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newsDIY solar water distiller
Prototype #2 has been built, and setup for the first time. Every
day is overcast, so I am waitng for a sunny day to continue testing.
I decided to document the build, so anyone can reproduce it:
http://bkhome.org/nomad/diy-solar-water-distiller.html
Photo when first setup:
Showing condensation after only a short time running, on cold overcast day:
The materials cost is higher than I would have liked, but hey, I am
hooked, and already planning #3. May have to pull #2 apart and re-use
some components. Next time, aiming for lower-cost and lighter weight,
and durability when exposed to inclement weather.
Got to say, this is fun!
Tags: nomad
Scrubba clean clothes while camping
I am always on the lookout for something useful when camping.
Clothes can be cleaned at a campsite, if water is available, just by
agitating them in a bucket, with detergent, then rinse, then hang up.
So, is this a gimmick, or really useful?...
Here is a youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=834LBMRqhuc
...you be the judge!
Tags: nomad
DreamPot thermal cooker
I am always on the lookout for new ideas for camping. came across
this, recommended in a Facebook caravan & camping group: the
DreamPot.
This webpage explains it:
https://www.dreampot.com.au/how-it-works/
And here is a short video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxRw8U1UUSI
Would need a heat source. On previous camping trips, I have used a
burner screwed on top of a gas cylinder, so that would do the job.
Saving 88% of the gas on each use, makes it an attractive proposition.
The 3litre size would suit me. Well, maybe, might consider buying it one day, not now.
EDIT 2019-06-01:
Received an email from Derek, that this is a very old principle, that is
very easy to do yourself. Just get a cardboard box, and insert a
saucepan, with clothes or anything packed around it.
Yes, there is no need to spend $199! Some types cost a lot more.
There is another one named BillyBoil, much cheaper, AU$80. I also read
that Aldi sometimes has a thermal cooker, as a special buy. Apparently,
the Aldi one had a 36W 12V heater, to keep up the temperature, and it
sold for AU$99.
While reading reports on thermal cookers, I
came across mention of the temperature "danger zone", which is 5degC to
63degC. If using a thermal cooker, the temperature must not drop to
63degC or below, to avoid food poisoning. The Wikipedia has info on
this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danger_zone_(food_safety)
EDIT 2019-06-03:
Received an email from Jon, which included this:
We use to use an ordinary pressure-cooker and a straw filled box back in
the '70's. The pressure cooker had the pressure-cap off while on the
stove until boiling, cap was on then until time to open up, hot still
after about 4hrs.
The idea of using a pressure cooker is very interesting.
Tags: nomad
Silicone on silicone and silicone on pine
My education continues! One comment: a lot of information on the
Internet is incorrect or misleading. I read yesterday, that silicone
sealant will not stick to cured silicone sealant. Wrong.
I tested Selleys 401 silicone sealant, on top of the same sealant
that has cured for several days. It bonds extremely well, and I was
unable to pull it off. That information on the Internet may be for
neutral-curing silicone, or just one type that the author tried, then
made a sweeping statement.
Wood is the same story. Some web pages state that silicone sealant
will not stick to wood, others say it will. My experience with selleys
401 is that it doesn't, or does so very poorly.
So, I tried Parfix "Roof, Gutter and Concrete" silicone sealant,
which is neutral cure, on unpainted dressed pine, also on pine
sandpapered with 60-grit sandpaper. In both cases, it suck extremely
well, and again, I was unable to pull it off.
I haven't tried, but won't be at all surprised if the Parfix sealant
bonds well to aluminium also (which Selleys 401 doesn't). Hmmm, should
find out for sure, will do a little test today. Will also test Parfix on
cured Parfix!
Academic papers on tilted wick-type distillers
I have found some practical academic papers, with very useful experimental results:
"Solar Stills for Desalination of Water in Rural Households"
https://www.tsijournals.com/articles/performance-analysis-of-wick-type-solar-stills--a-review.pdf
OR: https://www.sciencetarget.com/Journal/index.php/IJES/article/download/326/79
"Experimental study of an inclined flat plate-type solar water distillation system"
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40807-016-0026-4
"An experimental study on an inclined solar water distillation system"
https://www.academia.edu/15414535/An_experimental_study_on_an_inclined_solar_water_distillation_system
-- free download, but have to join academia.edu
There is some very interesting information. For example, one
researcher was reading just 60 - 65degC inside the still at high-noon,
at external ambient of 25degC. This is still hot enough for evaporation
to take place from the wicking cloth.
