Bogieblog

A Neighbor Joins in Solar Energy

Last week, as I was closing the shades and curtains of the living room bay window, something caught my eye. Well, look at that, a block away someone had solar installed on the east side of their roof.

I don't know when it happened, but it was recently as I checked their tax card and saw the install had been inspected and approved late October. To be fair, the tree line had lost its leaves fairly recently also, so that may be why it took me so long to notice. Also, there has been so much construction on different houses within hearing (even if not within site), that I would not have noticed any extra noise. AND, it isn't like I keep tabs on anything going on - except at the houses that have been empty as they work on them.

Looks like they have 17 panels, 3 less than my house, but they don't have the same shade issues that I have. I believe that house is actually comprised of a main house and 2-3 apartments, so I would assume that solar array is just for the owner's portion. Actually sort of surprised since electric rates went down quite a bit in August. But rates are so volatile around here, changing every 6 months, and they could double in January for all anyone knows.

I also know that someone further to the south on that street (south is left of the picture) had solar installed last year around the same time as mine was installed. In their case, their roof goes south/north, so it was installed on the south side.

Inside Dryer Vent Report - All is Good

Results were good when I ran the clothes dryer last Sunday with the indoor dryer vent. Mind, I could have waited another couple of weeks as the basement isn't really dry yet, but since I only run 2 loads per week, I judged the humidity had gone down enough that it would be fine.

I took pictures of the temp/RH unit downstairs just before starting the dryer. That thermometer sits about 15' away from the wall that the exhaust box is on. Note that the highs and lows are "all time". In this case, I changed the batteries in October, so the high of 77% humidity is from back then. And obviously, it doesn't show the lows from last winter when the basement is regularly down in the teens and 20s for humidity. The P61a hadn't run for a little bit and I turned it off to ensure that it didn't join the party.

The dryer ran for about 55 minutes and I made sure I listened for the musical tune so I could catch everything just seconds after it stopped. By looking at the thermometer, it doesn't seem as if the temperature was raised in the basement by much. However,the entire basement is wide open so 600 sq/ft rose by that much. I could also feel the warm, moist air coming up the stairs every time I walked between the kitchen and living room. The mini split also took most of that time off as it didn't need to run to keep the temp on the main floor. The humidity rose 15% and was well below what it it stays at during the summer.

45 minutes later , I checked the humidity again, and the basement had already lost 1/2 of what it had gained.

I didn't think to take a picture of the main floor temp/RH unit before starting the dryer. I do know that it normally projects that it is 69* in that area of the living room and I believe it was in the low 40 percentile RH. At the 40 minute mark I looked and the main floor was at 45% humidity and 71*. Right as the musical tune was playing for dryer end, I took this pic.

You can see I haven't had to change the batteries on this unit yet as it shows last year's low humidity level - and that was running two humidifiers. Also, that low temp of 55* was during the 3 day power outage when my battery station ran out of juice overnight (my fault) so I went without heat for several hours until I could get it juiced back up.

Saving Heat in the Basement

Last month I started thinking about all the heat that is wasted from the clothes dryer during winter as it is vented outside. I also run humidifiers during winter, so the added humidity would be welcome too. I started researching and reaching out on one of the forums I frequent to find out what other people do.Some people just used an old nylon, others used a water trap, and still others used a cheap diverter type (with a slide that allows you to either vent outside or inside).

As per usual, I looked at the different models ad naseum,and decided to wait a couple of weeks. After all, the basement was still in the high 60% humidity range when I started looking. Friday, I decided to look again. I did not want a model that used a water trap (because cats and I would never remember to fill it anyway). Although I wanted one that had a diverter so I didn't have to change around the exhaust hose at different seasons, there seemed to only be 2 versions and I just didn't have confidence in their lint screening abilities. so decided to go with a model designed for only indoor exhaust.

I had been leaning towards an expensive model (for what they are), but a new one popped up that is all metal, doesn't use water, and came with all parts needed. Somehow several models looked cheaper, but by the time you added in the "extras" that were needed (extra screens, hook up adapter and hose etc), they were more expensive. I also had cashback bucks to spend from my cc, so only paid about 1/2 the price.

I tend to stay away from non-established items on Amazon, but what the heck, I went for it. It arrived yesterday early afternoon. The box was heavy for its size and I tore into it like a kid on Christmas The picture below does not capture all the contents - there were two bags of hardware also. The picture also doesn't do the lint screening system justice either, there is a separate metal screen (behind the 9-window piece), and the disposable blue/white screens have a larger particle side then a smaller particle side. There were a total of 3 of the smaller screens included (1 is behind the wire screen) - most systems only had 1 so you immediately had to buy more.

It didn't take long to install the box itself. It did take some time to attach the adapter to the box as it is a really tight fit. I unhooked the outdoor exhaust from the dryer and plugged that up with newspaper then a plastic bag to keep air from coming in (although the louvers on the outside portion do a pretty decent job of that already).

 

I know all the wingnuts make it look a bit kludgy, but that was my choice. They also had a bag of nuts without wings, so if those had been used it would look cleaner. The screening system just slides in and out for cleaning.

