DIY: Turn your bike into e-bike for yourself - Step 5/5: Final details: Active Braking, charge control and legality

This wounded wire is my brake;)

After a few months of using battery-powered bike, I am going to comment how it feels. On the one hand it does very well with the uphills, but the downhills are another thing. In my neighborhood we have slopes with between 8 and 10% drop, and the bike does not stop fast enough with his brakes (disk brake only in the back). I have found that its weight (about 30 kg) is a major handicap, and although putting many banks in each cell increases the li-ion battery life and autonomy, it makes very difficult to go upstairs with it (impossible to carry on daily to an apartment), or braking, the brakes suffer a lot (especially at low speeds when the engine brake don't work).
Although we could use engine braking to stop and derive the energy to the battery, but you can not raise too much the regeneration (engine braking); above 15 amperes (1,5C) batteries suffer much from excessive current (even without reaching 4.2V per cell), and they degrade faster, besides the Golden Motor control is proportional to speed (recovers more amperes the higher the speed), so we could be sending a damaging 40A to the batteries if the slope is steep and we go fast.

Another option is to put LiFePo4 batteries, much more tolerant, but they have less energy capacity per kg, in addition to its high prices. The A123 for example accept for each 26650 cell type up to 10A continuous recharge. For this moment I can' afford them (although they come equally profitable having more recharging cycles).

After investigating, I found a interesting solution  about using a resistance as a powerful engine braking (what  a great well of wisdom is Endless Sphere about electric behicles), ¡and they have proved that it works wonderfully!:

Example of resistance brake on a bike from a friend of Endless

Wood stoves with secondary combustion: Less smoke and more performance

In this blog we have been analyzing the benefits of using biomass to heat our home for profitability and ecology.

In this post I will discuss something even more beneficial for our pocket and nature: The technology of double combustion wood stoves. With this system, lacking the vast majority of wood stoves, get even greater performance avoiding much maintenance to avoid the generation of smoke, which the outlet tubes accumulate less soot and tar with use, produced by imperfect combustion of the gases expelled by the timber to catch high temperatures.

Soot particles are carbon that failed to burn and did not pass gas as CO and CO2.

How to heat a home with an open fireplace: Adding a cupper coil, by Rafa

Fireplace coil made of copper by Rafael, with added doors

The people are so rigged. Rafa, a Seville plumber of 52 years, residing in Gerona has been kind enough to share with us their system , very similar to mine , which  for heating radiators leverages the built-in fireplace (yes, those that turn you on ahead and I grow cold by behind), achieving a more than worthy result to save wood and heat the house. 
He was not aware of these pots (used in villages of the Basque Country for decades), and their parents save money and gave googled my page, went looking for and found Lacunza, in whose  assembly schemes relied for connecting pumps, thermostats , etc., which sells kits pumps and thermostats ready for its chimneys, and the coil was based on the they have for sale Fireplaces Sierra , but made ​​with 15 mts. welded copper tin / silver . Detail thermometer, thermostat at 45 ° C to activate pumps and sensor of the safety valve 90 (not visible in the picture, touching the tube) which triggers a valve that ejects the last water this temperature outside and in turn enter cold water from a faucet automatic filling (in another photo) set to 1.5 bar:

Detail shot regulating door, right thermostat, thermometer and safety valve sensor

The best choice for heating your home (updated 2014)

How do I heat my house cheaply and with greater comfort? This same question I became in the summer of 2006. And now I discuss in this article that will update as circumstances change.

Before heating, is 10 times cheaper and more effective to isolate; in this post or  this one's more information on this topic.

Having analyzed and changed the heating my house I have acquired some knowledge that I share with my readers, since heat your home is a major expense that if we do not choose it may prevent us to make ends meet during the cold winter months ; - ). Nor find myself in possession of absolute truth, so take my advice and reasons for yourself.

Building a wood-optimal, safe, efficient and easy firewood: Continuation

Example stove with vermiculite plates and air intake to improve combustion

I keep turning the issue of simple and efficient stove burning (low CO2), my goal before automate with Arduino and complicate thing is to seek simplicity.

