Although I find multiple exclamation points to be overkill, and un necessary, I still like using them. It reminds me of the days of leaving feed back for other EBay users. I knew people who would refuse to buy from someone selling stuff on eBay if they only had an A+ instead of an A+++++++++++.
Still though, my favorite quote of almost all time: "Why, you ask? because overkill is underrated." That's why my favorite movies of all time ubiquitously use explosions. Also, the for the same reason, I love watching Mythbusters. If they don't get the results they were looking for, they "ramp it up" until they do. One word; Awesome!
Anyway, I'm looking for help on several projects. Most of these projects I want to do just to prove they can be done.
I wrote a little bit about one project, the Permanent magnet generator. Another project I'm working on is my classic 1970's era muscle car. Why a 70's muscle car you ask? Because they are relatively cheap, easy to come by, and when they were first made they were incredibly bad at being fuel efficient.
My goal: convert my 1974 muscle car from a gas guzzler to an uber efficient fuel sipper. When I first got the thing (which I inherited really for next to nothing), I planned on converting it in to a drag racing power monster. I didn't really want to make it a daily driver, I wanted to get as much power from it as possible. I wanted it to go super fast, and only in one direction, straight. While road race cars with incredible handling actually appeal to me more than a drag race car, the drag race car would be incredibly cheaper. I wouldn't have to modify the suspension much, or worry about handling around a corner. Torsion bars, suspension and traction systems can cost a lot of money that I don't have. So, going straight, as fast as possible was it.
But then one day, I started looking at buying a new car. I was starting a new job, with a killer commute. I've got a decent care, with good gas mileage, except it needs a news transmission (it wont shift in to 4th gear). I took it to the shop, and was told by two different places, it would cost me more than the car was worth to get it fixed.
I looked at fuel efficient cars mainly. I wanted my commute to be as economical as possible. I was already going to have a larger car payment and more insurance for buying a new car, so I didn't want commuting to cost me a fortune. I went first to the VW dealership here in town. VW sells a pretty economical motor in several of their cars. They call it a TDI. It's a diesel motor that is rated at 42 mpg. Most people I know claim this is a very conservative estimate as they normally get around 50 miles to the gallon. The same dealership also sold BMW so just for fun, I went and checked out the BMW diesel model, I was really impressed but didn't want to spend more than $50k on a car (well really, I can't afford to make payments on that much). So after seeing the fuel efficient V-dubs I headed over to the Ford dealership and test drove their Hybrid. Let me tell you, I am not impressed at all by it. In fact, I am convinced that most hybrid technology is cool, but an out right highway robbery! It was way more expensive for the hybrid, and worst of all, it was less fuel efficient that the diesel!!!!! Not only was I cramped in the car, it was more expensive, and got less fuel efficiency than the diesel. Don't even get me started on the Prius, or the Volt. Ultimately, for comfort I decided to stick with my 1985 Chevy Blazer. I get really really bad gas mileage. It's somewhere between 10-12 miles per gallon but unlike the new fuel efficient vehicle of 2010 and 2011, I can fit. I'm not really that big of a guy either. At only 6'2" I'm only slightly taller than average. Still though, its like they made the new cars to only fit average height people. In my blazer, I've got no car payment and my insurance is cheap. The amount I would pay for a car payment, and for insurance is easily eclipsed by the price I pay in gas.
So, the object is to collect the things that would allow me to build my own fuel efficient vehicle that has power, handling, good gas mileage and the looks of a classic muscle car. Instead of turning my muscle car in to a dragster, I want to turn it in to a daily commuter, and one I could take to the strip on the weekend. I want to do it all for as little money as possible, mostly just to show the big car companies out there that it can be done.
What can you do to help me achieve my goal? I want a clean diesel motor and power train that I can fit in to my 1974 Nova. The Nova was originally equipped with a small block Chevy (funny thing is even though it's a "small block" by today's standards, it's actually pretty big). I want to modify it to use a clean diesel. Once upon a time, GM made a 6.2 liter diesel motor that would fit a GM transmission. That means I would be easily able to drop it in to place, and hook up the rear drive shaft and mostly everything would just bolt on. However, my neighbor is a mechanic, and has been for 33 years. He's also used to build race motors. He knows what it takes to get power, and when he says that the 6.2 liter is a dog, I trust his judgement. I wouldn't mind it if someone out there has one that has been completely rebuilt and overhauled, or one I could rebuild with racing parts, or a wrecked pickup with a smaller diesel motor, I would gladly take it. What I really want though is the diesel from the new BMW 335d. It has more than 300 hp, and still gets really good gas mileage. That also means I would need a transmission for the same car. So, if anyone knows of a BMW 335d out there that is wrecked, and can donate it let me know. I would like to get it as inexpensively as possible since it is for an experimental, educational project (my crowdsource eco innovation project).