One researcher used a black bath towel. I had thought that would be too thick, but hey, if they can do that, so can I...
Bath towel wicking cloth
I bought a black cotton bath towel from Kmoart, for just AU$6. BigW
also has them, same price, but they have embossing, whereas the Kmart
one is just a plain surface.
Tested it this morning, very positive result. Capillary action was
observed to be better than the felt, though I haven't quantified that.
Just an observation, that the water tended to get absorbed more readily.
The three 1mm holes are working OK. The water is spreading out, and
only a few dry spots after 15 minutes, and very little water has made it
out the bottom drainage pipe. Excellent, dry spots are one of the
problems with this type of still, and it is a matter of correct angle
and water flow rate.
Tags: nomad
Testing wicking properties of felt
Various tests are underway. This includes further tests on
bonding of silicone sealant to various substances, and I am appending to
this earlier post as those tests are completed:
http://bkhome.org/news/201905/testing-bonding-of-selleys-401-silicone-sealant.html
Today I setup a water feed to the solar panel, to test wicking properties of the cloth, and the rate of water flow:
...you can see the wet area. This was just after starting the flow,
and the water was tending toward one side, so used a spirit-level to get
the flow to go straight down -- just a small wedge under one corner
made the panel level.
The tube at the top has two 2mm diameter holes, and I observed that
wetting spread out, but leaving dry patches at the top. So, I think next
will try with three holes, and smaller, maybe 1mm diameter -- any
smaller than that, I won't be able to drill.
For the record, this is the felt that I am currently using:
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/ECO-Friendly-FELT-CHOOSE-YOUR-OWN-COLOUR-1-METRE-x-1-8M-/303076030510
The clear PVC pipe was purchased from Bunnings, but it is not
UV-stabilized. The manufacturer is Pope, and it is 13mm diameter,
matching that of 13mm trickle pipe. I chose this diameter, as can then
use trickle-pipe fittings, such as an inline filter -- a filter will be
essential in the final product. The "13mm" pipe also matches the tap
nozzle at the top, and inlet into the panel.
The final product will require UV-stabilized flexible pipe, so I have ordered this from eBay:
...the size that I ordered is "12x14-5m", which is 12mm inside
diameter, with 1mm wall thickness, and 5m long. There is also "12x15-5m"
available, which has 1.5mm wall thickness. Perhaps the thinner walled
pipe will be more likely to kink.
Glass cut-to-size
Another item of news. Today I picked up the glass, two pieces, 3mm
transparent window glass, cut to my required dimensions. Casey, the guy
who cut the glass for me, also bevelled the edges slightly, to make the
glass safer for me to handle. Total cost AU$90. The business is "Glass
Perth" and they will give an online quote:
EDIT 2019-05-30: Bath towel cloth
I have tested a black cotton bath towel, it has superior wicking properties, see report:
http://bkhome.org/news/201905/silicone-on-silicone-and-silicone-on-pine.html
Tags: nomad
Starting on solar distiller prototype 2
The design of prototype #2 is looking so good, that starting on
it even before #1 is finished -- and might not finish #1. The problem
is, glass is not cheap, and the dimensions of #2 are different from #1,
so cannot reuse the glass.
Here is a photo of #1:
...you can see the aluminium sheet, that will have the black trickle-cloth on top of it.
On the right side is the inlet tube, which has two holes in it. This
is something that still needs to be fine-tuned, so #1 will serve that
purpose. The top tube can be turned, and even removed, to experiment
with the number of holes.
Prototype #2 will have glass instead of aluminium, a plus for health
concerns, also glass is an insulator, will help to trap the heat in the
cloth.
So, #2 will have two pieces of glass, and I have been quoted AU$88, 3mm window glass.
On the left of the above photo, you can see the "dirty" and distiller water runoffs. #2 has simplified this considerably.
Next step is to experiment with the trickle cloth on #1. I have a
black felt, but not yet certain that it is the best material, as it is a
bit slow to "wet".
Note, the final product will have fold-out legs on the bottom.
Tags: nomad
Coleman UP 4P Gold series Dark Room tent
The tag "nomad" in these blog posts is to document outfitting,
experiments and general preparedness for future as a "grey nomad", if
not permanently, then at least for periodic camping trips. There is
actually a section of this website for "nomad", http://bkhome.org/nomad, which will mostly document the final experience.
