2024: What are you doing today?

[chimp koose]

I thought all the outlets should have that 'shocked ' look . maybe its a last chance OHS warning 

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Tony, those are outlets from New Zealand or Australia. 

John , that there is dang funny. Possible too ?

 

[enjenjo]

Not likely Oz uses 208V outlets.

I drilled 170 1/4" holes in 3/16" plate today on a little project I am doing for Fatcat.

Saturday Josh and I pressure washed the engine for my Studebaker and cleaned out all the coolant passages. Now I can pull it down enough to seal up all the oil leaks.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Not likely Oz uses 208V outlets.

I think John's comment was about below the equator parts moved to above the equator ?  Then they are upside down?

[Crosley.In.AZ]

My local propane supplier called me this am and said that they can come and install a new 500 gallon tank for me this morning, and move my present 500 gallon tank to my shop to replace the 120 gallon tank there.  I own both my tanks, but buy all my gas from them, so I'm not worried about having their tank at the house.  I figured a newer tank at the house would be a good selling point when the time comes, plus it is supposed to have wifi capabilities to notify them when it gets low. We're having a backup gennie installed January 2nd, so they will install the piping for that also.  It will be in the 50's today, so a nice day to do outside work.

We were discussing heat for the 1600 sq ft shop here.  There is a 240v heater there.  I ran that to keep the shop near 58 - 60 degrees F . The energy use for a couple days was a surprise. Per the electric company web site the shop was using near 4 times the electric than the house use. House electric use does go up a bit on days the laundry is run. Electric 240v dryer here.  We have the electronic meters that report electric  usage to the power company daily.

All 3 garage doors have NO insulation on them.  I will change that too. Likely the ceiling insulation is light as the house has only 4 inches since built in 1972

We have natural gas here. That hook up would be complicated and silly expensive from the house to the shop.  We are looking at a propane furnace setup. I have a 100 pound propane tank here I brought with me.  That would not supply a furnace very long even at low temps.  I would like the shop to be around 60*F to be comfortable.

This morning it was 24*F here. Should hit 58* to 60* today

 

[58 Yeoman]

They came and pumped the 120 tank to the new 500 tank that they dropped in the yard by the shop. Then moved the 120 aside and went and picked up the old 500, full, and moved it to the shop, all 2800 pounds of it.  It made some dents in the yard, but they'll work their way out (I rolled them later and they're better, but still there).  Then they moved the new tank by the house and ran a second line to where the gennie is going to be.  The fill truck came later while we were gone and filled the new tank.

I had asked the two guys how much I could sell the small tank for, and they both agreed that they usually go for $1 per gallon capacity.  Okay, so I advertised it for $250 and sold it yesterday for $225.  The buyer came and had me use my little tractor with small endloader to load it in his F250.

Tony, my shop only has 1 1/2" styrofoam insulation in the walls, and the walls are finished; I can't go any deeper.  The ceilings are over 6" so I'm good there.  There are only a few times that I have to keep the shop heated for more than one day, and that would pull that 120 down pretty quickly, so the 500 should help me in that department.

[enjenjo]

Tony have you looked at Minisplit AC? I use them to heat my shop. On a 40 degree day one of them will keep my shop at 60 degrees. In the summer I use both of them to cool the shop to 72 degrees

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Tony have you looked at Minisplit AC? I use them to heat my shop. On a 40 degree day one of them will keep my shop at 60 degrees. In the summer I use both of them to cool the shop to 72 degrees

Yes.  I read some newer mini split heat pumps function better in cooler weather.  It is 24* F  here this thursday morning.

The power service in my shop is only 100amp.  The current heater setup is a 240v 50 amp breaker. If that is removed, that will free up some amperage?

Phil: thanks for the eggsplaination on propane tanks and stuff.  Only thing this desert rat has used propane for is a BBQ and the RV .. It has been near 50 yrs since I had natural gas in a house like we have here now. 

[Crosley.In.AZ]

A few photos... Of the loose lite setup in a small utility building in back yard.  I removed that light assembly. 

Also: photo of the natural gas wall heater in the front work area / laundry room. My parents house built in 1951 had wall heaters like this one.

Last photo: the utility building had 41 baby food jars that were attached to the bottom of the shelf like Popular Mechanics showed decades ago.  41 jars, 41 lids with 2 screws in each lid to the bottom of the shelf.  The loose lite assembly was just above that baby food jar shelf.

[58 Yeoman]

Tony, just for reference, my shop is 24x40, just 960 square feet, and I have a 75,000 btu heater that does well even with the low insulation in the walls.

I'm assuming that natural gas heater you have is vented to the outside.  I had a non vented propane heater in my last 24x24 garage that put a lot of moisture in the air and rusted things.