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Why Crowdsourcing?
I want to start some eco-friendly crowdsourced projects. Mostly to prove that it can be done. I have several ideas for some really neat projects.
1. A permanent magnet Generator (PMG).
commercially available generators are really really expensive.
many many things can turn the shaft of the PMG wind, and water are some of the most common.
power plants owned and operated by utility companies use many things to spin the shaft of a generator. Some examples include wind and water, also steam (whether it's created from a Nuclear reactor heating, or natural gas, or coal, or geothermal, it's the same concept).
plans for a PMG: http://www.scoraigwind.com/pmgbooklet/itpmg.pdf
It's pretty easy to build. Anyone who has taken a shop class in high school could pull it off. The trick is converting the power to something that can be utilized by regular appliances. This normally takes some sort of charge controller to control the charge of batteries that store power, that are hooked up to power inverters, that convert DC to AC voltage.
What I want: a charge controller, or plans for building my own charge controller. I know there are plenty of crowd source technologies out there, that use "open" technology. I don't have an issue wiring up a diode, and rectifier to the circuit, but what I want is something that is controlled perhaps using a processor like an arduino micro processor, and I want it to have a built in web server, so I can access the information using a web based utility from my computer at home or work. (I think it would be cool to check out my power consumption vs production using my laptop over Internet, from anywhere). All that requires a bit of technical skill I don't yet posses.
I also want some way to tie this to my entire house, and to the utility grid. If every house in a neighborhood was producing as much or more energy than it was consuming, the role of utility companies would be significantly diminished. There would be less need for coal burning plants, and a significant drop in pollution.
Can you help? Can you help with the design and implementation, and most importantly, make it so cost affordable, that anyone who has a utility bill would be silly not to implement the system? I'm not talking about $10,000 worth of gadgets that take 20 yrs to pay themselves off, I'm talking about maybe a couple hundred dollars worth of stuff. Something that would pay for itself in months rather than years.
So, the idea here is, if you know someone who is a tech, or an engineer, or a tinkerer, who has the skills and know-how, pass this request on, and get them involved in saving the earth. It's the only one we've got, and I'm sick of big government, and big corporations controlling energy solutions. They've proven they can't do it, and if they can, they are taking way too long.
Hence, crowdsource innovation!
1. A permanent magnet Generator (PMG).
commercially available generators are really really expensive.
many many things can turn the shaft of the PMG wind, and water are some of the most common.
power plants owned and operated by utility companies use many things to spin the shaft of a generator. Some examples include wind and water, also steam (whether it's created from a Nuclear reactor heating, or natural gas, or coal, or geothermal, it's the same concept).
plans for a PMG: http://www.scoraigwind.com/pmgbooklet/itpmg.pdf
It's pretty easy to build. Anyone who has taken a shop class in high school could pull it off. The trick is converting the power to something that can be utilized by regular appliances. This normally takes some sort of charge controller to control the charge of batteries that store power, that are hooked up to power inverters, that convert DC to AC voltage.
What I want: a charge controller, or plans for building my own charge controller. I know there are plenty of crowd source technologies out there, that use "open" technology. I don't have an issue wiring up a diode, and rectifier to the circuit, but what I want is something that is controlled perhaps using a processor like an arduino micro processor, and I want it to have a built in web server, so I can access the information using a web based utility from my computer at home or work. (I think it would be cool to check out my power consumption vs production using my laptop over Internet, from anywhere). All that requires a bit of technical skill I don't yet posses.
I also want some way to tie this to my entire house, and to the utility grid. If every house in a neighborhood was producing as much or more energy than it was consuming, the role of utility companies would be significantly diminished. There would be less need for coal burning plants, and a significant drop in pollution.
Can you help? Can you help with the design and implementation, and most importantly, make it so cost affordable, that anyone who has a utility bill would be silly not to implement the system? I'm not talking about $10,000 worth of gadgets that take 20 yrs to pay themselves off, I'm talking about maybe a couple hundred dollars worth of stuff. Something that would pay for itself in months rather than years.
So, the idea here is, if you know someone who is a tech, or an engineer, or a tinkerer, who has the skills and know-how, pass this request on, and get them involved in saving the earth. It's the only one we've got, and I'm sick of big government, and big corporations controlling energy solutions. They've proven they can't do it, and if they can, they are taking way too long.
