Big progress on a Big Thing (the roof) over the last couple of days.
The cleaned, preserved and oiled chestnut rafters, beams and wall plates are now all leveled and in place and work has begun on fixing the wooden planking to them. These photos are from this morning. By the end of the day, the planking had been completed up as far as the middle beam.
Michael, Wayne and Chris lay the first planks
Sometimes, when the number of Big Things needing done threatens to become overwhelming, it’s occasionally worthwhile to do a small thing, just for that sense of achievement, satisfaction and progress it can give. Well that’s my excuse at least.
Small thing in the foreground. Big Thing in the background
We got the power!
Solar panels on their temporary framework. They’ll move to their final position when renovation work on the main building is complete.
This post comes to you powered exclusively by the sun. Not only is this site hosted on 100% solar-powered webservers, but the computers and router servicing it are now 100% solar powered too.
Following the phenomenal success of our irrigation system which, with the addition of a couple of 50m hoses, now waters 6 terraces, Oonagh invented another adaptation. We now have a proper shower!
Oonagh tests her invention
Free brain freeze with every hair wash!
The next stage in the water wheel construction is nearing completion. Because the ‘engine’ of the system is a permanent magnet generator from a wind turbine, and a water wheel turns much more slowly than a wind turbine, the wheel needs to be linked to the PMG via a gearing system that steps up the number of revolutions. To work out the optimum gear ratio for this installation, we needed to measure the actual rpm the wheel produces at present water volumes. For that to be done, we needed to construct the chute to deliver the water to the wheel.
Present water volumes in the levada. Not huge. About 2 litres per second.
The water wheel is now installed in the levada, along with the framework for the permanent magnet generator. Next stage is to construct the chute to deliver the water to the wheel, measure the flow rate and to have the appropriate gear wheel machined.
Work has begun on renewable energy power generation at the quinta!
Having seen local engineer Wayne Sutton’s water-wheel installation on his own property, it was immediately obvious to me that this was exactly what we needed for the hydro component of our planned renewable energy generation system.
With the stove working daily for almost two months now, it was obvious the flue was becoming obstructed with creosote deposits. When it got to the stage of smoking the yurt out every time we opened the stove door to add more wood, it was time to do something about it.
I also wanted to make a slight modification to my earlier modifications. (The upside-down flue pipe has been working perfectly. No leakage of creosote or smoke.)
We’ve been busy building a compost bin and wood store, not least because material for composting has been piling up from both the composting toilet and kitchen, and our firewood has been both rotting and remaining damp underneath its tarpaulin.
Oonagh helped for a while, but was really more interested in rehearsing her outfit for carnaval. So Helen and I did most of the work. Both compost bin and log store are now functioning, but we still need to build the roof to keep the rain off.
Oonagh “helping” to build the compost bin
At last, thanks to a load of firewood, I’ve been able to move over to the quinta. The yurt is drying out nicely, the accommodation organised for efficient and comfortable living, and the little Lange stove is performing superbly. It’s so good to be here!
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