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... the sky is baby blue, and the just-unfurling leaves ...
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Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Jun 12, 19 6:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Depends on what had to be done as to whether it was expensive or not. At least the vehicle is back on the road, and where you are you need it.

We had to have a tree taken down in the woods recently. The trunk was rotten and it was over a public footpath. The tree surgeons took it down in 3' lengths, so we have to remove it and use it in various ways. We have someone who is interested in using it in planked form if we can cut it, and I would like to use some for cutting boards etc.

Managed to get to the woods yesterday and got some work done. Son shifted some more timber, he and husband bagged some charcoal and I cut some hazel for besom handles and made a couple of heads. Sadly the mossies joined us so I have two horrid great bites round my chin-the only bit they could reach.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 19 1:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

So true about the cost, but it was, the lad said, new brake pads, so the rate per hour must be high! Anyway it is going without fear of a wheel coming off and no grinding noise. I have slowed down a lot in the last 2 years, common sense starting to kick in after 50 odd years of driving! I was never off the road, just driving with a constant grinding noise from one of the wheels.

The mossies have not surfaced up here...yet, but I have hay fever as usual at this time of the year and am sniffling well. It only affects my nose and I don't feel unwell because of it, as some folks undoubtedly do.

I have come to a stop on the felling of those trees by my house, my man who did the job is a professional, and as he didn't come last weekend I assumed he had somewhere else to go that is a paying proposition, unlike mine, which is a "favour for mates" as he doesn't want any cash I am worried what he does want instead! I have already donated a child's tricycle for his granddaughter.

I am coming to the conclusion that it is time I gave up working for a living. I can do my own bit of the work, it is the customers that cause trouble-you know those people who indirectly pay the wages, well the boss has it all first and the distributes accordingly!

I learned yesterday that you can't just go into the doctors surgery and get an appointment. Now you have to phone them-first problem, I don't have a phone, so they will be ringing work tomorrow morning. And if they don't then I can just go away and find a "quack doc" no doubt. It is interesting I could have been in serious pain a couple of years ago when I ate too many peanuts and my gut got upset to the point I was nearly fainting here in the library. And an emergency nurse sorted me out. It can't have been all bad as I am still around!

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 19 3:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

i have decided that "work" as such is not on my to do list .
my time is quite full with interesting and useful things but i get to choose what they are

right now i am watching a sparrow 3 ft away watching me, learning sparrow details might not be important but it is rather fun and better than a lot of stuff i have done for wages

if you can afford to "retire" or as i think of it " do i need to do or buy that " it is rather nice and leads to loads of good stuff if you have fun with the time.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Thu Jun 13, 19 9:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

About solar hot water panels: there are too many trees for solar electric but we have two panels for solar hot water that were installed almost 8 years ago.

Well water comes out of the ground at about 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Panels are not intended to heat water to point-of-use temperature, more as a pre-heater so hot water tank heater (uses propane) is not working as hard. System works quite well even on cloudy days, works well even in winter.

Our system uses a 50% propylene glycol / 50% water transfer set up (fewer concerns about freezing) in the solar panels, through a heat exchanger coil, back to solar panels. The exchanger coil is in a intermediate tank which is fed from the well.

The warmed water goes to the standard water tank heater. Usually runs somewhere in the 80s Fahrenheit on cloudy days, on sunny days the system pump will shut down when the intermediate tank reaches 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Best in winter is maybe 110 / 115 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Fri Jun 14, 19 6:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We have thought about those Jam Lady, and they would make sense on our roof, but somehow other things have got in the way. Agree they do help, and something perhaps we ought to consider again.

Gregotyn, our surgery runs a two tier system. If you phone at 8am or 2.30pm you can ask for an emergency appointment, but it doesn't always work. Having missed out for two consecutive days, I did ask what I was supposed to do, as if I wasn't treated for something quite simple I could end up in A&E as a real emergency. They found me an appointment. The other one is the longer term one which can be a week or two. As with yours, they will give phone consultations, but as you say, only all right if you have a phone.

Rain was horrible yesterday and had to give up firing the kiln as the kindling was so wet and couldn't get the temperature up. I couldn't make besoms as I would have had to work under the store tent and it was far too dark. I ended up sitting on the covered area in front of the shelter splitting hazel for baskets, so at least something constructive. Made my hands hurt at the time, but no lasting pain thank goodness.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Sat Jun 15, 19 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

We had some rain, but not a lot during the day it was at night mostly. The roads had a few large puddles but not as much as a couple of days ago when water was deep in places, and straddling the road. This am. is wet but improving and almost a sun wanting to shine.

I think that is about all I can expect with a few panels on the roof, to have a pre-warmer for my hot water tank, at around 900ft up a hill, but after costs it would start to save a bit of money. I too have a well available if I want it. My plan is to fill a large tank with water off the roof and use it for car washing and the like, eg bonfire control.