Hence, crowdsource innovation!
It's not easy being green....
As Kermit the Frog once pointed out, "it's not easy being green."
Rather, it's not cheap!!!!! Have you looked at the cost of "going green" recently? It's ridiculously expensive! Unless you're doing all new construction, it's really not immediately cost effective to go green. I live in a house that tends to border on crazy sometimes. There are 6 grown adults, 3 dogs and 1 baby that just turned one. We moved in together as room mates to make it more affordable to live. We live in California, and rent is not cheap! I manage the utilities since they are in my name. With as many full grown people in the house as we have, and with the dogs, and a toddler one would think that our utility bills would sky rocket. Well, not really. Electricity was about $50 last month, as was gas, and water. Really, for a household that size, $150 in utilities (which also included waste management) is not that bad.
I want to go look up the exact kWh rating on my electric bill, but I don't have it with me (so I can compare monthly costs of electricity vs what ti would cost to buy solar). I can however google the price of solar power systems. Here's a good one: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=solar+panel&hl=en&cid=4002777630417474696&ei=uhPDTKvOMamqiwSKvOzRDQ&sa=title&ved=0CCEQ8wIwAzgA#p
At the time of my writing, Homedepot has edged out Amazon in price.... by 2 cents. They are selling a solar panel system for $9,999.97. This does not include price of installation. The included power inverter is only a pure sine wave inverter, and is not a grid tie inverter. You can expect to pay about $1300 for a small grid tie inverter. (A grid tie inverter includes a required grid shut off necessary to prevent the utility worker from getting shocked in the event of a power outage, and also allows you to make money from the utility company). Of course you can expect to pay even more for installation of one of these systems, unless you like to DIY like me. I would expect to pay around $2000 for a solar panel system installation.
So, where are we now, oh yes, for around $15,000 you too can help save the planet! Well, even after government rebates, and discounts, it would take approximately 20 years for this system to pay for itself. Not to mention costs of maintaining it, and eventually upgrading it. No thanks. As much as I hate to pay a large corporation $50 a month, it's more cost effective than getting solar panels (sadly). I really really would love to invest in a solar system, and a wind turbine, it's just not cost effective. I would go broke before actually ever becoming green.
Anyone ever hear of Ed Begley? He's an actor/activist and supposedly he's "highly respected" in both regards. Maybe you've seen his show on Discovery channel. I've seen it, it's called "living with Ed." I like the Discovery channel, and I love educational television. Ed's show was ok I suppose. It was more comical than anything really. I wouldn't mind implementing some of the gadgets that Ed uses in his home. Actually, truth be told, I love gadgets, and I envy all the neat stuff he has. He even has a website with links to the companies who make his gadgets. Here it is: http://www.livingwithed.net/gadgets.asp One of my favorite gadgets is a wind turbine made by a company called Enviro Energies. It's pretty neat stuff really. Even Jay Leno uses one of the same company's turbines to power his shop. Here's the kicker, even though it's cheaper on a per watt basis than solar panels, it's still freakin expensive! For the baby version of the wind power turbine, it's costs $11,495. Not including a 3.6kw inverter at $3,695. Don't forget installation either! So, even though Ed Begley and Jay Leno use these wind turbines, I don't, simply because I can't afford it. I want to save the environment, reduce pollution, end global hunger, and bring peace to the world, I just don't have the means.
Rather, it's not cheap!!!!! Have you looked at the cost of "going green" recently? It's ridiculously expensive! Unless you're doing all new construction, it's really not immediately cost effective to go green. I live in a house that tends to border on crazy sometimes. There are 6 grown adults, 3 dogs and 1 baby that just turned one. We moved in together as room mates to make it more affordable to live. We live in California, and rent is not cheap! I manage the utilities since they are in my name. With as many full grown people in the house as we have, and with the dogs, and a toddler one would think that our utility bills would sky rocket. Well, not really. Electricity was about $50 last month, as was gas, and water. Really, for a household that size, $150 in utilities (which also included waste management) is not that bad.
I want to go look up the exact kWh rating on my electric bill, but I don't have it with me (so I can compare monthly costs of electricity vs what ti would cost to buy solar). I can however google the price of solar power systems. Here's a good one: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=solar+panel&hl=en&cid=4002777630417474696&ei=uhPDTKvOMamqiwSKvOzRDQ&sa=title&ved=0CCEQ8wIwAzgA#p
At the time of my writing, Homedepot has edged out Amazon in price.... by 2 cents. They are selling a solar panel system for $9,999.97. This does not include price of installation. The included power inverter is only a pure sine wave inverter, and is not a grid tie inverter. You can expect to pay about $1300 for a small grid tie inverter. (A grid tie inverter includes a required grid shut off necessary to prevent the utility worker from getting shocked in the event of a power outage, and also allows you to make money from the utility company). Of course you can expect to pay even more for installation of one of these systems, unless you like to DIY like me. I would expect to pay around $2000 for a solar panel system installation.
