[Toshi]

Then I'm at Colorado Center next Wednesday. RTD fares are free July and August so I think I'll take the acoustic commuter bike, ride to Central Park Station, then A + E Line to Colorado Station. Easy mile long ride up Colorado at lunchtime for Thai food. Reverse train ride + acoustic 3.2 mi ride back home from Central Park.

Longer than in the car, yes, but not in the car, not being traffic, and riding trains. This route has a Union Station to Union Station (different track) easy transfer.

 

[Toshi]

This route has a Union Station to Union Station (different track) easy transfer.

Next Friday I'm to be down at Highlands Ranch Hospital. Closest station to them is Littleton / Mineral on the D Line. That starts at 18th and Stout, not Union Station, annoyingly. I think that bike lane infrastructure has been improving downtown at least. Maybe 17th St will be good.

Then, as I found out last year when I did this on my acoustic commuter (flat tire on e-commuter that morning in garage) it's a bit hilly from Littleton / Mineral to the hospital. About 4.5 miles and 350' vert on the route I'll take. This will be a day for the e-commuter, even though hauling it up the steps of the high floor D Line will be a pain in the ass.

Timing for this adventure: 7:36 am at Littleton / Mineral means 7:03 am at 18th and Stout. 6:49 am at Union Station to allow for the transfer fairly easily means 6:34 am at Central Park.

So a 6:25 am acoustic bike departure Wed morning, and a 6:15 am e-commuter departure from my house Friday morning. Got to remember to bring headphones and an iPad to watch movies!

 

[Nick]

I used to work on Lawrence over by Heidi's ... excellent sammichs if you can avoid the lunch rush madness.

 

[Toshi]

View attachment 196995

I used to work on Lawrence over by Heidi's ... excellent sammichs if you can avoid the lunch rush madness.

that's the one in the ground floor of the big monolith skyscraper, no? if so I have made my way there and had the Hell's Kitchen. it was tasty.

 

[Toshi]

I posted many moons back about time of use pricing and smart meters. Well, finally got the smart meter (x 3, since two PV arrays) installation scheduled. Aug 29. Based off of my PV arrays producing until 6 PM and the peak hours ending at 7 PM I think I'll stay in TOU rather than opting out. Although this whole "solar bank" concept and all is just confusing, IMO, so I'm not really sure.

Either way it won't be much money in either direction. When I get bored in the future I'll look up how much energy flux a Powerwall can do each day and how many decades it'd take for one to pay off its initial cost at these TOU rates.

https://www.xcelenergy.com/staticfiles/xe-responsive/Billing%20&%20Payment/23-03-601_Solar_Res_TOU_Sheet_Website.pdf

Tesla Powerwall 3 has 11.5 kW of power

Tesla Powerwall 3 is about to launch, and we can now confirm that it will be offered with up to...

electrek.co

Exclusive: Tesla is about to launch Powerwall 3

Tesla is preparing to launch Powerwall 3, the third generation of its home battery pack, according to information obtained by...

electrek.co

So 11.5 kW power, 13.5 kWh for the upcoming Powerwall 3.

Per this 7 pm to 1 pm is off-peak, which is 18 hours if I can do math. 10 cents/kWh in either season.
1-3 pm is mid peak. 19 cents/kWh summer, 13 winter.
3-7 pm is peak. 27 cents/kWh summer, 17 winter.

The question therefore is with that 11.5 kW and 13.5 kWh, how much could I wind that meter back at peak hours (and mid peak if there's enough capacity, which there won't be trivially): the answer would be 13.5 kWh worth of energy, over 1.17 hours, which the astute reader will note is << 4. The best arbitrage one could do is to buy 13.5 kWh at 10 cents and sell that back, if you will, at 27 cents in the summer, every day.

13.5 kWh * $0.10 / kWh / 89% == $1.52 to fill it up, using 89% charging efficiency
13.5 kWh * $0.27 / kWh == $3.65 credited to empty it, not applying that factor since that 89% is round trip. might be doing this wrong

$2.13 per day.

On the cost side, I'm seeing $11.5k estimated installed cost for one Powerwall 2 (which has the same kWh, slightly lower kW power but irrelevant since still well less than 4 hours worth).

There's a 30% Federal tax credit from 2023-2032 for standalone with existing solar. Xcel has local incentives if one allows them to use the battery as a buffer: $500/kW up to 50% of equipment cost, + $100 annually. That'd be $5,750 + $100/year trivially but I think that caps due to the 50% bit, so let's call it $4,750. Denver furthermore has a credit for either 80% of project cost up to $500 or up to $2,750 if one also jumps to a heat pump or heat pump water heater. Colorado has a new 10% state tax credit as well, and exempts systems from sales tax.