Everything should be made ​​as simple as possible, but not simpler. Albert Einstein

First of all I will discuss a couple of important things in any boiler or fireplace:

• Pressure of fumes (sub-Atmospheric): It depends on the height of the chimney, caudal (diameter) and flue gas temperature rising by it; more value for any of these three variables shot improvement. If too much heat recovered from combustion, the fireplace is narrow and low rise in output has no anti-wind cap, going to have problems in your smoke fire under; the combustion chamber will be filled with smoke and even put a door will not improve much the problem and the fire may drown in their own CO2. It is important a good shot if you do not want to fill with smoke every time you load wood burning stove.

DIY: Turn your bike into an e-bike for yourself - Step 4/5: Inserting the batteries and setting up the controller

At first I had tried to place the driver Kelly  KBS48101X, 40A, 24-48V  (whose operation will explain in another post) for its multiple options configuration, especially the possibility of regenerative braking adjustable with potentiometer or voltage. There are  dozens of economic drivers on aliexpress  but not the quality of Kelly, that comes with PC connection cable (COM port) included, instructions and downloadable software free, with multiple parameters and configurations, and good technical support, but since I have not yet managed to apply the variable regenerative braking , and does not work in the case of failure of the hall sensors, especially because first I did not properly work (wiring of sensors hall bad indicated), notice the noise that gets in the first test engine, with hall sensors invested, losing 50% of its power:

Building an optimal and secure wood-stove: Getting Started

Photo: Lotus Wood stove

In this post I continue my reflexion of the design of a range of "open source" in which all (and indeed some have already sent me mail their designs and tips) can participate and improve. 
When designing a wood burning stove in the optimal fuel consumption and comfortable, we have several options, depending on how we want to extract the heat. 
To do this we use the latest techniques and materials; First I'll build a simple stove that anyone can do only with refractory bricks, refractory cement and a fan (optional for better performance), to then make a more complex and automated fire control, accumulator wood to make it even more comfortable and autonomous.

Avoiding punctures on the bike: Fundax Leather Bands

I was looking at how to protect my electric bike from punctures (occasionally I like to go mountain, and the street itself usually glass and other sharp items) because the wheel with engine is more difficult to repair, and it is now easier for me doing 100 kms routes with the extra help of the engine.

First, have a good tire is essential. I have put a mixed Bontrager , and being "eco" low rolling resistance, not "dig" up hill as usual plug-covered tires, and I can also use them on something slippery surfaces like grass or dirt with no problem. Your heel height gives me an extra puncture protection, but I fear that when wearing a little, small skewers I've usually had to repair (as I already consider myself an expert in that matter), begin to appear.

To avoid this, I researched and even a friend recommended me to inflate with a foam to prevent punctures, which it does is fill the hole, auto-driying with the air, but did not convince me at all, because they add weight to go wiping every few months (every time we need to fill them), is ineffective in addition to holes larger than 3 mm.

After looking at the options on the internet regarding protective bands that stand between the camera and the cover in the end I opted for the leather Fundax like Javier, who came to the same conclusions on his blog , as are the that seem to go better, without adding too much weight, very long-lived and don't damage the tire as with the plastic.

Spreading the heat from a smokestack with very little money

Low heat with heat removal by natural draft failing to place the drywall

In this post I will discuss the "invention" that has made ​​Jose, the previous entry that heats the house with a Hergóm stove to get more heat from a low fire.

Recently we were invited kindly to spend the evening at home, and we saw how he had prepared the Hergóm and how well it worked, and incidentally told me another idea that seduced me for its effectiveness, which he has kindly left me to share with you.

I had read somewhere on the possibility of putting tubes to extract the heat from the flames to the local, but had never seen implemented as well as it did Jose.

It is an ingenious system that removes most of the heat from the flames by the operation of two principles; that the hot air rises, and atmospheric pressure.

