Applying Small Turbine Technology To                                                         Everyday Systems.                                                         By Dennis Pulley   www.The1HomeGuru.blogspot.com

Precision Built Micro-Turbines 

                                 

      A friend told me, today, about a shower head he saw with LED lights and explained that the owner told him a generator was contained within and powered the lights. I was hoping he was wrong, that it hadn’t really been invented yet but, after 20 minutes on Google, Kohler does actually sell showerheads that do generate direct electricity. Well, before he’d even finished the sentence, my jaw had already dropped and we spent the next hour applying this idea to a handful of other appliances. This is a million dollar idea. This will get someone incredibly rich and I sure hope my friend and I can do something with this before it’s taken up by another. These are my first thoughts, as it’s only been a few hours since our conversation happened.

     

    Our indoor plumbing can be used to produce electric power. Yes, small quantities but power nonetheless. The water supply into the house can be tapped with in-line turbines or impellers to either charge batteries or direct connected to lighting or other appliance. Perhaps this would best be achieved with low-voltage appliances containing a rechargeable battery. These impellers can be utilized in many ways but we must remember that you can’t get something from nothing. Every impeller would siphon off pressure and unfortunately, most municipalities use electricity to pressurize the water through pumps and even in the localities with water towers, the water must still be pumped to the top of the tower. This is something an individual may be able to get away with for a bit but eventually, electricity prices for the pumps would make its way to your bill. Best-case scenario would be a home fed by an uphill aquifer. This would be free.

Small Hi-Performance Turbines.

  

      There may be a way make this work for supply, you’d conceivably build a tank at the highest elevation that city water pressure could push and plumb your house from the top down, utilizing long stretches of drop with strategically placed turbines throughout. This would work but again, if everyone does it, we would be using a much more noticeable amount of power for the pumps and it would be carried into our water bill.

     Our drains, however, are another story. The turbines could either be placed directly at the drain beneath our sinks and tubs, but we would drain much slower, or we could have a sort of holding tank dug into the ground, ideally keeping the water level just a foot or so below our lowest fixture and draining it through a small, turbine-carrying orifice from the bottom into the sewer lateral.

  

     

     This is very real and can become part of a multi-faceted plan to contain our energy costs. This should also be implemented into our roof gutters, rain barrels even municipal storm water drains. In order to become more responsible for our own power needs, we need to employ a variety of methods: Sun, Wind and Water are all very scale able means of producing electricity and require little technical know how to build. The efficiency of these means will increase exponentially as more and more of us see the benefit in not only implementing one of these devices but actually building our own and open sourcing our ideas and designs.

Small dishwasher pumps are easily used as water turbines.

   

  

  Above is a washing machine or dishwasher pump, this is essentially an impeller built within a housing designed to allow water to flow in one end, spin the impeller and out through the other end. These are perfect all-purpose pumps, easily connected to a water source, with an AC motor that can easily be changed to a DC Stepper motor from an old printer and can easily charge small battery banks. Individual solar cells are becoming very cheap in China and with a little know how, can be wired together to create one’s own solar panels. Wind turbines can be made, with a bit of instruction, using non-working appliance parts such as washing machine motors, and YouTube is full of videos detailing how to build water turbines from the same appliance. The way is easy if you have the will and even easier if you’re poor. We can’t all afford to run our air conditioners but what if you spent just two weeks learning how and building your own means of generating just enough to power that A.C. through the summer? Would you do it?

   Read this to build your own electrical generator. 

A copper core moving around a magnet

    

    

   

This Instructable teaches you how to make this water wheel using your lunch trash.

                                                               

                                                                                        

   This article on DIY water turbines will give you the principles involved in nearly all turbines and, perhaps even the confidence to build one.

   Do what you can and send me some pics and plans. What other uses would small wind and water turbines have? How can these be wired? What is the simplest way to generate power?

 Post your comments because I love this stuff.

