MY house build to begin.

[Barney]

Marmite yes they have coloured boards but none in the colour we wanted.
Our house was originally shera brown but we both didn't like it and it is now grey. . I'm sure we will decide then change our mind in the colour before we paint. That's what's good about doing your own thing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Barney]

will wait your response when you are home because now it is not making any sense...thanks

Well Kopkei you have me stumped and I am trying to find out why the bill was so low.
I know it was only 40 or 50 bht as I was home for 7 months and couldn't work the low cost.
Our separate old house bill was always about 1500 or 1600 bht. Its a mystery, but below is the latest.
The pump either 1 or 2 run for no more that 4 hours/ day. plus 1 hour / week for vacuum.
Your calc's are correct.

The girl doesn't keep bills but here is the last one from Feb 20 to march 20.

Total 631.04 bht, no idea what the 65bht deduction was for. Came to 605 all up.
175 kwhr
at 3.6 bht

This 175 KWh is the month that includes the new kitchen appliances, some ceiling fans running.
The 2 builder's, both Kitchen and deck teams, were using all their power tools and especially a single phase welding machine which was used extensively for every joint on the handrails.
I'm at a loss as I mentioned and will investigate the pumps efficiency rating. Ill need to check if they are variable speed or something else.
The pumps have an input rating on the name plate of 1.8 kw. So 1800 x 5hr / 1000 = 9kw x 3.6 bht x 30 days ..should be 970 bht / month. That's without the other use by builder????
Will monitor this next month closely. I am intrigued. But definitely not be losing sleep any time soon.

[kopkei]

hi barney ,thanks for the reply..
as i suspected 45 baht ...impossible, you have 2 , 2hp pumps using 1.8 kw/hour , so my calculation (and yours) is indeed
more realistic , need of 2 pumps? , overflow normally works by pumping extra water out of an external reservoir to make the pool overflow to the filter , so if you are swimming, and not filtering and the water level lowers it will be no problem the spilled water during swimming without filter will go back to the compensation tank and will automatically return filtered to the swim when pump starts ...and lower water level is only till the filtering start ,so why 2 pumps and why a 2nd 2hp pump to only fill up the swim? ,(second smaller and cheaper pump would do the same work ?)
sorry for bugging , but i am not shy to learn something new everyday ...

[Barney]

I think we are both trying to learn something here. But something is missing from the formula and calculation which I can't put my finger on with facts.
So with out boring other who may want to move along now if not further interested.

I can guarantee you with no BS that I only ever had a bill for 40 to 50 bht / month for the new house with the pool running only. I can not explain this. I wish she had kept the bills.

Lets start with just the 1 pump motor scenario.

2 HP is actually 1500w. Not 1800 as on the name plate.
Lets go the actual scenario without costs to get a KW reading.

Pump runs for 4 hours / day every day. Lets forget the 1 hour per week to vacuum or the small amount of swimming during this cold period.
So
1500 x 4hr / 1000 = 6 Kw x 31 days = 186 kw....
My bill shown was 175KW all up for pumps, white goods in kitchen and the building works with a single phase welder for the 4 weeks.
This current bill is less than any calc we could do???
Why is it so???
I honestly think these pumps are very efficient and perhaps use inverter technology.

Now the reason for 2 pumps in an Infinity pool situation.
1 pump is the filter pump and runs automatically as per the timer. This pulls water from the surge tank through the filter, and back into the pool causing an overflow back to the surge tank.

Number 2 pump is independent piping and only runs when swimming. This is to keep the water level full to provide the aesthetics of the infinity look, the whole reason to have the system.
Yes as you say if it is not operated while swimming and the pool level lowers it will fill when the filter pump starts. That would be silly to have the water level keep dropping while in use, that is not the reason to have an infinity look pool. The surge tank is 12,000 ltrs.

The 2 pumps are the same as they came as a designed package.
The pool has been designed to a certain spec and the design would call for 2 pumps the same same because in any design a couple of the reasons when sizing pumps is to allow for the head height that the pump must raise the water plus the volume of water required to rotate through the system. You will see on the name plate that these pumps can individually move 29 cu mtrs per hour as per the pool design for the amount of water in the pool and surge tank.
Our pumps are in an underground designated pool pump room and must be able to pump quite a few meters up to the pool surface level. Our pumps are not at ground level.
No use having a smaller 2nd pump that would struggle to lift the water the required height.

Any one with explanations as to why these pumps pull less KW than the normal formulas are invited.

[Barney]

Well the water festivals time is over and our subcontractor I am told has all guys back on duty.
So the next small project as mentioned a few posts back has started.
It will be a 20 meter long by 9 meter covered area which will house, 4 water tanks, 2 pumps, dog house (hopefully not me personally, to often), storage and tool shed and my girls covered herbal garden. Concrete is 6 meters out from fence so will have 3 meters of non concrete covered area for future plans. The roof will slope to the fence at the rear. Will most likely install a gutter to another 2 x 1000 ltr tanks we have spare for her garden.
First day the standard type 3 meter concrete poles installed and today the first section of roofing frame. Then the sheet roofing soon to provide some protection from the weather for the rest of the hard yakka works.

Just when my Project manager thought I was going to provide her some respite from work I send the money and off she goes again.

[maaka]

maybe you have a faulty meter at the gate, or a meter man who cannot read..

me I would go stand and stare at it with cell phone in hand, while you radio the missus to switch off and on certain items, pumps included, and see how fast the wheel thing inside the meter wizzers around.