I'll be using the dryer later today and will find out then if I made a good choice.

Blooming Cactus Time

The Thanksgiving cactus is blooming just a few days early. My cactus has this interesting habit of throwing mainly salmon colored flowers, with one very pale pink flower for a bit of diversity.

Solar Report for October 2023

October is the transition point of this year. From the end of March on, the west side has outperformed solar generation of each of the other two sides. Technically, the west still outproduced each side, but if all things were equal, the east side would have edged it out.

The west produced 137.2 kwh, the east 119.6 and the south 119.7. This tells us a few things:

1. The trees on the east still have leaves so are hampering production - after all, the south side has 1 less panel than the east side
2. The sun trajectory has changed quite a bit and is now setting more to the southwest.
3. The west side (which is actually WNW) production will soon fall behind the production of the south side. Taking the average panel production of the east side, dividing it by the number of panels, then adding that to the total actual production, the south side would have edged out the west side by about 2 kwh

Again, as it has been since about the beginning of June, October month was extremely cloudy. We didn't get much rain, but dang, I only saw the sun a couple of days during the month. Some days it was dang near dark as can be seen by the days there was very little production (blue is production and orange is total usage).

So depending on how sunny November is (it's not looking good these first 5 days), electrical production probably won't keep up with my usage and I'll start eating into my credits from net metering. Actually, this is a given. On November 1st, I shut off the main floor pellet stove and started using the mini split to heat for the following reasons:

• Electric prices are cheap right now - half what they were this time last year,
• Thusly, I am making squat for overages ($6.18 for October), so there is no reason to try. I "sold" the 134 kwh (net overage) for about $30.00. After non-refundable fees of various types (like being hooked up to a meter at all), I made a total of $6.18
• I have $763 "banked" from the net metering
• Pellet prices are very high this year at $350/ton for the middling stuff that I usually burn. So, although the 4 tons I have were bought 1.5-2 years ago and didn't actually didn't cost me much (probably $800-900), their actual value is at $1,400. I'll save the tonnage that doesn't go into the basement stove for when it is really cold and windy out.

I did start the basement stove up the beginning of last week to keep it in the mid 60's. Of course that is the only heat down there and it also serves to keep the main floor floors warmer. And at this point, it is only firing a couple times a day since the ground isn't very cold yet.

Currently, this year (not counting Nov-Dec of 2022), I have produced about 6.4 mwh. Doesn't look like I'll get to 7 mwh, but that is still an impressive number - especially for the abundance of non-sunny weather we've had the last 6 months.

No Bed Bedroom

When I moved here, I brought the old queen bed from my other house. At the time it was 13 years old (bought in the year 2000). I rarely used the bed after the first year, preferring to sleep on the Futon I use for a couch. I don't move around much so a queen is way more than I need anyway. And, the bed took up much of the 11x12 room. I thought about a smaller bed but it was just too much trouble to remove the larger bed.

The middle of September, I finally took the bed apart and offered it for free on my town's FB page. The bed frame/foundation and mattress were still very solid and I was able to find someone for whom the whole thing would be useful.

Once the bed was gone, I could see how dried out the hardwood floor had gotten both under the bed and to the sides where the larger rug runners were (I didn't take them up when oiling).

Last weekend I gave the whole floor an oiling (grapeseed oil with a few drops of orange essential oil mixed in). Although you can still see the divide where it had been oiled every couple of years, it looks much better and happier with the conditioning.

Haven't decided to actually get a bed to replace it. Nor have I decided on placement of the dressers - which where they are at, keep the door from opening all the way. I'll be covering the floor up to keep the cold from the garage from seeping up so much in winter, so the rest of the decisions will have to wait until I get that done.

Furniture for Back Porch

Before redoing the back porch to get rid of the 30' long ramp, the flat base outside the door was not large enough to anything on. The base was literally something like 4'x5', which allowed just enough room to open the door from the outside while standing on the base. With the update though, I decided a bench to place things on was in order. In looking around, I found an alternative to that in a Convert a Chair (I'm not linking to it, but if interested you can google it).

Now, I didn't think it was a high quality piece of furniture, but still, there were some disappointments:

• The box wasn't even taped shut at any place. I actually wish I had seen how the delivery driver managed to get it from the truck to the house. Actually, I can't believe all the parts were still in it as the top was loose enough to just come off. Now, one would think it was from the transportation company, but the tape that was on the flaps was very brittle and old. 
• This particular unit had been returned by other buyers at least twice (by the covered up tags - I could even tell that it had been sold once by QVC - and the name/address of the returning party). This was not sold as a "used" or "open box" item.
• The parts were packaged incorrectly upon the return from previous buyers, which resulted in lots of mars and scratches.

Look at all those labels - at least two of those are RTV (I could just read the part underneath the coverup blank labels). The only label that pertains to me is the one covered in black. Note in the second pic the tape - I did not have to do anything to just lift the top off

But, when I bought it, it was 10% off and since I bought thru FB, I got another 15% off. So for the money, I'm satisfied just enough to keep it. And, the color was just what I was hoping for, so that sealed the deal. It was deliverd Friday and I put it together that evening.

