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Monday, November 21, 2016

Why I live as sustainably as I can

Since 2001, I have been doing my best to live as sustainably as I can.  There are several reasons for my commitment.

1.

I'm an engineer dammit!  I enjoy the challenge of using technology to reduce my carbon footprint.  This includes increasing the efficiency of my home and workshop, installing renewable energy systems such as solar power, water heating and building heating and driving a state-of-the-art electric vehicle.  And as a geeky engineer, I choose to monitor and share data from all of the energy efficiency and renewable energy systems that I have installed on  my website. Here are some links to various pages on my site with live data feeds
Solar electric power system - live performance

Solar domestic water heater - live temperatures

Solar building heating system for my workshop - live temperatures

Heat recovery ventilation system - live temperatures

And much more on my Living Sustainably page

I also designed and manufacture a line of products designed to improve the performance of solar thermal heating systems.

2.

I'm also an artist and cultural creative.  As such I tend to see outside the box and live a life unconstrained by convention.  As an avid reader of science fiction, I tend to view the world through the lens of an imaginary alien anthropologist and this perspective informs many of my opinions and decisions.  An alien visiting planet Earth for the first time would be truly appalled at the massive scale of devastation we are wreaking on our ecosystem.

3.

Last, but by no means least, I am deeply concerned about the impact of climate change.  I hope that by modeling a sustainable lifestyle that I am demonstrating a viable low carbon footprint existence for humanity.  I look at young people today and have great concern for their future and all generations to come.  I have heard that Native Americans always made decisions with a view to the following seven generations, and that is the way that I choose to operate as well.


Wake-up time.

It is clear to me that the earth has already crossed the tipping point and climate change is accelerating so rapidly that the impacts are already being felt all over the world.  All we can do it this point is to try to slow things down.  It is only going to get worse and all the international climate accords are too little and too late.  Anyone who chooses to pay attention will see climate related news almost every day:
increased severe weather events
shrinking Arctic ice cover
Climate change in general
epic droughts
raging wildfires
frequent coastal flooding due to ocean level rise
plant and animal species extinctions
coral reefs dying


The thing that most surprises me is how few people are truly acting to avert this disaster in a daily conscious way.  I am both saddened and angered by the failures of the family of humankind.  It appalls me that there are people who "don't believe in climate change", this is like saying that you don't believe the sky is blue.  It is not a matter of opinion, the facts are plain and clear.  We are all in this together regardless of nation, race, ideology, religion or identity.  This is the greatest crisis ever to face humanity and we all need to wake the heck up and contribute.  It is not enough to do the token gestures of recycling and composting etc.  It is time to reach deep into our hearts and wallets and make commitments to reduce our carbon footprints at every opportunity.  Almost every time you make a purchase, you are voting for or against a sustainable future for humanity.

For myself, I have found the whole process of implementing renewable energy and technology to be rewarding.  For example,I actually look forward to getting my electric bill which usually shows an energy surplus for 6 or 7 months of the year for which I am later credited.  I am also enjoying driving my 2017 Chevy Volt electric vehicle which is powered largely from free solar energy.  It is an amazing and fun vehicle to own and operate and I use less than 60 gallons of gas per YEAR to drive in "range extended" mode at over 40 miles per gallon. 


Perspective.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xIx-LHG8Wc
Every single astronaut who has had the opportunity to look down at our little blue marble is profoundly impacted by the experience.  They all describe it as a spiritual transformation in which they see the whole world as one without boundaries.  They talk about being overwhelmed by a feeling of love as if the whole planet were their own child.  Click here or on the image above to see a live video feed from the International Space Station and just sit with it for a while. We live on the surface of a beautiful and unique planet.  Humanity cannot survive without a viable ecosytem, but the planet will continue with or without us.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Upgrading from 2012 to 2017 Chevy Volt

I have been wildly enthusiastic about the Chevy Volt since before it went into production and acquired my 2012 model as soon as I could afford to.  I have been completely thrilled with the car and believe that it is the ideal electric vehicle since it cleverly addresses the "range anxiety" issue with its internal gas powered "range extender" generator that allows you to keep driving at 43mpg once the electric battery has been used up.

