Dogtrot at Hightop

[rick91351]

John will they let you use propane in the basement?  I have been informed this is a no no.

[MountainDon]

Surprising it only took approximately 5 hours to get cold enough in the freezer to start making ice.  

Note: any absorption refrigerator like the Dometic/Servel get good and cold fater when fired up and then loaded with a reasonable amount of cold stuff in the fridge box and some frozen stuff in the freezer box. When we fire up ours for the season a bring two coolers full, one for the fridge and one for the freezer, along with bottles of ice.

[Alasdair]

John, I have the same model of well pump and had the same "problem" with the pressure drop on start up - I never got around to snagging it  and I so rarely notice it these days I'm not even sure if it still does it!
Al

[Redoverfarm]

rick there are no codes here and I am not going to ask anyone.  

Alasdair I might have found a possible solution or at least part.  I called my well driller and he made a couple of suggestions.  1. being to lower the pressure tank pressure 2-3 PSI than what is called for.  2 tighten down the high pressure lug (middle taller one) some.  This will increase the high cut off.  Seems to have worked some but I haven't ran it enough to see on the long haul. I can see that showers would be the only real problem.

Don I never had one so I called Dometic and they said to expect 24 hour period for the first start.  I actually raised the thermostat some today as I did'nt have anything that needed to be that cold.

On a related note.  Several people that I know have gas refrigerators and they state not to turn them off. Leave them run.  But the manuel states to shut them off if they are not needed for 2+ weeks.  

[MountainDon]

We generally run ours from spring through to late fall. Then shut off the gas and clean the interior. I have two small magnetic blocks I use to keep the two doors open a tad. I feel better having air circulation. Remove the bulb from the light so the batteries don't run down. In spring it is an easy fire up.

I don't understand the advise to never turn it off. It makes complete sense to me to shut it down when it is not going to be used to keep food cold/frozen. Probably some "old wives tale". No offense to any mature wives. 

These refrigerators are the same as every refrigerator in RV's as far as basic principles of operation. There are how many RV's parked for how long with the refrigerators off? There is no plague of problems stemming from that. (RV fridges are frequently damaged when parked at too great a tilt with the fridge operating.)

[bayview]

   Please, get that hanging electric wire into the box and the box cover on . . .     

//

[Redoverfarm]

Bayview  that is the temporary power drop from the generator feeding the panel box.  I say temporary but it has been there for two years.  Trying to get the permanent service ( battery bank, generator, inverter) once I can afford all of the components.  I don't want to rush things and have nothing to do later on. Thanks for your concern.

[rick91351]

John I understand perfectly, there is temporary.  But then there is temporary that is more like longer temporary.  (You know sort of like temporarily temporary.)      

[Redoverfarm]

You've got it.

[ChuckinVa]

Bayview  that is the temporary power drop from the generator feeding the panel box.  I say temporary but it has been there for two years.  Trying to get the permanent service ( battery bank, generator, inverter) once I can afford all of the components.  I don't want to rush things and have nothing to do later on. Thanks for your concern.

I'll let Mrs Redover know you have nothing to do later on. I am pretty confident she can find something. Wait, don't you have an apartment over the garage that needs finished?....

[Redoverfarm]

Don't remind me Chuck.  Actually I should have finished it before I started the cabin but that would not have been as much fun.   

[Alasdair]

We all know how that goes! 
When I finish our house and we move in I will maybe get round to finishing the cabin we live in now!

[Redoverfarm]

Alasdair it is a wonder that I get anything done now days.  I actually have four different places to tend to.  The house, the cabin, my parents house and my friends cabin on the mountain. Then there is little favors for widows of my past friends that have departed and a little farming in between it gets a little hetic at times.  But I just remind myself that the earth wasn't created all at once and I just take it one day at a time.

In regards to the pump delay.  I had an oppurtunity to test out the pressure after taking the suggestions of my well driller friend.  Seems to have corrected the issue.  It raised the high pressure cut-off to 52 PSI instead of 50PSI.  Now on the low end cut-in it doesn't drop pressure and engages the pump at the prescribed 30PSI.  

