33 minutes ago, SayAgain said:

New Mexico - averages 285 days of sunshine and is consider an arid environment.  Solar panels and a battery and complete independence from a power provider … how is that “scre***” … it’s called taking control of your power needs.

Sure, I don't disagree with you there.  Nevertheless, it's always nice to have a backup, and most current solar and wind systems require baseload backup, usually from a natural gas, nuclear, or coal power plant.  Perhaps in the future they will be reliable enough to no longer need backup.

I had a friend in NM that did exactly what you describe.  He was truly off the grid, had a solar power system and a small wind generator.  His total available power was 40amps, which is quite low by today's standard, but it was adequate for him and he didn't want to spend a lot more money on a larger system.

He frequently had problems with his system.  One month it was an issue with the wind generator, the next month the solar.  He had two power converters fail on him over a few years and they cost $5,000 a piece.  He also had to replace a solar panel which had some problem.  Most of the time the system worked fine, but when it failed it was usually costly to repair.  He also told me that he would have to replace the batteries every 10 years which is very expensive.  Luckily for him, he was an electrical engineer so could do everything himself.

My point is that these "green" power systems are not without their drawbacks, and they do fail from time to time.  Most people would have to call in a professional to fix anything, and those folks charge a lot for their services.

Dave

 

3 hours ago, dave2013 said:

Yeah, I was surprised at how mild the weather was in the southern UK when I was stationed there.  Even the storms were tame.  It did get cold and stay cold for quite a long time, though, but not below freezing very often.

 

South in the UK certainly gets freezing conditions, rarely below -15 somewhere like Cornwall, though.

Of course, Jersey is another 85 miles south and very close to the coast of France. Lowest temp recorded was -10 in the 1800s. Below zero degrees during the day is rare. I dont recall any days below freezing during the last few years in Guernsey. Think it was 2021 the last slight dip below freezing. 

Edited October 12, 2025Oct 12 by martin-w

2 hours ago, martin-w said:

Of course, Jersey is another 85 miles south and very close to the coast of France.

Not to be argumentative, but the 85 miles likely makes little to no difference in the temperature. 

It's the fact that you're on an island surrounded by water that keeps the temps warmer in the winter.

We lived in south Alabama for a few years and were 100 miles from the Gulf coast.  When it was winter in our area, the temps were 4-5C warmer within 30 miles of the coast, and in the summer they were 4-5C cooler.  That water makes a difference.

Dave

This discussion is very interesting, but isn't this thread supposed to be about planned obsoscence?

12 hours ago, dave2013 said:

Not to be argumentative, but the 85 miles likely makes little to no difference in the temperature. 

 

 

Does make a noticeable difference. But yes, other local factors come into play too, probably more so. We are in the Bay of St Malo, so a sheltered environment. The Gulf Stream warms our water all year round, too. Being close to France our weather patterns are influenced by continental Europe. More sunshine here, and, interestingly, also influenced by the Azores high pressure system.

 

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Yes, moving 85 miles further south can make a noticeable difference in temperature, though the exact change depends on several other factors. 

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Jersey is warmer than the UK because of its more southerly location, its position in the Bay of St Malo, and its proximity to the French coast, all of which contribute to a temperate climate with more sunshine. The island is also kept warmer by the influence of the Gulf Stream, which keeps sea temperatures higher than around mainland Britain. 

 

8 hours ago, Mike A said:

This discussion is very interesting, but isn't this thread supposed to be about planned obsoscence?

 

Thanks for the reminder. 

9 hours ago, Mike A said:

This discussion is very interesting, but isn't this thread supposed to be about planned obsoscence?

It was, but drifted terribly.

1 hour ago, stans said:

It was, but drifted terribly.

 

10 hours ago, Mike A said:

This discussion is very interesting, but isn't this thread supposed to be about planned obsoscence?

 

Those are BOTH off topic comments!!! 🤬 You both should be ashamed of yourselves. 🙂

1 hour ago, martin-w said:

Those are BOTH off topic comments!!! 🤬 You both should be ashamed of yourselves. 🙂

Careful what you say, Martin. My lawyer says you are factually wrong and could be sued for slander 

No discussion of planned obsolescence can be complete without mention of the Phoebus cartel.

Google "planned obsolescence in light bulbs" for a good AI overview.

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Planned obsolescence in light bulbs refers to a historical conspiracy by major manufacturers in the 1920s to intentionally shorten the useful life of bulbs to around 1,000 hours, thereby creating more consistent sales and profit. This practice, known as the Phoebus cartel, established the model for planned obsolescence, making the light bulb one of the first examples of a product designed to become non-functional or obsolete after a set period. 

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The primary goal was to control the global supply of light bulbs and increase profits by reducing the lifespan of bulbs from the previous average of over 2,000 hours to a standard 1,000 hours. 

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The cartel enforced this limit through fines and penalties for companies whose bulbs exceeded the 1,000-hour lifespan, ensuring consistent demand for new products. 

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This cartel set a precedent, demonstrating how products could be deliberately designed with a limited life, making it a model for planned obsolescence in other industries. 

If you go down the rabbit hole you can understand why they did it. 

Hook

2 hours ago, LHookins said:

Google "planned obsolescence in light bulbs" for a good AI overview.

Yes, bulbs did last longer in the good old days 😆.  There's an example here in the Bay Area, as the Livermore Fire Department has a bulb that's been burning since 1901.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Light

And, of course, the story of the Centennial Bulb would not be complete without viewing an episode of California's Gold featuring Huell Howser's take on it:

Live webcam of Livermore Centennial Bulb