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.

Philips vs Braun Shavers, what is technically better?

As you can see in the video, while most Braun afeitaduras use their own proprietary system, in which the blades cut hair using a reciprocating, and is actually the floating plate moving under a thin steel sheets the which makes the cut, in Philips shavers have 2 or 3 discs that cut the hairs that pass between the slots, cutting more effectively and accurately.

The SmartTouch XL; a marvel of Philips

Repairing an LCD screen: Replacing blown capacitors

The capacitors are famous for electrolytic fail when subjected to long time of use, temperature and stress, swelling and bursting the top cover where release of the electrolyte liquid inside. Many basis of old computers that had this type of capacitor plates ended up failing after 2 years, and now they are substituted for polymer electrolytic capacitors aluminum, stronger and more durable.

IMPORTANT : Before you throw a screen away because you think beyond repair, ask before budget in an electronic workshop , it may be a small thing (every day are cheaper and sometimes costs more to repair, but still not worth more than a new repair, convenient repair, you are recycling, less waste and investing in local labor).

In this case I was left a screen which two seconds to light the lamps emitting a like a very low "zzzzz" buzzing sound turned off. The sound was probably the vibration of capacitors stage transformation frequency of 50 Hz which is the AC, that being in poor condition that sound emitted.

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.

Repair closing system from a door from an AEG Lavamat 5011 washer: The door does not open

In this post we will see how to repair the tab closing the door of a washing machine

At this AEG Lavamat 5011 stopped suddenly open the door . At first I thought it was the next piece, control door lock, but after releasing it, I checked stuck and moved as expected, so it could not be the problem.

We will have to act on the inner part (across) the closing of the door open

Video Tutorial: How to change the display to a Samsung I9003 Galaxy SCL

In this post I present my first Video-Tutorial . I will change the whole screen to a I9003touch screen which was broken by a blow, explaining step by step process.

Goes much more environmentally and economically profitable repair a mobile, especially when you still have enough value to buy a new one.

It has been recorded in a completely improvised, so it has some bugs (it cost us more edit that record). Before I recommend:

• Previously heated through the broken screen, first remove the top (leave the area of ​​buttons, more complicated, for the final). But there will be more chances that the adhesive stays on the screen and you may have to reposition the adhesive sheet as seen in the video.
• Remove the motherboard by disconnecting all connectors, before starting to remove the screen.
• I used a knife, but if you can get something sharp hard, best plastic. I do not take responsibility for cuts and wounds;).

I hope you enjoy the video as much as I do so. Comments are welcome!

Converting an owl figure on a practical table lamp using LED technology

Craft with LED: As you can see almost any object serves to build a LED lamp

Hello friends, we have seen above that the technology of LED lighting allows you to convert almost any object into a light source , which can unleash our imagination and surprise all and sundry with our creations.

This time I decided to make a very special gift to someone very special, while riding entertained me two 7W LED round (it's a type of aluminum plate on which the semiconductor diodes are used in 14 points per disc).

In a bazaar I noticed an owl by the size of their eyes and its shape well served me to do something original and useful; to be hollow could easily incorporate all the elements.

Making the lights turn on/off with two claps: easy and cheap with Arduino

The box ready with micro in the center

I recently saw how have different modes of intensity in a non-dimmable LED lamp using Arduino,this time we will build a switch operable by two claps followed, very useful to turn off lights, televisions, etc. In our room we stayed switch to desmano bed, so it occurred to me that it would be possible with a micro, build a relay be activating as we had seen so many times on TV, with two claps.

Also it can come in handy for people with disabilities , although in that case it would be better a remote control.

When at last I got with it, it occurred to me that surely someone had done it before, and bingo!one German commented how he had developed on his page , saving me hours of testing with micro.

A micro with an activatable certain volume output greatly simplifies things, so the theory is that the Arduino program simply be listening, and produced two (only two) high hits in less than 0.4 seconds , is likely they are two slaps.

3 component dupont few cables and the USB connector is all we need to prove