Roselea

Author: Shaun

  • Day 3 of Installing the Underground Temperature Probes in and around the Energy Modules

     We finished off the task of installing all the temperature probes’ conduits, around the two biggest Energy Modules, namely the one stretching across from the Kitchen, through the Hall and into Bedroom 1 and the other module stretching the full length of the Great Room.

    Day-3-Installing-Temperature-probe-conduits-Morning

    Day-3-Installing-Temperature-probe-conduits-Morning

    Day-3-Installing-Temperature-probe-conduits-Afternoon

    Day-3-Installing-Temperature-probe-conduits-Afternoon

    Day-3-Installing-Temperature-probe-conduits-Finished

    Day-3-Installing-Temperature-probe-conduits-Finished


    We installed a further 21 conduits today, plus the other 12 we did over the last 2 days, makes a total of 33 conduits, each having at least 2 and maybe 3 temperature sensors in each pipe, thus we will have nearly 100 heat monitoring probes underground, under our house, to measure the distribution of the heat going in and out of our 5 Energy Modules. The modules themselves also has several temperature sensors in each too .. and plus we have more planned to be installed outside the perimeter of our house as well – Phew!

    Measuring-Temperature-conduits

    Measuring-Temperature-conduits

    We then measured all the locations of the 33 plastic pipes sticking out of the ground and will keep a record of these data points on our computers so we can provide a graphic output showing the actual temperature readings on a map of our house .. all in real time .. when everything is working – grin!!

  • Perimeter Walls Measured and Drawings Updated

     We had a bit of spare time today after we had completed the job of installing the temperature probes conduits around the Energy Modules so we spent an hour measuring all the Perimeter Walls. We did all the lengths (14 straight sides) from corner to corner, then distances from known points already in our drawings like the Swimming Lane, and also did some diagonals across the whole building to confirm that our drawing is reflecting reality.

    Measuring-the-walls

    Measuring-the-walls

    We will update our architectural drawings so we can then know how much this is and how much that is, for example, the amount of timber we will need and how many sheets of wall panels etc.

    We had some feedback as we were doing this task, and all of the straight sides measured within 10 mm of what the construction plans said, apart from one corner at the front where it is a whopping great offset of 25 mm – Oh No! Grin!

  • Day 2 of Installing Conduits for Temperature Probes around Every Energy Modules

     Today, we carried on with the installation of conduits for the Temperature Probes around all our Energy Modules, but after we made a new drilling tool using a steel 32mm diameter pipe and welded four fat nails to the end.

    So using our new tool, we drilled and inserted 20 mm plastic pipes around the Energy Modules under Bedroom 3 and Bedroom 2 plus the one under the Entertainment room too.

    Day-2-Installing-Temperature-probe-conduits-2

    Day-2-Installing-Temperature-probe-conduits-2

    Day-2-Installing-Temperature-probe-conduits-1

    Day-2-Installing-Temperature-probe-conduits-1

    Day-2-Installing-Temperature-probe-conduits-3

    Day-2-Installing-Temperature-probe-conduits-3


    Mind you, even this all metal tool suffered, one of the nails bent right over and in bending it back again broke off!! But it is doing the job .. as long as the pipe is kept clean. We eventually resorted to using our pressure washer to blast clean the pipe 2 or 3 times whilst drilling a single hole, sometimes the sandy soil is quiet sticky and clogs up the inside of the pipe quickly.

    Tomorrow, we will continue with the last two Energy Modules, our biggest ones, with an additional 20 more conduits to do!

  • Preparation for the Installation of Guttering Downpipes and Underground Pipeworks

    This morning, we got on with clearing the sandy soil material away from the base of the Perimeter Wall around the house so we can collect and transport the Rainwater coming off the roof, using 100mm pipework and sent to our filtration unit at the end of the Swimming Lane.

    There will be a complete circuit around the whole house, with seven downpipes from the guttering, each of these downpipes are located in each of the “inside” corners, like the front extension, the Conservatory, and the back extensions.

    We managed to do about half the circuit so far in this shortened session this morning.

  • Installing more Conduits for temperature Probes around Energy Modules

     This afternoon, after we have finished the task of leveling  the ground, we started installing more conduits for our temperature probes that will measure the performance of our Energy Modules and how the ground around them is changing over the course of the seasons and the year and beyond.