An essential component of the experience is shelter. Most nomads are
to be seen in motorhomes, campervans, caravans, or camper-trailers.
However, I have opted to stay with a tent, as long as it can address
some issues that I had on previous excursions.
A tent, either kept inside the car, or on the roof-rack, has some
advantages. One of those is the sheer convenience of not lugging around a
great big thing behind you -- which, apart from the awkwardness when
you want to park, turn or reverse, is also more difficult to "hide"
discretely somewhere off the road. My ultimate plan is to have a 4wd,
and be able to go down rough tracks and camp at hidden-away little
campsites.
Back in 2012, when I camped at Windy Harbour on the south coast of
Western Australia, I had a very cheap tent purchased from BigW. Windy
harbour lives up to it's name, and the thin material tore in one place.
Another issue with the Windy Harbour experience, I recall, was as a
senior citizen, I like to have an afternoon snooze. However, it was very
light, and hot, inside the tent -- I could feel the heat of the sun on
me, right through the tent material.
Fast forward to 2017, I purchased another very cheap tent, from BCF, a
simple dome tent, that I think only cost AU$49. It is high enough to
stand up in. Let's see, there is a photo on one trip:
...quite a nice little tent. It does of course have the brightness and heat issues of the previous one.
Fast forward to early 2019, want something more "serious", for
extended camping trips, strong material, cool inside. Tentworld, here in
Perth WA, had a sale, and there was a Coleman 4P Instant-Up Gold-Series
with vestibule, Dark Room, erected outside the store, and I fell in
love with it.
Yeah, that's a long title:
"Instant Up" means that it erects very fast. Not instantly, but delightfully fast.
"Gold Series" means that it is constructed from heavier material than the regular Coleman tents,
"Dark Room" means that the fly (outer liner) blocks nearly all sunlight, making the inside really dark.
It comes with and without vestibule. The vestibule requires an extra
step to erect, with some separate poles, but I reckon well worth it, as I
can back the car up to it, and even into it -- for planned easy access
to storage shelves accessed via the vehicle rear.
have to pay more for all this goodness of course, and it was AU$359. Here is the web page:
https://www.tentworld.com.au/buy-sale/coleman-instant-up-gold-vestibule-darkroom-tent-4PV
The inner part goes up in mere seconds:
Then, throw the fly over the top, and insert the vestibule poles and anchor with pegs:
There is a video on YouTube that shows erection and dismantling (made by Snowys, based in Brisbane):
Packing a tent away can be a challenge. The one that I used at Windy
Harbour, no way could I wrap it up to fit into the original carry-bag.
This Coleman tent, though, on the second attempt, with careful folding, I
did manage to put it back into the carry-bag.
I am looking forward to reporting on using this tent.
Tags: nomad
Tecsun PL-310ET world-band radio
Continuing with the "grey nomad" outfitting. When I go camping,
with car and tent, I like to listen to the radio. problem is, the only
one I own is in the car, and the ignition has to be turned on (in the
first position), and it only has AM and FM, no shortwave.
These days, listening to the radio, AM/FM/SW, is less popular. It is
all Internet and streaming media. However, an "old fashioned" world-band
radio is pleasant entertainment in the tent at night. Besides, many
campsites do not have wi-fi signal. So, what to buy...
Curiously, I couldn't find much choice in the local shops. I would
like to run it off 5V USB, and direct frequency entry at the keypad
would be nice. Must have a socket for external antenna. Narrows it down.
Narrows it down too much, couldn't find anything local. So, look
online, but it must be a reputable brand. There are some discussion
threads on world-band radios at the Whirlpool forum, and I came to the
conclusion that the Tecsun brand will be a good buy. Here is a forum
thread discussing Tecsun radios:
https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1680412
Narrowed it down to the PL-310ET. There is an Australian business that sells these:
However, I ordered it from Hong Kong, along with an external antenna:
Price for radio was AU$63.92, antenna AU$12.60, adding 10% GST (sales
tax in Australia, automatically deducted by eBay) was AU$7.67, total
cost AU$84.19. Superb price.
Note, the eBay vendor that I bought from sells the English version.
Some other vendors sell a version that has mixed Chinese and English.
Finally, if you would like to see a video review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMZZG87iQL4
EDIT 2019-05-31:
The radio arrived today, in my letterbox. It had a tracking number, but
no signature was required. I suppose, the more expensive postage option
would have the sign-on-delivery. Surprised how fast it got here. Quick
test, it works, and works well.
Tags: nomad