                                                          

           

             

Me @_almostanexpert

 Or read me here:   www.almostanexpert.com

                            Or www.1HomeGuru.Blogspot.com

You will not get rich doing this...

But,    you can make more money implementing my plan, Selling Local, Getting Paid, than at your hourly paying job.

I  Guarantee it.  

By the end of this article, you will be ready to jump right into (2) TWO sales campaigns of your own. 

        There are millions of ideas to get rich quick, fast and  in a hurry. These sites are usually geared for info collection, ad clicking, gathering sales leads and/or tier selling of products without your blessing. They target you, your friends and anyone you may exchange contact information with. These are On_Grid_Transactions.        Sites that require you to go through them in order to market...well.. anything. You were given an opt-in form with lots of fine print but it seemed like a good deal, so you clicked it. It happens to the most careful of us. With very few exceptions, These people will take advantage of you! They have put the time into learning the in's and out's of WEB PRESCENCE and WEB SALES  and have a team of people at their disposal. Most of these people and their sites are predatory! 

    Be Very Careful From Whom You Take Advice!

      5 Things Neglected By Homeowners That Cost Money

By Dennis Pulley

  

   Whether you’re a new homeowner or still live in the home you were born in, it’s a good idea to reacquaint yourself with the spaces and systems that see little light of  day. Out of sight really is out of mind and in the case of your home, is costing you money by shortening the lifespan of your appliances and claddings. The items on this list are universal, and I can just about guarantee that one of these items, at least,  will apply to you. Wood, metal, floor and shingle all age and degrade even if you don’t see it happening. Make a point to walk it thru once a year or so and address small issues before they become emergencies. 



 1. Your water heater.

Long forgotten water heater

     It can be in a closet, the basement, an attic and even in an outside utility space, but, wherever it is, when was the last time you actually put eyes on it? Any maintenance? Is it leaking? How do your gas lines look?  The nature of a metal tank full of water is to rust. Add that to the electrolysis of the dissimilar metals at the water and gas hookups, and you can easily cost yourself some loot by ignoring it.  Even the smallest of rust holes will require replacement and and bare minimum $500. Personally, my 12 year water heater, which is in my attic, will probably last me for 20 years because I am aware of how big of a pain it is to replace it. I wipe it down and purge the whole system about twice a year which allows me to catch  any issues relatively quickly. If I see a chip or ding, I repair it with spray enamel. I also make sure to remove any debris from the pan. I have replaced hundreds and 90% of them are leaking from where the bottom has rusted through due to sitting in a pan that doesn't drain correctly.


2. Your Central Cooling Unit.

       I’m primarily concerned with the air handlers mounted in the attic. A great deal of water condenses in the unit and it has to be drained somewhere. These will usually sit in a shallow pan with a drain to the outside. On my homes I place the drain out of the rear soffit near a window so that it’s easily checked by looking for the steady drip. The problem usually begins with a piece of insulation falling into the pan and clogging the drain, couple that with an uninformed homeowner and you could have a pan that fills to overflowing during the day, but just enough to grow mold and rot the wood before the sheetrock finally falls in. Can you imagine a worst case scenario all caused by a little wad of fuzz.


3.Your crawlspace.
 

Worst case scenario for a crawlspace.

      I don’t like spiders either but someone has got to go in there at least once a year. BILLIONS of dollars are spent each year to repair rotted out foundations because nobody checks them. Standing water and small plumbing leaks go unnoticed, or even ignored, for years. Years. Your crawlspace needs to be clean and dry all year round. The ground underneath your home needs to be a few inches higher than the surrounding grade to ensure drainage and you need to be able to access and inspect it entirely. Water is only half the problem, your insulation and ductwork is the other. The insulation is applied underneath of your floor and secured with thin metal wire and staples. These have a tendency to rust out quickly, allowing your insulation to sag and/or fall out completely, allowing your heated or cooled air to escape and costing you money.

