Dogtrot at Hightop

[Serviceprinter]

Awesome information.The small cabin is civil war era and it had 10,000 carpet tacks probably older than me that I removed from the inside.  A strange thing.  The gentleman that drilled my water well was the grandson of one of the owners that purchased it around 1890 and it was already erected when it bought it.I have to pour a concrete cap at the floor level to continue on up through the first floor and up to the roof.It's very interesting and informative posting. I want to make a set of forks for it someday too.I will share in this post. Thank you.
 

[Redoverfarm]

Generac fails again.  Well after the newly acquired 15KW as a replacement they had to replace 1st a motor and secondly a stator.  That was with a 120 hours of operation.  Since that time nearly 2 years had passed when it malfunctioned again with 620 hours of operation.  The technician narrowed the fault to a defective Stator ( again).  When the technician contacted the company they refused to back the parts.  Given the history I contacted the resolution department.  I am awaiting their decision on whether they are going to replace the defective part.  This is getting old.  This is the third generator, two replacement motors and two stators to date.  If I have to cover the replacement stator ( $2,000 ) I am undecided to stay with Generac or scrap what I have and go with another company.  Yes they have covered everything to date but who is to say that If they replace the defective part that it too will be defective and I will be left with the same problem ( Given the history to date) and the warranty will have expired.

Does anyone have a Generac Eco-Gen either 6kw or 15kw that they are using and have you had problems with their operation?

[MountainDon]

Dang it. That is bad news.
I believe Oldjarhead has one of those. Maybe PM him?

[Mike 870]

If you decide to go a different direction I have a Honda tri fuel EU6500 IS that I am thinking of getting rid of.  It has around 150 hours and has been pretty flawless.  Its just too big and heavy for my needs, better suited to stationary duty.  I'm probably not too far from you. 

[Redoverfarm]

Well I am up and running again.  New Stator and AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulator) replaced.  How long will this last?  Being optimistic I hope for some time but given the track record of Generac and the Eco-Gen model it hasn't been that good as far as reliability.  I started with a 6kw which after a replacement and a additional motor was upgraded to a 15 kw by them in a replacement given the trouble I have had.  Up to this point everything has been covered by them under warranty but the inconvenience of being without power intermittently since 2011.  There has had to be a design error for them to replace generators , motors and stators but they are reluctant to divulge any specific problem.

[MountainDon]

It is a sad story of product failure but a good story of them taking responsibility. I hope all goes well from here on.

[Redoverfarm]

It is not very often that I back a particular product but when I do you can bet it actually works well.  I got a Christmas Present this past year.  It was a Kindling Splitter.  Actually you can use it just to split about any chunk of wood up to about 7-8" diameter.  I have mine mounted(couple of 1/4" lags) on a block of wood.  What is really nice is that you don't have to make sure that your block sits perfectly 90 deg on the block by itself.  With the retaining ring a long as it fits within the ring and rest on the splitter blade you are good to go.  Using a small sledge on what I use is a splitting maul.  Just strike the wood which forces it over the wedge blade splitting it into two separate pieces.  Repeat the process until you get the pieces the size that you want. It carries a 5 year warranty.  GREAT PRODUCT

I am going to try to post the link from Northern Tool which has a video of its use and other information.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200676883_200676883

[Redoverfarm]

I know it has been ages since I posted.  There are a lot of reasons so I will not bore you with all the details.

As some might remember approximately 10 years ago I moved my parents closer to me. I think I posted pictures of the house .  Since that time my dad of 87 years passed some 3 years ago.  My mother being the same age now has been suffering from Dementia.  In the recent months it has progressed to the point it was not safe to leave her living alone.  It was decided by myself and my sister that she move in with my sister. An addition was added to her house to accommodate her later but proved to be a wise investment which is now proving to be reality.  This move became permanent last fall.

This brings me to the point that today we turned her house over to the new owners.  Wild three weeks sorting, packing the usual assorted cludder of those 87 years.  Some of which included approximately 100 dozen canning jars.  20 dozen had to be emptied and washed.  They found a good home (some to my home).  I think the oldest was 1990. 

Well with that hurdle passing I can now get to installing the solar at the cabin having all the components with the exception of Time.

Still haven't got my wood in for winter but it is cut and split awaiting to be hauled and stacked.  Seriously considering a mini-split to replace the wood stove at my house.  Getting too old and harder each year with the wood.

I will keep thinking of everyone and pop back in from time to time .

[MountainDon]

Hi John!  Good to see you. Sorry to hear about your Mom not being able to live on her own anymore.

Karen and I doing well. Retired sooner than we had planned. I feel about the same about firewood as the main source of heat. It is work no matter how one looks at it.  I do have enough for at least two winters at present, even if I don't count the 78 foot tall, 16" dia. pine the wind unexpected blew over.

[OlJarhead]

Good to hear from you!  Sorry to hear about your mom.  Mine moved closer to me last year (she's 81) and is doing OK but I suspect it won't be too many years before she too can't live on her own.

Ahhh cabin's and wood stoves!  I have a trip this weekend to try to get the rounds split and stacked in the shed and cover some lumber for the winter -- and top off the batteries again!

As for the genny, my generac (knock on wood)  continues to do well after re-placing the controller twice under warranty but it's been some 8 years now so I can't complain.

