Petrol Driven 3-wheeler.

[Joe Blake]

http://www.gizmag.com/automoto-tilting-three-wheeler-cheap-practical-economical-commuting-fun/10899/

Looks pretty useful.

Joe

[Rob Beckers]

Joe, how's life in your part of Australia? I hear there's a record heat wave going on in the south (you're in the north though, right?).

-RoB-

[Joe Blake]

Hi Rob,

No, definitely south - the south-west. The weather travels from west to east. We copped the heat first then places like Adelaide and Melbourne got it a couple of days later, only moreso.

I've created a faux double glazing on my big front living room window to try and keep some of the heat out. Although the window is in shade nearly all day, the glass still lets some (air) heat through, so I bought a few metres of heavy duty clear vinyl and taped it across the entire window. There seems to be approximately 1 degree (Centigrade) between glazed and unglazed areas.

That, when combined with my installation of ceiling insulation (fibreglass batts), means that when the outside temperature is about 38 degrees C the temperature at my desk is about 32 degrees C. The only (artificial) cooling is a small 40 watt "box" fan which has a couple of receptacles for ice bottles. This will put out a stream of air up to 5 degrees below ambient for as long as the ice lasts, over a small area (ie my desk or bed). The ice comes from my solar powered freezer and the fan runs off the PV panels.

The sun giveth and the sun helps to take away.:D

A few "cool" days ahead.

And the global financial crisis has a green side. (I'll post a more detailed explanation in the housing section).

Joe

[Rob Beckers]

Joe, have you ever tried constructing a swamp cooler? They use water evaporation as a means to cool air. Easy to make, and it works very well, especially if you happen to live in an area that has relatively dry air. I realize that water is in short supply where you are, still it would be a much more efficient way to cool the house when compared to traditional air conditioning.

-RoB-