smallsolar

@smallsolar@techhub.social
485 Followers
365 Following
879 Posts
Interested in #solar #wind #solarpunk and actually building small solar systems.
Show threadsmallsolar18h ago
@Anomnomnomaly we got a portable Aircon machine 2 years ago (in a January sale), it's meant for a single room but we put it in the hall and use it to bring the upstairs temp down, it only drops it by 3degC but it's enough to stop our children descending into feral madness - well worth the investment.
So for a single room they are great and you prob could run it for a few hours in the evening and get your room down to comfortable temperature before actually going to sleep,
Show threadsmallsolar18h ago

@ge0rg oh don't worry it's been a fun challenge!
Ive been unable to interrupt the boot process, uboot has a 0second delay so can't get in there. I've found what looks like a very similar firmware dump https://gitlab.com/ZX7520v3_Firmwares/F231/F231ET which has helped me look at the various boot scripts,
Ive been able to clear individual nvram with an exploit but unable to set nvram. Currently it's stuck in this AMT mode which means I can't send any web interface commands.

If I can get access and can open up the hardware it might make a rather cool off-grid static website server and only costs £10

ZX7520v3 Firmwares / F231 Series / F231ET_V1.3 · GitLab

A color screen model with a plug-in battery. It is the Wi-Fi 4 version and supports the B1, B3, B5, and B8 frequency bands.

GitLab
smallsolar20h ago

I have been having fun with a #reverseengineering #sidequest seeing if I can get root access to a Tenda 4G185 MiFi device which runs Linux and is based on ZTE ZX297520V3. Inspired by @ge0rg Sadly the standard exploits seem to have been patched (no injections through the web interface) but I did manage to get serial access but can't seem to login despite everything pointing to the password being 'admin'.
I've managed to get it into a special debug mode called AMT mode, it has opened up 3 serial ports over usb, the first seems to use a protocol called AMT, the device has run a binary called `zte_amt` - I've never come across this and searches bring up Android Multi Tool or a lot of Intel AMT stuff which I don't think is correct - has anyone come across this protocol?

There is a suggestion there might also be #adb might be running as well so I'm going to focus on that for now

Show threadsmallsolar3d ago
@anthropy @Lydie Daly BMS arrived and installed, adding it to an existing pack doesn't make it look super smart but it's nice and secure with some well placed cable ties to keep it fixed. All working with the app. Now to build a DIY power bank with a tool box and a mppt charger
smallsolar4d ago
Anthropy4d ago

Anyone in NL some free old solar panels (+inverter)? They're about 200Wp each, 4 total.

I'm replacing them with 450Wp panels of about the same size, since those are only around 50€ nowadays (and therefore I'd totally get it if people would prefer buying new panels instead).
They're about 20kg each and kinds large, I can't ship them, but they might fit in the back of your car (they kinda fit in my twingo at the time, stuck out the back a bit).
Feel free to reply to this if you're interested.

smallsolarJul 6
Hart of the WudJul 6

Heads up #PermaComputing Berlin friends. Our next Meet-Up is approaching:

# permacomputing & postmarketOS #

13. July 2025 at 19:00
@offline
Lichtenrader Str. 49

Artist and Designer Chaline Bang ( @chalinebang ) will talk about her personal adventures and collective experiments in permacomputing. She is a member of the Rotterdam-based research group _permacomputing evenings_ and will share how they learned to build servers out of obsolete smartphones using postmarketOS. The group conducted experiments into practical techniques and aesthetic approaches as well as organizing public events with outside researchers.

http://berlin.permacomputing.net

Show threadsmallsolarJul 6
@vapaad those sunflowers look amazing! Totally worth just enjoying the nature in your backyard
smallsolarJul 6
@ahermitforhire looks great!
Show threadsmallsolarJul 5
First #aeroponic #harvest #lettuce to add to our dinner!
smallsolarJul 5
ClaraJun 24

My article "Zombitron: towards a toolbox for repurposing obsolete smartphones into new interactive systems" is out !

📄 https://computingwithinlimits.org/2025/papers/limits2025-rigaud-zombitron.pdf

I present a high-level approach aimed at encouraging the practice of repurposing obsolete smartphones in the design of interactive systems, despite their complexity and heterogeneity. I discuss how such a tool can be integrated into creative practices and in particular into the design of music controllers.

It will be presented Thursday at #LIMITS2025

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Henning Paul DC4HPJun 29
My newest hobby: Reviving end-of-life wireless routers for use with current OpenWRT by replacing their flash chips with 16MB ones.
Show threadHenning Paul DC4HP6d ago
With 16MB flash you're finally able to set up a 11s compliant mesh network.
Show threadMarcus Müller6d ago
@hennichodernich honest question: how desirable is a 500 MHz MIPS with 64 MB RAM for mesh routing?
Show threadHenning Paul DC4HP6d ago
@funkylab It works better as a repeater than a relayd STA bridge, that's all that counts.
Means, there are only 2 nodes in the mesh and there's no roaming, as all clients are connected to the MAP via wired Ethernet.
Show threadHenning Paul DC4HP6d ago
@funkylab And 24€ is a competitive price:
https://www.amazon.de/TP-Link-TL-WR902AC-433Mbit-Accesspoint-Repeater/dp/B01MY5JIJ0
(The AliExpress repeaters aren't much cheaper and require upgrading their flash as well.)
Amazon.de

Show threadMarcus Müller6d ago
@hennichodernich that's true, though I used to use this one with openwrt running relayd to get network to desktop PC and ethernet printer: https://preisvergleich.heise.de/strong-dual-band-gigabit-router-1200-a1645287.html
price (35€) hasn't changed much, and I gave away mine to someone that could make more use of it.
heise online

News und Foren zu Computer, IT, Wissenschaft, Medien und Politik. Preisvergleich von Hardware und Software sowie Downloads bei Heise Medien.

heise online
Show threadCarlo IU1KGS 📻Jun 29
@hennichodernich I recognise the shape
Show threadHenning Paul DC4HPJun 29
@IU1KGS Archer C50
Show threadCarlo IU1KGS 📻Jun 29
@hennichodernich I would have said a TD-W9960
Show threadembixJun 29
@hennichodernich Would you like three dusty WRT54GL? Or are those too old to be upgraded with that method?
Show threadHenning Paul DC4HPJun 29
@brezelradar Those are too old, I'm afraid. End-of-life means 5-8 years in this context.
Show threadsmallsolarJun 29
@hennichodernich I share the same hobby though have never successfully managed to upgrade the memory as my soldering is just not good enough 😃
Show threadHenning Paul DC4HPJun 29
@smallsolar I socketed the flash chips using small adapter PCBs I designed myself. By doing so, I only need to solder to the PCB once and can easily return to the previous state in case I mess something up.
Show threadsmallsolarJun 29
@hennichodernich oh that's really clever, do you have more details anywhere?
Show threadHenning Paul DC4HPJun 29
@smallsolar It's just a little board with castellated holes that fits on an SO-8 footprint. Onto this I solder a 2x4 1.27mm pin header socket, and then I plug into this another little adapter board.
Show threadftg6d ago
@hennichodernich
I have a handful of these in the backburner as well.
And one La Fonera that also needs a RAM upgrade.