[Redoverfarm]

Seems like ages ago since I last posted.  Seems the host has changed since I last visited .  You should be able to see the photographs. Anyway I finally got my solar up and running.  Been two full days of overcast skies but it's working.  Can't wait to see what happens in full sun.  This is a big relief after having the generator running all summer just to charge the batteries.  Only down side was that I used two heavy AWG wires for the small Midnite breaker box and running from the panels to the breakers. 

I try to keep in mind of the future by optimizing the most suitable location which will allow room for additional panels under these.  I also have room on the other end for more in the same manner.  The placement also lessens the snow buildup on the top forcing against the panels.

Wanted to thank Dave Sparks for the lead on the S5 mounts.  Working by myself it made it easier to mount them.

https://i.imgur.com/xBrsUaD.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/jEcSGGg.jpg

[jsahara24]

Looking good!  Will the 3 panels be enough to support that battery bank? 

Speaking of the battery bank, would you recommend the Duracell batteries?  I need to buy some batteries for my golfcart and Sam's carry's them for a reasonable price. 

Take care, Jason

[Redoverfarm]

Yes they will take care of the 48volt bank.  I was not trying to be independent of the generator as the cost involved with panels and additional batteries was more than I wanted to bite off now.

The batteries are about 9 years old and nearing their end.  Hopefully I can get a little more but I know I will have to replace them soon.  Yes Sams is where I purchased them at about $88 a piece.  I think they are made by Deka.

[MountainDon]

Good to see them up and working. Dave's a very knowledgable guy

[Redoverfarm]

Thank Don.  Seem to be having some issues with the forum.  I sent you a PM not sure if you got it.

[MountainDon]

Hmmm. I don't see a PM. Do you still have my email? Same as always

[Redoverfarm]

Hmmm. I don't see a PM. Do you still have my email? Same as always

Yes I do.  I will send you a message shortly.

[Redoverfarm]

Well it's been sometime since I posted any up dates.  You ask why so long.  My internet was so bad that it was a chore just accessing this site.  I have been battling the telephone company for over a year at the house to have it upgraded.  Over a year ago they ran a fiber optics line at my driveway.  In fact they placed the fiber switch on my property.  So what's the problem then.  Apparently they would up grade but wanted to include VOIP in the internet.  Meaning my phone would be through the internet.  That would mean if the internet was down I would be unable to call out if and a emergency would arise.  I wanted my standard phone and upgrade.  Well enough rambling on.  Today I got my upgrade the way I wanted.  Unbelievable the difference.

Back to my original update.  Since the solar was installed about April 26th the generator has only came on 4 times to date.  That being there was a few days which were heavily overcast and the solar could not keep up with the voltage of the preset start settings.  For the last 8 years it had run twice weekly just to maintain the battery voltage.  I only wish I would have done this years ago.

The batteries had reached 9 years of age and started giving me problems so I exchanged them for new ones . 

I was worried that there would be a conflict between the charge controller and the generator when they would be working at the same time.  Not the case.  If the generator was running the charge controller would just rest until the generator went off and then it would come back on line if it's own accord. 

I did restain the deck and railings. It had been about 5-7 years since I had done this.  I used Cabot's oil based stain.  Hopefully it will last the same amount of time.

https://imgur.com/a/0mW07wg

https://imgur.com/a/31RkDqz

Since I got the deck stained and the solar operational I hosted my mothers 90th birthday party there on the 22nd of this month.  Overnight guest were pleased and impressed with Dogtrot.

On November 12th I am hosting a music weekend at the cabin.  Hopefully everything will go off without a hitch.

[Redoverfarm]

Another year has passed.  With the pending weather forecast I decided to close Dogtrot down until spring.  There is no assurance that the temperatures won't plummet causing freezing of the water system.  Temps this morning was 16F.

Here is the last weekend which was a music weekend.  Total attendance was approximately 30.  The cook stove was fired up along with fireplace which kept it warm into the 30F night.

https://imgur.com/a/mmyxy0p

[MountainDon]

Yes, we are almost through another whole year, and this one has had too much excitement for us, what with the wildfire just missing us. We've been winterized for a month but have made it up once a week or so for a couple of days at a time. No showers and only minimal plumbing in use: kitchen sink, small water heater, and a quick blow out of the pipes with the onsite built-in air compressor. We're prepping burn piles of some of the felled and still somewhat green trees that the fire killed. We may try burning some in spring if there is still some ground snow.

Happy Thanksgiving to all the US members. We will have a pre-roasted turkey and a couple of days at the cabin.

[OlJarhead]

You know, I was watching a YT about a guy who built a new fireplace in his cabin that looks like yours.  He built this 1800's still fireplace and shows all the ways he cooks with it...and talks about having people over for music parties....and I thought about you.

Anyway, hope all is well!

[Redoverfarm]

It's been a few months since my last post.  Although the cabin has been finished but every now and then I try to improve its features.

Last week I added lights and combination pot rack over my wood cook stove.  The kitchen lights were block from illuminating to the stove cooktop when you were cooking.  So this is what I did.

Using 3/4" black iron pipe and Zinc lid blue Mason jars I built the pipe rack.  I used Edison style LED bulbs.  When completed I will hang my cast iron skillets.  Using a touch switch I was hoping to turn on/off by merely touching the pipe . Still working those details out but they are operation in the rough-in.

https://imgur.com/a/fgmRAw5

[jsahara24]

Love it....nicely done

[MountainDon]

Looks great! 

I like lots of light over any work surface; stove, kitchen counter, table saw, etc....

[OlJarhead]