Energy

The oil tank is good until October 2020,

Now I don’t know about you, but having two, or three, sources of heat, both for warmth and for cooking, seems like a good idea to me. I have a wood heater, an oil stove, and electric furnace and range.

Bob Little (cell) 709-468-6207 (h) 709-468-1864

2019-02-11 Mon

I make coffee and start typing but at nine Justin phones, and fifteen minutes later a big utility truck parks in my driveway. Justin and Mitchell experiment with breakers, fuses, machines, lights, and a couple of nifty voltage testers. Most circuits register 120v±3, but at least one circuit registers 134v, way out of range. The washing machine deserves a thicker extension cord, Justin tells me. They end with a suggestion that I call Newfoundland Power and get the source feed checked. This makes sense to me. Start at the street supply to the house and then work downstream. We peek inside the loft, accessible from the main bedroom, but there is a foot of insulation powder over the ceiling and no view of the wiring. As well, I am not sure that the loft is open across the entire house. Another avenue to explore once spring is here.

I ask Justin and Mitchell for a top of the head estimate, and Mitchell says under five hundred. I need to allocate funds for the next two or three months until the credit card is paid down.

Time for a cuppa at 14:30, or rather, a potta. But at 2:45 NL Power arrives.

This afternoon around 1:30 I called Newfoundland Power to have them come and check the supply of electricity; every time the washing machine or forced air furnace kicked in, the lights brightened. I am used to seeing lights dim when a device sucks power out of the system, but never brighten. An hour later the truck rolls up, orange jumpsuit guy walks up the driveway; we hello each other and he asks “What’s the problem?”.

They tell me to call Gordon Stagg 709-468-0003. Outside #2 has done something in the meter box; it was corroded, naturally with salt in the air. Inside, where he is not supposed to be, #1 opens up all the board, finds charred wires, corroded wires, loose(!) wires, loosened screws, and does a quick 15-minute renovation. The washing m/c is cycling and my lamps are NOT brightening. They drive off at 1515.

The junction box. The two upper white cables show sign of charring, while the lower white cable shows sign of corrosion.

The stove area looks junky because it is junky. There is an awkward gap behind the oil stove and between the oil and electric stoves. Then too between the electric range and the fridge. These three appliances have a combined footprint of 2,386 square inches yet occupy 5,405 square inches of my kitchen floor – a factor of 2.27 times the area.

Rod has sent my contact details off to a guy he knows in Clarenville who comes up every Wednesday. I told him “No Hurry”. Elwood and I have chatted about weather and wind-chill.

Dwayne from Cabot Electronics called around. The agitator collar is stripped; on top of that the filter is clogged (hence the overflow), so junk the machine. Can’t get parts. It is scrap metal. I suspect that I will try to (a) clean that filter area and (b) wedge the agitator housing to get a few months out of the machine. This will involve some dis-assembly of the top of the washer; a job for a day in itself. I move the wheeled cupboard out and invent another task:- (26) Clean i/o filters at base of heating system, Also (27) Consider disconnecting outlet from dryer.

I had spotted a firm C&C which advertised oil and water heaters. Anne (in reception 468-7965) takes down some of my story and sets up a 2/230 visit from her husband Jerry. I say that I need hand-holding, that I am so naïve. Harold (driver) pops in and starts paperwork.

Jerry arrives around two, and fires off answers before I can form my question. He has checked the tank, says it is half-full. The stove is easy enough to light (Plug in, dial to Low=1; lever down. When oil seeps in, drop lighted taper) and many people, he says, use it as the sole steady source of heat, The forced air heater is designed for a trailer-house and has no humidifier, so I disconnect the dryer hose once he is gone. He will send someone to tell me about the chimney and WETT test. The oil tank expires in 18 months and will have to be dismantled or replaced. A full replacement will set me back $4,500 for a new elevated tank and lines etc. The elevation is expensive but necessary because the oil stove is elevated, so the source must be higher. Without the oil stove a lower tank installation costs less. Ann had told me that they used to be with a, b and c, but are now independent. Does this mean failed relationships all round, or that they are super-efficient and in demand?

(1) New thinking is for the round pin to be uppermost, so that if something falls onto an exposed plug, it falls on the ground rather than the live prongs. Smart!

