Working on the Foundation of the Solar Array

Laying out the solar array on difficult ground, on the slope down
from the house.

There are 14 posts to be accurately located and fixed to the underlying rock.

Getting there, after checking and re-checking and re-checking.

Cutting and bending re-bar for reinforcement of the concrete.

Heavy duty re-bar cutter and bender.

Some of the pieces ready to be placed.

Sono Tubes will be used as forms for the concrete columns.

Drilling holes into solid rock for cementing
bolts and re-bar directly into Pender Island,
as we call any unmovable rock.

This is the re-bar structure inside one of the concrete columns.
The verticals are cemented 15cm (6") into Pender Island.

Making progress with putting together the re-bar structures.

A Third Blast of Winter - Followed by Spring

Another surprise blast of winter in early March

Needed to do some plowing of the upper driveway to get the car down.

When the weather is bad I can always work on the inside.
Here painting the upper parts of the ceiling joists from a
step ladder on top of scaffolding. Do I have enough ladders?

A nice winter sunset.

Finally, the daffodils have come out.

Judy gets the itch to dig in the dirt, establishing ornamental plants.

Arbutus trees on one of our favourite walks on Pender, Roe Islet.

Judy with Liz and Anders on a walk at Roe Islet.

Lady Arbutus.

Stonecrop growing in a crack in the rock.

Satellite Internet

Steve installting the satellite dish for Xplorenet satellite internet.

Fred cutting down a few trees to make a clearing in the sky
for satellite access.

Timber!

In the process we gained a clear view of a great Arbutus
tree that was previously hidden in the forest. Also a good
load of firewood for next winter.

Keeping Busy with Inside Tasks

Judy loves baking

...and making delicious bread.

How do you paint meters and meters of ceiling joists
without over-painting onto the rest of the ceiling?
Very carefully.

What do you do when you call it a day?
Stand back and admire the progress.

Painting in the loft.

A Second Blast of Winter

Snow on driveway

A walk in our forest to visit our Arbutus trees

Driveway??? LOL

Have to hike up and down like a Swiss mountain farmer.
Here transporting the replacement inverter for the off-grid system.

Ice art.

Interior Painting - a Pleasant Occupation While It Is Freezing Outside

I should really be working on building the concrete foundation
for the solar array, but the ground is frozen solid and it is cold outside.

A good winter project - interior painting where it's warm and dry.

All of the posts and beams will be painted white.
The tongue and groove decking has been pre-stained in a
transparent white.

Carefully working along the edges.

Part of the ceiling in the hallway.

Part of the lintel and ceiling above the desk in pure white.
The walls are a slightly warmer white.

Large posts and beams above the hallway and entrance to the kitchen.

Working on the Solar Array - Cutting and Drilling Aluminum

The solar array will consist of 15 panels in five strings. Two strings
are shown in this design extract from the 3D model.

The total array will be about 26’ x 10’ or 8.5m x 3m and 
produce a maximum of 4 kW of power in full sun.

A carefully worked out cutting plan resulted in minimum waste.

Using the industrial-strength saw in Karl Hamson's workshop.
A great help.

A total of 125 pieces had to be cut.

Great to be able to work at an industrial-strength drill press
to drill hundreds of holes.

Ready for drilling.

Drilled, and ready for transport.

These angles will be used to tie the structure together.
The plan is that the whole structure will be bolted together
like a giant Meccano Set - if I cut all the pieces to the right length
and drilled all the holes in the right place.