Sunday, June 6, 2010

Got Cool!

Had all I could take of the evap (which was doing very little good) so I ripped it out and installed the little refer window unit. Its been running for about 35 minutes and has taken the temp down in here from 105 degrees to 98 degrees so far. Its already 110 outside and I think to match yesterday's high of 112. Needless to say with having to run the generator to be able to run the AC I'll only be running it until the sun reaches far enough west to make shade in the front of the dungeon and then open the door and sit outside. I'll probably fire it up late at night to cool the place down before I hit the rack and then cut it off. Unfortunately this AC doesn't have a vent setting where I can pull outside air and just ventilate so not sure how this will go over at night if it gets real warm in here, but I'll figure something out. Otherwise I could have probably been able to switch to fan only (Low speed) and run it off the batteries.

A side benefit of all of this is that I've switched the little fan back to running off of the solar battery charger and won't be using the water pump and second fan which were running off of the batteries so I should be able to stretch the run time on the charger to at least every 24 hours again since batteries will mainly be used at night. Since I've been running the evap I've been having to run the charger twice per day. I can also run the laptop off of the generator while the AC is running so that will help some to and also maybe run some power tools in short burst to be able to get something useful done and have a half way cool place to come to between doing that.  It won't totally offset the extra gas used by the generator, but will help some.

Below was yesterday's high in here with the evap running.

The storm is here. A futile attempt at catching lightning. 06/07/2010 10:18 PM

26 comments:

  1. Give us an update of how much cooler it gets in there after a while. Im glad you got your Ac working and hope it gives you a break.

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  2. 95 degrees in here at 3:05 and about another 45 minutes until there is enough shade to sit in in front of the dungeon. Still 95 is a whole lot better then 108!

    I can see where this will open up a few more cans of worms though. We have another chance for rain and some pretty big thunderheads are building in the east and look like they may head this way. I won't be running the generator while its raining so it could get mighty stuffy in here. I would have been able to run the evap.

    Oh well... looks like more figuring and doing on my part. ;) Could be an uncomfortable night though.

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  3. Necessity is the mother of invention...but at 108 I'm afraid your brain may melt!

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  4. OH, GEEZ! That's hot. Stay cool, man. Take care of yourself.

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  5. Figure out someway to put a false roof on the dungeon, that will lower the temp inside it considerable. At least 1 foot above existing roof, two feet would be better.

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  6. Frann, I've been in a lot worse (like attics in Houston in the middle of the summer), but I was a lot younger then. ;) The old bod and brain don't take heat like it used to.

    Ginger, I have a feeling it will get a lot worse before it gets better. I'm sure you know that though.

    BFA, my nephew is supposed to leave his 5th wheel camper here toward the end of the month so I don't plan to do any more to the dungeon. We will just have to survive. (We as in Pepper and I)

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  7. Man that heat is gonna kill you! If you had the means I would suggest going to some cheap motel for a few days so your body gets right and enjoy some consistent cooler temps. Strangely I remember you freezing your tail off this last winter but hey I would take the heat over the cold myself. Stay cool...

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  8. There isn't any suppose to it, we'll be there in 3 weeks, if not a day sooner. I'm hoping to be there the 26th, if not for sure the 27th. Dwight graduates on the 25th, and we can't think of any reason to stay in Phoenix any longer than we have to. The trailer will be brought by a mover, so it will depend on his schedule for the exact date. I'll let you know after I talk with him next. Yall take care, we're coming. :-)

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  9. I sympathise with the temps. We get 40-45 Degrees Celsius days here in Summer. Nice when it's dry. But usually it's bloody humid.

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  10. I am so glad you are running the a/c for now. I am sure that will help you out quite a bit even if it is only for short periods.

    Dale I am so glad Tffnguy has you for a nephew. Loaning him that fifth wheeler will be a godsend for him as well as Pepper.

    I have also heard that heat is not good for your computer but yours seems to be doing ok. Take care of yourself.

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  11. Long time no see Scavenger. There aren't any cheap motels around here so that's out. I've always said I can take the heat over the cold, but have found out there is a limit to that. If you have enough cover and clothes you can stay warm, but the heat its either run a generator or burn up. I'm just trying to do it as little as possible. Good news is that the heat advisory is supposed to end at noon today. Bad news is that it looks like it will only take a short break.

    Dale, didn't mean to sound like you weren't.

    pipsqeek, its a balmy 82 degrees in here at 5:34 AM. I think my project for today will be putting back some ventilation in here that I can switch over to when the AC isn't running. It also feels pretty humid so isn't real comfortable now.

    MsB, I don't leave the computer on other than just long enough to check mail and check in occasionally so that's probably why its still working.

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  12. Oh, I didn't take as we weren't. Just wanted to let you know all is steaming forward as planned. Hopefully to say that the light at the end of the tunnel might not be a train after all. See you as quick as we can get there. ;-)

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  13. MC, you were the one that called me tough guy so I guess I'm going to have to prove it. ;)

    Well Dale, right now a refrigerated box car would be mighty nice. ;) We will survive.

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  14. Did you sleep well last night? did the air conditioner coolit better? take care.

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  15. I slept well until 4:00 and it was so hot and muggy in here I finally got up and started the genny and ran the AC for 15 minutes. Without the external heat load of the sun that's all it took to make it comfortable in here again. Slept good from then on.

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  16. *Pepper update*

    Now that getting her in the falcon isn't a problem getting her out of it is. She seems to think that's the place to stay. Had to drag her out while ago and then she tried to get right back in. I got the driver's side door shut and had to go around to the other side to get the block ice and she tried go get back in that side then.

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  17. Andy V, I'll probably keep the dungeon for storage and start trying to build up building supplies in it so some day I will be able to build. I'll probably either turn over the other storage to OGT if he wants it or maybe share part of the dungeon with him and drop the other storage since I won't need both. I've got way too much stuff down here not to have storage (Until I could get some sort of storage building built.)

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  18. You already have proved it ... but I can still worry. That's my job.

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  19. Now don't catch a chill!

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  20. Sounds like a good idea either one. Well talk when I get there. (about the storage)

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  21. Went to a meeting at the legion and saw my first rattle bug since I've been here. I'd guess about 3 feet long. It was on the (dirt/rock)road between here and the legion and I thought I ran over it. It was still laid out in the road when I passed so I backed up and thought I ran over it again, but when I pulled back up it was gone. :( No supper for me. ;) I'm usually real careful about looking around when walking, but I'll be even more careful now!

    frann, I don't think I'll catch a chill at 80+ degrees especially since its especially humid now. Looks like storms down south and the power at the legion went off and on a few times. Guess time will tell whether they make it here or not.

    MC, its your right to worry about others. ;)

    OGT, works for me.

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  22. Added another picture of the electrical storm going on here and maybe out of 100+ photos its the best I can do. :( I hate digital cameras and the damn delay between pushing the button and the picture being taken! So far no rain, just a LOT of lightning and high wind. Looks like Study Butte/Terlingua may have gotten hammered before.

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  23. Always lurking here but just working ALOT on a project. I spend my words like my money; carefully... Stay safe.

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  24. Oh but it's still a gorgeous picture ... love it :)

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  25. I like the bottom one best. Yes, it's hard to deal with the slow shutter speeds on those smaller digicam's, which is why the faster ones get so expensive. They say lightening is one of the hardest things to photograph, lens speed and the uncertainty of it. I've seen some awesome shot's taken using a photocell to trigger the camera. They say it's not all that hard to set something up like that either. Have a great day, hope yall figure a way to stay cool.

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