings I've found detecting and some thin 10kt gold necklaces found at garage sales. All sent to ARA in Dallas, and sold when gold was at $1,375.00. I took that money and bought 20 more solar panels (1,200 watts)... One Hobby funds another Hobby...

 

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[davest]

that is an excellent outlook. Where are you getting your panels and what are you using them for?

I'm just starting to put a passive batch solar water heater together and know it's a learning experience. I figure I can preheat my domestic hot water to 140 and my home electric unit will never go on.

You get 2

 

[oneeye]

that is an excellent outlook. Where are you getting your panels and what are you using them for?

I was wondering the same thing. Trying to learn about this stuff myself.
Thanks.
Dan

 

[KOOTNEY KID]

Cool stuff

 

[augusthog]

Very Groovy stuff!

 

[Damon64]

That is cool!

 

[billjustbill]

that is an excellent outlook. Where are you getting your panels and what are you using them for?

I'm just starting to put a passive batch solar water heater together and know it's a learning experience. I figure I can preheat my domestic hot water to 140 and my home electric unit will never go on.

You get 2

I'm on a 250 ft water well, and the temp for the water coming out of the ground is 57 degrees. Anything I can do to raise that temp before it gets to the water heater saves on Utility bills....so solar heating is on my list.

The panel in front of me in the picture is from a company called "Real Goods". On a clearance sale, I bought them for $39.99 with free shipping.... I was lucky and got two orders in before they pulled the ad between Christmas and New Years. It takes a special solar charge controller for these, but for the money, it was a great value. I know another fellow who received a "Dear John Letter", saying they couldn't fill his order..... The lowest prices, including shipping, for these panels is about $150.00, so the timing and having the cash from the sale of rough looking jewelry happened just right.

I've also bought Kyocera panels from this company, http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/index.php . They have a Forum like this site, and they are sponsored by a company that has good prices and great service. Just hang out there and you'll learn so much because there are well experienced people that will answer and trouble-shoot questions every beginner and experienced solar owner can think of to ask. There are other forums, too.

I'm going for an "Off Grid" system with batteries for a 24 volt system into a 110v AC, 3500 watt inverter that will power a fridge and even a normal clothes washing machine . Off Grid is more expensive, but there's no "Red Tape" from the Utility Company, since you never mix the two.

The ONLY way I have funded this project has been with garage sales, flea market sales, and selling silver and gold I've found. Go down to the other Topic headings on this site, and look in "Precious Metals" and "Garage Sales", you'll be amazed at what I and lots of others have found and sold for great profits.

After the solar electric (PV) system is operational, you qualify for a 30% dollar-for-dollar Tax Credit of what it cost taken off what you owe IRS.

With anything dealing with energy, there is no one Magic Bullet, but as a Hobby that Saves Money down the road as oil prices keep going up, for me it is a Win/Win issue as I do the wiring and installation myself...

Hope this helps,
Bill

 

[davest]

Bill, thanks for the in depth reply and the information. I'm with you, get off the oil teat as much as possible and stop throwing hard earned cash at power companies.

Keep up the good work.