So, where are we now, oh yes, for around $15,000 you too can help save the planet! Well, even after government rebates, and discounts, it would take approximately 20 years for this system to pay for itself. Not to mention costs of maintaining it, and eventually upgrading it. No thanks. As much as I hate to pay a large corporation $50 a month, it's more cost effective than getting solar panels (sadly). I really really would love to invest in a solar system, and a wind turbine, it's just not cost effective. I would go broke before actually ever becoming green.
Anyone ever hear of Ed Begley? He's an actor/activist and supposedly he's "highly respected" in both regards. Maybe you've seen his show on Discovery channel. I've seen it, it's called "living with Ed." I like the Discovery channel, and I love educational television. Ed's show was ok I suppose. It was more comical than anything really. I wouldn't mind implementing some of the gadgets that Ed uses in his home. Actually, truth be told, I love gadgets, and I envy all the neat stuff he has. He even has a website with links to the companies who make his gadgets. Here it is: http://www.livingwithed.net/gadgets.asp One of my favorite gadgets is a wind turbine made by a company called Enviro Energies. It's pretty neat stuff really. Even Jay Leno uses one of the same company's turbines to power his shop. Here's the kicker, even though it's cheaper on a per watt basis than solar panels, it's still freakin expensive! For the baby version of the wind power turbine, it's costs $11,495. Not including a 3.6kw inverter at $3,695. Don't forget installation either! So, even though Ed Begley and Jay Leno use these wind turbines, I don't, simply because I can't afford it. I want to save the environment, reduce pollution, end global hunger, and bring peace to the world, I just don't have the means.
Crowdsourced Eco Innovation Introduction
First post,
We'll see how this goes for a bit.... Will it ever be successful? Who knows.
I want to start out by offering some definitions, just so everyone is on the same page.
Crowdsourcing: for a very good definition, and explanation visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing
Basically, the idea behind it is an open call to the masses (the crowd part) to carry out a design, refine, or perform tasks.
Eco: meaning ecology or, the environment.
Innovation: visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innovation . A change in the thought process for doing something, or the useful application of new inventions or discoveries.
Really, when it comes down to it, Everyone I know loves the environment. No one wants to live in a polluted wasteland reminiscent of a 1980s apocalypse movie. I remember when I was in the Boy Scouts we would go on a lot of hikes. We were taught to only take pictures, and leave only footprints. When I was growing up I had a pretty darn cool rock collection, complete with fossils, shells, and even a chunk of obsidian. On one particular hike, I remember hearing the mantra of "Taking only pictures." I don't remember what mountain we were hiking that day, but I remember having a conversation with my cantankerous scout master. "Why can't I take this rock home for my collection" "If you and everyone that came through here were taking stuff home, there would be nothing left for the rest of us to enjoy." I think he might have even called me a knuckle head that day, but it made me realize, with all the natural beauty in the world there is to enjoy, there would be nothing of it left if "knuckle heads" like me destroyed it for their own amusement. Ever since then, I've always tried to take care of the environment when I could.
Fast forward to now. You can't turn on the television, or get on the Internet without being bombarded with "green this" and "green that." People are obsessed with lowering their "carbon footprint." Really, who could blame them, there is a lot of "Inconvenient Truth" propaganda out there. I'm not here to debate weather or not a "green house" effect is going to end life as we know it. I'm not even here to point out the hypocrisy of the people who propagate those ideologies when they jet around the country from place to place in a private plane. No. I'm here to find a solution. I want to use crowd sourcing for innovation. I want to get solutions, not from the government, or from large corporations, but from people.