Let me explain:

• On one side is sealed local (almost), because it has more air inlets to the pipe through the home (or stack), so that the flames, while climbing because warm air is lighter, make natural draft, "sucking" air of the room, which has no other site you get the pipe through fire. On the one hand ensures that no harmful cold air currents, and other system efficiency is maximized because we do not need fans. And there is no danger for local air constantly is renewed by the preheated air stream exiting the open tube you see in the first picture. It is also self-regulating, more fire, more shooting, more heat to the room.
• On the other hand, the cold air entering the street at the bottom of the fire itself heat collecting tubes amounts to the upper tubes of the circuit, helping to maximize the siphon effect.

DIY: Turn your bike into e-bike for yourself - Step 3/5: Preparing the box to house batteries and controller

Table prepared to house the batteries that drive us

If you do not want complications, you can always put a rear rack on the bike, and then put the battery. But I have opted to place them on the table, which, though it takes more work,has a number of advantages: 

1. The weight will be more evenly distributed, providing braking and acceleration. On the rear wheel and have about 6 kg. with the engine, if you also put the battery, it will be more difficult to transport and easier we can steal the most expensive part of the electric bike.
2. In the picture we can put the battery in the format we want, taking advantage of an otherwise wasted space, and allows us to better cool the driver if you use one side of sheet aluminum. It will be better secured and more stylish bike.
3. Good space and fixing. The table allows us to fix very well, so they do not "jump" with every bump. Furthermore, by using standard Li-ion batteries with 1C charge / discharge, we must use more units per cell to get enough power in case you want to overcome slopes of more than 10% without much help from us; 18650 battery using 9 x 10 cells obtain a 36V and 20Ah capacity, enough to make 50 kms without problems (helping us). A battery of this size would not be very aesthetic behind and go unnoticed.
4. And aesthetically, "cool" a lot! We can put stickers, drawings, etc.

As Jack, whose tutorials I learned a lot, he used wood to prepare : 

I preferred the aluminum for enduring great weather, easy to assemble, lightweight, flexible and durable. 
My bike Jumper BH, as I mentioned in previous posts, has a peculiar box aluminum alloy, which makes it more resistant to the jumps with its diamond shape. After figuring out the various settings, I bought a 45x23mm angles and 2 meters long, riveted on what was to be the base of support of the battery cells, placed diagonally. 

IMPORTANT: The width of the frame must be in accordance with the width of the batteries that we stay; in my case 6 cm. approx.

As batteries go diagonally, must form an angle at the bottom, where the profile will not: 

Holding one side of the base with a sergeant, drill and drilled, and then riveted

DIY: Turn your bike into an e-bike for yourself - Step 2/5: Mount the engine and disc brakes on it

2: Putting the engine on the bike

In this post I will explain how I placed the wheel with the engine kit on the bike, but before going into the details of the assembly, we will expand the information in the first inning on motors that we use for our bike. 
In theory you could use any engine from 150 to 1000W (or more, but I think putting more unnecessary and dangerous), with or without brushes, etc, but if we use a lot of bike, it is better to spend more on a good motor brushless dc (B rush L ess D irect C urrent BLDC) that will last us as much as the bike itself (while we burn not overheat), since the only mechanical parts, bearings, they last almost a lifetime and may be changed if necessary. 

Brushless motors have the advantage of being easier to handle (not require an electronic controller), but require increased maintenance to bring wear parts (brushes, and gears if available).

Legally you can put a powerfull motor and limit it to 250W in certain countries; it is the output which is limited.

Among the small BLDC motors have 250 / 380W with gears to increase torque, the gears are usually made ​​of nylon and after a few thousand miles. often fail (although you can get partsof metal). These motors are recommended for people using the bike for rides, and have a little help with hills; they are small and inexpensive. 
It is always preferable to a direct BLDC motor bike without gears for the following reasons: 

• They are the most efficient (up to 97% efficiency).
• Very good power / weight ratio.
• Very low maintenance.
• High acceleration (nothing mechanical that limit, the limit is usually electronic).
• Precisely controllable rate.
• Low operating noise (soft rrrr only at low revs).

As I already mentioned , if we want to climb steep slopes need 500W at least one so you can go loose and does not overheat; on hot days the engine of my bike can become hot enough to climb a hill of 500 meters and 10% incline. 