[glenn kangiser]

Try getting something done when you are in a far away land surrounded by hundreds of thousands of city people...... Oh well... it pays for the time when I am able to get there and do nothing.

[Redoverfarm]

TGIF.  Been a busy week.  Sprayed about 20 acs at the house in an attempt to rid myself of Multi-Flora Rose.  It's been a couple years since I had done this.  I should try to spray every year but just does't seem like there is enough time.  I can tell from my previous spraying that it is slowly but surely working.  Also vaccanated the kids three pigs.  That is fun trying to wrestle 200-250 pound pigs and get them still enough to get a needle in their tough hide. Got my fingers crossed on one that has developed a weight drop and loss of appetite. I figure it would be a good idea to treat all of them.

I got one step closer today with the installation of my septic tank and field. Also regraded the drive and laid down about 15 ton of #57 stone on the top portion of the driveway.  The drive from the Forest Service road to the top of the hill is churt which holds better on the hill and does not spin out. Electrical service is next.

[dug]

I wish my driveway looked like that. Nice job!

[ChuckinVa]

Is that last pic from the gate looking up the drive?

[Redoverfarm]

No Chuck that is at the top of the hill at the front of the cabin.  If you recall the drive from the gate to the top is churt (purple slate).  I am afraid to put any stone on that portion as it would probably not hold in place and make climbing the hill difficult.  I did get my friend to grade the ditches deeper, crowned more and make the run-off alley's more prominent to keep the water from running down the road and washing the road away.  We will see how that works this winter.  If it doesn't work then next year I will put in a couple pieces of guardrail as water breaks.

[ChuckinVa]

So from this picture the cabin is to the right ? and the dogleg of the drive is over to the basement?

[Redoverfarm]

Thats correct.  Once I got the tank and field put in and graded it actually gave me more space to turn around. Now I don't have to back the trailer up the hill from the gate.  

[Redoverfarm]

Been a busy week trying to get things cleaned up from the last few years.  I managed to get grass sowed on the septic field, along the driveway, front and back yard.  It took roughly 40# of seed and 14 bales of mulch hay. I guess you could call this the "final grade".





Also picked up a little something for the interior.  I couldn't find a wooden one.  Maybe out in the western states but not around here. So this "dump rake" steel wheel will do just fine hanging on the fireplace above the mantle.



If anyone remembers my earlier post I was ordering a different generator.  Well I decided on the new Ecogen by Generac.  It is only 6KW but that will suit my purpose.  This is the only generator they will warrant for "Off Grid" use. It apparently is the only generator made by them which is immediately compatable with off grid equipment.  It carries a 3 year warranty. The service interval is 500 hours which is a lot longer than their others.   I got it on Tuesday.  Haven't got it hooked up yet but I am getting closer.  If anyone is interested here is some information on it.

http://www.generac.com/Residential/EcoGen_Series/Product/6kW/

[considerations]

"only 52 dB(A) under normal load!"  That's pretty quiet. Cool.

[Redoverfarm]

"only 52 dB(A) under normal load!"  That's pretty quiet. Cool.

Yes the other one was 62dB(A) and the gas consumption is a lot more as well.  I just hated to spend the $1.5K more but by the time I get the required componets to bring the other one compatable with the inverter, starting battery system and the warranty I think it may be worth it.  At least I will not be left holding the bag if it blows up within the first three years

[glenn kangiser]

The place  is looking good, John.  Your module system reminds me of one I did for a customer.  They remind me of the thing we used to do when I was a kid... a bunch of boulders in a ditch with tin over them.  They do the same thing and it has been working at my dad's for over 50 years..... in clay soil. 

Engineers...... We don't need no stinkun' engineers......

[ChuckinVa]

I'm just wondering why you would want to create all that new grass to cut ?  I love the picture from the front because it makes the cabin look smaller than it really is. It is deceivingly larger than it looks.