[Barney]

Looks like another slow day in Udon on UM so I will thrill you with some more updated photos of the 20mtr x 9 mtr shelter out the back.
Actually she went and procured the roofing sheets today deliverd tomorrow. Nearly 40,000 bht for the sheets and accessories. Roof capping and bolts etc. Same colour as house roof.
At the moment the precast poles are in and the frame inplace.
Lot of concrete to be placed after the roof installed.

[Barney]

More edge of your seat excitement now with the roof sheeting done.
The subcontractor has done well so far and plodding along at a good pace in the heat.
180 sq mtr of under cover area for water tanks, storage and the dogs. Concrete to go next.
Darianage at the back along wall, guttering to fill 2 spare 1000 ltr tanks I have, to gravity feed the girls existing herbal garden and fruit trees to be planted.
Block walls and wire mesh gates etc.
Then power board for lights and power, 2 water pumps and a ceiling fan for the dogs when they come to roost from guard duty.

[wazza]

Barney

Solar panels on the roof to drive the pool pumps?

Or some roof piping to keep the pool water warm....

[maaka]

No offense, but copied your pics for my future cow shed build...
yes you could run that whole shed on solar

[Barney]

No offense, but copied your pics for my future cow shed build...
yes you could run that whole shed on solar

No worries cobber.
There's no copyright on the design.
I will be building a very similar if not exact shelter for the vehicles out the front of the house.
maaka you are more than welcome to drop by any time on one of your rare visits to the big smoke of UT.

As for the solar mentioned by yourself and wazza.......its a future project for me. I'm still not convinced the expense of providing solar is worth the effort and any perceived savings. It may just end up being a retirement hobby.
A bit of electrical study by me to get that over the line.

[maaka]

Thanks Digger for the invite, been hoping to catch up, as I like the cut of your jib, and indeed, on my dance card I am lucky to count just three souls.. One lives on the edge of the world, one has gone walkabout, and one is hunkered down in the Big Easy, and I hope to catch him at the end of the month.
so whenever your not swanning around China, or building golf courses in Dubai, or whatever it is you do, then I will descend on UT, like that fella carrying them tablets down from the mountain top, for a nose around your new cow shed..just keep the dogs locked up, as me and dogs have trouble seeing eye to eye. like old whats his face said, ' dogs that have slept peacefully on couchs for 30yrs, rise up, an hurl themselves at closed ranchslider, at my mere passing..

[maaka]

sent you a wee Pm, as will be riding out of the badlands, and heading for Dodge, near the end of the month..

[Barney]

Haven't received your PM maaka, but I wont be around till end of June.
You are more than welcome to drop in though, just give the missus a bell and she can direct you onto the runway.
Don't worry about the dogs, they'll be locked away in the new dog house very soon. Have their own hotel room big enough for a individual size bed to lay around and relax when off duty. Might move in my self sometimes times when the temp in the house rises . There is no concrete where the underground tank is buried. I will put pavers in that area incase it ever need digging up.

Updated photos attached of the new premises. Boys are still cleaning up and will fit the steel gate.
You will see the bankeow In the 2nd photo, he's the surprise pack that the Thais are really afraid of. Henever rests and is always on high alert status, has actually a beautiful gait when he runs flat out chasing things on out land.

4 town water tanks in the photo to be placed soon, sparky comes today for lights, dogs ceiling fan and plumbing, 1st pump to be installed for house water.
2nd pump will push the water from the underground tank to the toilets etc where potable water is not required.
There are 2 individual water line feeds to the house.

[maaka]

Rodger that Barney, must not have been holding my tongue right re PM...
we could be like ships passing in the night, if you back that time, as I am off to greener fields same same time...and I would not call upon your missus if she is unaccompanied..so next time Matey re the royal tour..

[bluejets]

Just a note for solar ...... First they will need to face the correct direction and secondly the roof appears to have a rather low incline . Panels mount as a rough guide the angle of latitude for efficiency.

[Barney]

Just a note for solar ...... First they will need to face the correct direction and secondly the roof appears to have a rather low incline . Panels mount as a rough guide the angle of latitude for efficiency.

Thanks for the tip bluejets.

If I go ahead with solar I intend to put them on the car shelter out the front of the house. Similar design to the outback shed now built. So will definitely consider the angle on that one.
I have spare conduits through the slab into the main switch board in the front room for additional electrics like solar panels, it's actually a 4th bedroom but it is a utility type room in my head. Will use for gym equipment, any future satellite TV or fibre internet stuff, office, storage, solar etc.

Being an old sparky I like my spare conduits. Have them already through the roof space to all corners for the house and down the wall for future security and CCTV.

[bluejets]

Ahh yesss..... spare conduits.
Would that all would have such insight my life would be made sooo much easier. =D>

I fitted a 5Kw grid tie system here in January so if you need a bit of a run-down I'd be happy to share details.

Cheers Jorgo

[Fatone]

Hi Jorgo,
Many of us would be interested in your solar system. How about starting a new thread and give us some insights, cost of system, savings, pictures, best people to use etc?

[Marcosteffano]

I'm not quite sure and have the basic knowledge about electricity and solar.if you was to run say a 2 horse power pump it would need around 1,500 watts to run it.this would mean around 15x120 watt panels as you will lose power when converting through the inverter.i would say that it would be more like 20 x 120 panels because of dull days too.so 20 panels,a 2000watt inverter and a timer on the pump so it would come on from say 8am- 4-5pm.8 hours of pool filtering would be ample and no charging of batteries or tied to a grid.saves about 11-12 baht an hour x8 hours a day or 3,000b a month.in other word a independent solar pool pump.my pool cost 3,000b a month and 2,000b a month in the cooler season when it don't need to be filtered as much.i may look into it myself and see if it's worth it.