As I said, I recommend reading the blog of Sebastian Reyes , especially this entry to choose the right kit for your needs. On this page of Golden Motors is a good comparison of performance and recommendations of the various engines.

I chose the 901 Prokit a kit consisting of rim GoldenMotor brushless motor that can work at 24/36 / 48V (500/720 / 1000W), controller knobs (with the right type motorcycle throttle), and a pair of switches for the horn and cruise. 
This engine runs about 38 km / h with a battery of 36V and 20Ah (I checked), and according to specifications can feed the Prokit 901 with up to 60V; I can not imagine how fast you could go with that voltage! 

An American editor has managed to put it to 120 km / h! . Yes, theorists in vacuum at 1050 rpm. and running at 72V, I guess.

Riding the rim with motor bike 

The Prokit 901 brings a BAC-281 controller 50A peak (30A continuous) which is fine, it can also operate without hall sensors (in case one fails), besides bringing cruise control, horn, anti-theft system etc, but your program setup by PC brings few changeable options: 

DIY: Turn your bike into an e-bike for yourself in 5 steps - Step 1: Build the battery from recycled laptop batteries

BH bike modified to electric with prokit 901; a real pleasure to climb hills with it

Some time ago I had in mind to change my bike to convert it to an e-bike; it was increasingly more difficult for me to climb the hill to my home with sections of 14% and get sweating profusely in summer is not very comfortable to say something.

In the next 5 entries I will tell you the details of how I have adapted mine for 500 € (if you want it without complications, since you have € 1100):

1: We'll see how to prepare the battery with Li-ion 18650 batteries

2: Putting the engine on the bike

3: Preparing the housing for the batteries in the box

4: Connecting it all and programming the controller

And finally, it is important to have good brakes; Bike weight reaches 25 kg.

Voltage monitor cell; important to know the status of each pack

How to isolate thermally and acoustically your home in a simple and economical way

Insulating materials; extruded polystyrene foam in rolls

As discussed earlier in this blog, isolate housing is one of the best investments you can make today , for welfare, economy and health. 
In most of the houses in Spain and all over the world waste an incredible amount of heat due to their poor insulation; a well insulated house is heated with very little energy and keeps the temperature better. 

Most of the heat loss is caused by roofs (especially if they are lowered with insulation) first, then finally the walls and the floor, in that order. 
In this post we will see a way to isolate (isolating ceilings from acoustic and heat , so as not to be disturbed by neighbors with noise, and save energy) and also you will see how to thermally insulate a wall inside losing only between 3 and 4 cms. 

Insulation options 

Earlier we saw that it is best to fill the air chambers with a durable and inexpensive insulation and treated injectable cellulose with borax salts (the cheapest and currently effective), but sometimes there is no air space so we have to apply insulation in the interior sided, reducing some space in the local, but earning much economy, comfort and welfare, as discussed below. 

When deciding on one or other insulators we have multiple options for different needs and different prices; generally good thermal insulation is not as good sound insulation and vice versa. After evaluating different options the best choice in terms of price and effectiveness is a thermal and acoustic mixed solution. 
Thermal insulation work by limiting air movement in some way to slow heat transfer as much as possible. 
Best acoustic insulating materials are flexible (rubber and the like) that absorb noise to muffle it, and also tend to have good thermal properties. Flexible materials with air chambers inside are also good sound insulation. 

• We chose extruded polystyrene thermal insulation that is less expensive than other materials (such as fiberglass or rock wool), with very good thermal insulation and acoustic insulation to keep in mind; about 3 € grilled 1200x600 of chovafoam M30 3 cm thick (without intent to advertise, have been acquired in Leroy Merlin ). Durability (over 100 years), strength and lightness are further advantages that will enable us to place the battens directly over the insulation.
• Another option to consider (but I have not seen in Leroy) are wooden fibreboard , economic and good thermal and acoustic insulation, which usually come treated with flame retardants to slow combustion.
• And acoustic insulation for its price, effectiveness and lightness we chose sponge rolls, 2 inches thick, place them between the plasterboard and thermal insulation.
• If we have very limited budget, it is best to use rock wool or glass in rolls; has good water permeability, are nonflammable (hold up to 1000 ° C), and reduces both thermal transfer and sound, giving very good results in most cases.
• If you have a very, very limited budget, and acoustic insulation we can use pieces of mattress, rubber, cotton or even old clothes like ... look at the Wikipedia options.
• In this page we have a very good relationship of thermal insulators options and recommendations.

