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Log Book for April 24, 2006
Engineering Report
Maarten Sierhuis Reporting

Generator/Electricity:

Casper: not used

Wendy Hobbs Meter: 3444.3 hrs (+20.6 hrs since yesterday)
Voltage: 120 VAC
Frequency: 60 Hz
Oil Level: 7/8
Oil Pressure: 30 PSI
Water Drained: yes
Notes/Comments: Wendy's status check started at 15:21 and ended at 15:35

Xantrex Inverter/Dynasty Batteries:
Time - Voltage (Temp Comp) - Load - Temp - Generator Running?

00:00 - 26.8 - 05 - 18 - on - float
15:35 - 26.8 - 12 - 15 - on - float

Fuel Status (as of 22:23):

Diesel: Approximate Reading - 3/4

Propane Tank: Approximate Reading - 45% (450 gallons = 1703.4 L)

Gasoline: Quantity Remaining - 16 gallons = 60.6 L (no change since yesterday)

Oil:
GenSet Quantity: 1 quart (-6.5 quarts since yesterday)
ATV Quantity: 16 quarts (+7 quarts since yesterday)
V'ger Quantity: 6 quarts (-2 quarts since yesterday)
Notes/Comments: Please advice what oil is for what vehicle?

Water Status:

Outside Potable Water Tank Level: 280 gallons = 1059.9 L
Trailer Potable Water Tank Level: 80 cm from the base
Potable Water Meter Reading: 9917.9 gallons = 37543.2 L (+77.9 gallons since April 22, 2006)
Out to Toilet Meter Reading: 2556.7 gallons = 9678.1 L (no change since yesterday)
In to GreenHab Meter Reading: 15050.2 gallons = 56971.0 L (no change since yesterday)
Flushes: 4
Showers: 0
Sponge Baths: 0
Notes/Comments: We noticed last night and this morning, based upon water meter readings, that no water is being pumped to the GreenHab from the grey water tank. Not seeing any kinks in the hose leading from where the water line emerges from the GreenHab floor to the water meter, we suspected that clogging at the pump was the problem. We rinsed the pump intake by thrashing it in and out of the grey water tank, and found immediate improvement (from zero flow rate to about 0.1 gal/min or so). However, over time we observed a noticeable slowdown in flow rate. The flow rate returns to zero in about 5-7 minutes. As a second test, we tried suspending the pump at the upper reaches of the water (right below water line) to if that would reduce the clogging problem, but it did not. The grey water is full of particles and floating crud that does not sink to the bottom of the tank. Finally, I took the pump out of the water, removed its top and screen (filter), and allowed water to reverse course from the GreenHab line to flush out the system. Replacing the filter and top and reactivating the filter resulted in significantly better performance (perhaps 1 gal/min). It looks like this will become a daily maintenance procedure with this pump.

GreenHab:

Crops Watered: yes
Crop Condition: All alive. 50% very dry. Duckweed in tank #4 & #5 only

Transportation:

V'ger: Used - no
Oil Checked: no
Tire Status: 3/4 good
Odometer: 168756 miles (no change since April 22, 2006)

Kawasaki ATV 1: Used - no
Oil Checked: no
Tire Status: good

Kawasaki ATV 2: Used - no
Oil Checked: no
Tire Status: Right Front Tire needs air, Left Rear Ti

Kawasaki ATV 3: Used - no
Oil Checked: no
Tire Status: Right Front Tire is flat

HVAC: Nothing new to report.

Mars Surface Suits: Nothing new to report.

Computers/Networking Infrastructure: Nothing new to report.

Appliances: Nothing new to report.

Data Logger: Nothing new to report.

Upgrade Work: Nothing new to report.

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