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In House Solar Oven

August 12, 2010 By PANDSCORP Leave a Comment

When solar ovens are mentioned, most people picture camping . . .  or humanitarian efforts in third world countries.

I am posting this article to tell you what I believe are good reasons why to consider incorporating a solar oven in your conventional modern home.

Now this will not be for everyone. Certainly you have to have the right conditions, which ideally would include a kitchen with an unshaded south facing wall.

Yes, it would be less expensive to incorporate this “feature” when building a new home. Still, for those with the ability to do so, I believe there is ample reason to consider knocking a hole in your wall and adding one to an existing home.  Here is why.

The obvious benefits of using a solar oven are 1. that it does not use up non renewable fuel resources and 2. that it does not create or cause to be created any kind of pollution.
Another benefit that you would come to appreciate more when you use it is the way a solar oven cooks food, slowly and without burning, much like in a crock pot.

But perhaps the most important benefit that you would gain in addition to these others listed is that the “heat” of your oven can be kept outside the house and insulated from the interior.  When you turn on a conventional oven, virtually all of that heat is working directly against the energy you spend to cool your home in the summer.  How many times did your mom serve soup and sandwiches because she didn’t want to heat up the house with the oven?

If it isn’t obvious, the reason I suggest building the solar oven into your south facing wall is so that accessing the food is as easy as if it were cooking in your conventional oven, and not requiring a trip outside to the back yard.

In conclusion, any one of these benefits of using a solar oven may not be enough by themselves for considering such a bold move, but collectively, I think they give a substantial argument in support of my idea.

Go here to read about the original innovator of this idea and see photos of what an In House Solar Oven might look like.

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Pilot Only – Hot Water!

August 12, 2010 By PANDSCORP Leave a Comment

Sometimes significant waste occurs when systems have to be set up to accomodate the heaviest uses.  For example, in our homes, we flush urine away with the same amount of water that is required to flush away a bowel movement.  This fact of life is true with gas hot water heaters.

The typical gas hot water heater has a 3″ flue to vent exhaust gases even though an opening that large is only needed while the burner is operating.  For the remaining time, when only the pilot is burning, a far smaller vent opening, if any at all would be needed.  Not only does this mean that the heat that is generated by the pilot light is for the most part wasted as it goes up and through this 3″ vent, but what’s worse is that this vent prevents you from heavily insulating the top of your hot water tank where most heat is lost.

I have discovered that in homes (or apartments) with only 1 or 2 people, using less than 40 gallons of hot water per day, the pilot light itself can generate enough btu’s to heat the water to an adequate temperature provided the entire water heater is heavily insulated, especially the top.  I have done some research as to the potential harm of having the small amount of fumes from the pilot light prevented from being vented, and have found varying views on the subject. Although stoves and other appliances have operated in homes with unvented pilots for years, a much smaller vent opening could be left for operation in homes that are well sealed.  A carbon monoxide detector would also be useful to help determine if any risk is present.

The point is this: if you cover up most or all of the top vent and then cover the entire tank with a very heavy layer of insulation, you should be able to heat your water without the burner ever turning on.  In order to try this, you must set your control to “pilot only” so that there would be no chance that it would kick on at any time by itself. {A very heavy layer would provide an R value of at least 20 to 30}

My purpose in writing this is in hopes that others who are in the position to test this will do so and thereby validate my claim.  I have tried it the last two places I lived and it worked perfectly.  I found that I even had to add a small amount of cold to take a shower after leaving the tank to “recharge” all night.

B sure you consider the risks of whatever fumes are generated by the pilot light, and be sure that once the top is covered with insulation that there is no possible way for the hot water heater burner to accidently kick on.

I appreciate any thoughts or comments you might have and hope to hear back from you after you try this yourself.  You can follow a discussion on this topic that includes several success stories by going to this forum at ecommoder.com”.

Remember these other points to consider: If you are connected to a municipal gas line, you are no doubt charged a monthly connection/service fee whether you use any gas or not. This could mean that $20 a month in gas is costing you $40 a month on your bill . . . or $4.00 for only using your pilot would still cost you as much as $24.00 / month more or less based on your companies rate structure. Also, if you have an electric water heater but use gas for space heat, you may want to disconnect service for the 6 to 7 months it is not needed. They may charge you a substantial reconnection fee, but it is still usually much less than the monthly service fees you would be paying when adding them all up.