4. Attic Ventilation.

A ridge vent can move more air than any other passive system

        At one time, I was a roofing salesman and I can promise you that your attic ventilation system is directly responsible for the life of your shingles and a large factor in your homes' climate control efficiency. If your roof is more than 10 years old, you probably have an older gable or soffitt vent system. These are louvered vents at the gable ends and perforated panel at your soffitt overhang. You can immediately feel the problem as you walk up into your attic during the summer. It can easily be 120 degrees during the hottest part of the year and those temperatures are baking your shingles from both sides, not to mention the loss of cooling efficiency as your cooled air bangs against that ceiling sheet rock with a temperature difference that large. New roofs require a ridge vent simply to stay within warranty and although they are just as simple, a ridge vent is many times more efficient than any other passive ventilation. No matter how well your attic is insulated, you must have ventilation. If you do not have a ridge vent system, you probably have options in the way of powered fans but this would definitely be case by case design.

 5. Sewer Lines.

Snaking a sewer line.

   Within city sewer systems, you are responsible for the lines on your property. What this means is that, you must unclog anything on your property yourself. There is probably a sewer lateral at the street end of your property where your 4" line ties into a much larger collection line that drains to a treatment facility, but, the majority of all clogs happen within the property and  are actually caused by tree roots. Older homes with terracotta and cast iron  piping are much more at risk than those with a PVC sewer line, but as a homeowner, no one is immune.Know thy sewer lines.
     Most homes will have a clean-out stack built into the line with access at about 5' from the house, in a straight line with the largest vent stack on your roof. These may be marked but are usually no more than a half-buried white cap. These clean-outs are easily lost and buried making an already unpleasant job take much longer. It's very important to keep track of this access and understand what you are working with.
    Sewer lines are the accumulation of every drain in your house. They start at 1 1/2" at your bathroom sinks and get larger as they move from one end of your home to the 4" line on its' way to the city sewer system. If you've ever had a backup, you know what an inconvenience it is and if it proves to be tree roots, it will be an unending process. You have got to maintain your lines and the easiest way is with additives that kill and clear the line of tree and bush roots. A tree is nearly as large in its' root system as its' branches are, which means that trees easily become a problem. Roots grow fastest in the fall and the end of summer so don't wait until you have a problem to address the potential for one. It's not unusual for a bad spot to form and require mechanical snaking on a regular basis which aggravates the situation because the line can actually break, leaving a hole for dirt and debris to keep caving in on itself. Line replacement can be a very expensive bill, especially if your plumber has to dig through those tree roots to remedy the situation.

    
      Like I said earlier, chances are, one of these will apply to you. Take an hour or two each year to re familiarize yourself with these things. Make a routine maintenance schedule that fits you and keep track of what you encounter, An ounce of prevention could and probably will save you thousands on a cure.


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(Solved) KODI, XBMC:What Is It and How Can You Get It.byDennis Pulley

    Maybe you've heard the term HTPC (Home Theater PC) or Media Center and you've looked into it and you eventually end up at KODI (formerly XBMC). KODI has recently been released on Google Play and is quickly becoming mainstream but it is still difficult to understand exactly what you're supposed to do with it. Maybe you ran into the same issues I did when I cut my own cable cord 2 years ago, so many instructables but they all seem to assume too much. I really needed an easy to follow step by step guide, but instead, I learned the hard way and it really took longer than was necessary. I spent too much time fixing mistakes and backtracking because I was confused and even misled. It was nearly 3 months before I had a decent setup when I could have been up and running in hours. That is our goal here today. 
    
     I will step by step your install and by the end of this, you will not only be up and running with access to every movie and every TV show ever made, legally, but you will have the same system that a seasoned KODI user would have.   You will understand what you did, why you've done it and how to do it again. OK? Let's begin.
   

      What is KODI, XBMC, HTPC, NAS, IPTV and all that?

