This is just a little bit of an update. I know I hav'nt been on all that much, it's just because there has'nt really been a whole lot to report. However there are a few little additions.
I think Traction really likes the mansion. But then so do I. I hav'nt been overly busy working on the house lately. A little here and there, but it just seems there are a lot of other things that need doing too. There is the stock market(6.5 hours per day, plus the before market open and after market close preparations), so that is kinda like a 5 day per week job with weekends off if I so choose . The pay is never gauranteed but it's been coming in a little bit at a time and getting better all the time with practice. The important thing is that I am enjoying myself doing it. Then there is also firewood making, all the usual chores, and then I threw in a new one that I did'nt even know was there, and it is called enjoying life. Seems now that I am in the house, I'm not really in a big panick to get everything done. I'm going to keep my eyes open for some good deals on cabinets, flooring, etc. I really don't mind living in an unfinished house, as that sorta gives me more of a real live cabiny feel to it. But I do plan to get things done gradually. I am just real happy to living in it. It's like a mansion to me.
I got a new washing machine. At first I was shopping around more for a cheaper top load type, but then I discovered that these front load machines are supposed to be alot more water and energy efficient. This particular one is one of the lowest rated kw/hr per year usage that I could find. Seems to work pretty good. I also have a dryer, and it uses zero fossil fuel energy.
And there she is. The dryer. Costed about $10.00. I was shopping around for a propane dryer, but I'm really in no hurry, if I ever do get one. Dryers use alot of energy just for convenience. So far this system has given me no problems.
So far all the main things in the house have been working out pretty darned good. Heating, water system, power. The power is good, but we have had alot of cloudy or snowy days, so the solar charging has'nt been performing real well. There is the odd sunny day in between 3 or 4 not so sunny days, but this is to be expected. My larger battery bank allows me to go for 2 or 3 days of no sun charging, before I run the generator. I could go alot longer than that before my batteries would be in danger of low charge, it's just that my honda 2000 generator will have a hard time catching up. I like to recharge the batteries when the State of Charge drops down to about 90% area (that means that only 10% of the capacity has been used). And that is usually about 2 days of living, burning wood in the day and the furnace taking over later in the night. I recently went for about 3 days with little, if any sunshine, as a test, without burning wood one of those days. When the furnace was doing all the work, and the outside temps were at around minus 20 celcius outside. I brought the battery bank down to about 82% SOC. The next day with the honda 2000 running, and the sun shining, I was fully charged. I don't think my panels would have done it by themselves in one day of sunshine this time of year from 82%. So that should just give some kind of an idea how things are working.
One thing I've learned so far is that fire wood has a way of getting used up a little quicker than I thought it would. I have been burning it quite regularly. I hav'nt used much propane at all since I've moved into the house. I have been using some wood out of the wood shed, but I have mostly been bucking up my pile logs and using that as I go. It seems I can really notice my pile getting smaller all the time. lol. Just today I move all the logs around with the backhoe to make it alot nice getting at my wood without all the snow, but I hav'nt taken any pictures. I really thought at first that I had more than enough wood for this winter, but I don't think it is going to be. Live and learn I guess. Oh well, we'll figure something out.
Every once in a while, I go out buck some up and split it.
Then haul it to the house.
And put it under the steps. On this particular day when I did this, from start to finish was about 2 hours of work. I always like to put these kinds of tasks into an hourly perspective to compare with working in the real world for wages. One thing I do know, is that I could have put in one mediocre day at work at my previous job, and that would have more than paid for one months heating fuel. lol. But this is alot more fun, I guess. I can see that keeping myself in firewood is going to be one of my biggest chores in life. I think of it as a fitness plan. I'm not totally sure where I am going to get all my firewood in the future, but I do have plans of making it into some kind of a recreational event in the summer time.
Oh, and another thing, I don't think I have ever mentioned the little bit of siding that is on the house. My friend Jo-Ann and I did this little bit quite some time ago as we were getting warmed up to put the solar panels on the roof. Just thought I should mention that. Hate to take all the credit for things I don't do myself. And on that note, she also helped me one day with the deck attached to the house. This deck is just a quick temporary one for the winter. In the summer time, this deck will be getting moved to the back door, and a new full width double decker will be going onto the front of the house.
I just learned a real neat trick for baking my potatoes inside the wood stove and it works like a charm.
I put them in there for awhile. Did'nt time them or anything, just once in awhile I gave them a turn and a little squeeze to see if there was any give. This worked pretty good for me. lol. The spuds were not real over sized, but I'm sure larger ones would have cooked just as well. Thanks Margy over at ,
http://powellriverbooks.blogspot.com/
for this idea. Margy has baked breads and other things in her wood stove.
Disclaimer--IMPORTANT
This is a personal blog, mainly for my own use. I am building a house with my own two hands, but I am learning alot of things as I go. I do not claim to know what I am doing, or if anything I do is even close to being done correctly or safely. So please, if you are planning on using any of my ideas or methods for your own use, please get professional advice before actually following through with your actions. I will not be held responsible for any injuries or damages of any kind caused by information or comments from this blog.