My dealer (GoodwinsChevrolet) here in Brunswick, Maine made me an offer I could not refuse which was to trade in my old Volt for a very affordable three-year lease on the all new redesigned 2017 model (base price US$33,170).  They graciously allowed me to park both vehicles side-by-side so I could do a detailed comparison review.  GM have redesigned the vehicle from the ground up, and while there is a strong family resemblance, there are fundamental differences that make for significant improvements in performance, functionality and styling.  Personally, I find the new exterior style lines to be much improved.  The GEN 1 design ran from 2012 through 2016.

Sadly GM have discontinued production of the Volt as of March 2019.

The 2012 was really fun to drive and the new model is even more fun with it's crazy fast acceleration and ground hugging performance.  It is also very comfortable on long trips.

Driving Experience

Overall, the GEN 2 vehicle is 250 pounds lighter which translates into a more nimble feel which dramatically increases the 0 to 30 acceleration feel.  The 0 to 30MPH acceleration time has been reduced from 3.1 to 2.6 seconds while 0 to 60 mph performance has improved from 9 to 8.3 seconds.  From a performance standpoint, the low-end acceleration is quite thrilling, the vehicle burns rubber from a standing start if you floor it even in "normal" mode.  This was not even possible in the GEN 1 design.   But more useful is that the EPA rated range has been extended from a maximum of 37 to 53 miles, and I am hearing that  people are getting a range up in the mid-60s with careful driving.  Using MAX climate control in cold weather, I'm seeing a range in the mid 40'sFor someone like me who does mostly local driving to towns up to 15 miles away, this means I will be using gas much less.  In previous years I have used  between 40 and 60 gallons per year - mostly for longer trips.
 
The Gen 2 is noticeably quieter, road and tire noise is much lower due to quieter tires and an improved transmission that is 15% more efficient.  It also makes a lot less funny little mechanical pump noises because the hydraulic brakes pressurize on demand rather than at randomized intervals and the climate control and charging coolant systems seem to be quieter too.  

One does not notice it as a driver, but they have added an electronically generated "Pedestrian Safety Signal" that activates only under 20 mph to warn nearby pedestrians that the vehicle is running.  It is a peculiar sound that is hard to describe - it's kind of a hissing sound - and it is just noticeable enough to be audible without being annoying.  They have removed the "annunciator" button on the left stalk - when pressed the horn would emit a "bip-bip-bip" sound and I rather liked that feature because it was a pleasant way to advise neighbors that I was sneaking up on them on my quiet country road.

regen on-demand paddle
Something I am just beginning to get use to is the new Regen on Demandpaddle on the left side of the steering wheel.  While I normally drive in "L" mode to optimize regeneration while slowing ("D" mode completely disables regenerative braking via the accelerator pedal), this paddle adds a whole another layer.  (To be clear for the uninitiated "L" mode is NOT a gear, it simply engages the regenerative braking function). Basically you learn to use it as if it were a brake pedal and the vehicle slows much more dramatically when you pull the paddle towards the steering wheel.  It's difficult to convey the difference in experience, but suffice it to say I am using the paddle in place of braking when coming to a stop as often as possible to gain the regenerated energy and increase driving range.   Incidentally the paddle does engage the brake lights.

This feature is a mixed blessing because it means that the rear disc brakes are almost never used.  I had to replace the rear brake discs on my 2012 Volt after only 40,000 miles because they had rusted to the point where they would not pass inspection.  The dealer's service tech explained that I should get the vehicle up to 50 mph or so on a quiet road, drop it in neutral and brake very hard at least once a week to make sure the disc brakes operate forcefully enough to clean out any rust build up.  I also ride the brake when driving very slowly down my road for the first 100ft and I can hear the brakes getting quieter as I do this as the rust buildup cleans off.
 