    KODI is XBMC. Or was. The name was changed about a year or two ago. XBMC stands for X-Box Media Center which is what it was in the beginning. More than 10 years ago, people started modding and hacking the firmware of X-Box game consoles to allow them to access, share, and play web based content, mainly movies. It eventually has grown into what you see today but the X-Box is no longer used. Most set-ups are actually old desktop and laptop PC's that are too outdated for anything else. In the last few years, set-top boxes, mini-pc's and even dongles are becoming the device of choice but there is no huge difference.

    

     KODI will run on Windows, Linux and even ANDROID, and needs very little RAM or CPU for normal applications. p2p, casting and 4K video may require a bit more but you can use nearly any hardware you happen to have lying around. You can even run a full system from an old ANDROID smartphone.

    KODI IS NOT ILLEGAL but it can be, and is, used to violate copyright law. I don't have a problem with that, as a matter of fact, I prefer it. The main reason I got this is to be able to watch any movie or TV show whenever I want. I especially like to watch the bootlegs that just opened in theaters the night before. It's all available on KODI with near zero risk of malware and minimal hassle. KODI is essentially the interface program that puts all of the sources in one spot. Every movie ever made, every episode of every season of every TV show. and lots and lots of porn. AND IT'S 100% FREE. There are paid services but I have never had one, there are paid setups that you can buy pre-configured if you like to give money away. Buying a box or mini-pc is fine, I use one myself but DO NOT pay extra just to have KODI pre-loaded and/or pre-configured. It defeats the entire purpose of replacing your cable. It's free, it's easy and it requires you to update if you want the best content so you have to learn anyway.

    1.  Grab your old desktop or laptop, you will want to hook this up to your TV so an HDMI port is best, VGA is second. Erase whatever you can from it and update your OS if possible. Windows 10 will just about go on anything but I have 1 with Windows 7 and works great. You will also need to download and install Apple's BonJour Services to allow for easy controlling. Google it and download it somewhere you can remember. My main setup is an 2006 Dell Dimension E510 desktop with a 250 GB SATA drive and a Pentium 4. Too old for anything else but perfect for this and has plenty of room to upgrade and even store media on. You can also use an Android phone or tablet. 

   

     2.  Once you've done that, go to kodi.tv/download/

This is the screen you want. These are downloading options. Choose the latest stable version which as of October 2015 is 15.2 Isengard. For Windows choose Windows, for Android you need to know if it is an X86 or ARM architecture and click accordingly. Download and install. It should walk you through it. Allow a shortcut to be placed on your desktop and in the START menu.

3.Run it and it should present like this.

This is the default screen. The skin is called CONFLUENCE It's easy and loads as fast as possible

What you now have is the empty system. It has 4 maintabs, VIDEO ADD-ONS are the video channels we will be installing, MUSIC is for music channels, PROGRAMS are for the various programs and plugins that you can option, and SYSTEM which is where your settings are.

4. We want to enable some settings to allow for easier control. Click SYSTEM then SERVICES then

GENERAL then PROFILE SETTINGS. You want to change it to ADVANCED from STANDARD. Name your device if you wish. It is named KODI by default. You do not need a USERNAME or PASSWORD at this point.

5.Hover over UPnP/DLNA and highlight the following selections:

Share My Libraries

Announce Library Updates

Look for Remote UPnP players

Allow Remote Control via UPnP

 

6. Hover WEB SERVER and highlight the following selections:

Allow Remote Control via HTTP

change PORT to 8080

USERNAME is KODI

No Password.

7. Hover over REMOTE CONTROL and highlight the following:

Allow remote control by programs on this system

Allow remote control by programs on other systems

8. Hover over ZEROCONF and highlight: Announce services to other systems. (this is what you need Apple's BonJour Service for.)

9.Hover over AIRPLAY and highlight: Enable Airplay support and Allow volume control.

Perfect. You have the settings done and now we are going to fill out the source by adding a URL or web addresses for it to load the programming sources. You are minutes away from having a working system.

10. Now click the HOME icon bottom right.

  11. From the main page, hover over SYSTEM and click FILE MANAGER.

You will see A and B split screen. Click ADD SOURCES on the right side The B side.

