Energy and Other Projects

Saturday, December 3, 2016

Repairing a $7.99/2 Rear Bicycle Fender

Yep. Trival. I want to keep a date to see how long the repair worked for, hence the post.

One morning I bumped the rear fender with my leg as I mounted the bike

-Snap!!!, no more rear fender.

In fairness to the vendor, I did take the bicycle through here the day before:

...mainly because I didn't want to bike a mile out of my way just to get to the very cool bike path on the other side of the rail yard (see that third wooden bridge in the distance???? ooooh so close but ooooh so far away).

Four peices of tin (shaped and cut to hold the fender in place), and three zip ties (to ensure no slippage during vibrations during riding), later and here's the result:

By the way, if you have very simple tools (marker, scissors), you don't need to spend any money at all on fenders.

Front Fender

Rear Fender

....which led to a commercial product:

Ass Savers
...yep, that's their commercial name so don't complain to me about language.

I want to get a second bicycle for out of town company and in case something drastic should happen to my $50 Iron Horse MTB.... I'll use the zero cost fenders for the second bike (seeing's how the $7.99 failed me so ?easily?) !

$50 Iron Horse MTB + (4 inner tubes and multiple bottles of green slime) has given me 1,000 commuter miles (1609.344 km) in three months. This doesn't include pleasure riding stints. Maximum commuter run length: 10 miles (16km).

Oh. I use a $30 Trek bike trailer for loads...hmmmm.....maybe I'll only put heavy duty racks on the second bicycle since I find myself needing a rack regularly.

Friday, May 20, 2016

Solar Evacuated Tube Used To Boil Rice

1/4 cup (59.15mL, 45grams) of rice and 1/2 cup water (118.3mL)
Elevation: 4,501ft (1,372m)
Season: Spring (May 18th)
Time of Day: Morning
Solar Tube Orientation: 45degrees off ground, facing directly east.
Ambient Temperature: 59F (15C) in Shade,
Rice and water temperature near ambient temperature (out all night)

Start Time: 8:13am
   9:00am finger over large hole gets warm vapor on it
   blocked large hole with stick
   9:11am too hot to hold finger over large hole long; vapor
   9:15am ambient temperature: 60F (15.6C)
                   9:45am disturbed tube, tested rice, still slightly crunchy
   10:00am rice cooked to very soft consistency

Pictures

...height of 45 grams of rice in solar tube

...height of 45 grams of rice plus 1/2 cup water...

Soft boiled rice 1h 45 minutes later.
Notice I can hold the outter tube in my hand but would burn my fingers if I put them inside the tube.

If you look closely at the rice you will see the rice at the bottom of the tube was still slightly crunchy.

...This is my fault; the rice should've have been stirred. Stirring is easy given the outside of the tube remains cool -just invert the tube a couple of times.

Monday, May 16, 2016

Solar Evacuated Tube As Backpack Solar Oven

[$15 +$20 shipping] I usually prefer technology I can create myself but I couldn't pass up testing this device given some youtube vids on the temperatures it could reach.

Yes, I realize the maximum concentration for my reflector to reflect onto the tube would be horizontal which is how I will use it next time.

This was a quick test to verify the tube worked and wasn't broken during shipping (or manufacturing). I poured about a cup of water into the tube.

Orientation: 35 degree from ground facing West as the sunset at base of Rockies
Time of Day: 4:10pm, mid-May
Length of Test: 30 minutes
Ambient Temperature: 70F

Begining Temperature: um, my digital laser thermometer is a 10 hour drive away so I can only say the water was cool to the touch.

Ending Temperature: To my hand, the water was as hot as the water out of a hot water tap (hot enough to do dishes in but not near boiling). A little hotter and I wouldn't pour it into my hand.

Next post, I will cook rice or rolled oats and carefully measure the amount of water I place into the tube. I'll also record the volume of the quantity of grain to be boiled. I will also seal the largest hole in the rubber stopper to speed up boiling times (no worries, there is another 1/16th hole also in the rubber stopper).

Thursday, March 17, 2016

In the tradition of yogis past and future:

choodewa.blogspot.de

Monday, December 26, 2011

Simple Effective Washer Machine

Monday, June 20, 2011

Adobe Dome Compression and Water Test

My goal with this test was to understand the mechanical techniques of using the compass method Auroville Earth Institute has listed in their downloadable pdfs. ...and to see: how a dome falls down under water erosion if not protected/stabilized, how quickly it does so, and if it could hold any weight on top.

Warning: before attempting a dome of larger size, make sure you read and understand the information on dome building found at:
http://www.earth-auroville.com/?nav=menu&pg=vault&id1=2&lang_code=en

...one person....

...two people...

...can only get three people, about 350 pounds, on the dome at the same time. I then jumped up and down on it by myself with no damage to the dome (or to me).

....after 10 minutes of simulated rain....

....and what remains after 23 minutes of simulated rain. Pure clay adobe; no cow manure, ashes, asphalt stabilizer, nor cement. Will use a two inch plaster of 10% cement and 90% adobe on final dome.