An interesting start to the day-I got up to go to the shops and was just off out, when the charcoal burner man turns up so I have to help him to unload and the come here and shop too, but the dreaded wallet goes awol again and I find it in the bag I had omitted to bring out with me which included the shopping list and other things you need when you leave the house!

If my memory goes well I will see you all on Tuesday-touch and go a bit!

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Sun Jun 16, 19 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Sounds as if you got rather distracted with the charcoal burner Gregotyn. Perhaps the best way to go is to plan everything before you do it, make sure you have all the things you need, like your wallet, before leaving the house, then go. More haste, less speed as they say. Turn it round and you have less haste, more speed. I find, particularly when doing something new, that planning first, so I know what I am going to do, makes things far less stressful.

We had our volunteer group yesterday morning, and just finished before the rain came. I went down the garden afterwards to do some work, but it rained again, so I just gave up. Hoping to get on this coming week as I still have things to plant out, but don't see any point in getting wet again.

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Tue Jun 18, 19 2:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think I am getting old single person syndrome or, as I call it, going nuts. It is bound to happen, but I hoped later in life rather than today! I think I will give up the day job soon, these early morning starts could be better employed on stick chopping. The plus of work is the money, but also the perks-lots of reject pallets which are usually dry, clean, and they are glad to be got rid as well. Along with cheap tools at cost plus 10%; and work makes me get up in the morning, pressure to get up is there, but not at the weekends and I barely scrape into the library on winter mornings in time!

The friend's burner is a large old fuel tank with a big side cut out at an angle from top to bottom and then laid out with the non cut big side on the ground for producing "biochar" as they call it. It is produced by just burning and keeping lots of stuff to go at, in the open; then you sort of close it down by putting the cut piece over it and let it go "out" at which point you have charcoal and a lot of ash-we produced 2 by 200litre oil drums in about 2 hours. This stuff he tells me makes a good path to walk on as well as feed plants. He uses it in his polytunnel, for the pathways, and on the beds as a sort of feed, and he tells me that it has reduced his slug intrusion to nil. as he has surrounded the beds with the stuff as well as outside the tunnel. We literally burned all the tree trimmings in around a couple of hours, with the largest diameter about 1.5 in-38mm. The man tells me it is edible for humans, but I chickened out! It was nothing like any charcoal burner as I knew them., but it produced a batch of which he was pleased. I didn't realise that it was "biochar day"; he just turned up, then next day, we had a day digging for my sewage leakage "spot" and cellar drainage pipe, with the aim being to get both to work again. All go.

If I were making my own burner I would cut it as he has, but also hinge the side he has cut off his; this would make it easier to close it when you want to stop the burn. Anyway I was impressed with the system and how easy it was to do. This system is not the same as charcoal production, but I can see how useful the product could be in a garden if only for the slug control!

We had some rain yesterday, it was raining as I went to work this am. at 4.30am, but we are having a lovely day now, if a little windy. Sorry about your rain stopping planting.

I will look into the solar water heating idea on the newly exposed roof and how much in cost versus potential benefit. I am thinking indirectly heating the water with effectively a radiator to collect the heat and the rise to heat the internal tank. I need to look into it as they say, and see if I am still up to it-read a book first! and have a sleep or two!

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Tue Jun 18, 19 9:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

solar warming of water can work well depending on many things.

hot is a red herring in most circumstances but a decent amount of tepid is very achievable in the uk
ok if you need tepid or to preheat for domestic hot water etc.

i have seen a thermos flask size and style rig with an unfolding reflector boil a pint of water in a couple of minutes, doing that in south yorkshire on a nice but not overhot spring day did make me consider what that tech could be useful for .

that is ace kit if you want a cup of tea freshly made rather than in a flask and can't make fire or switch on the kettle for some reason.
tis fun to see though

i do not know how long it takes to recover the initial outlay on domestic kit from energy bill savings using the right kit for your needs but the wrong stuff never will pay back .
big domestic is a better bet for a meaningful saving/greenery than small domestic, commercial tis often a very good idea and covers the outlay in a few years.
i get the impression scale matters

iirc the kit with several sets of pipes and heat exchangers etc has been reported as not bad in warm to rather chilly places

another consideration is the suitable place for sunshine a suitable place to put a moderate amount of fixings and weight and potential wind forces etc.?

old roofs are interesting at times and no place to put big stuff without very careful consideration. any advice needs to be expert and site specific.
owt can be done but done safely and at a sensible cost can be a problem

maybe decide what you might need and take the research from there ?

Mistress Rose



Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15539

PostPosted: Wed Jun 19, 19 6:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I am not surprised you are having trouble after all the work you have been doing lately. At least you are getting more light on the house and there is no risk of the trees falling in high winds now.