12.A box will open with <NONE> written inside. Click <NONE> and type this source exactly as typed: http://fusion.tvaddons.ag then click done.

13. It will ask you to name the source :fusion is fine and click DONE.

14. Click the HOME icon. Then from the main interface click SYSTEM, ADD-ONS then click ADD FROM ZIP FILE. Select FUSION., then START HERE then PLUGIN PROGRAM ADDON INSTALLER. Give it a moment to do it's thing.It can take a few minutes to load.

15. Click the HOME icon to get to the main interface and from there click PROGRAMS. Find and click ADDON 

INSTALLER.then FEATURED ADD-ONS. These are all channels. Some work better than others. Choose what you like but make sure you get these: Click the thumbnail. Click it again. Install the chosen Addon and it"s respective Repository. Click OK then the blue arrow which will take you back to the thumbnails. Repeat until you have what you want.

Primewire

cCloud TV

GENESIS

ICEFILMS

Pheonix

SALTS

Navi-X

16. Once you have the list above, or as much as available, click the blue arrow and then the green box VIDEO ADDONS.Again get what you want but I'll list the good ones as of October 2015.

F.U.B.A.R.

Entertainment Hub

MovieStorm

MovieHD

The ones I've listed are pretty permanent but all of these sources will constantly change and update. Stay on top of things by Google searching KODI and the month/year. This will ensure you get the best stuff and working links.After awhile you will know exactly who to trust but you can always trust: Husham and Soloman. I've never gone wrong with them and they update like pros.

Ok. You are on. But before you check it out, from the green thumbnails you can click PROGRAMS and you will see a blue square called CONFIG WIZARD. This will kind of automatically load a package of decent Addons and Repositories. I DO NOT USE THIS as it is usually behind in updating but it's not terrible.

 

You can also add these other URL's to the ADD SOURCES page. These are must-have sources once you play with what you've got. From the main interface, hover over SYSTEM and click FILE MANAGER. On the B side click ADD SOURCES and into the <NONE> box, type the following URL's exactly as they are here. REMEMBER that these can change so if it can't find it, don't sweat it.

XfinityXunitytalk

TotalXBMC

http://i.totalxbmc.tv/

http"//www.xunitytalk.com/xfinity/

http://kodi.mettlekettle.co

http://srp.nu/

http://zeusrepo.com/zeus/

  Exit out to the main interface page and click SYSTEM. ADDONS, Install From Zip File. Once you're loaded,

go to the main page and click VIDEO ADDONS. Choose a channel and enjoy.

SOME THINGS you need to know.

• You will need patience with KODI. There WILL be times that you spend 10 minutes trying to find a working source. That's why it's free.
• Many Addons such as Genesis, Prime Channel and Pheonix have every TV show you can think of but Live TV is a constant battle. Addons don't seem to last long and even the best of them is not great but Google "How to get live TV on KODI" with the date and you can stay atop it.
• Google M3u for IPTV and sometimes you can get extensive live tv packages. Sometimes 1000's of working channels.
• Skins are the appearance of the interface and there are many to choose from in SETTINGS, SKINS, GET MORE.
• As KODI is now on Google Play, more and more stuff is available, Configured packages are being made that are very good. Right now there are 2. SilenceROMWizard and SpinzTV. I use SpinzTV and its the best setup I've ever had.
• The boxes that are being made now are quite good. I also use a PIPO dual boot little touchscreen box which runs Android KitKat and Windows 10 on the same little machine. It's great.
• As you become comfortable. Look up OpenElec which is a system you can put on your PC and it will turn it into a dedicated media center. Right now it launches from the desktop like an app does. Open Elec is worth the install.
• You can connect all your other media like musi, pictures,DVD's and any other content you may have into KODI and it will integrate everything into a library.
• You can stream instantly from magnet torrents and Pulsar.

You can stream remotely from your KODI machine to any cast-able device or smart TV.