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Residential Urinals

August 11, 2010 By PANDSCORP Leave a Comment

In writing this article, I want to raise a question regarding an area of what I believe to be extreme waste.  If viewed from the lens that looks at a single individual, this waste is somewhat inconsequential, however when regarded in the context of the millions of men who needlessly flush toilets several times each day, in water restricted areas, it is a serious concern indeed.

 I want to ask, “Why do we not have urinals in our homes?”   There are  reasons why I believe that question needs to be asked.

  If men are forced to use a toilet to urinate, then the amount of water necessary to flush a bowel movement, will be expended every time a man only urinates. This is an extreme waste!

 Since urine is a liquid, it can be flushed through a much smaller drain area.  Subsequently, with a substantially reduced P-Trap, a thorough and sanitary flush can take place with as little as 1 to 2 ounces of water(requires a fine spray application). This amounts to at least 60 flushes per gallon of water!

 Since urine does not contain the bacteria that fecal matter does, it does not need to go into the waste system or septic tank. It could be routed separately and discharged into a compost pile or small pile of leaves or wood chips where it would quickly and harmlessly break down and dissipate into the soil. In fact, urine contains as much as 75% of the nitrogen found in waste water, and significantly adds to the cost of treating it. Therefore, keeping it out of our wastewater by directing it into a pile of leaves or woodchips would help save our municiplaities money.

 Since we are transporting a liquid, the cost of additional “drain line” would be very low because the diameter could be kept very small. Fish aquarium hose would even be adequate in some cases. 

 Larger amounts of urine, as would be produced in larger buildings or other places where men congregate, could still be organically processed in an efficient manor. If not already done, experiments could show how much urine could be effectively “composted” utilizing dry carbon based materials. By directing the urine to a point beneath the surface of the material, all odor could be kept within the ”pile” until the necessary chemical processes to eliminate the odor had taken place. 

Keep reading to learn more ways to conserve water and energy . . .

What if we reduced our water usage by 95%, but only 1/4 of the times we used it?  That would still amount to a water usage reduction of nearly 25% !
That means that a municipality that consumes 1,000,000 gallons of water over a period of time, would only consume 750,000 gallons!
Here is how that could very easily and realistically occur . . . and there would be resulting energy savings on hot water energy costs as well.

1. Washing and Rinsing dishes in the sink: If water was dispersed as a fine spray rather than as running water, dishes could be rinsed as a WIN WIN WIN.   A. Far less water is used when sprayed  B. Dishes would rinse faster on top of that  C. Less hot water would be consumed. (You are wasting water if all you have is a good aerator!)

2. Washing hands or brushing teeth or any other general running of water in a sink would be done more effectively and use a mere fraction of the water at the same time.

3. Even if you already use an energy efficient shower head, you are still using as much as ten times the water you need to, to take a totally thorough shower. By minimizing the spray even further (as what you see in a garden sprayer) you could dramatically reduce the amount of water expended in a shower . .. and because of how it is dispersed, it would be at least as effective in covering your entire body and rinsing away soap, if not much more.
The only problem with this, and it is significant and has to be addressed (but can be), is that the finer the spray, the more heat it looses between the shower head and your body.
All you have to do to overcome that is to create a far better insulated shower environment by using a thick multi-layered insulating shower curtain, spraying foam insulation behind the walls of your shower stall, and if possible . . . installing some sort of a drop ceiling over the shower so that the heat stays right where you are. The smaller and more confined the shower space, the easier it is to keep the area hot, and then your water will not give up its heat as readily.  If you are honest, the shower is one area that you would not feel too cramped if it was only half the size of what it is now, many would find it to be even cosier.

The only other major issue that would come up is the higher incidence of mineral build up effecting the sprayer heads, but there are excellent products to deal with that on occasion as needed, and spray heads can be easily removed, cleaned, and replaced without any plumbing knowledge.