Tech details

charging data from my old and new vehicle
In order to charge the larger battery in less time the vehicle is drawing an additional 500 W from my 240 V JuiceBox EV charging station.  A full charge takes a nominal 4.5 hours to top up the 18.4 kWh battery (upgraded from 16 kWh).  Charging from 120 V is expected to take 13 hours at 12 Amps.
 
The new battery has 15% more power while weighing 30lb less due to battery chemistry improvements, an 8% decrease in weight.  Battery technology keeps improving, and the new battery cells are 20% more efficient allowing GM to reduce the number of cells in the battery by 96.

It seems that another way they are getting more power out of the battery is by using more of its capacity.  Based on readings taken from my DashDAQ-XL performance monitor I learned that the GEN 1 utilized from 22% to 87% state of charge, while the GEN 2 uses from 14% to 90% state of charge.  So the new Volt is using 11% more capacity from the battery.

I have also noticed that the GEN 2 draws power from the charging station in frequent brief bursts, presumably to maintain the battery within a safe operating temperature range.  The chart above shows two days of energy from my charging station while temperatures varied from just below freezing  to the mid-40s Fahrenheit.  Those brief spikes represent periods of less than 10 minutes with an energy draw ranging from a few hundred Watts to about 2300 W.

The old 1.4 L gas engine (originally from one of their other models) has been replaced with a new 1.5 L engine.  This allows it to generate 75 kW, a 33% increase over the old 50 kW generator making the engine much more efficient.  This is why the "range extender" mode has increased from an EPA rated 37 mpg to 42 mpg or so.  The new engine can also use regular gas rather than premium which is a nice bonus.  In practice I used to get a nominal 40 mpg in the GEN 1 on long trips, and I'm seeing closer to 43 mpg in the 2017 model.  The engine seems to surge to high RPMs of 4000RPM more often in the Gen2 which is slightly annoying and very noticeable when leaving a stop in city traffic.


The transmission in the Volt is a very complicated affair incorporating planetary gears and clutches to connect the two electric motors (known as the MGA and MGB) and the gas engine to the drive train.  Click here if you really want to know moreIt has been completely redesigned to be 12% more efficient and also noticeably quieterIn my 2012, I used to notice a slight whirring sound at slow speeds with the window open, and that is no longer as noticeable.

The stock low rolling resistance Goodyear tires from the GEN 1 have been replaced with slightly less efficient Michelin tires with a net reduction in road noise and no noticeable trade-off in performance.  The recommended tire pressure is 36 lb, but I'm inflating them to 38 lb to try and improve efficiency slightly.  My stock 2012 tires wore out after about 30,000 miles which was very disappointing.  I upgraded to Continental low rolling resistance tires that are rated for 70,000 miles, but as they aged in they seemed to become louder and louder to the point where it was almost like I was driving with heavy snow tires.  In a vehicle this quiet you really notice road noise.

Exterior

The funky rubber air dam is scaled down and tucked underneath  in the new model and the front grill looks a lot more attractive.

The rear spoiler is much better integrated into the visual aesthetic.  The original spoiler felt like a cheap plastic add-on and road grime would build up underneath of it.  I also think the taillight design is much more attractive.

The headlight design is a little more attractive.  But the significant improvement is in the quality and brightness of the headlights. 

The GEN 1 used a single relatively dim halogen light with a beam that was not wide enough to light the sides of the road.  Driving on rural blacktops at night was not a good experience.  A mechanical shutter blocked the light for the low-beam.  The 2017 model uses very bright white LEDs with a much wider light pattern and the high-beam adds in a bright (warmer toned) halogen.  Overall, the headlights are a vast improvement.

The backup light in the GEN 1 was a single light down in the bumper for European compliance.  There are now two normally placed backup lights in the GEN 2.  

Surprisingly, all of the rear lights including turn and taillights are still incandescent, I would have expected LEDs by now.  I like the swooping curves in the new model though.

The charge port no longer requires that you unlock it by pressing a button on the armrest, you just press it in to click release like a standard gas tank.  This requires a small behavior change because with the GEN 1 Volt one got use to automatically turning the power off and then pressing the button to open the charge port when coming home to connect it to your home charger.  Now you just turn off the vehicle then step outside and click open the port and connect the charge plug.