I hope this guide answers your questions and provides what I said it would. Feel free to ask questions either as a comment or you can email dpulley77@gmail.com and I will answer as fast as I can.

Check out my YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf9qamppqzRO9qxR7uvotyw and I also have other topical blogs. You can even catch me on Twitter.


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Thank You, Dennis Pulley

November 27th, 2014  Thansgiving Day

TO CAULK or NOT TO CAULK the BASE OF A TOILET, THAT IS THE QUESTION.

  Let's start with something easy;
 I was just debating on the RIGID website about the cost/benefit analysis of caulking a toilet to the floor.

   To caulk or not to caulk,
                                         the base of a toilet,
                                                                       That is the question

     This more fiercely debated than I would have thought but some people have never caulked a toilet and they feel that they have to defend their past installs, I understand that , I do, but when new information comes to light, you have to re-evaluate. No big deal. It only hurts if you fight it.

   I have always been firmly against it, on the basis that caulk hides a leak. I have thought that for 20 years or so. I was wrong and I'd like to reverse my opinion.

 The State of California states that a toilet will be caulked to the floor at the base.

 http://home.howstuffworks.com/toilet1.html     In the big scheme of things;  this is a stupid argument.   BUT, 

   

                    It's important, especially if you build with a fine toothed comb. To understand a simple appliance like your household water closet, you have to know how it works.
A toilet always has a stable amount of water in it. This is controlled by gravity. An S-shaped chamber that keeps water levels at a constant until siphoned at the flush. Is water going to sneak thru , defying gravity and spilling out onto your floor? Hope not, but if it does, the caulk has no place in the equation. If the water and waste doesn't freely fall through the siphon line,  then the issue comes down to a clogged sewer line. Which, if your toilet is clogged, your issues go waaayyy beyond a well placed bead of caulk.
   

I had always thought that beading caulk around a toilet base was a last ditch effort to stop a leak. A failed wax ring. BUT, The State of California has deemed caulk a necessity. I've always considered California Building Codes to be at the top of the practice so I researched and kept an open mind. Here is my dissertation of all of the B.S. surrounding this.

     Caulking around the toilet base is neccessary for cleanliness. You CANNOT clean around the crack that is presented where the toilet hits the floor, BUT you CAN clean a caulk joint. 

     Does this matter in your home? Not really. Do what you want. I'm not planning to eat ANY fajitas you've cooked near your toilet. This not what the State of Cali is getting at. The aim is to keep  restaurants clean and to put a law into writing with no room for translation. 
1HomeGuru.
  If you have any issues or arguments with my math, email me at 1manappliancerepair@gmail.com.
  I'll publish your comments IF I can make you look stupid.  That's the Google way.
         If you make me look stupid, Well, I'll just pretend I never got your questions.
Thank you. Drive thru.
  Just kidding. bnr.







    
     
       

1HomeGuru.Blogspot.com

Who Am I?

My name is Dennis Pulley and I have been a homebuilder and/or remodeler for 30 years. 

     I am a carpenter first and foremost but I am also an electrician, a plumber and an appliance repairman. I AM NOT a Jack-of-All trades. I have made a point to educate myself in the latest home technologies and I have the experience to carry the tools.

  I was the Golden-Boy for a large regional home-builder before I was even 30. I was in charge of nearly $11 million in inventory at any give time. My Grandfather earned every dollar he'd ever seen by building homes and in turn, taught my father, whom, in turn, taught me. I was cutting in complex staircases by 14 years old and putting together one-of-a-kind roof systems at 16. My background and experience puts me in the perfect position to adapt what I know, as a professional, to what you need to know as a homeowner.

Why Trust Me?

  I am absolutely aware of every "Home Improvement" site that vyes for your attention. It's a competition and I'm NOT a computer guy. The fact that my site doesn't afford the graphics that you're used to, shouldn't turn you off . Consider this the truth minus the frills. Gospel is always plain for all to see.