Omelet wrote:
>
> In article >,
> "Pete C." > wrote:
>
> > > > You should be able to find heavier mylar in like 2'x3' sheets at a good
> > > > art / craft supply place for a few $.
> > >
> > > Hobby Lobby?
> > > I've not looked. I'd have to check.
> >
> > I haven't looked for it there, but they likely have it.
>
> It's the closest craft supply store. ;-)
> Just give me an excuse to "browse" Hobby Lobby!
>
> > > >
> > > > I've got an ambitious solar project on the drawing board for when I have
> > > > some time. The parabolic collector is 10' dia
> > >
> > > What are you building?
> > > I'd love to get my hands on a dead LARGE satellite dish for a solar
> > > stove.
> >
> > The base for the collector is a 3m solid fiberglass commercial type
> > satellite dish
> >
> > The multi step plan:
> >
> > - Get dish reflectorized and on a tracking mount
>
> Cheater! :-)
>
> > - Get a steam boiler setup working on the collector
> > - Build a steam engine (piston type, not turbine) to spin a large truck
> > alternator to provide DC power to a battery bank and inverter
> > - Run residual / condensed steam through a heat exchanger to extract
> > heat for hot water and house heating
> > - Build an absorption chiller to go before the DHW heat exchanger to
> > provide for cooling / A/C
> >
> > I figure that's a decade worth of project
>
> Consider putting the fan unit underground.
> I read a website once on underground AC units to increase efficiency.
> I moved mine into full shade and it's helped a bit. Supposedly putting
> the condenser underground helps too.

Geothermal (ground source) heat pumps are quite efficient. The ground
down 6' or so is a nice stable temperature and is a great thermal mass
to extract heat from or dump heat to.

An absorption chiller is a bit different item, as it generates cooling
from a heat input. The most common example of an absorption chiller is
an RV refrigerator which can run on propane, they are also found in
large industrial applications. Not many mid sized applications around,
but no reason they can't be done, and they can be powered from any heat
source.

>
> Our local caverns here are generally 72 degrees. So is the water coming
> out of the aquifer.

I know, I've been swimming through one of those caves in the New
Braunfels area. Quite comfortable in a wetsuit.

>
> > >
> > > Tools of power? <G>
> >
> > Tools, and the knowledge to use them properly = power
> >
>
> That was a Yolk. ;-)
> I once saw a beautiful carved staff made by someone dressed as a shaman.
> I asked him if he'd done it by hand or used power tools. It was at an
> SCA event.
>
> His comment was "I used tools of power"...
>
> I've been working on a rune staff now for over 20 years.
> Most of it is done. I just need to add the inlay (some day) and the trim.
>
> It's made from an Aspen sapling that sprouted off the root system from a
> mature tree that I harvested in Colorado.

Good to have long term projects.

> --
> Peace, Om
>
> Remove _ to validate e-mails.
>
> "My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch" -- Jack Nicholson