S.E.A.D.S. of Truth

Jerry's Trip

2009-06-28T21:40:00.000-04:00

Trip to Iowa

2009-02-09T16:50:00.002-05:00

SolarEnergyAwareness and DemonstrationSeminars Open House !

Get ready for EARTH DAY! APRIL 11 thru APRIL 19, 2009

SEADS solar retreat: 30 years later!

Columbia, Maine - SEADS Solar Hostel and Seminar Center

Two weekends (Apr. 11, 12 and Apr. 15, 16) or one full week (Apr. 11 – 19)

For: green, community, and peace activists

environmentalists, alternative energy practitioners and families

Celebrate the new millennium

networking for a solar future

at community-based alternative energy learning center!

SPECIAL half-rate - $50./day,

includes solar seminar, room & board (scholarships available!)

Optional activities include vision quest, horseback riding, hiking,

boat ride/sail, and/or cross country skiing!

How can my family and I get back to basic solar lifestyle?
Retrofit our existing home? Move to a solar community?

Build a new solar home? Time share a solar home in Maine?
Are you frustrated with your lifestyle conditions?
Are you ready to learn more about alternative energy and solar
community lifestyle and solar time share options?

You are invited to join us and learn more about these things plus:

Ø Photovoltaics (electricity from the sun)

Ø Solar Hot Water

Ø Passive Solar Building Techniques

Ø Organic gardening

Ø Wind energy for your roof or on a pole

Ø Solar independence

Contact:

SEADS of Truth, Inc. (a not-for-profit, education corporation)
PO Box 192, Harrington, ME 04643 207-483-2764
Email seads20@yahoo.com, SoniBiehl@gmail.com

Post 4

2009-02-08T14:22:00.000-05:00

J box

Post 3

2009-02-08T12:51:00.000-05:00

Lunch time.

Post 3

2009-02-08T12:02:00.000-05:00

Soldering strings together.

Post 2

2009-02-08T11:17:00.000-05:00

Checking output.

Day 2

2009-02-08T11:08:00.000-05:00

Day two. Preparing the cured panel for final connections.

Multimedia message

2009-02-07T15:41:00.000-05:00

Post 7

2009-02-07T15:34:00.000-05:00

Encapsulating with silicone

Post 5

2009-02-07T15:00:00.000-05:00

Laying out the strings prior to encapsulation

Post 4

2009-02-07T14:29:00.000-05:00

Checking strings

Post 3

2009-02-07T11:46:00.000-05:00

Soldering strings

Post 2

2009-02-07T10:54:00.000-05:00

Sorting the cells

First post

2009-02-07T10:34:00.000-05:00

Checking the output of a 60 Watt module.

LIVE BLOG POST

2009-02-06T15:54:00.000-05:00

This is a test of the live blogging

2009-02-06T15:27:00.003-05:00

Build A 60w PV Module in Harrington, Maine
Mar 7-8

2008-02-19T23:37:00.004-05:00

Taking the Air403 down for repairs....

The Toolshed on Route One needs some sealing up before it can be used for a workshop. Also we need to fabricate a 15 ft. mast for the Air403 wind turbine whiich graces the roof. When we checked in January, the aSi pv modules were cranking away. The innovative window pv panel could use some tlc too (in the form of solder).

2008-02-19T22:58:00.006-05:00

The PV manufacturing workshop on the 17th was a great success with two instructors and over eight people actively learning the techniques. Congrats to John Burke and Soni Biehl for a super teaching job! We are planning another session in March, so stay tuned.

2008-02-10T13:10:00.000-05:00

Dear All,
April 8th, 9th, and 10th are good days for me to help out at the Route 1 site. It's during spring break. I don't know who organizes these things, but it would be a good time for me if'n we want to get a work day together. - Soni

2008-02-10T13:02:00.000-05:00

Dear All,
I know Richard's away, but do you think we might start thinking about a presence at Earth Day at UMM if'n we're permitted. I know the Science Club is beginning to organize it, but I don't know what they're plans are yet.
Whatcha think? - Soni

2008-01-28T13:53:00.000-05:00

Hi all-

We are planning a pre-workshop workshop fixup party at the toolshed on Route 1 this Thursday. We are going to seal up the interior so we can heat the space for February's solar module making session. I think we need to confirm the dates that are on the MESEA website.
*note: confirmed workshop 17feb at "solar camp"

Hope to see you there.

p..s. The sun has indeed made a comeback as my batteries are again up to four balls!... on the hydrometer. Wind is still a bit erratic. Pretty crazy winter.

2008-01-28T13:51:00.000-05:00

Maine Solar Energy Association Calendar of Upcoming Events

Build Your Own PV Module in Columbia, ME, Sunday, February 17

Learn how to assemble your own Photovoltaic module for producing electricity. Richard Komp has pioneered PV module production as a cottage industry in Nicaragua, Mali, Haiti and India. In this workshop you'll get to participate in assembling a 60 Watt PV module, utilizing the encapsulation process, developed in Nicaragua with Groupo Fenix. Depending on the number of participants, we will be making one or more 60 W modules, which are capable of charging 12 V batteries and thus are a good start for a small home or cabin PV system. This workshop is in conjunction with SEADS, non-profit group and will be held at "the solar camp at SEADS property in Columbia, Maine". John Burke, of SEADS will be co-facilitator. John has had many years of experience working in the solar field and is currently working with the ARC Center in Harlem, NY, developing a program to manufacture UL approved PV modules. Soni Biehl, treasurer of MESEA, has experience with PV installation and assembly and will be co-facilitator.
For more information: 207-733-1095 or 207-598-5677; e-mail - seads@maineline.net, dadsolar@yahoo.com, sonibiehl@excite.com
Date, Time: Sunday, Feb. 17, 10am - 5 pm , Lunch included. Contact us if you are vegetarian or have other specialty dietary needs.
Place: The workshop will be held at the solar camp at SEADS property, 156, Sacarap Rd., Columbia, Maine.
Cost: $35; optionally, pre-purchase a 60 Watt module for an additional $300. (participation limited to 8 (eight) folks for the Sun. workshop, other dates will be added if necessary) (checks should be made payable to MESEA and sent to: MESEA, 351 Wilcox Rd., Trescott Twp, ME 04652)
Instructors: John Burke, Soni Biehl

2008-01-18T22:46:00.000-05:00

I hereby declare an end to solar winter.........November 21 to January 21 is enough.