    We are using a DIY vacuum cleaner and a long hollow plastic pipe with nails attached on the end, to drill and suck out the sand and soil to form a deep narrow hole. We then insert the plastic 20 mm pipe with one end melted and squashed flat to form a waterproof tight seal. We are drilling down 1.5 metres so we will have a temperature probe located 500 mm below the level of the Energy Module and then another probe higher up so it measures the mid-point of the Energy Module too.

    Drilling-a-probe-hole

    Drilling-a-probe-hole

    Sometimes, it is jolly hard to drill down because we hit a gravel layer in our sand dunes which we think were the original seabed layer when this whole area was under the sea!

    First-3-temperature-probes

    First-3-temperature-probes

    Tomorrow, we are going to change our drilling tube over to a metal one so we can weld on more strongly the “spikes”  (heavy duty nails!) to survive the bashing and turning actions. the plastic version is ok but it is already showing signs of wear and tear so we found a metal pipe lying around and we will use that instead!! Yes Another homemade tool – smile!

  • Locating Pipe to Soak-away

     We wanted to confirm the exact depth of our rain water 100mm pipework that goes off to the main soak-away module. So after lunch, we dug down over beside the garage at the end of the Swimming Lane and went down until we found the bottom of the currently terminated pipe.

    The-feed-to-the-rainwater-soakaway

    The-feed-to-the-rainwater-soakaway

    Using our laser site measuring machine and siting pole, we got a measurement of 2300 mm on the pole (using the laser detection unit) which translates to 1.3 metres below ground level. So this means that our rain water connection from the filtration unit for dealing with all our water off our roofs, can go as deep as 1.3 metres. This is good as it gives us more options in the design of the filtration module.

  • The 5th and final day of Smoothing the Ground ready for Floor Slab

     For the first half of the day, we finished off scraping and leveling off the remaining section of the Great Room. We are all completely done now, the whole area across the footprint of the house is now all smooth. After lunch, we ran the petrol compactor all over everything to make sure it is good and settled and solid.

    Smoothing-the-ground-finished-1

    Smoothing-the-ground-finished-1

    Smoothing-the-ground-finished-2

    Smoothing-the-ground-finished-2

    Smoothing-the-ground-finished-3

    Smoothing-the-ground-finished-3


    We might sprinkle some sand here and there to fill any holes we might find that are too deep, but it is looking good actually.

  • Day 4 of Clearing and Levelling Ground for Floor Slab

     With slightly cooler weather, we carried on with the task of scraping and clearing away the excess sand and soil from all the ground between the foundation strips. We did the remaining section in the middle of the house (Hall and Bedroom 2), and then also completed the section with the Kitchen and Bedroom 1 and finally we got half way across the Great Room.

    Levelling-Site-Day-4-1

    Levelling-Site-Day-4-1

    Levelling-Site-Day-4-2

    Levelling-Site-Day-4-2

    Levelling-Site-Day-4-3

    Levelling-Site-Day-4-3


    Some of the ground was very hard so we got out our electric rotavator to loosen up the surface so we can scrape it – phew! We have probably moved, in total over the last 4 days or so, several tons of excess material to the outer regions beyond the Perimeter Wall, but it was a good day’s work and we should easily finish off this task tomorrow – no sweat!!

  • Day 3 of Smoothing Off the Ground Ready for Floor Slab

     Today, working in damp softened soil, we carried on with the scraping of the soil inside the footprint of the house. We finished off Bedroom 3 and the front half of the Hall way, plus removed a huge amount of soil from Bedroom 2 too!

    Ground Smoothing Day 3-2

    Ground Smoothing Day 3-2

    Ground Smoothing Day 3-3

    Ground Smoothing Day 3-3

    Ground Smoothing Day 3-1

    Ground Smoothing Day 3-1


    On Monday, we will carry on scraping backwards towards Bedroom 3 (from the Entertainment room) and through to the back Perimeter wall, and continuing to the Kitchen and Bedroom 1 areas.

  • Day 2 of Levelling the Ground for Floor Slab

     We did a little bit of work this morning before the rain became too heavy for us, scraping the area around the Utility Room working towards Bedroom 3 in the right back corner. We emptied the trolley of any soil to avoid that getting soaked and muddy!

    2016-09-16

    2016-09-16

    Weather permitting, tomorrow we will continue with the scraping and levelling of whole footprint of the house, we will have to put down a “guide” rail so we can continue to use our timber scraper tool, to bridge the larger area between the concrete strips.