Building an optimal and secure wood-stove: Getting Started

Photo: Lotus Wood stove

In this post I continue my reflexion of the design of a range of "open source" in which all (and indeed some have already sent me mail their designs and tips) can participate and improve. 
When designing a wood burning stove in the optimal fuel consumption and comfortable, we have several options, depending on how we want to extract the heat. 
To do this we use the latest techniques and materials; First I'll build a simple stove that anyone can do only with refractory bricks, refractory cement and a fan (optional for better performance), to then make a more complex and automated fire control, accumulator wood to make it even more comfortable and autonomous.

3D printing: Closer to the general public

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Since companies like Shapeways that can mail you printed the piece that your imagination is capable of creating up, like design your own jewelry in precious metals or plastics , 3D printing is becoming closer to being the next fashion, displacing the "smartphones" in sales.

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Example of success: changing oil boiler with wood boiler

If you have boiler heating oil, do as Gregoria and Manolo; consider installing wood boiler

The wood boilers and inserts are increasingly popular and successful, the possibility of getting free firewood (cleaning mountains of fallen trees and dry branches) is an advantage.

Today I will discuss the case of Gregoria and Manolo, from La Rioja (Spain), this winter asked me for placing an insert stove with pan for heating and hot water, they were complaining of bills for diesel fuel (3,000 euros annual) due to poor insulation of their house, the doors and windows are made of iron (discouraging thieves), and while they are thinking to better isolate 150 m2 over two floors, because it requires a very high energy expenditure.

They were Not decided between several models, and models from Baxi Roca, the cheapest they found was Albizia model (70% yield, € 1,200 approx.) unregulated auto shot, and Serval (80% yield of 1,900 €), Portuguese manufacturing.

Update 02/11/14: Gregoria tells us this winter "around here we continue with our hydroboiler running, although at least in our case, has not been as great as expected, due to poor insulation we think of our house (that have not yet been undertaken.) The truth is that when the temperature drops below 5 °, we are still with a bit poor temperature, unless we burn more than 100 kilos of firewood a day ... When the temperature is not so cool if we got a lot more pleasant when we warmed up first with diesel. Lately, we have implemented a mix that works pretty well. As we still have operating the oil boiler when we turn on the stove, once the day we launch the diesel, about 20 or 30 minutes, this causes less firewood needed to heat the entire circuit and we heat faster. The fuel consumption is minimal, we took 70 euros all winter so far . Furthermore, for reasons of lack of time ... we stopped fetching firewood us, so we bought it at a fairly reasonable price 11 cents a kilo, beech and oak. "

Finally, although the choice of pellets is the most convenient, they decided on putting a wood, having the chimney suitable for stove measures, and have free fuel themselves like to enjoy nature and take advantage of clean mountains respectfully with their maintenance, removing broken branches and dead trees, so opted to put the model Albizia Baxi Roca.

And they can not be more pleased with the result: With 50 kg. daily dry firewood, collected directly from the mountain, they get put at 20 all day, your house look new, Gregoria told me enthusiastically.

Avoiding punctures on the bike: Fundax Leather Bands

I was looking at how to protect my electric bike from punctures (occasionally I like to go mountain, and the street itself usually glass and other sharp items) because the wheel with engine is more difficult to repair, and it is now easier for me doing 100 kms routes with the extra help of the engine.

First, have a good tire is essential. I have put a mixed Bontrager , and being "eco" low rolling resistance, not "dig" up hill as usual plug-covered tires, and I can also use them on something slippery surfaces like grass or dirt with no problem. Your heel height gives me an extra puncture protection, but I fear that when wearing a little, small skewers I've usually had to repair (as I already consider myself an expert in that matter), begin to appear.

To avoid this, I researched and even a friend recommended me to inflate with a foam to prevent punctures, which it does is fill the hole, auto-driying with the air, but did not convince me at all, because they add weight to go wiping every few months (every time we need to fill them), is ineffective in addition to holes larger than 3 mm.

After looking at the options on the internet regarding protective bands that stand between the camera and the cover in the end I opted for the leather Fundax like Javier, who came to the same conclusions on his blog , as are the that seem to go better, without adding too much weight, very long-lived and don't damage the tire as with the plastic.

Installing Windows 7 on an Acer Aspire 1690 or 1692LMi

Windows 7 is currently the best operating system of Microsoft, for speed, security and compatibility, being as fast as XP on computers with enough memory (2GB of RAM recommended), on computers with little RAM is highly recommended to install version Starter, occupies the least. 

But when installed on older computers like ACER Aspire laptop, you have to look for lifebecause some drivers are not directly available on the website of the computer manufacturer. 
The first thing to do is check if some drivers, but did not come with the Windows 7 DVD, may be in line for example in the Aspire 1692LMi both IrDA infrared port sound as we have them available if we give automatic driver search. 

Depending on the computer, we have to find out if there are compatible drivers available, usuallythose for Windows Vista will run smoothly on Windows 7. 