Insulate your home: How to save between 100 and 500 per year

The energy consumption for conditioning housing accounts for about 40% of total world energy consumption, so that all countries make efforts aimed at improving energy efficiency will be essential if we are to maintain comfort. 

In another entry you can find an example of roof insulation with sheets of extruded polystyrene foams and rolls (Copoprén).

Isolate the house is one of the best investments we can make, pay for themselves in 2 to 8 years, depending on the situation. In fact, it should be mandatory by law rehabilitate the isolation of all households who are not suitably for its many advantages: 

1. Greater savings. Properly insulate the house can save up to 60% on heating bills in winter and cooling in summer. The home of over 20 years may have empty chambers, without insulation, so I recommend proceed as indicated below to isolate them.
2. Sound. In addition to isolating the cold and heat also isolate yourself from the noise of the street.
3. More comfort, to prevent heat loss through the house is heated more evenly and more healthily; to rely less on heating dries the environment less. 

The price of energy will continue to rise more than the cost of living, in fact, energy and water resources will be the two most in demand in this century, so it is wise to invest a few resources to isolate our homes always better conserve energy consumption. 

There are ways to avoid higher energy consumption in heating housing; eg for every degree the thermostat go down we will be saving more than 5% of heating by reducing the temperature difference between inside and outside. But it is not put at 15 and get cold as we sat. 

Isolating the house we were able to avoid much of the energy is lost to heat dedicate our house walls and ceilings. 

One of the best insulators there is air, because of its low thermal conductivity, but the fact that it increases your free convection (hot air rises to be lighter, so it mixes rapidly, generating convection currents, transmitting rapidly heat the remaining air molecules) so to make insulating materials should usually be small air bubbles to prevent movement. 
In the following lines I will share with my dear readers my experience. 

Knowledge 
There are many materials suitable for isolation, with different properties and cost appropriate to the case. 
For the right, it is best to consult the Wikipedia page , which will always be complete and up to put a link in this post. 

1 Excluding the walls. 

If our house be empty chambers, we can save a lot of energy per year filling these walls with insulation, which may be the one we are commenting, but I would recommend better fireproof insulation cellulose projected or blown (thank Abraque by the contribution), rock wool orfiberglass batt form or Expanded clay balls , as these solutions all last forever, but should be compared to the best value insulating / duration / price. 

Note 19/03/2013: The first winter gas bill was cut in half, but we note that the following winter moisture accumulated increasingly in the house; I recommend using moisture transfer materials (such as cellulose or mineral wool) if it's a home prone to it, such as low, or if you are around the house with some land, if the area is wet, etc .

Should check that the camera has no insulation by removing one of the caps vents usually found in the kitchen. If you have a sealed tube partially break it, then you can close it with polyurethane foam, let it dry and trim the excess with a knife. A camera flash will help us in the task of recognizing the interior. 

Camera image: 20 cm. brick from the inside (left). slabs to brick street (right). Picture taken with K800i from the hole 8cm done. What are cobwebs hanging gray (yes, cobwebs) and white is what remains of the plates of expanded polystyrene that got almost 40 years ago and usually takes between 1 and 100 years to biodegrade

To isolate a flat over 20 years with no insulation cameras I have used the more comfortable, economical and inexpensive to insulate exterior walls method. Small holes are made ​​6 cm.(Depends on tube diameter) on top of them where we introduce the expanded polystyrene balls (here Politerm brand), with a hole every 3 meters to avoid gaps unfilled. You can do it with a pick ax or hammer (wear eye protection). 