(2) The wiring is to an old standard; anything that requires an inspection (Insurance, etc) will require $Big

(3) The oil furnace intake is on the side of the furnace. The laundry door must be kept open to allow enough fresh air in. This is possibly the cause of the unburned-oil smell from the vents. I began to smell the oil about the same time I started closing the laundry door.

(4) Aluminium tape (Swyers) to seal the oil furnace duct.

(5) Plastic sheets (Swyers) to cover some of the windows and reduce air leakage through badly fitted frames.

(6) The wood stove is non-standard; it requires 24” clearance at the back.

(7) A Pellet stove (Swyers?) would be smaller, needs an electric blower but comes with a battery pack.

Both the oil furnace and the oil stove require electricity for the blowers. So my oil installations are no substitute when the electricity supply fails. Get rid of the oil stove, oil furnace, and oil tank.

Get rid of the wood stove and possibly the three chimneys.

These two changes free up space in three areas of the house and one area of the yard.

“A heat pump is better than baseboard heaters” I am told, but weeks later I think a heat pump is good for the whole house, whereas my day-to-day life is in one room. Either one may require re-wiring of the house prior to inspection.

A safer (updated, certified) house means lower insurance, but payback time must be long.

2019-04-02 Tue

I have been pondering this heating business. I can rip out the oil and wood fixtures today, if I have the cash. What would the bank know? What would the insurance company know? I disconnect the chimneys and wheel the stoves out to the shed at dead of night ... To get the insurance down, I need a certificate from the contractor that both stoves are disconnected, which leaves the furnace. Suppose I wheel that out too? In theory the insurance is satisfied, but does the bank get to know? I am left with an under wired house with no heating (although I still have hot water). Can I exist in the “cabin” for the winter? If I leave a 1,000W bar radiator running, that’s 24Kwh per day, or a monthly bill of $115 for hydro, but none for oil and $60 less for insurance.

Monday, May 27, 2019

I awoke around three to find the furnace “on the blink” again. Repeated pressing of the flashing green button brought only a smell of oil. I snuggled back into bed and rose at 530. The sky is grey; the air is grey. CBC says “Freezing Fog”. Never heard that before ... I make a coffee and dig out the furnace books for a good early-morning read.

On page 30 I read “press and hold for thirty seconds”. I had tried press-and-hold but only for three or so, so I stop-watch 30 seconds and Voila! the beast bursts into blaze. Let’s see what happens from 14.8 at 6:15 to 20.0 at 6:45. A lot of ground to make up.

Wednesday, May 29, 2019

The furnace was on the blink again last night. I woke at 6:30 in 14.7. I started another load of laundry. The furnace ran 40 minutes and the temperature rose to 23.2, so a rate of 13c per hour. I put the machine on “heavy” and interrupted the spin cycle; it ran for five minutes or more; something wrong there? I take in the quilt to wash on delicate, I have hung a load of thins already. I have a load of heavy to hang, plus the quilt; we’ll get there. I have a lawn to rake, a compost site to set aside, sawdust and logs to cart, flower pots to set out, soil to sieve, ... I could go all day long and still not check the bike. This afternoon I must slip into the library to grab financial statements.

Friday, May 31, 2019

Jerry Russell is the regular service guy for the furnace, it seems. He discovers that the air controller has slipped, or has been slipping month by month. The interior is carbonized through lack of oxygen. How much do I owe you? Twenty dollars cash, because he is in his own truck. I will book him to tune the furnace eo-Oct 468-6010 rather than partway through my winter. This should be the last winter, but Jerry, like everyone before him, warns against being dependent on only one source of heating, and the cost of replacing, certifying. This is a major job, and one for which I will need much advice.

Saturday, June 01, 2019

I make a draft document for Energy in the house.

Extra Outlets

I figure that as a live-alone I might survive a loss of hydro with a generator and a 1Kw bar radiator in my cabin?

Baseboard heaters affect placement, vertical and horizontal, of my new and existing outlets.

Friday, June 14, 2019

Daniel Moody of SW Energy in Clarenville (466-5411, 4279463 info@SolarWindEnergy.com ) gave me 45 minutes of his time.

(1) Gas generator, housed in shed, long cable, plugs into meter box.

(2) UPS-like battery system, trickle-charge from Newfoundland Hydro

(3) Solar panels

(4) Wind Turbine

(5) Heat Exchanger (heat AND cool)

I see options for a Power Source as:-

I see options for a heating Distribution as:-

I should supply a floor plan to Daniel with room uses.

