Generator/Electricity:

Casper: not used

Wendy Hobbs Meter: 3514.3 hrs [ +23.3 hrs since yesterday)
Voltage: 120 VAC
Frequency: 62 Hz
Oil Level: 7/8
Oil Pressure: 30 PSI
Water Drained: yes

Notes/Comments: Started checking things out at 12:25. Got Wendy started at 13:03. We used some starter fluid spray for starting it. Things seem to be back to normal; hab batteries are charged Wendy's status check started at 16:43 and ended at 16:53. Done had turned taken Wendy from the Grid, by putting it on AUX. This is done to discharge the battery. Don and Paul (Tompkins) think that the problem with the quick battery discharge in the morning (from 27 to 21.8 in less than 2 hours) has to do with the batteries having been fully charged by Wendy since Saturday, because Wendy has been running fine non-stop. Therefore we decided to dicharge the batteries completely and then put Wendy back up. We will monitor the Battery Comp Amps closely and switch Wendy back to AC1 when the battery are almost empty (before they hit 21.5V)

Xantrex Inverter/Dynasty Batteries:
Time - Voltage (Temp Comp) - Load - Temp - Generator Running?
09:00 - 26.7 - 09 - 15 - on - float
12:19 - 21.8 - 09 - 18 - off - off
13:13 - 27.2 - 18 - 21 - on - bulk
16:24 - 24.3 - 11 - 24 - on - off
18:54 - 22.4 - 10 - 26 - on - off
19:44 - 22.4 - 09 - 28 - on - off

Notes/Comments: Today we shut down Wendy (with Don there) to check the oil. Wendy didn't want to turn back on after cooling for 2 hours. The batteries went down to 21.8 within two hours of being fully charged. We did get Wendy back on and the batteries were charged again. We then took Wendy off line, while keeping her running, to dischrge the batteries.

Fuel Status (as of 16:50):

Diesel: Approximate Reading - 1/2

Propane Tank: Approximate Reading - 42% (420 gallons = 1589.9 L)

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

Oil:
GenSet Quantity: 4 quarts (no change since yesterday)
ATV Quantity: 5 quarts (no change since yesterday)
V'ger Quantity: 12 quarts (no change since yesterday)

Water Status:

Outside Potable Water Tank Level: 380 gallons = 1438.5 L
Trailer Potable Water Tank Level: 11.5 cm from the base
Potable Water Meter Reading: 10141.8 gallons = 38390.8 L (+71.3 gallons since yesterday)
Out to Toilet Meter Reading: 2734.0 gallons = 10349.3 L (+49.9 gallons since yesterday)
In to GreenHab Meter Reading: 15778.9 gallons = 59729.4 L (+289.2 gallons since yesterday)
Flushes: 13
Showers: 1
Sponge Baths: 0


GreenHab:

Crops Watered: yes
Crop Condition:
- Plants in Poor Health: 4 Lettuce
- Plants in Good Health: 1 Tomatoes, 1 Nasturtium, 2 Mint, 1 Peas , 1 Unknown, 1 Chives
- TST Level: 1/2 full
- Tank #5 Level: Almost Full
Notes/Comments: We discussed our difficulties with GreenHab water cycle management with Don during his visit. We explained that in the last several days we have seen a major discrepancy between water usage and water intake into the GreenHab (e.g. on 4/26/06, meters read 60 gallons of water usage, and over 200 gallons pulled into the GreenHab, but with a signifcant accumulation into the grey water storage tanks). Either we're using more than the meter claims, or we're not actually taking 200+ gallons out of the grey water tanks. First, we suggested that perhaps the GreenHab intake flow meter might be malfunctioning. As a test, we closed off the valve downstream of the pump. We observed that the flow meter stopped, as expected. Don suspected that the meter is working fine, but warned that it is not accurate and assumes full volume flow when metering flow rates. A significant trickle of water through the meter would be seen as a very high flow rate. To substantiate his claim, we inspected the two grey water storage tanks, and he observed that the bilge pump feeding water to the GreenHab was not operating properly (it produced very little water motion around the intake, indicating a low rate of flow). By thrashing the pump near the surface of the water, it resumed sucking water out at a more normal pace. But this only lasted for 5-10 seconds, after which it resumed pumping at its normal, low rate. Don asserted that we could not possibly be getting the flow rates indicated by the meter in the GreenHab, but that it is the pump's fault, not the meter's. As a fix, Don suggested that we kill two birds with one stone.

We mentioned that transferring potable water from the trailer tank to the permanent tank took around two hours with the current pump. Don found a brand new, high-volume water pump in the Hab engineering area, and suggested that we install it for potable water transfer. This would turn a two hour job into a 20 minute job. Next, we could replace the bilge pump in the GreenHab with the pump used for the potable water transfer. The configuration would be different - instead of having a submerged pump, we'd mount the new pump inside the GreenHab and pull grey water out of the storage tank. Since the new pump is not built to handle a large amount of silt, we'd also have to install an easily accessible filter upstream of the pump so that we could periodically clean the gunk that collected there. We committed to at least the potable water pump changeout, and Paul made the installation in the late morning and early afternoon. We're holding off on the GreenHab pump changeout until we first confirm that we want to have a non-submerged pump, and until we get the parts that will allow us to install a cleanable filter into the GreenHab intake hose.

Transportation:

V'ger: Used - no
Oil Checked: no
Tire Status: 3/4 good
Odometer: 168756 miles [ no change since yesterday)

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 Tire needs air

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

HVAC: Nothing new to report.

Mars Surface Suits: The Suits were not used today.

Computers/Networking Infrastructure: Nothing new to report.

Appliances: Nothing new to report.

Data Logger: Nothing new to report.

Upgrade Work: Nothing new to report.

Notes/Comments: Space Suits were not used (we're not expecting to use the MDRS Space Suits)