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Wind-Roof

August 10, 2010 By PANDSCORP 1 Comment

Rooftop Wind Energy

 There are several challenges to efficiently harnessing the power of the wind.  One of the biggest obstacles is the cost of transporting the power (that is generated) from the sparsely populated high wind speed areas to the densely populated areas where it is needed most. Another obstacle is the cost of building towers that will reach the heights  where wind speeds are greatest.
 I have an idea that deals with both of these issues in a simple yet cost effective way.

 First let’s look at the importance height plays in harnessing wind power .  There are two points to consider. One is that wind speeds are generally higher, the further above the ground you go. Of course wind speeds vary day to day and hour to hour, but overall, the  higher up you travel off the earth’s surface, the faster the wind blows. Another very important factor is that wind power increases exponentially as wind speed increases.  What this means is that when wind speed is doubled, the potential available power increases 800%!
 Now the issue of transmission is obvious, the farther you have to transport something, the  more it costs to do so.
 What if we built wind turbines right in the midst of our most densely populated areas by  placing them on top of our tallest buildings?  We would achieve our goal of getting our power collection device (the windmill ) at the higher elevations where wind speeds are greater . . . without having as much expense getting them up there.  At the same time, your transmission expenses would drop to almost nothing because the power generated could be used for the very building that supported the wind turbine.

Now certainly there are obstacles to overcome such as noise, vibration, and the stress that would be added to the structure, but with over 10,600 buildings worldwide that are 300 feet tall or more, it would be worth some engineering research to help solve these problems.  Besides, I am not suggesting that the devices would have to be large enough to meet all of the electrical needs of the building. Any cost effective contribution would be worthwhile.

 Think about it, why do they call it the “windy city” (Chicago)?  And  with all of those   people and all of that energy consumed, it only makes sense. Chicago has almost 100 buildings that are over 300 feet tall, the ten tallest standing at over 800 feet!(nine more buildings are either under construction or planned that will exceed 800 feet, the tallest will be a stunning 2000 feet!)

Filed Under: Alternative Energy, Articles

Hot Tub Blanket

August 10, 2010 By PANDSCORP Leave a Comment

There are at least three good reasons that one might want to have an insulating blanket over a Hot Tub . . . while it is in use.
The first and most obvious is to help contain the heat so as to lower the cost of heating the water.
The second reason to have a blanket would be to allow the user to soak in hot water while having the air around their face stay much cooler(as some of us prefer), in other words to keep a barrier between the hot water and the cooler air above.
The third reason to have a “blanket” would be to keep the water from splashing up into the users face as so often happens in some Hot Tubs.
The problem is: how do you utilize a blanket without restricting the mobility of the users?
Here is the answer . . . your “blanket” would be comprised of a large number of small floating balls, somewhere between the size of a ping pong ball or those balls used in the kid’s play area at McDonalds.  The density of the balls would determine how high up (or low down) they would float on the water as well as determining the effectiveness of the insulating qualities.
With a tub full of lightweight floating balls, the user would have complete free mobility while reaping the insulating effects of a “blanket”.  The balls could be larger and one deep . . . or smaller and as many as three or four deep, the latter scenario providing the best insulation. You could also mix the sizes to help fill up gaps.
A large fishnet bag such as those that onions are packaged in could be used to gather the balls into and store them, suspended above, where they can dry out.
If made from a light weight wood, it is likely that the floating balls might have a massaging effect as many massaging implements are made with round wooden wheels.

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Solar Boost

August 10, 2010 By PANDSCORP Leave a Comment

Two of the biggest challenges to creating an effective solar PV system are cost and the lack of  available light in the winter.
Photovoltaic panels (PV) are very expensive. A decent panel runs between $55 and $65 dollars per square foot.  Whole home systems can cost as much as $40,000 and up!

Mirrors, on the other hand, are very inexpensive. You can go to a home building center and purchase mirror tiles for less than $1.50 per square foot. Therefore, an equal amount of mirror surface would cost only $1000.

My suggestion is to invest less in solar panels for your home(system) and instead place mirrors behind your array at a fraction of the cost.  You will be able to dramatically increase the amount of sunlight that hits your panels in the winter . . . even above and beyond what additional panels would have collected . . . at an incredible savings. (Caution would have to be taken to not overheat your panels in the summer).