My Oil/Hydro bill since February will give him a first approximation to my lifestyle’s energy use.

A new panel does not concern him excepting that I can supply enough power for the circuits he requires.

Likewise the new outlets (24) does not concern him; I am removing extension cords that trail across every floor.

My hot-water capacity (135L) is fine.

If he has an analyst in the area, feel free to drop in and quantify my measurements, capacities.

I am looking for a simple system that matches my lifestyle (single, no family)

Fixing drafts (windows, doors) is my responsibility.

As is a trickle heating system to the frozen pipes.

“Modular” is good, but I am not sure why I wrote that. Perhaps the ability to upgrade a UPS with a greater reservoir of power?

What is the problem with going “All Hydro”? How often has hydro been lost over the past ten years? For how long each period? Hence: What is the true impact on a live-alone hermit with pre-cooked foodstuffs always in the home?

On-bill financing for energy saving upgrades (NL Power)

(from my 2018 trip) “A plumbing student pointed out the ceiling-high heater, “everyone’s getting them”, but cautioned me that all houses must have electric floor-heaters, by law.”

Friday, July 05, 2019

What is my annual average wind speed

Is anyone in Bonavista using Wind to charge batteries for all-off-grid power needs?

Anhydrous charges a flat monthly fee before power is used, $17.56+tax, so to be 99.5% off the grid costs me about $300 per year.

Can I rent/make a meter to log my backyard wind streams?

But see also thePersonal

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

I go online and get a quote from PC.

The web site is not unpleasant (but far to many “Next” buttons) and thanks me when I am done.

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Friday, May 08, 2020

See also WindPower.doc and Specifications 12VDC.doc .

The system has two sub-systems:-

(1) A wind-power source of electricity, assumed to be a vertical-shaft wind vane storing electricity in a reservoir of connected [car?] batteries

(2) Wiring, switching, metering for various appliances and applications such as:-

(a) A half-pint electric water jug

(b) Driveway cables (snow melting)

(c) Personal fan

(d) Water distillation unit

The idea is based on experience driving across North America for 25 years with a 12vDC electric jug plugged into a cigarette lighter. This influences thinking. For this reason we consider a 12vDC system, using cheap car batteries (used at $10 each). Other voltages or reservoirs can be considered provided that the equipment can be easily obtained. Used fork-lift batteries are scarce in Bonavista.

The Goal

Develop, Document and Demonstrate the practical application of wind power in Bonavista to individual households to provide a low-cost accessory to grid-supplied 120v/240v mains electricity. The user must commit to keeping a diary and a log with dates and times.

(1) The system must be modular. The user should be able to add more wind vanes as needed; add more batteries and cabling between batteries as needed; add more appliances as needed. Once the initial installation is made and accepted there should be no need to recall the contractor.

(2) The system must be presentable as a demonstration model. Public inspection is a necessity. The idea is to display the system to interested domestic households and to offer them a cup of coffee boiled at 12vDC, or to recharge their cell-phone while they wait. Documentation must include a printed (albeit simple) flyer with data.

(3) The system must be expandable to a niche market for a contractor who sees an opportunity to installing domestic 12vDC systems across the Bonavista Peninsula. To that end a well-defined set of materials and a well-defined set of costed labour tasks must be available. The customer wants assurance of fixed-price, and the contractor wants to be shielded from cost over-runs.

(4) The system operates in two modes; the second mode is “opportune” in the sense that it is not seen as a necessary application. Distillation of drinking water might be seen as essential in some households, but a luxury in other households. Bridge cabling of electric blanket likewise might be seen as essential by some, opportune by others.

Objectives

(1) Install a wind vane, a car battery, cabling, and an all-weather electric light on the bridge. (Perhaps illuminating the Landfall Garden House sign). This light might be a permanent beacon of hope. Acceptance test: The light burns continuously for a six week period (1,008 hours).

(2) Install the cabling for an electric jug and a reading light. These can be mounted in the same place, for example a bedside table. No point in wasting heat energy in the kitchen during a power-outage. Acceptance test: The household brews two hot beverages each morning, two each afternoon, and reads for one hour each night for a six week period (1,008 hours).

(3) Remaining objectives are to my mind optional or selectable, and each carries its own acceptance test. Not having a resident teenage son, I might opt for driveway cables. Having books, I might not opt for TV/VCR.

Power Supply Considerations and Questions

(1) Assuming that 12vDC is the way to go, what are the objections to 12vDC, and what are the advantages to other systems such as 24vDC, or even 110vAC?