I like the chrome detailing on the door handles and note that the mechanical key slot has been moved to the bottom surface where it is not visible, and the key must be inserted vertically into the concealed slot in the absence of a functioning remote. 

The key can be completely removed from the keyfob in the new design - The GEN 1 keyfob key flipped out like a switchblade.

I had replaced the original factory wire antenna with a Stubby Antenna because it stuck up too high when I used my Rhino Racks to carry my canoe.  The new shark fin style antenna is a nice design refinement and also stays low enough to stay below the roof rack.

 Interior

The most noticeable difference in the 2017 model is the interior.  Everything has changed  on the dashboard.

GM engineers wisely decided to remove the "sexy" center console with touch activated buttons and went with a more contemporary styled user interface with separate manual climate controls and a touchscreen above.  It was far too easy to accidentally bump one of those pretty touch buttons on the old white center console.

power outlet and 2 USB inputs for media
plus a 3.5 mm audio input jack
Some of the  the features I have come to enjoy already include the Wi-Fi hotspot, and voice command for the entertainment system.  For instance I can press a button on the screen to enable voice-recognition and then simply say: "play Adele 25" and it will begin playing the first song on the album.  I have plugged in a thumb drive with all of my favorite music to one of the two USB jacks in a small lighted cubby in front of the shifter.  There is a slot to the right of the shifter for a phone or music player, I leave my phone there whenever I'm driving both to charge it and for Android Auto navigation.  The Android system puts live Google maps on the center console screen.  It also allows hands free phone and texting by voice.
 

A major improvement is the re-positioning of the POWER and MODE buttons.  More than one driver has inadvertently turned off their vehicle while driving because they intended to change modes (normal, sport, mountain) but hit the POWER button accidentally in the Gen 1.  I had a terrifying experience at night doing just that at high speed on a two-lane blacktop.  Now the power button is logically located near where an ignition key would be in a conventional vehicle, while the MODE button is down near the shifter where it should be.

The shifter location and layout now make a lot more sense with the parking brake located at the left, hazard lights at lower left, and MODE and TRACTION control buttons at the bottom.  I never understood  the strange placement of these controls in the GEN 1 design.

The new armrest controls slope towards the driver, making them more accessible.  And the gas filler release button is now placed in a much more visible location.  In the Gen 1 it was hidden from view.

Above the mirror, the OnStar controls have been moved forward and simplified.  The large black button in the center of the GEN 1 image on the left was the traction control button.  A very odd place for it, and it makes perfect sense that they would move it down next to the shifter.
The new keyfob is slightly sexier and the same remote control features have been retained.  If you press the lock button briefly and then press and hold the power button for 3+ seconds, you can power up the vehicle for 10 minutes and it will utilize the last temperature setting of the climate control system to heat or cool the vehicle as needed.  The substantial difference in the GEN 2 model is that the heater is much more effective.  On recent days when temperatures dropped below 0°F, I was able to preheat the vehicle for 10 minutes and get into a comfortably warm car with a cabin temperature around 70°F.  The GEN 1 heating system was lame by comparison.


The rear seats now include a center seat with a fold-down armrest. rather than two separate seats.  It functions more like a bench seat with a 60/40 split fold-down.  While the center seat would not be comfortable for anyone other than a child, I'm sure it adds some value to those with children.

The rear cargo area is much the same, except for the gap between the seats which was convenient for loading 8 foot lengths of lumber for me.  Yes, you can fit 8 foot 2X4s inside the vehicle by sliding them all the way into the front passenger foot well.

With the rear seats folded down  one notices the absence of the window in the rear hatch reducing visibility even more.

Due to the reduced visibility, GM have wisely incorporated a rear camera in the base model.  Previously this option was only available as an upgrade, but without the rear window it is now essential.  And notice that it shows guidelines indicating where the vehicle will be as you backup - they interactively curve as you turn the steering wheel.  I'm sure that children, dogs, and toys will be much safer now.  The camera is located just above the rear license plate.  In rainy weather I make a point of wiping off the lens before getting in the vehicle as it gets covered in road grime.