I use a bit of biochar in the garden. I need to remake the paths between the raised beds, so perhaps charcoal fines are the way to go. I tend to use the finer stuff that we can't sell as barbecue charcoal. We sift out some of the down to 1/4" stuff as some people need that for small barbecues and we sometimes get a blacksmith wanting some, but not very often.

The solar water heating will take the temperature up to the correct one for use in sunny weather in the summer where we are, from other peoples experience, but we are in the south of England, so a bit sunnier that Yorkshire or up a Welsh mountain, but even preheating saves some energy in hot water costs.

Rain stopped work again yesterday, so hoping that husband and son can at least get the kiln loaded again for a second firing this week, even if it is not possible to bag the rest of the charcoal.

Jam Lady



Joined: 28 Dec 2006
Posts: 2501
Location: New Jersey, USA
PostPosted: Wed Jun 19, 19 12:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Over here solar hot water system is not intended to heat well water to point of use temperature. It functions very well as a pre-heater so the propane fueled hot water tank doesn't need to run as hard as it otherwise would.

Rather wet yesterday. 2.46 inches of rain by the time I went to bed. At one point the deluge was precipitating at about 3 inches / hour. Fortunately it did not keep at that rate for very long.

And - oh joy - more rain forecast for today.

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed Jun 19, 19 5:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

i came across a rig that did point of use temp for a 60 rm hotel but it was in a rather sunny place and only needed to operate for punters and laundry etc in the summer

in temperate to cool places a moderate amount of reliable tepid can be done if you want a footprint reduction and a decadal payback.

you seem to have plenty of wood, perhaps as a carbon neutral energy source spending the outlay on excellent wood burning kit would be more effective

there are some very good bits of kit to turn timber into hot water , a warm home or even motion and electricity etc

from what you have mentioned of the welsh weather in your bit most of the year is less than warm and sunny

gz



Joined: 23 Jan 2009
Posts: 8577
Location: Ayrshire, Scotland
PostPosted: Wed Jun 19, 19 9:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

When I lived in North Wales, we put 5 indirect solar water heating panels on a lean-to kitchen roof.
In the summer the water was 50 C in the tank...but the main gain was the pre-heating in the Winter which brought Winter bills down massively

dpack



Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 45377
Location: yes
PostPosted: Wed Jun 19, 19 9:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

no heat on a good day and preheat in winter is good but how much does the kit cost?

outlay vs savings over time is a consideration as well as green as a greenfly in greenberg

gregotyn



Joined: 24 Jun 2010
Posts: 2201
Location: Llanfyllin area
PostPosted: Thu Jun 20, 19 2:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

My basic needs are to be able to wash in warm water other than the current kettle full! It all started a long time ago when I went away for Christmas and came home to water running down the road from inside the house. I was at fault and should have turned the water off when I went away, but hindsight is easy to see the problem. Anyway I have a tap in one of the buildings working and it does for me. But to be able to get hot water would be good, although I have survived about 10 years without it. In fact I only have 3 hot water bottles for heat in winter. I am immune to cold in many ways, having been married to a girl for whom the heating was needed right up to the end of May, and by September it was reinstated. A bungalow so lots of roof area to take the heat out, in spite of insulation.
As you state gz, is as I thought, get the initial water heating from solar and the required heat via the immersion heater. I guess I will make do with what I can manage to do myself.

I am inundated with felled timber-and am in log production ready for the winter trade, with a friend helping. And the kindling is still selling well for this time of the year at about 6 nets a week. I guess I will be doing the same when I hit old age-ha, ha-and will be buying kindling for my fire, I have been chopping it for over 60 years already. I use pallet wood for the sticks as it is usually dry and needs no drying, whereas felled timber for logs needs to be ash or laid up for a while! I am still waiting for the Tree Feller to return and complete the reduction in height of some more of the trees. I have ash well over 60 feet high, but as they were self set, they are too close together in a hedge of trees so the whole row is high and no body The base is a max. of 15 inches in diameter! Where my big oaks are they have much more girth, around 15 feet dia., and 14 ft. to the first branches, which is not enough in summer when the weight of sap and leaves lowers the branches, and you have a trailer load of hay to get down the hill at the least sloping end of the field and needs to get under those branches!-we basically get 2 loads down the hill and then unload one load onto the other trailer at the bottom! My friend had an oak fall in the wind and had it planked for his use, refusing over £900 about 10 years back.

Weather today not too bad-warm and sunny for a welcome change-but cool and wet first thing about 4.30.

I am interested in kit to turn timber into hot water or even house heating with wood. It is a question of cost versus age for me. I made a mistake of putting 2 wood burners into the house and even when there was a barrier between them-2 doors-the draw was no where near as good as when only one stove was in action.

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