This application would work equally well on solar water heating systems. A 50 gallon solar water heater can cost upwards of $1000 or more. Don’t you think that $50 worth of mirror (enough to double the effective collecting surface of your system), would be a worthwhile investment?

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River Clean-Sweep Apparatus

August 10, 2010 By PANDSCORP Leave a Comment

Occasionally I will discover that one of my ideas has already been thought of by someone else. This does not embarass me as I only want to see the ideas utilized to help make life better. Here is an example(click here) of where a very similar apparatus to what I envisioned has been put into operation, but please read my version below as well.

River Clean-Sweep Apparatus

An apparatus consisting of: 1. a floating partition that allows river water to pass underneath while trapping and diverting all material floating on river’s surface to a strategic location, 2. . a specially designed conveyor belt to lift out all trash, wood, & debris, 3. a giant water wheel, powered by the rivers current, to drive the conveyor belt.

Rising water levels caused by heavy rains bring a deluge of floating material down our rivers, especially in the spring when materials collecting on the banks are released into the river. The majority of this material consists of logs, sticks, and plastic bottles. All three of these materials are readily recycled. By placing a floating diverter across the river at an appropriate angle, all of this material can be directed to one location where it will accumulate until removed. A water wheel placed near, yet separate from the debris, will utilize the river’s current to generate power, (which increases as the river rises). This water wheel can be used to drive a specially designed conveyor belt that is partially submerged in the area where the material is caused to accumulate. As the conveyor turns, the material is picked up and carried out of the river where it can be automatically deposited into large containers. Power generated by the water wheel could even be used to pulverize the wood into “mulch” as well. Since the flow of the river is continuous, the wheel (and therefore the conveyor) will be operating continuously.

Benefits

1 No electricity or fuel is needed since the river provides all of the energy required.

2 Sale of firewood, mulch, compost, and recyclable materials would help recover the initial cost of constructing the apparatus.

3 A large water wheel would be a novelty and would attract numerous visitors to our city.

4 The success of such an endeavor would bring recognition and notoriety to our city as well, serving as a prototype for similar projects across the country.

5 The river (downstream) would be much cleaner which would improve the natural beauty of the river while significantly decreasing the cost of mowing and maintaining the river banks.

6 Smaller versions of this apparatus could be installed in the tributaries, blocking these materials before they reach the main river.

7 Since the diverter is floating, there is little impedance to the natural flow of the river and no significant obstruction to the fish.

Filed Under: Alternative Energy, Articles, Clean Rivers

Hydro-Power . . . taking a big step back.

August 10, 2010 By PANDSCORP Leave a Comment

Before electricity was first harnessed, any business or operation that required steady power was always located alongside a swift stream or a river. The force of the water would turn the blade of the sawmill, or the grinding stone, or whatever machine was hooked up to it.

When electricity first came onto the scene, there was little or no thought given to the pollution that was created when the electricity was generated. Therefore, this new source of power allowed businesses to be located away from water and in more convenient locations. It was often easier to provide a more consistent power to your machine with electricity because with the change of flow in the rivers, machines were constantly having to be adjusted.

Well, now that a few years have passed and we realize the true costs of generating electricity, I believe we have forgotten what a tremendous power source a river can be.
Now I am not suggesting that we move all of our businesses back to the rivers and cause environmental chaos. I simply believe that there is a middle path that would allow us in some instances to harness this tremendous power source from areas where the rivers natural form has already been compromised.
One option would be to harness the power of a swollen river to pump some of the extra water to a location where it could be stored until it was needed.
Floating barges, with turning water wheels built into their decks or mounted along any side, could utilize the power of the river to operate a number of types of equipment that would not be effected too much by slight variations in speed.
Chippers, shredders, and pulverizers, as well as conveyors to transport materials could all be powered by moving water.

All I am saying is that now that we have learned the true price of modernization, some of our best solutions to the problems we have created may be to take a big step back into the past.
Even a small stream can be harnessed to provide direct mechanical power to operate equipment that could never be run by electricity generated by the very same stream.
A current barely strong enough to generate enough electricity to light a small light bulb, could easily provide enough direct mechanical power to operate equipment that would normally require 100 times the wattage of the bulb.

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