The GEN 1 charge cord was originally stored under the rear hatch, but I never left it there because it was too inaccessible.  The new cord storage location is more readily accessible, but there is nothing to wrap the cord around, so it is a loose 20 foot cable which becomes awkward to handle in snow and bad weather.  I think I prefer the original charge cord, but in both vehicles I just leave the cord out in the rear rather than bothering to stow it.

Everything under the hood has changed completely.  The large orange high voltage wires to the electric motor are tucked inside somewhere, and I hear that the new four-cylinder gas generator engine is smaller and lighter.  But it's all black box stuff.  There be magic!

Overall I am thoroughly impressed.  It seems that GM were paying attention to all of the observations, pet peeves, and complaints about the original design.  They totally got it right this time!

Too bad they stopped making this amazing vehicle in March 2019.







Saturday, October 29, 2016

A nice piece of ash - made into a bowl

Apple wood bowls
 One of my hobbies (some would say obsessions) is wood turning.  In particular I like to make bowls from trees cut in my neighborhood or from logs that my friends bring me.  I sell some of these bowls in local craft galleries, and give others as gifts.  The bowls above came from an old apple tree that blew down in a storm back in the spring and I have been mining the wood for months.  Fruit wood tends to be very attractive and colorful.

 Here's a time-lapse video showing the process I use to make a small bowl from Apple wood (click the image to see it on YouTube):

 A few months ago a crew working for the utility company came through the area cutting trees back from the power lines and my friend and neighbor John noticed that they had cut down a substantial ash tree that was around 14 inch diameter at the base.  He "rescued"  the trunk and cut it up so that he and I could make bowls from it.  He offered me a piece that he had cut into a cylinder for me as a "bowl blank".  I got to work on it this weekend and it took me around three hours on the lathe to make into a nice salad bowl that measures around 9 inch diameter.  It is fairly hefty at over 1 lb. 6 oz., and the grain pattern is quite lovely.  It is finished with mineral oil that needs to be reapplied as the wood dries out.
9" diameter Ash bowl
I always sign each piece and identify the wood it was made from.
 It is surprising the amount of shavings that come from a single bowl like this, there was enough to fill up 3 - 5 gallon buckets.  I let it dry on my work shop floor for a while and then store it for use as kindling for my wood stove.
gallons of wood shavings from a single bowl
If anyone wants this beautiful bowl - or one like it, I sell them for $7/inch diameter - so a 5" bowl = $35.  Email me if you're interested.

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Installing a 245 W solar panel on my house

The solar array I have installed on my barn workshop currently consists of 31 solar panels all using Enphase micro-inverters.  The original batch of panels were only 175 W and cost me over $4/Watt in 2009, solar panel prices are now down to around $.50/watt.  I have been eyeing a spot on the south facing wall of my house for years and when my friend Paul Kando generously offered to sell me a 245 W Schuco solar panel that he did not need for $100, I jumped at the chance.  Paul has been involved in renewable energy since the 1970s and is very active raising consciousness about renewable energy here in Maine.


I purchased an Enphase M250 microinverter (pictured in the image above mounted to the back of the solar panel) and then bolted some angle brackets to the panel to create a wall mounting system.  I gave a great deal of thought on how to install this panel safely and called in my friends and neighbor to help install it.  Thanks to my careful planning the installation took less than an hour and went like clockwork.


ioBridge Widget
We got 2 very long ladders up and then mounted 4 brackets I had made to the wall.  I made a wooden jig that to ensure they were spaced correctly.  Then we hauled the panel up by dropping a rope from the attic window and secured the top of the panel with two bolts.  We were able to push the bottom edge of the panel out from the second floor bedroom window with a long board that I notched at the end for the purpose.  This made it easier for the two guys on the ladder to bolt on the struts that hold the panel out at an angle of around 39° from the wall.  I chose this angle to optimize winter performance (we are at 44° latitude here in Maine).

