Hydroxy for your car

Reason number 2385 to fire all the American Car company execs. Dave from the RE program decided to enhance his car's fuel efficiency and lower his emissions. Dave is not an auto mechanic, although he is mechanically adept. He bought a Hydrolyzer kit on the internet, and improved his mileage by 15%. 

How it works:

The car's electricity is used to run a small current through distilled water and electrolyte, potassium hydroxide. (I know! Big words for this blog, but stay with me, I don't understand 'em either). The water (H2O in metric) is charged up, and this splits the hydrogen and the oxygen into hydroxy gas. This is then funneled into the intake manifold. The car's oxygen sensor knows that enhanced amounts of oxygen are present, and lowers the amount of fuel burned in the mixture. The oxygen and hydrogen are burned hotter than plain air mix, so the car burns the fuels more completely and cleanly. 

That's it. The hydrolyzer doesn't run while the car is off, so you aren't dealing with stored hydrogen.  The device has a bubbler unit that passes the gas to the intake manifold. This also prevents a potential backfire from getting to the source hydroxy and causing an issue like an explosion. 

No it's not some form of free energy, but the small amount of electricity used up is easily made up for by the fuel in the hydrogen and clean burning of the oxygen. I've seen it and it actually works.  

Doin' Time in the Yard

The RE program includes lot's of class time on the NEC, lecture time, electric lab time, homework of course, and then doin' time in the yard with the crew.  Here we are testing off on wire splicing, terminal crimping, and other tools-use exercises, all chomping at the bit to start throwing panels up, but we gotta start at the beginning and work our way there.

Here is some of the crew that is signed up for the RE program. They let me in even though I don't have long hair and am not currently sporting any facial hair. 

The program doesn't have budget money for an actual yard building, so we work in the weather. Right now it is sunny sunny sunny, which is great, but even here they have bad weather from time to time, or so I have heard. It is high desert, so the temperatures will swing 50 degrees F (10 C) between night low and day high. Which means in the winter we'll be getting subfreezing temperatures during the night, making working with tools and metal a bit slower. And do not stick your tongue on the aluminum frame. 

Solar Fiesta, Cha Cha Cha

I've been heads down for a month trying to keep up with my 5 classes. It's a skill I never really had, and what little of it I had, I seemed to have lost along the way. However, the "shut up and study" school of homework has been working for me. 

I got caught up this week, and even got a couple of days ahead so I could take most of Friday and Saturday off to attend the Solar Fiesta in Albuquerque (to be called ABQ from now on).

The first photo is the San Juan College Solar Roller.

The Solar Roller is a complete mobile Renewable Energy package, featuring solar PV panels on the roof and battery bank inside. A wind turbine on a pole mount can be tucked inside for travel, and a small scale closed-loop Solar Domestic Hot Water set up complete with hot water tank. Don't forget the solar oven. The UNM booth next to us borrowed power from our battery bank to run their booth. In their defense they are a brand new program and haven't had time to get their own van together yet.  

(Since I know someone will ask... No, I have not tried driving down the highway with the turbine facing forward to see how much power I can generate. I'm not saying I won't try it, I just haven't had the chance.)

A bunch of students joined the professors at the San Juan College booth to talk to people that stopped by. It was cool to see people stopping by to say "I want solar hot water. How do I get it? Who do I pay?" The public here is using renewable energy and seeing the payback. Since we are a school and not in business, we could give an impartial opinion. 

I also met some graduates of the program I am in. They are busy making a living, and have more work regionally than they can handle. A guy I met when he was a student last year, came over and was talking the talk like a well seasoned pro. 

 

Carl and Tom, our Renewable Gurus. Carl is an engineering professor at San Juan that started the RE program. Once Carl had grown the program enough, Tom left his solar installation company and joined the RE program. (Carl and Tom - you can forget that comment I made about driving down the highway with the wind turbine facing forward.)

Stephen and Daniel playing nice with the electric bike - a brand called the Ego. Zips along at 25 mph, and comes with two key switch settings "Go Far" or "Go Fast". 

In session, Fall 08!

Finally the fall semester is here. There I was all summer taking pre-requisite classes just itching to get the real program started. Things have started fast, and I’m already behind. How does that happen? I’ll be caught up again by Sunday night. I gotta sit up and pay attention!

I’m in 5 classes.
Renewable Energy Installation – hands on installation and design work. Great stuff.
Renewable Energy Applications – look at how energy is produced and consumed in the US. Come up with ideas to do it right.
AC Electricity – lecture, computer learning in electricity lab, hands on lab work.
Renewable Energy Instrumentation – how to know what the system is doing, and how to track it
The NEC (National Electric Code) – ok this one is brutal. 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM two nights a week.

here's a sample from the NEC:
Document Scope: 90.2 Scope. (A) Covered. This Code covers the installation of electrical conductors, equipment, and raceways; signaling and communications conductors, equipment, and raceways; and optical fiber cables and raceways for the following: (1) Public and private premises, including buildings, structures, mobile homes, recreational vehicles, and floating buildings... try reading that for 2000 pages. Zzzzz...

The driest material on the planet. The instructor is older than Moses and unfortunately challenged by it. Did I mention deaf yet?

Here is a typical Q&A session:
Old teacher: "What?"
college student: "Well, uhh, what if, like you know, what if you like needed, like, more current?"
Old teacher: "Need more what?"
college student: "Current"
Old Teacher: "Yes, 2008. You need to use the current 2008 regulations."
college student: "No, like you know, more amplitude."
Old Teacher: "No you don't study amplifiers."
college student: "Huh?"
Old teacher: "What?"

I can tell already, I won’t have time to audit a Spanish class or get into welding, diesel engine classes, or take advantage of a giant lathe in a woodworking shop. I am hoping that they will have a weekend crane operator workshop again.

And I know, 4 excellent classes out of 5 is pretty good. And I am psyched, to, you know, be like, Dude, studying again.

NM half marathon

Ed and Rachel flew in from Washington DC and Laurie and Roy (Laurie, Ed and Rachel went to college together) flew in from Reno to run the NM half marathon. The day before the race we met in Albuquerque, and took it easy for the day, riding a tram up Sandia Peak, 10,000+ feet (3050 m). Taking a page from high alpine training manual, we went up to higher altitude to help them acclimatize to the somewhat rarified air at 5600 feet (1700 m). I know it kicked my ass when I got to NM in May, so I knew it would be hard for anyone flying in from sea level. At the peak, we did a mellow 3 mile walk with lot's of sweet vistas.  

At the race, Rachel and Laurie sped off from the start and had good times. Ed and Brad ran together for a few miles, mocking each other, and entertaining those who were unable to run faster and get away from them. Ed took several minutes off the half he ran last month. Everyone is returning from some injury or another, and all finished unscathed (except Ed's ego), so that was great.  

The view from Sandia peak was outstanding. If you find yourself in ABQ, ride the tram. And don't forget to chow on mas tamales at the Church St Cafe!