{"id":30217,"date":"2024-12-23T11:36:54","date_gmt":"2024-12-23T09:36:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/?p=30217"},"modified":"2024-12-24T09:57:12","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T07:57:12","slug":"merry-christmas-and-here-comes-the-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/2024\/12\/23\/merry-christmas-and-here-comes-the-sun\/","title":{"rendered":"Merry Christmas &#8211; and  here comes the sun!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The winter and summer solstice occurred around the world at 09:20 (GMT \/ UTC) on Saturday 21st December.<\/p>\n<p>In the UK (from where I write) thousands of people get up early to travel to the ancient monument of Stonehenge and celebrate sunrise on the shortest day. Usually, the monument is not accessible to the public, but on the solstices anyone is free to access the site to watch the south eastern horizon illuminate with thin yellow sunlight through its prehistoric arches. For those of us who live in the northern hemisphere the solstice marks a renewal, and we begin our journey back to abundance, and summer sun!<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_30218\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-30218\" class=\"wp-image-30218 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/1024px-Stonehenge_winter_solstice_2012_06_278534186.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/1024px-Stonehenge_winter_solstice_2012_06_278534186.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/1024px-Stonehenge_winter_solstice_2012_06_278534186-750x500.jpg 750w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/1024px-Stonehenge_winter_solstice_2012_06_278534186-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-30218\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><\/div><\/a> Photograph by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mikepeel.net\" target=\"_blank\">Mike Peel<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Meanwhile in the Southern hemisphere, the sun is high and nothing could be further from the minds of pleasure seekers than the winter grey and cold! <a href=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-10.57.48_278538038.png\" target=\"_blank\"><div class=\"full-size-image container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-30224\" src=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-10.57.48_278538038.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1070\" height=\"611\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-10.57.48_278538038.png 1070w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-10.57.48_278538038-750x428.png 750w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-10.57.48_278538038-1024x585.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-10.57.48_278538038-300x171.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1070px) 100vw, 1070px\" \/><\/div><\/a><\/p>\n<p>So, if it&#8217;s winter for you just now here&#8217;s an idea to dispel the winter gloom:<\/p>\n<p>If you can get yourself to Fiji why not swim out to the <a href=\"https:\/\/seventhheavenfiji.com\" target=\"_blank\">7th Heaven<\/a> \u00a0cocktail bar? I say <em>swim<\/em> because it&#8217;s a floating bar and restaurant moored a short distance from the shore &#8230;think of a boat pontoon with luxury entertainment. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.40.04_278534372.png\" target=\"_blank\"><div class=\"full-size-image container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-30220\" src=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.40.04_278534372.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1308\" height=\"712\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.40.04_278534372.png 1308w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.40.04_278534372-750x408.png 750w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.40.04_278534372-1024x557.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.40.04_278534372-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1308px) 100vw, 1308px\" \/><\/div><\/a><\/p>\n<p>You can swim or arrive by boat to relax in a sun lounger, sipping cocktails, and enjoy 360 degree views of the limpid blue sea &#8211; without sparing a thought for us and the grey, cold weather you&#8217;ve left behind!<\/p>\n<p>And if you&#8217;re having such a lovely time you simply can&#8217;t tear yourself away &#8211; overnight accommodation is also available.<\/p>\n<p>The floating restaurant bar is off-grid in every sense of the word. Sustainable power for the chillers, pumps, water heating, lighting and wifi is provided by a solar energy system.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.39.14_278534379.png\" target=\"_blank\"><div class=\"full-size-image container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-30221\" src=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.39.14_278534379.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1302\" height=\"861\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.39.14_278534379.png 1302w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.39.14_278534379-750x496.png 750w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.39.14_278534379-1024x677.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.39.14_278534379-300x198.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1302px) 100vw, 1302px\" \/><\/div><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Three <a href=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/solar-charge-controllers\/smartsolar-mppt-ve.can\" target=\"_blank\">SmartSolar<\/a> 150\/100 MPPT solar charge controllers harvest power from a 13kWp array of rooftop solar panels and stores the energy into Lithium batteries with a capacity of a little over 30kWh. Two 5kVA <a href=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/inverters-chargers\/multiplus-ii\" target=\"_blank\">MultiPlus-II<\/a> 48\/5000 inverter\/chargers provide AC power to all the catering equipment, and will also recharge the batteries from a standby 11kVA generator, if required.