what did you do today? (2008-2015) (closed)

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Major Tom You mean a six FOOT rule don't you? I'm not sure what use a six-inch rule would be.....(I'm not going there....)

Oh, forget what I said. I thought you meant a retractable measuring tape as opposed to a rule. That's what I get for not having my brain in gear.

[ls99]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Now I've got a missing-item mystery. I've had a six-inch, good-quality steel rule for years. I used it last night at the workbench, and today it's not there. I figured it must have fallen into the trash can, so I transferred ever item from that can to another, which was particularly messy, because this morning I had discarded a paint can with about 2 TBS of paint, poured into the can so that it would dry. Not there. I thoroughly cleaned the shelf under the workbench, and the area below it, so I know it didn't fall there. I haven't measured anything else since last night (Don't say it!). I'm determined to find it.

Hey Al, I found it, was in my Kennedy toolbox. Can't explain the method by which it arrived on the est coast.

[Nords]

Last fall we added two inches of foam insulation to our south roof along with rebuilding our familyroom. We also added tinted low-e double-pane windows on the east walls. Now that the Hawaii winter rains have eased off a little and spring is in the air, we're getting some good solar data.

The house has been so cold since the renovation that we haven't been using our ceiling fans-- not in any of our rooms. We didn't even open our stairwell window until last week. I haven't been able to slap a Kill-A-Watt meter on a ceiling fan so I haven't collected any hard data, but in previous summers we used to run those fans for 16-24 hours. I think those days are over.

Today we got our electric bill. Between 8 March and 5 April, HECO's meter logged 144 KWHrs of photovoltaic production and only 142 KWHrs of electrical use. In other words we generated more power than we used. What's unusual is that we did it March instead of July. March was still a pretty windy & rainy month, and as the sun starts shining we're really going to ramp up the production. Our average generation is about 250 KWHr/month and by July/August we'll be pushing 300.

So it looks like our new no-ceiling-fan "baseline" use is about 150 KWHr/month, and about 25 KWHr of that is the aquarium air pump.

The array has already paid for itself, so this is free power. I was going to start pricing whole-house energy monitors but that's no longer worth the trouble. I was wondering if we should upgrade our array, but I think that can wait until we buy an EV. Even then I might just add a kilowatt of panels with microinverters on a separate breaker instead of upgrading our whole array. We already have the rack space.

HECO credits us on a rolling 12-month carry, but even after this coming winter we could still be donating power to them. (You're welcome, ClifP.) However our daughter still spends a couple weeks here in between college semesters, and she's good for at least 150 KWHrs herself during each of those times.

HECO still charges us $8/month to stay connected to the grid, and they still add nuisance fees & surcharges on that. When we generate more than we use, we go to "minimum bill" of $13.70. If this keeps up, our total electric expenses for a year would be $165.

We still have a water/sewer bill that's over $100/month, and that's projected to rise another 25% over the next few years.

In other words we'll be paying far more to flush the toilets than we will be to light the bathrooms. I guess I'll have to work on that part next... maybe a solar-powered composting toilet?

[grasshopper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ls99 Hey Al, I found it, was in my Kennedy toolbox. Can't explain the method by which it arrived on the est coast.

Quantum entanglement.

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords The array has already paid for itself, so this is free power. ...

I'm guessing that is not really true.

Perhaps the array has repaid your out-of-pocket cost, but I doubt that it has actually paid for itself, which would include the amounts that other people paid to provide the various subsidies. It's not 'free power' yet, it's power that other people paid for. I don't understand why some of us should be paying other people's power bills.

Let us know when it has repaid its full cost, that will be interesting to me, and a sign that solar has 'arrived'.

-ERD50

[freebird5825]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover I usually find stuff in the drawers on my bench. No idea how it gets off the bench into the drawer.

I went looking for my floor creeper 2 days ago and it is nowhere to be found. Please look in the drawer.

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Now I've got a missing-item mystery. I've had a six-inch, good-quality steel rule for years. I used it last night at the workbench, and today it's not there. I figured it must have fallen into the trash can, so I transferred ever item from that can to another, which was particularly messy, because this morning I had discarded a paint can with about 2 TBS of paint, poured into the can so that it would dry. Not there. I thoroughly cleaned the shelf under the workbench, and the area below it, so I know it didn't fall there. I'm determined to find it.

