Friday 17 March 2017

The power of solar, 1 week on...

The evil jackdaws have demonstrated themselves to be too annoying scrabbling around under the panels at an unseemly hour of the morning so sterner discouragement is required.

Rumour has it that a shotgun might be (a) noticed by the neighbours, (b) over the top and (c) actually illegal.

That means something far more sensible is required, no an axe won't work, far too inaccurate.

Last year I did research all of the companies that cover our area and discovered that the minimum price for a commercial business to add some mesh around the panels to prevent entry was approx £1,000 which is frankly ridiculous for 1 to 2 hours' work. That price would then sky rocket when said businesses discovered we do not live in a bungalow hence a ladder or indeed scaffolding would be needed. If I lived in a bungalow I would have no concerns about getting up a ladder in the first place!

I did also contact the provider of the panels, last year : no response, this year : no response. It is strange they have emailled me and asked for data and support but when I try to contact them nothing. Yes I have tried phoning and inspite of allegedly being an active business they don't answer the phone either. I think one more try tomorrow before naming and shaming is applied - that Google search throws up a lovelly "write a review button".

Chicken wire, now that sounds good.

So 25 meters of chicken wire duly purchased from Amazon, folded to the correct height and wrapped around the panels. Lots of swearing and sweating from me up a ladder with a pole pushing chicken wire 3 metres above my head and hoping that it will stay in place. Move ladder along, repeat swearing ,sweating and pushing. No I didn't have that thought, you did.

Nearing the end and happily cable tying the mesh at the bottom to discover that I am being stabbed by the chicken wire. Strange I think, it is PVC coated and I don't recall any exposed ends so open hand to look, nothing, use other hand to move wire and more spikes. Oh hang on, there are no spikes, only electricity flowing through the chicken wire!

Chicken wire checked and it is only touching the frames of the panels and possibly the ends of the mounting rails. There are no apparent loose wires and the wiring still is in one piece using its waterproof connectors as far as I can see.

The final stages of tidying the chicken wire and making a good fit is now in abeyance. I suspect I am lucky that I remained on the ladder, thank goodness for grey British days I guess. my efforts are not a perfect fit, at the top there is a gap in one place, which I had planned to resolve by manouvering the chicken wire so it was a tight fit along the top, and at the bottom it is pretty loose but not hanging down.

More phone calls to the vendor, pretty sure I shouldn't be getting shocks from the panels.