<\/p>\n<p>All DC cabling is neatly distributed using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/dc-distribution-systems\/lynx-distributor\" target=\"_blank\">Lynx distribution system<\/a> &#8211; a modular busbar with M8 or M10 connections rated at 1000A continuous load, and with monitored fuses.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.40.24_278534365.png\" target=\"_blank\"><div class=\"full-size-image container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-30219\" src=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.40.24_278534365.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1302\" height=\"730\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.40.24_278534365.png 1302w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.40.24_278534365-750x421.png 750w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.40.24_278534365-1024x574.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.40.24_278534365-300x168.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1302px) 100vw, 1302px\" \/><\/div><\/a><\/p>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/communication-centres\/venus-gx\" target=\"_blank\">Venus GX<\/a> communication centre device harmonises the system by allowing all components to talk to each other, and also provides remote engineering access and monitoring &#8211; allowing the installers &#8211; Fiji&#8217;s own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.visionenergy.com.fj\" target=\"_blank\">Vision Energy Solutions<\/a> &#8211; to keep an eye on the installation &#8211; and even make changes &#8211; without visiting the site; quite reassuring for the site operators who don&#8217;t know when they&#8217;ll next visit land!<\/p>\n<p>Remote access is available to anyone using any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/communication-centres\" target=\"_blank\">GX device<\/a> &#8211; free of charge &#8211; via the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/panel-systems-remote-monitoring\/vrm\" target=\"_blank\">Victron Remote Management<\/a> platform.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.38.38_278534387.png\" target=\"_blank\"><div class=\"full-size-image container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-30222\" src=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.38.38_278534387.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"788\" height=\"1058\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.38.38_278534387.png 788w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.38.38_278534387-750x1007.png 750w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.38.38_278534387-763x1024.png 763w, https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Screenshot-2024-12-20-at-09.38.38_278534387-223x300.png 223w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 788px) 100vw, 788px\" \/><\/div><\/a><\/p>\n<p>For those of us who can&#8217;t make it to Fiji, it&#8217;s good to know that if we wait patiently, the summer sun is on its way back!<\/p>\n<p>It only remains for all of us at Victron Energy to wish you and your family health and happiness this Christmas &#8211; and if you don&#8217;t keep that festivity, we wish you Seasonal Greetings and an adventuresome 2025 that we can all look forward to, together.<\/p>\n<p>MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY and healthy NEW YEAR!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The winter and summer solstice occurred around the world at 09:20 (GMT \/ UTC) on Saturday 21st December. In the UK (from where I write) thousands of people get up early to travel to the ancient monument of Stonehenge and celebrate sunrise on the shortest day. Usually, the monument is not accessible to the public, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":30228,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[128],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30217","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-users-stories"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Merry Christmas - and here comes the sun! - Victron Energy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/2024\/12\/23\/merry-christmas-and-here-comes-the-sun\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Merry Christmas - and here comes the sun! - Victron Energy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The winter and summer solstice occurred around the world at 09:20 (GMT \/ UTC) on Saturday 21st December. In the UK (from where I write) thousands of people get up early to travel to the ancient monument of Stonehenge and celebrate sunrise on the shortest day. 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In the UK (from where I write) thousands of people get up early to travel to the ancient monument of Stonehenge and celebrate sunrise on the shortest day. Usually, the monument is not accessible to the public, [\u2026]","subtitle":"Solstice - here and half a world away","related_posts":[{"id":33188,"slug":"automotive-diagnostics-expert-untangles-marine-power-problems","title":"Automotive diagnostics expert untangles Marine power problems","link":"https:\/\/www.victronenergy.com\/blog\/2026\/04\/24\/automotive-diagnostics-expert-untangles-marine-power-problems\/","excerpt":"Jake Archer's diagnostics experience gained in the automotive industry, working with luxury vehicles, has unexpectedly led to him being in demand on the water. 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The school\u2019s management decided to invest in a multi-faceted educational sustainability initiative which would help its pupils to learn about solar energy, water sustainability and waste management. 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