In this Tech Chat livestream I’m basically doing what we always do here: hanging out, answering questions, and doing a bit of tech support while I waffle about whatever I’ve been building/testing that week. At the start I’m literally watching my 3D printer on a live feed because I’m printing a second iteration of a friction-fit sheath for a little carving knife (my wife’s gotten into whittling, and I’m… let’s just say I’d rather design a CNC than hand-carve one spoon ever again). We get into a bunch of nerdy topics, but the big tech segment is plug-in solar (aka balcony solar) and the UK’s move to allow these micro-inverter kits that you can plug straight into a normal mains socket. I explain what “grid-following” means, why that’s safer (no grid signal = it won’t output), and why it also means you still lose power in a blackout unless you’ve got a proper gateway/off-grid setup. We also talk about the real-world value: a basic setup might only net ~500 kWh/year (~£100) if you can actually use it, and that’s why battery-backed “smart” solutions are way more interesting. And because it’s me, we also detour into Home Assistant, Zigbee, my DIY medication timer project, sim racing/flight sim gear pricing (there is genuinely no upper limit), and a bit of gaming chat.