Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Odessa / Charging / Trimming / Burn'in Poop

Had a nice trip to Odessa to visit family and pick up a few things. Enjoyed the ride there and back with Frann and she stayed with her family this trip. She pretty well had the jeep Cherokee loaded down for the return trip. Concrete, a ladder on the roof as well as a wheelbarrow. I did manage to squeeze the stuff I got in there to though. RN will be here in a day or two and bring some stuff I couldn't bring. He'll be at the NYE party also.

My # 4 granddaughter was in Odessa visiting her grandmother on her dad's side and I was fortunate enough to get about a 30 minute visit with her. Sure wish it could have been longer, but Frann was determined to come back Monday so that was it. Sure was nice to see that girl!!! Was also nice to see the son in law, his other daughter (Sort of another granddaughter) and spouse. I had intended to get some pictures of them, but I suffer from CRS and forgot about it until after they left. Damn! Getting old sucks!

I picked up a charge controller at Harbor Freight while I was there. RN had a 20% off coupon so I got a deal on it. I've been without one, but the batteries have been taking a beating in the summer from over charging. I figured it was time to add a charge controller. I'll get that done as soon as I can, but now that its winter the batteries aren't getting over charged they are staying under charged (especially with the cloudy days.) I'm running the charger as I post this.

Also picked up a cheap set of clippers to try to keep my beard trimmed up with. It has really been bugging me! Hope they do better than the high dollar ones I bought some time back did. They turned out to be junk, but these cost less than $8.

The last drum half I'd put under the It'll Du is about at the point of needing to be changed so I decided to burn the poop in the last one I pulled out. It had dried enough over the 4 months its been sitting out in the sun that it smoldered like charcoal most of the day. I won't have to buy much diesel to finish the job because most of it is ash now. I have a fresh unused half drum waiting to take the place of the one in there now though. It will be swapped out the day of the party in case anyone needs to head to the It'll Du while they are here. I could probably get by with two half drums by myself, but there were a number of guests that used it also. I'd say this is a good alternative for a composting toilet. but of course it can't be kept inside.

4 comments:

  1. Sure hope the wind stayed in your favor. I am a wimp and like a warm place in the morning...sticking with the composting toilet myself. It will also eventually contribute to my garden.

    Have I mentioned I hate word verification!

    dimingra...

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  2. Looks like some good purchases there. Hope the charge controller helps. Can you hook the wind generator into it, too?

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  3. Frann, I know what you mean, about having to be out in the cold, but for now I'm stuck with the It'll Du. I can use the ash from the burning poop for fertilizer to, but it won't take a year like composting will.

    No Abby, The controller isn't big enough to handle the wind gen and solar to. At full sun and high wind that would be over a KW and the controller is only good for 400 watts. I'll also only be able to use it on the bulk of the panels and wire in the rest direct. That will help a good bit though.

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  4. That composting toilet sounds like the thing.

    Glad you know what you're doing with that electrical stuff. I'd be lost.

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