(2) Car batteries are cheap; $10 each according to a top-of-the-head quote. This price is not confirmed, nor is availability. Worst case I need to scoop up new batteries when and if they come on sale. The number/rate/availability of used car batteries is not known

(3) A 30-foot mast is an eyesore, and neighbours should not be treated to such a monster eyesore in their yards. A 64-square foot concrete pad is not welcome in most 1/8-acre house lots in Bonavista. This means a 12-inch or 15-inch vertical spindle wind vane probably mounted on the shed or house roof.

(4) A control panel that allows me to read a “remaining energy” gauge without trekking out to the batteries, and would allow to switch on/off various manual applications such as driveway cables or distillation unit.

(5) A reservoir gauge that indicates an approximate power level. If it reads 100% I have no qualms about melting driveway snow or distilling water. At 40% I use the power only for boiling water and reading lights.

(6) Electrolyte: How do I know which batteries need topping up with distilled water? I do not want to crawl into the attic loft every month.

(7) Calculation formulas How to determine power requirements to power 120vAC appliances such as PC speakers, Laptops, microwave? Calculations for batteries, appliances.

(8) Programmable use: Nice to be able to switch on water distillation whenever the power reservoir goes above 95%.

(9) Fork-lift or other heavy-duty batteries. Would they be “better” than car batteries? What availability? There should be no objection to having someone ferry them up from Clarenville.

(10) Ability to charge my batteries from the grid when the power reservoirs drops below 10% in winter time, or when a storm warning is pending.

(11) Power bars for personal distribution of power within the house.

Application and Appliance Considerations and Questions

(1) Simple light mounted outside on the bridge rail advertising that the electricity comes from the wind. This is the first acceptance test of the power supply, the simplest application I can devise. It tells the world that I am grabbing electricity from wind power in Bonavista.

(2) A standard ½-pint electric jug that boils enough water to make a large mug of tea or coffee, or enough boiled water to use in a pouch of oatmeal, or boil and egg. This is not survival cooking, but can be a morale-booster if a grid power outage is in place.

(3) A bedside reading light. This too is a morale-booster.

(4) A phone charger. This makes sure that we remain in telephone contact with neighbours. Too it provides us with access to email and music/audio books.

(5) A laptop charger. This allows us to make use of our laptop for internet access or perhaps to record a diary.

(6) A water-pump to lift water from ground level to a ceiling-level. This is discussed in more detail below.

(7) Driveway cables. I envisage a straight-line cable loop (out and back) in a groove cut centrally in the driveway. This is discussed in more detail below.

(8) Bridge cables: Similar to driveway cables. This is a small mat capable of melting a build-up of snow outside the door within about one hour.

(9) Auxiliary heating. This will take the chill off an otherwise unheated room. Right now my kitchen is unheated. Using free power to warm the kitchen before I rise would be a pleasant bonus. Alternatively sited under a clothes horse to provide energy to dry clothes.

(10) Pre-heated water: The ability to raise the grid-powered water heater’s inlet temperature would make for faster heating.

(11) VCR/TV: A morale booster during a power outage.

(12) Personal fan: bringing the summer breeze indoors for a better night’s rest.

(13) Timers: I use 120v timers for appliances such as floor heaters. I might find that distillation of a litre of water takes two hours; so set the timer for two hours and walk away; come back to find a litre of distilled water, and switch the jugs.

(14) Flash-heater within twelve inches of the hand-basin tap; ditto kitchen tap.

(15) Water distillation” I am confident in the quality of the rain water collected off my roof. I am not averse to supplying distilled water for (a) battery electrolyte or (b) aquarium use. Or for bottling for personal use.

(16) Green-house heater. Or at least a seed-tray heater (or two)

(17) Electric blanket: Why not take the chill off the bed sheets before retiring to bed? 

(18) Water pump for indoor vertical hydroponics garden.

Friday, August 14, 2020

The table below is the front panel. Initially the breakers are labeled for the householder, hence “heater”, “fridge” and so on. However, when I move the fridge across the kitchen, that outlet, and hence that breaker, is no longer “fridge”. So I must travel the house and make a unique identifier for each outlet and switch, and map those to the table.

Specific outlets and switches are identified on the plastic faceplates by room and by fitting. Rooms are BR, ST, LR, GR, LA, KI, PO, SH

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