Attention: It is important to check that the camera does not have vents on the side facing the street, if so we will have to close them with a material such as polyurethane foam or other material to hold over the years. This vent was placed to facilitate better aeration and remove any moisture, but only makes sense the first year while the work materials are drying up, and often causes more moisture from the outside if the house is in a wetland north. In any case if we can not access them and grille openings have less width than the diameter of the largest ball probably go a few, but will clog with larger. If you decide not to close these vents prays that no one remove or not fall. Those that go directly to housing (such as the kitchen) must not be covered, but check that do not communicate with the camera.

Be careful not to make holes in the walls without a camera; to save costs and provide more living space than the usual constructor camera only leave on the walls to the outside (which actually makes sense); if one adjoins a neighbor is probably no (also seen in the variation of wall thickness). Do not go unless you visit the neighbor-). 


I used a vacuum provided by the store that sold us the material, low speed; are introduced half bags m3 of expanded polystyrene ( Styrofoam ) in the chamber until they start to go balls. Keep in mind that the air that is introduced has to go somewhere, so I usually let the slightly larger hole so you go to escape through the crack to be looser or better yet, make a hole in the two corners of the same wall at the same height so that the air comes out the other. 
Another solution is to use a hair dryer with cold position (as discussed on page sóloarquitectura );joins a flexible corrugated tube 6 cm wide (available in electrical shops / stores building) or the tube of a vacuum cleaner to the bottom of the bag through a hole to seal it with tape, and the dryer starts the top, also sealed so that air pressure does not escape. 
The more powerful the dryer easier start moving balls to the wall, and the less height difference has the sack to the hole to do, faster flow balls. 

Images of the aspiration of the sac and its introduction into the wall

At the end of the tube has a bend of 45 ° which allows us to send some material to other areas, so we are not left "mountains" and areas without material. 
Finally when it no longer supports media and the balls start to come through the vents of the hole made, proceed to put the cannula spray polyurethane foam on the gap between the pipe and the wall to seal it. Not be as it increases its volume for an hour and a half. 

In the kitchen, to avoid making holes in the tile, we take the vent hole in the top (if any), making a hole in the pipe to give camera. To close I used polyurethane easily be cut with a knife after.

I recommend that you become a vacuum cleaner if you do not have, as the house filled with these balls ends

Finally, to top it off once it has hardened polyurethane finished you can proceed to the entrance holes with plaster and spatula (you must be hurry because sets in 30 seconds). 
Appearance of plaster applied after drying and cleaning with a damp cloth: 

It is painted and ready. We insulation for about 20 years (theoretically can last 100 years, but in contact with external agents such as the water holds much less). 
Final cost of the material of the 4 mt. cubic employees (65m2 house): 250 Euros. 

2 Excluding the between - ceiling. 
Most of the heat is going through the roof (hot air rises), so it should be the first to isolate (second and third walls the ground) if possible. If we have access to our roof or attic can be used is passable arlita (balls of cooked and expanded clay), because you can not step problem that crushing, and withstand fire. They often also used to level land, isolating chambers hot / cold and noise, to lighten mass of cement, etc. 
On the manufacturer Maxit we can see examples and guidelines for use directly on terraces for leveling , filling, etc. or in combination with mass for lightening. 

Arlite directly on the roof (corrugated tube lighting looks)

Different insulation: Arlite (below), Insulfrax (Left, mineral wool that holds over 1200 on roll) and fiberglass (right) roll

We buy the bags and spread so leave between 1 and 3 cm. at least. The more thickness have is better, but from 10 cms. no appreciable improvement. 
On the other hand you can also arlita pumping chambers of the walls by gas lift, but the device is bulky and hard to get. 
Final cost for a 100 m2 roof with a layer of 2 cm: 200 euros (about 6 euros per bag of 25 liters.). 
On this page "library of energy" you have more examples of materials used in roof insulation, depending on the case which may be more suitable one or the other. 
The arlita ¿contaminated? 

Updated 4/10/2012: Maxit, absorbed by Saint-Gobain Webber has closed all of its factories in Spain, so it seems that now is made ​​from natural gas.