Installing drivers on Aspire 1692LMi step by step: 

1. For Wifi unzip and run this file in administrator mode, and although we give error to restart will automatically recognize the wireless card built in. If it still will not install, installing all Windows updates will recognize.
2. For the built-in card reader, it is worth us with Controller ATI website, here you have it available .
3. For sound and infrared, as we discussed, we give automatic search online, or install all updates are installed automatically.
4. To install the video card Ati Radeon X700 Mobitily, you must download and unzip this file several ancient Mobility Controllers, the "9-11_legacy_7_vista_32-64_dd_ccc_mobility"eg C: /, and then proceed to install the .inf folder C: \ ATI \ Support \ 9-11_legacy_vista32-64_dd_ccc \ Packages \ Drivers \ Display \ LH_INF manually:

How to install a driver manually on Windows 7

Within the Device Manager, right-click and "Update Driver"

How to Refill toner cartridges from laser printer

Refill toner cartridges from our laser printer can save over 80% on printing costs while contributing to reducing waste that is difficult to recycle (different plastics, aluminum, metal parts of the drum, toner, in a piece).

When toner is spent, the cartridge is empty, but cartridge parts (roller, gears, etc.), usually endure two or more times without loss of quality copies.

Further results will be the same as the original cartridge (if used toner compatible) while the plastic parts roller that transfers the ink does not wear.

TIP: Just make more than 50 copies per year as we get more cost effective to purchase a cheap color laser printer (between 100 and 200 €) with which we will save a lot of money on the cost per copy over the years compared to those of ink.

In this case, the HP Laserjet CM1312 toner brings a Factory endure only 500 copies called "test toner" and when they run are in perfect condition to be refilled, and put up the new ones enduring 1500 (covering the middle usual 5% of each page). 
The good thing is that it brings a CM1312 meters in cartridges that can be canceled without change in the configuration of the printer: 

Enter the menu, moving the arrows to the "Replacing consumable" option and select "ignore exhausted."

Spreading the heat from a smokestack with very little money

Low heat with heat removal by natural draft failing to place the drywall

In this post I will discuss the "invention" that has made ​​Jose, the previous entry that heats the house with a Hergóm stove to get more heat from a low fire.

Recently we were invited kindly to spend the evening at home, and we saw how he had prepared the Hergóm and how well it worked, and incidentally told me another idea that seduced me for its effectiveness, which he has kindly left me to share with you.

I had read somewhere on the possibility of putting tubes to extract the heat from the flames to the local, but had never seen implemented as well as it did Jose.

It is an ingenious system that removes most of the heat from the flames by the operation of two principles; that the hot air rises, and atmospheric pressure.

Let me explain:

• On one side is sealed local (almost), because it has more air inlets to the pipe through the home (or stack), so that the flames, while climbing because warm air is lighter, make natural draft, "sucking" air of the room, which has no other site you get the pipe through fire. On the one hand ensures that no harmful cold air currents, and other system efficiency is maximized because we do not need fans. And there is no danger for local air constantly is renewed by the preheated air stream exiting the open tube you see in the first picture. It is also self-regulating, more fire, more shooting, more heat to the room.
• On the other hand, the cold air entering the street at the bottom of the fire itself heat collecting tubes amounts to the upper tubes of the circuit, helping to maximize the siphon effect.

How to buy bulbs: Look at lumens and light-degrees

HOW TO BUY LIGHT BULBS: LEARNING ABOUT LUMENS IS A BRIGHT IDEA

The lamps are improving efficiency; Watts measure them no longer works. The new bulbs - such as halogen incandescent, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL for its acronym in English) and light emitting diodes (LED for its acronym in English) - have a longer life and use less energy than incandescent bulbs traditional, which means savings in electricity bills. In fact, from 2012, daily use bulbs will have to meet the new standards of the Department of Energy with respect to the amount of energy they consume. For the next two years, will eliminate any bulb that does not meet these standards .

Along with this change using more efficient light bulbs, a new way to select them when you go shopping.

What are Lumens?

For years, people have chosen to base bulbs in watts, learning by experience how much light bulb gives a typical 40 or 60 watts. But the wattage of a bulb consumes only tells you how much energy - does not tell you how much shine.

Because the new bulbs are designed to consume less power, wattage is not as reliable in measuring the brightness of a light bulb - you have to use the lumens.

Lumen = Brightness
W = energy

Lumens measure brightness, ie the total amount of light emitted. For example, a standard 60 watt incandescent bulb produces 800 lumens. Instead, a CFL causes lumens 800 and consumes less than 15 watts. 

How to weld aluminum and other nonferrous alloys easily with Durafix

Thank Durafix a zinc-based alloy and other materials, have managed to repair a bike aluminum BH we had forgotten in the attic for having a broken rear frame. 

Welding aluminum is very complicated, or at least it was until I tried to use Durafix; No welding aluminum and I can stand. The welds are stronger than aluminum itself, and instead the material melts before I do the base (aluminum) material, so that we can "work it" with some tool. 
Moreover it serves to weld many types of materials, such as brass, bronze, copper, non-ferrous etc. 

Your smartphone autorestarts, you lose data? Possible problem, internal memory damaged on your smartphone

I had a Samsung Galaxy SCL i9003 began to malfunction; I just restarted, lost contacts, program settings, etc. 
After searching the web, it turned out that the internal FLASH memory chip, using, being of low quality, began to fail. 

Such memories theoretically not lose their data for up to 10 years, but if damaged by use (allow a limited number of cycles, about 100,000 or more), you may not withhold good data and "forget" . It can happen to any phone that uses them, and sooner or later any "smartphone", tablet, ebook, etc with internal flash now have this problem.

To check it, it is best to use this freeware program h2testw . We connect the phone in "mass storage" mode and run mode continuous writing and then read until an error appears, checking the box for "endless verify" (to select target drive select):