I found it. I gave myself one more session of looking, then I was going to buy a replacement on Amazon. I carefully scratched through a pile of sawdust and pine needles on the floor, and there it was. So, it had gotten swept off the workbench when cleaning, but didn't clang loudly enough to be noticed when it hit the floor.

And guess what: W2R's checkbook was there too!

[freebird5825]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl I found it. I gave myself one more session of looking, then I was going to buy a replacement on Amazon. I carefully scratched through a pile of sawdust and pine needles on the floor, and there it was. So, it had gotten swept off the workbench when cleaning, but didn't clang loudly enough to be noticed when it hit the floor. And guess what: W2R's checkbook was there too!

Any sign of my floor creeper ?

I'm going to do one last look around the garage and back shed to see if I tucked it behind something so I wouldn't trip over it, and then I will order one of these beauties.

Heavy Duty Creeper with Adjustable Headrest

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by freebird5825 Any sign of my floor creeper ?

It must be pretty hard to lose something as big as that -- you must be a pro.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl I found it. I gave myself one more session of looking, then I was going to buy a replacement on Amazon. I carefully scratched through a pile of sawdust and pine needles on the floor, and there it was. So, it had gotten swept off the workbench when cleaning, but didn't clang loudly enough to be noticed when it hit the floor. And guess what: W2R's checkbook was there too!

Did you see a sign of my innocence? I lost that a while ago and haven't seen hide nor hair ever since...

[freebird5825]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl It must be pretty hard to lose something as big as that -- you must be a pro.

It's driving me nutz trying to figure out where it went. I usually store it behind some metal cabinets in my attached garage, but it is not there.
Argh!

[Retire2013]

Work.

It is a glorious Spring day with very low humidity in Washington DC. Flowers everywhere. Unfortunately, I am in my office working. Will take dogs out to enjoy this great weather tomorrow.

[freebird5825]

I was logging off for the day, and saw this item at Yahoo. I just had to share this fabulous video about George, the World's Tallest Dog .
Woof woof!

Giant George: Great Dane Is World's Tallest Dog - Yahoo!

[Major Tom]

Mailed a birthday card to my eldest brother who turns 67 on Monday.

The front of the card says, "Don't worry, turning 30 is no big deal"


I hope he takes it well.........

[Khan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords ... We still have a water/sewer bill that's over $100/month, and that's projected to rise another 25% over the next few years. In other words we'll be paying far more to flush the toilets than we will be to light the bathrooms. I guess I'll have to work on that part next... maybe a solar-powered composting toilet?

Radically Sustainable Green Buildings - Interior Earthship Images
Project BIOHOME | Alternative Off Grid Housing for a Globally Conscious Community

Have some interesting ideas.

Mustn't leave out: http://humanurehandbook.com/store/TH...-HANDBOOK.html

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl I found it. I gave myself one more session of looking, then I was going to buy a replacement on Amazon. I carefully scratched through a pile of sawdust and pine needles on the floor, and there it was. So, it had gotten swept off the workbench when cleaning, but didn't clang loudly enough to be noticed when it hit the floor. And guess what: W2R's checkbook was there too!

I was about to ask! Oh, thank goodness... because it still hasn't shown up here.

[pb4uski]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl It must be pretty hard to lose something as big as that -- you must be a pro.

DW once took off a 6' baseboard radiator front when painting room. Believe it or not, it was never seen again.

[pb4uski]

Joined the local country club (50% introductory membership for the season) and played 18 with BIL and a couple friends. Walked the front and rode the back. Beautiful spring day. Played pretty well for my first outing of the year, but there is plenty of time for the wheels to come off.

[bbbamI]

Today was a very nice day, until.....

DH called me a few minutes ago (after a gig) and said a guy rear ended him in the parking lot. DH is not hurt....he tried to get the guys DL # and insurance card. Well...you guessed it...he had no DL or proof of insurance...and said it wasn't his truck.

DH wrote the license plate number down and called the police. The guy took off...

Son of a biscuit eater.

Just shoot me now.

[TromboneAl]

Did the car come up as stolen?