When it comes to politics these days, it seems that some of us are for government interaction, and some of us are not. There are people who envision the government, and the people who run it as humanitarians providing a utopia for all. In reality, all big governments do is oppress the people they are there to protect. One of the smartest and wittiest girls I have ever known, boiled down her liberal political affiliations to one sentence, "I just think that the government should play a central role in our lives." I wanted to ask her if she ever read the book, or had seen the movie "1984." The idea of a big brother government scares the heck out of me. When arguing liberal politics versus conservative politics the discussion of big business almost always comes up. Honestly, the left has a point. Big business can be just as frightening as big government. History shows us what happens when businesses are allowed to run amok. Low wages and huge barriers to entering the market are the least of concern. Slavery, child labor, and pollution were the norm without the intervention of government and labor unions, which brought about more fair wages and labor law. Don't get me wrong, I'm not pro union either. I've seen what happens when unions get too much power. They can bankrupt a company faster than a large ethical accounting scandal. Just like tenure can keep incompetent teachers employed, unions can keep useless employees employed. Instead of losing their job, unionists merely get bounced around from department to department, or they become a redundant employee. When a job could normally be handled by one employee, there are two or more union workers. Just think of a DOT project. How many times have you seen six men leaning on shovels watching one man dig? Get my point?
My point is, the solution to our problem of pollution in this world is not big Government. It's not bid Business. It's us. You, me, your neighbor, everyone. That is the reason behind this blog. Perhaps it will chronicle my attempts at saving the planet. Or maybe it will provide an outlet for the best and brightest innovators to share their ideas. What comes next has yet to be determined.
Until next time.
We'll see how this goes for a bit.... Will it ever be successful? Who knows.
I want to start out by offering some definitions, just so everyone is on the same page.
Crowdsourcing: for a very good definition, and explanation visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crowdsourcing
Basically, the idea behind it is an open call to the masses (the crowd part) to carry out a design, refine, or perform tasks.
Eco: meaning ecology or, the environment.
Innovation: visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innovation . A change in the thought process for doing something, or the useful application of new inventions or discoveries.
Really, when it comes down to it, Everyone I know loves the environment. No one wants to live in a polluted wasteland reminiscent of a 1980s apocalypse movie. I remember when I was in the Boy Scouts we would go on a lot of hikes. We were taught to only take pictures, and leave only footprints. When I was growing up I had a pretty darn cool rock collection, complete with fossils, shells, and even a chunk of obsidian. On one particular hike, I remember hearing the mantra of "Taking only pictures." I don't remember what mountain we were hiking that day, but I remember having a conversation with my cantankerous scout master. "Why can't I take this rock home for my collection" "If you and everyone that came through here were taking stuff home, there would be nothing left for the rest of us to enjoy." I think he might have even called me a knuckle head that day, but it made me realize, with all the natural beauty in the world there is to enjoy, there would be nothing of it left if "knuckle heads" like me destroyed it for their own amusement. Ever since then, I've always tried to take care of the environment when I could.
Fast forward to now. You can't turn on the television, or get on the Internet without being bombarded with "green this" and "green that." People are obsessed with lowering their "carbon footprint." Really, who could blame them, there is a lot of "Inconvenient Truth" propaganda out there. I'm not here to debate weather or not a "green house" effect is going to end life as we know it. I'm not even here to point out the hypocrisy of the people who propagate those ideologies when they jet around the country from place to place in a private plane. No. I'm here to find a solution. I want to use crowd sourcing for innovation. I want to get solutions, not from the government, or from large corporations, but from people.
When it comes to politics these days, it seems that some of us are for government interaction, and some of us are not. There are people who envision the government, and the people who run it as humanitarians providing a utopia for all. In reality, all big governments do is oppress the people they are there to protect. One of the smartest and wittiest girls I have ever known, boiled down her liberal political affiliations to one sentence, "I just think that the government should play a central role in our lives." I wanted to ask her if she ever read the book, or had seen the movie "1984." The idea of a big brother government scares the heck out of me. When arguing liberal politics versus conservative politics the discussion of big business almost always comes up. Honestly, the left has a point. Big business can be just as frightening as big government. History shows us what happens when businesses are allowed to run amok. Low wages and huge barriers to entering the market are the least of concern. Slavery, child labor, and pollution were the norm without the intervention of government and labor unions, which brought about more fair wages and labor law. Don't get me wrong, I'm not pro union either. I've seen what happens when unions get too much power. They can bankrupt a company faster than a large ethical accounting scandal. Just like tenure can keep incompetent teachers employed, unions can keep useless employees employed. Instead of losing their job, unionists merely get bounced around from department to department, or they become a redundant employee. When a job could normally be handled by one employee, there are two or more union workers. Just think of a DOT project. How many times have you seen six men leaning on shovels watching one man dig? Get my point?
My point is, the solution to our problem of pollution in this world is not big Government. It's not bid Business. It's us. You, me, your neighbor, everyone. That is the reason behind this blog. Perhaps it will chronicle my attempts at saving the planet. Or maybe it will provide an outlet for the best and brightest innovators to share their ideas. What comes next has yet to be determined.
Until next time.
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