The properties of the Arlit are very similar to those of the polystyrene balls, two balls are small pockets of air, which apparently can only require more energy to manufacture. In many cases to lower the material have been cooked with recycled fuels, but whatever the type of arlita those residues that can lead only go to the Environment if filtered water, and most will retain them, in fact, due to its micro-pores were successfully used to filter heavy metals and water for irrigation. 

The problem is when the most important producing factory arlita ( Maxit ) recycles used oil and burning lots releasing fumes near the town. In that case it becomes a problem because the burning is concentrated in a small area. If these oils (properly cleaned of toxic substances) were shared among all diesel cars Spain would be no problem. 

Anyway arlita utilization as a filter and thermal and acoustic insulation can save much more energy in the long run than that used for manufacturing, we must compromise and conveniently assess the ecological counterparts. 

In any case if you can use a material that pollutes less in terms of formulation and during use, albeit more expensive it will be worth it. 

3 Isolating the ground. 

Wood is a good insulator and also economical, so if we can choose to put in the rooms at least get comfort and save energy with this material, the more environmentally friendly. 
One option if the house is already built is put parquet wood veneer or imitation wood that fit together and that anyone can post, there are many manuals online. They are very thin and can go on any material, those of synthetic materials even withstand moisture without resizing, inflated or squirm. 

Should be a home under construction may also use a layer arlita or cork slabs or below Porexpan finish, there are multiple combinations. 

Different insulating materials 
It can also be insulated with fiberglass and / or mineral wool, often used to isolate coated the walls of the new buildings and security doors for its ability to withstand fire, but its price is less affordable, well not is recyclable. 

Attention: fiberglass or mineral sometimes require adequate protection of airways and skin for manipulation; asked to teach you the technical sheet for proper use.With some old materials (such as high temperature ceramic materials), t he released when handling powders could irritate the respiratory tract and cause cancer of the lung, which does not happen with modern materials. Consult more informationbefore purchasing.

They are recommended because they last forever (if they had put this in my building would as well insulated as the first day), but you must make sure to take adequate protection when handling. Once hidden in the wall presents no danger.

The most recommended material if we want to isolate high temperature dust is refractory , used to isolate all types of furnaces (from bread to Altos Hornos ) for its poor heat transfer and resistance to high temperatures. Its texture is sandy, so it is not recommended for walls (fall for any slit). It is relatively inexpensive and also have it in the form of refractory bricks for barbecues and garden bread ovens in the old way . 

Example plancas ceiling insulated with fiber wadding / hemp screwed

Example ceiling insulated with plates bolted vegetable fiber; good stuff if we want excess moisture to transpire outside

If you can afford to lose space, lower the ceiling plasterboard plates placing fiberglass or other material between the roof and the drywall or wall (3 cm and 2 cm plasterboard fiber); Thewooden slats on the walls is a good choice, embellish and is cheap if no moisture. The cast (and all its formats as perliescayola) is very good thermal and acoustic insulation, better than brick. A plate of 1.5 cm insulated plasterboard as much as a brick of 10 cm. 
They also sell very well priced plates 2,5x1 mtr. the polystyrene that can be put directly on the wall if you have little need and little money ... in developing countries is an option, but it is fragile and breaks down at the slightest touch, so it is appropriate to put something up as drywall, more resistant and economical. 

Well, that's all for now. See you soon and happy savings! 

References and further information: 
Insulation materials in buildings (Wikipedia) 
Guidelines for insulation in buildings, the Institute for Diversification and Saving of Energy 
Thermal insulation on Wikipedia 
Insulating materials in Current Home 
Actual House: Energy conservation 
A priority objective to achieve the new energy model 
Thermal insulation in buildings to save energy and Consumer subsidies 
By insulating the roof: Power Library (Spanish) 
Insulate your house from the noise and cold: Consumer Magazine 
Isolate the House Consumer Magazine 
Arlite on wikipedia 
Page protesting the burning of used oil factory VILLALBILLA (Madrid) 
Maxit page maker Arlite 
Wood flooring in BlueBagages