Roselea

Author: Shaun

  • Number 3 Hole is Dug and Dead Level on Bottom!

    We finished digging out the third  hole. We then inserted two parallel wooden side rails into the ground, set exactly at the required depth (minus 1.7 meters below ground level) and use them to scrape away the final excess sandy soil by moving a plank of timber between the rails.

    Shaun-collapsed-in-Module-3-Hole

    Shaun-collapsed-in-Module-3-Hole

    Then we compacted the whole area using the petrol motor driven vibrating  plate, put in more sand and compacted again. Then we did a final scrape to get a nice flat and level surface to begin the building up of the energy module itself including its insulation layers.

    Module-3-Hole-Finished-1

    Module-3-Hole-Finished-1

    Module-3-Hole-Finished-2

    Module-3-Hole-Finished-2


    But tomorrow, it is the messy job of taking apart and cleaning 48 Aquacell crates!! Phew!

    Here’s today’s timelapse

  • Dumper Truck Wouldn’t Stop!

     Our old dumper truck wouldn’t stop when the stop button was pulled – a real ironic case of a Stop button causing a Stoppage!

    Dumper-Stop-Handle-It-should-pull

    Dumper-Stop-Handle-It-should-pull

    Dumper-Stop-lever-on-engine

    Dumper-Stop-lever-on-engine


    The cable from the spring loaded pull knob had come adrift. The cable is very similar to any brake cable found on bicycles and any vehicles, which is connected to the cylinder head of the diesel engine to open a gate valve to disrupt the compression chamber’s integrity so the fuel cannot be pressurised, and cause the next explosion to drive the piston down again, thus stopping the cycle of the engine.

    We will have to surf the net for a spare part, hopefully we can find someone who has a new bit, or else, we will have to make a new switch mechanism to achieve the same job!!

    P.S. Found a new part, a complete knob and cable for £10, should be delivered Wednesday.

  • Number 3 Module Is Under Way!

    For the start of the week, we started on Number 3 Energy Module this
    afternoon (having had other commitments in the morning) by marking out the
    boundary of the hole to dig. This one is much larger, measuring at 7 metres
    long by 3 metres wide and the usual depth of 1.2 metres. This module stretches
    across from underneath the kitchen, passes under the hallway and finishes up
    under bedroom 1. It will hold about 8400 litres (about 1840 gallons) of water.

    Module-3-Half-the-hole-dug

    Module-3-Half-the-hole-dug


    We have done about two third along the length of the hole, before we had a
    stoppage! The dumper truck wouldn’t stop! But it was nearly the end of the
    day anyway! Repair time!

    Here’s today’s timelapse

  • Second Module All Finished!

     Today, we finished off the 2nd Energy Module! We put on a lid of PU foam boards of a variety of thicknesses (90-120 mm) and we used the off cuts from the side insulation as well, and then we pushed into the tank the two pipe conduits for our temperature probes to go down, plus also two water connection points, just like the previous Energy Module.

    Module-2-Completed

    Module-2-Completed

    It is a bright gleaming structure in the glorious sunshine we had today!

    We then filled around the edges and on top with the sandy soil and compacted it down and levelled it all off. There is no evident now of ever having these water tank buried underground, apart from the funny looking pipes sticking out of the ground!

    We then thought that we had better peg out red and white warning tape around the four corners of each Energy Module so we are reminded of where they are and not drive over the top of them accidentally with the mini-digger or dumper truck!!

    Module-2-Outline-marked

    Module-2-Outline-marked

  • Aquacell Crates assembled, Wrapped Up and Insulated!

    Today, we put together 30 plastic crates to form the 2nd energy module (out of the 5 in total), wrapping it up in pond liner rubber sheeting.

    Module-2-Wrapped-up-and-waiting-its-warm-jacket

    Module-2-Wrapped-up-and-waiting-its-warm-jacket


    Then installed lots and lots of PU insulation foam blocks all the way around the outer edges of the module. We mostly put in 250mm to 300mm thickness in total, sometimes in 3 layers, depending on what we have in our random pile of second-hand foam boards.

    We have started filling in the gap with sand to secure the entire unit and then we will put on the final 100mm thick layer on top of the module tomorrow.

  • Aquacell Crates Washed, ready for Number 2 Hole!

    Today, we had to split apart a bunch of the Aquacell crates to wash out all the accumulated dirt and growing plant matter!! We needed 30 crates to build this particular Energy Module, 2 layers of 15 crates.

    Pile-of-auquacells-2nd-Jun

    Pile-of-auquacells-2nd-Jun

    Module-2-30-Aquacells-waiting

    Module-2-30-Aquacells-waiting


    Then, we had time to cut and fit 2 layers of insulation boards to form the base for the Aquacell crates to sit on. Each layer was made of 120mm thick boards, making a total of 240mm thick of PU foam.

    Module-2-Insulation-on-bottom-of-hole

    Module-2-Insulation-on-bottom-of-hole

    Tomorrow, we will put down the rubber sheet and start assembling the crates to make the water tank.

  • Number 2 Hole Now Ready

    This afternoon, we finished off getting the second hole ready for the next Energy Module. The bottom is now lovely – flat, level and smooth as a baby’s bum!!

    Module-2-Hole-ready-for-tank

    Module-2-Hole-ready-for-tank

    We also “drilled” down to insert the temperature conduit pipe underneath the tank, using our vacuum cleaner!

    Module-2-Temperature-sensor-conduit-hole-drilled-2

    Module-2-Temperature-sensor-conduit-hole-drilled-2

    Tomorrow, it is the job of cleaning 30 Aquacell crates!

  • Minor Flood Number 2 Stops Play!

    Last night, we had well over 40mm (1½ inches) of rain in about 6 hours. There is lots of puddles everywhere!


    But as usual, the workshop caused another flood! Again it etched away the soil and managed to get under the fence and run downhill into our area.

    Module-2-Rain-washes-soil-in-1

    Module-2-Rain-washes-soil-in-1

    May-2016-Heavy-rain-subsistance-1

    May-2016-Heavy-rain-subsistance-1


    We will have to put up an even bigger and deeper barrier to stop their rainwater from getting into our land.

    At least, our new swimming lane done a great job of holding back the water and there is no sign of any problems along its length. Phew!

  • Shaun Falls In Hole!

    We were working on the 2nd energy module and digging the hole for it, when Shaun managed to do it again!


    see the full report at Number 2 Modules Hole is Dug

  • Number 2 Module’s Hole is Dug!

    This afternoon, we dug the 2nd hole in our ground, under the house, for the next Energy Module. This one is situated under Bedroom-2 and it is 2.5 metres by 3 metres, holding about 5000 litres of water.

    Module-3-Rough-dug-hole

    Module-3-Rough-dug-hole

    We have been putting the sand / dirt around the edges of the house where the footpaths are going, along the swimming lane and round the corner and along the garage and garden shed sections too. It is already filling up and we probably will have to hire a removal lorry with a grab to take away the excess material. We still got another two big holes and one small one to go yet!!

    Peripheral-edges-raised-to-ground-level-2

    Peripheral-edges-raised-to-ground-level-2

    Peripheral-edges-raised-to-ground-level-1

    Peripheral-edges-raised-to-ground-level-1


    Tomorrow, we will level the bottom of the hole and then start cleaning the next bunch of the Aquacell crates, 30 of them this time!

    Now when you watched the movie did you spot Shaun having an accident?