Before the installation, I had pulled some 14/3 Romex from a junction box in the attic down to the breaker box in the basement.  I added a 15 amp 240 V dual breaker for the solar panel.  The following morning at around 10:30 I clipped my Amp meter onto one of the wires and got a reading of .688 A on one of the lines - so that's 144 W.  
According to calculations using the online PVWatts calculator the annual energy value for this panel will be $42 a year.  So this panel will pay for itself in less than eight years by reducing my electric bill by around $2 to $5 a month.  Another way of looking at it is that each month this panel will provide enough energy to drive my Chevy Volt electric vehicle roughly 30-70 miles depending on the time of year.
 
My costs were relatively minimal:
$100 Schuco MPE 245 solar panel
$144 Enphase M250 micro inverter
$29  Enphase Engage cable
$20  Enphase M215 branch Terminator 
$20  30ft 14/3 Romex wire (run to the breaker box)
$313 TOTAL

The other advantage of installing this panel above my bedroom windows is that it will provide shade during the summer.  I do use a small window air conditioner occasionally in July and August and this should reduce the need to use that a little.

Many thanks to my neighbors and friends who are all energy mavens:
John Rogers, experienced home builder and fine furniture maker.
Topher Belknap, home energy auditor and building efficiency expert.
Al Heath, experienced home builder and energy auditor.
We all had a lot of fun installing this panel and I could not have done this without their help.


Update a week later

I did want some way to monitor power output and decided to install a small energy meter above the circuit breaker box in the basement.  This meter only costs $25 (available from MPJA) and I mounted it in a plastic box for another $10 or so.
It shows instantaneous Watts on the lower left corner and cumulative Watt hours on the lower right corner.  I plan to log the kilowatt hours weekly so that I can track performance of this single panel.  If anything should go wrong, I would certainly notice a lack of performance by the end of the week.  Here's a photo of it mounted above my circuit breaker box

Thursday, October 13, 2016

clearing a tree that was shading my solar collectors and satellite dish

When a tree becomes inconvenient, it must go!  Case in point is a pine tree near my house that had been partly shading my solar collectors for the hot water for my home in the afternoon.  I was willing to tolerate that, but eventually it grew high enough to block my Dish satellite so that I was losing HD signals.  Two strikes and it was out!
Offending Pine tree on the left
You can see the offending tree on the left.  It is concealing the satellite dish to the left of the dormer window on the left side of the house, and the solar collectors are below the second floor windows towards the right.


Trunks down and partly bucked
So I called my neighbor John who is always happy to help me cut down a tree and he came over with his pickup, chainsaw, length of chain and steel rope to tension the tree and we got to work.  It took some careful strategy to tie a cable from the tree to John's pickup so we could haul it in the right direction as it came down.  There were two large main branches, one went to the left, and the other to the right and down slope.  They both landed pretty much where we wanted them.

We hauled off all the branches to my burn pile and lit that off while we were cutting up the trunk.

Burn pile before
Pine needles burn very quickly so the fire did not need a lot of tending and maintenance, although it was somewhat smoky.  There's nothing like the smell of wood smoke in the fall.
Burn pile almost done.
We cut the trunk into firewood lengths and I have stacked it in the backyard to season for a few years before I split it.  Pine wood has so much pitch that it takes a long time to dry out.  It's not a good idea to burn unseasoned pine in the wood stove because it creates a lot of creosote buildup in the chimney.  That creosote can create a chimney fire and burn down your house.  I get my chimneys cleaned every year or two just to be safe.
Tree stump and stacked firewood
Now the tree is down, my satellite dish has a clear line of sight to the HD satellite, and I'm getting better performance from my solar collectors.  I guess you could say I am back in hot water!
A clear line of sight for my solar and satellite

While I have contributed a substantial amount of carbon to the atmosphere by burning the tree, I see it as just shortening the carbon cycle.  The tree would eventually have died and rotted, releasing carbon back into the atmosphere.   I am sure the equation does not pencil out optimally, but by gaining more free solar energy, it probably nets out.