Roselea

Category: Groundworks

  • 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!

  • 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?

  • Shuttering and Putting Rubble in around Air Chamber and Tunnel

    We have been building some extra shuttering down the sides of the tunnel to form an extra thick footing to support the main house foundation as it goes over the tunnel.

    Earth-tube-tunnel-finished

    Earth-tube-tunnel-finished

    We have also built shuttering to form a ‘chimney’ to take the air from the tunnel up through the foundation and floor slab. This has been topped with a temporary air filter to allow fresh air into the earth tubes as we use this for fresh air in our living quarters.

    Earth-tube-chimney

    Earth-tube-chimney

    Also, while the shuttering was being constructed, old rubble and soil was loaded around the the Air Mixing Chamber and the Tunnel, compacted down and built up to somewhere the right level for the floor slab.

    Ground-filled-around-tunnel

    Ground-filled-around-tunnel

    We will fill in with more sandy soil and adjust with more accuracy when the foundation strip is poured and set, we would have a marker to line up to then.

     

  • Chamber and Tunnel Covered in DPM

    And finally, this afternoon, we screwed down the cement board that we mortared down a couple of days ago, and then wrapped everything up in DPM plastic to protect our air supply from getting damp with heavy rain showers and wet ground.

    Earth-tube-tunnel-wrapped-up

    Earth-tube-tunnel-wrapped-up

    The final step is to put in stuttering to form the chimney that will come through the foundation and floor slab, plus shuttering down the side of the tunnel where it crosses under the main house foundation strip.

  • Number 1 Module now Finished – Part 3!

    A lovely warm day to finish off our first Energy Module, by sliding in more insulation panels around the sides of the rubber covered tank. We also put the much needed DPM plastic cover over the top to stop dirt and soil from entering into the tank, and it will also serve as a condensation barrier during the life time of the module when the water gets very hot.

    Module-1-Side-insulation-in-place

    Module-1-Side-insulation-in-place

    We filled up the remaining gaps around the edges of the hole with sandy soil, and packed it all down. Don’t tell anyone, but we chucked in all the off cuts and broken bits and pieces of insulation panels down in the gap too!! Finally, we put the insulation lid on top.

    Module-1-Shaun-ramming-down-fill

    Module-1-Shaun-ramming-down-fill

    Module-1-Top-insulation-complete

    Module-1-Top-insulation-complete


    We have made holes to allow the water and temperature conduits to pass through into the tank, all labelled and measured so we know what is what and how long the wires needs to be!

    Module-1-Ducts-in-place

    Module-1-Ducts-in-place

    The pipes has a ring of white duct tape wrap around them, with the coded info written on it. They read “1-wl”, “1-wh”, “1-tl”, “1-th”, and “1-tu”. More conduits will come together for more temperature probes later on when we get near to pouring the main floor concrete slab.

    Module-1-Ducts-are-labeled

    Module-1-Ducts-are-labeled

  • Number 1 Module being Assembled

    And this afternoon, we went back to our Number 1 Energy Module to carry on
    with the assembling of the underground hot water tank.

    First of all, we drilled down a metre in the middle of the hole to allow for
    a temperature sensor to be placed under the Energy Module. We inserted our
    new 20mm plastic pipe to act as the conduit for the temperature probe, which
    will be installed later.

    Module-1-Temperature-sensor-conduit-drilled-down-and-buried

    Module-1-Temperature-sensor-conduit-drilled-down-and-buried

    After that, it was grabbing pieces of the PU foam to build up the required
    200mm thick insulation barrier between the bottom of the module and the
    ground.

    Module-1-Insulation-in-place

    Module-1-Insulation-in-place

    We then carefully laid down the rubber membrane on top of the insulation
    boards, ready to wrap around the plastic crates to hold in the water.

    Module-1-Rubber-sheet-placed-and-Aquacells-started

    Module-1-Rubber-sheet-placed-and-Aquacells-started

    Then came the plastic Aquacell crates themselves, placing them in a grid of
    5 by 2 to form the 1st layer of 2.5metres by 2metres block.

    Module-1-Bottom-layer-of-cells-finished

    Module-1-Bottom-layer-of-cells-finished

    Then, we had to cut access holes to allow the insertion of the water pipe
    and another temperature probe to go down inside the energy module, right to
    the bottom, plus also a larger hole to allow for inspection of the water
    level.

    Then the second layer goes on, and more access holes are made, this time for
    the 2nd water and temperature probe to be inserted.

    Module-1-Top-layer-finished

    Module-1-Top-layer-finished

    Finally, we pulled up the rubber sheeting around all the edges and folded
    the corners in, just like a parcel. We will put on a layer of DPM plastic to
    seal off the top surface of the water tank to stop steam and moisture
    escaping out of these Energy Modules.

    Module-1-All-wrapped-in-Rubber

    Module-1-All-wrapped-in-Rubber

    Tomorrow, we will put down around the 4 sides more insulation panels and
    then fill in the remaining gap with the sandy soil and compact it all down
    nice and solidly.