An end to frozen batteries, early sundowns, LED headlamps for reading, WiFi email, 12v B&W tv.
The sun is back, baby!
And we could do with a few less clouds.... and some more wind!

2007-10-04T23:13:00.000-04:00

A New QR code in case anyone is wandering by with a cell phone and doesn't want to type.

2007-09-09T01:27:00.000-04:00

The site of the Solar Longhouse in Harrington Maine.

mobile post

2007-08-16T14:42:00.001-04:00

This post is coming to you live from the parking lot of th Harrington Library via iPaq.

wow.

blog post

2007-08-15T23:25:00.000-04:00

Wow this email posting really works!

2007-08-15T11:18:00.000-04:00

Hey Wally and SEADS folk! - glad to see the pix on the blog and up and running again. I got your comment but still can't figure out how to attract posts or other comments, yours was only an email! I guess it takes me a while to figure out any of this computer stuff. Thanks for inviting me to post, how do I invite you or others to post on solar learning chat? Peace - John

2007-08-12T23:47:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures of the Maine Solar Energy Association Booth and the SEADS Solar Longhouse demo structure at the WERU-FM Full Circle Summer Fair in Blue Hill, Maine on 28 July 2007. A 50' version of the PVC frame and wind turbine is going to be assembled in August in Harrington, Maine.

The PVC greenhouse frame.

A handcrafted 60 watt PV module.

Solar powered laptop.

Power to the People!

Inspiration for the Solar Longhouse

(Ann Henderson photo)

2005-07-10T00:06:00.000-04:00

I thought I'd write a bit about my "solar shed" project I hope to get started building after haying season. all gardeners need a place to process and cool their produce. Any one who has lived without refridgeration knows the value of cooling. So I am designing and building a shed building to facilitate harvesting in the growing season and to be an above freezing storage space during the winter.
Here in Maine we need to worry about the frost heaving our foundations and the heat input vs. heat loss in January-February-March. Luckily this cold stretch occurs after the solar minimum in December so with good insulation and a bit of backup heat we are able to make it through to spring.
Insulation, I have discovered on a building project, is a big deal! Cost-wise it is quite high compared to other materials such as wood, cement and plaster. Generally you cannot produce it yourself so you pay your money to giant corporations like Dow Chemical, etc. So, I've been on the lookout for alternate insulating materials. I'm sure the straw bale house people have been on this for a while.
Now I want to focus on insulating the foundation.
Commonly in Maine footings are dug to a depth of four feet or more to the depth that the ground freezes in a cold winter. However by insulating the ground under the foundation and beyond it a few feet, the Scandinavians have discovered that frost heaving can be avoided. This is called FPSF (freeze protected shallow foundations).
Trouble is, most insulation does not do well buried in the ground or soaked in ground water. Currently, people mainly use the pink or blue expanded polystyrene (XPS) from the above mentioned giant corporations. There is a material called "Drainboard" from Roxul Corp. in Canada that is made from recycled steel mill slag which has been tested and found to be equal to the XPS...and similar in cost. It's made from rock wool or mineral wool (the distinction being made from slag or granite rock). I'm hoping to order some for my "solar shed" if the local building supply stores can do it. Otherwise a larger coop order will be needed to cover the trucking costs.
Another ground insulation I have heard of is bubble wrap. Cork is a great insulator but I don't know how it holds up underground.
Eestablishing hot compost beds or straw or brush piles around the foundation in the fall like the old Mainers used to do is also a good idea ...and great for flower beds in the spring!
Once you get the idea that it's the air, the cold atmosphere, that both the ground and the structure need to be insulated from, you've got the concept.

2005-06-27T02:07:00.000-04:00

Sunday several of us gathered at Dr. Richard Komp's house in Jonesport to try our hands at cutting and soldering silicon solar cells for photovoltaic panels. We also tested an experimental hybrid (electricity and hot water) concentrating solar collector being developed there.
After a great spaghetti feast put on by Dr. Komp we watched a slideshow on his solar energy work in Mali, West Africa.
There was also much discussion on how best to take advantage of the present windfall of solar energy...being near the time of the solstice. My 4 golf cart batteries are fully charged before noon so I'm going to try pumping water uphill for the rest of the day to capture that energy. Around about January I'll be wishing I had it.S.E.A.D.S. of Truth

2005-06-27T01:23:00.000-04:00

Hey! This is a new blog for posting announcements, event happenings, workshops, etc. involving SEADS and alternative energy in Maine. If you are interested in the subject and would like to get some hands on experience helping out with real world projects involving living on earth and self sufficiency in rural America this might be a place to begin. Leave a comment and check back often!

S.E.A.D.S. of Truth

Jerry's Trip

Post 4

Post 3

Post 3

Post 2

Day 2

Multimedia message

Post 7

Post 5

Post 4

Post 3

Post 2

First post

LIVE BLOG POST

Build A 60w PV Module in Harrington, MaineMar 7-8

Maine Solar Energy Association Calendar of Upcoming Events

Build Your Own PV Module in Columbia, ME, Sunday, February 17

mobile post

blog post

Build A 60w PV Module in Harrington, Maine
Mar 7-8