Enough room underneath to "hide" a couple of things, including a gallon jug for watering plants

 

Yesterday I had my lunch and read out there for a bit.

That conversion part is pretty cool, then once I am done with it, just flip the back to the upright position and slide it back against the siding.

 

More Fall Colors for 2023

In the last couple of days, there have been some nice developments. The next few pictures were taken on 10/23/23:

Two maple saplings that are not on my property but just behind my back property line. They are nearly next to each other so it is interesting they didn't turn the same color. Although they are not very big yet, I saw them from the back porch.

Burning bush behind my property line. Haven't noticed that there before so guessing the tree cutting last summer now allows enough light for it to grow. But then again, I really only noticed it because the light was such that the berries took on a reddish orange color and I was intrigued. The color that I saw is not represented probably because I didn't have my phone on me when I first saw this.

Summer sweet in my shrub garden on 10/26/23. I don't remember seeing it look this nice before. Maybe I only noticed it because it is just to the side of the shed, so now sticks out when I look that way from the back porch

Okay, this is embarrassing, I've always assumed the large tree on the southwest corner of my yard was like a decorative plum tree. I just went by the purple color of the leaves during summer and just never gave it any thought. And, being in a corner of the yard I don't normally pass by (unless I'm mowing leaves), I don't remember seeing any real fall color. But in actually looking at the leaves, this is a maple. I would guess a Crimson King Maple and although a lot of the leaves just turned brown and fell, plenty of them turned a nice color.

The October Glory maple turned overnight - picture taken yesterday. The first picture is from the northeast side of the tree. The sun is over my left shoulder

This picture is taken from the southwest side, and the sun is in front of my right shoulder. The burning bush is in the lower right corner.

This is probably the last of any real color and all that remains is the mowing of the leaves once they fall.

Fall Color 2023

The fall colors have been muted this year. Actually, I guess "muted" is not the right word - when there is color, it is very nice. But a lot of trees around here went from green to dropped leaves. I'll admit that is the norm for the junk maples behind my house, but this year even the tree on the north side of the house just threw its leaves down as if sulking over the constantly gray summer/fall days we've had.

And then there is Autumn Blaze, which is looking nice this year. All pictures, except the last (which is noted) were taken yesterday afternoon

This is not a named maple. As luck would have it they managed to leave the one nice maple when they cleared the lot next door. Doesn't have the more brilliant red of a swamp maple (that used to be swampish land), but is very pretty. The green leaves to the very right are from my October Glory that has so far refused to turn (it is usually the latest). The red leaves to the left are on a burning bush that has always been wishy-washy when turning.

The old tree hydrangea. Upper left corner shows there are still some flowers that haven't turned yet and are still white (or mostly white).

This picture was taken 10/12/2023 and is Burgundy Belle. She is planted at the northwest corner of the house and is always the first of the maples I planted to turn.

There are a couple of trees behind my house (not on my property) that I am waiting for. While the trees around them have all dropped their leaves, those two are still fully dressed in green.

There are a couple of trees behind my house (not on my property) that I am waiting for. While the trees around them have all dropped their leaves, those two are still fully dressed in green.

How Soon Will I Have New Neighbors across the Street?

The house across the street, where the elderly gentleman lived before going to a nursing home, is now up for sale. I didn't know that until I heard car doors last night, late enough the guys working on it shouldn't be there, so I looked out the window. There were two vehicles there (not ones I normally see) so I looked online ans sure enough, that told the story

I can't believe the price they are asking (I can because of the housing shortage, but still, it's a shock). AND, it is expected to go for more. Here is where the it went up for sale after WBUH cleaned out the house. Here is shortly after the flippers bought it.

The inside looks nice and they did seem to put a lot of time into it. But since I couldn't see what they were actually doing, they may have taken as many shortcuts as they did outside (which in the end is the most important piece for protecting the inside).

• The old roof was covered with new shingles. They didn't take off the old shingles so they didn't fix any damage caused to the plywood that was exposed.
• They just covered up the old siding with vinyl siding. They did not fill in any of the holes in it
• I'm pretty sure the basement will still have water problems (Notice they didn't put in pics of the basement). They did a lot of ground work, but in the end they didn't seem to actually do anything to mitigate the water issues (no sand, the drain tile goes nowhere - just circles the house, no waterproofing of the concrete below ground level etc). Okay, I take that back, they did seem to fix/replace the sump pump , but I'm just going by the sounds coming from over there.
• The shed - they did no work to it at all. Really all it needed was to replace the shingles (easy enough while they were doing the house), and paint it. The shed is dry inside and that they just left it ugly puzzles me.

Then there is the back doorway that they just put 2 steps on, which is aesthetics in nature, but still it is just jarring. I can't believe they did that. It would have been cheap enough to lay down a small back porch, but I know they couldn't salvage the old one (as they did with the front porch that they painted and added rails to).

With the housing crunch, I'm sure I'll have new neighbors soon.