(I don't think the heat pump or heat pump water heater options would make sense for me as the cold climate air source heat pump rebate is 40% of cost up to $3,500, and the smart heat pump water heater credit is 60% of project cost up to $1,750. That remaining 40-60% of cost would increase my net costs more than the $2,250 difference, I'm guessing... but maybe not for the smart heat pump water heater potentially? will mull this and tease it out separately. Going with $500 here.)

Up front cost +/- timing of rebates would therefore be $11.5k - 30% * $11.5k Fed - 10% * $11.5k CO - $4,750 Xcel - $500 Denver == $1,650.

Ignoring time value of the money spent on it here. Smoothing in that $100/year makes the arbitrage price $2.40/day. Trivially it's therefore $1,650 / ($2.40 / day) == 687.5 days.

With all these various and sundry incentives stacked that's actually an order of magnitude shorter than what I was expecting. The new as of 2023 30% Fed and 10% CO incentives really help. Hey @stoney after your test please come sanity check this, as I'm thinking these tea leaves indicate I should get a Powerwall or 3. All the credits scale with total cost other than the Denver one already hitting its cap at $500.

edit: math wrong due to my parsing Xcel's formula incorrectly due to them using wrong/mixed terminology. see below.

 

[stoney]

Tesla Powerwall 3 has 11.5 kW of power

Tesla Powerwall 3 is about to launch, and we can now confirm that it will be offered with up to...

electrek.co

Exclusive: Tesla is about to launch Powerwall 3

Tesla is preparing to launch Powerwall 3, the third generation of its home battery pack, according to information obtained by...

electrek.co

So 11.5 kW power, 13.5 kWh for the upcoming Powerwall 3.

Per this 7 pm to 1 pm is off-peak, which is 18 hours if I can do math. 10 cents/kWh in either season.
1-3 pm is mid peak. 19 cents/kWh summer, 13 winter.
3-7 pm is peak. 27 cents/kWh summer, 17 winter.

The question therefore is with that 11.5 kW and 13.5 kWh, how much could I wind that meter back at peak hours (and mid peak if there's enough capacity, which there won't be trivially): the answer would be 13.5 kWh worth of energy, over 1.17 hours, which the astute reader will note is << 4. The best arbitrage one could do is to buy 13.5 kWh at 10 cents and sell that back, if you will, at 27 cents in the summer, every day.

13.5 kWh * $0.10 / kWh / 89% == $1.52 to fill it up, using 89% charging efficiency
13.5 kWh * $0.27 / kWh == $3.65 credited to empty it, not applying that factor since that 89% is round trip. might be doing this wrong

$2.13 per day.

On the cost side, I'm seeing $11.5k estimated installed cost for one Powerwall 2 (which has the same kWh, slightly lower kW power but irrelevant since still well less than 4 hours worth).

There's a 30% Federal tax credit from 2023-2032 for standalone with existing solar. Xcel has local incentives if one allows them to use the battery as a buffer: $500/kW up to 50% of equipment cost, + $100 annually. That'd be $5,750 + $100/year trivially but I think that caps due to the 50% bit, so let's call it $4,750. Denver furthermore has a credit for either 80% of project cost up to $500 or up to $2,750 if one also jumps to a heat pump or heat pump water heater. Colorado has a new 10% state tax credit as well, and exempts systems from sales tax.

(I don't think the heat pump or heat pump water heater options would make sense for me as the cold climate air source heat pump rebate is 40% of cost up to $3,500, and the smart heat pump water heater credit is 60% of project cost up to $1,750. That remaining 40-60% of cost would increase my net costs more than the $2,250 difference, I'm guessing... but maybe not for the smart heat pump water heater potentially? will mull this and tease it out separately. Going with $500 here.)

Up front cost +/- timing of rebates would therefore be $11.5k - 30% * $11.5k Fed - 10% * $11.5k CO - $4,750 Xcel - $500 Denver == $1,650.

Ignoring time value of the money spent on it here. Smoothing in that $100/year makes the arbitrage price $2.40/day. Trivially it's therefore $1,650 / ($2.40 / day) == 687.5 days.

With all these various and sundry incentives stacked that's actually an order of magnitude shorter than what I was expecting. The new as of 2023 30% Fed and 10% CO incentives really help. Hey @stoney after your test please come sanity check this, as I'm thinking these tea leaves indicate I should get a Powerwall or 3. All the credits scale with total cost other than the Denver one already hitting its cap at $500.

Why you make me think? And TVM plus your expected real RoR are critical to the calcs, because you need to factor the opportunity cost of you money. I used 3% indefinite Xcel electricity inflation and an 6% a/t & loan RoR.

Also, iirc, the buyback rate isn't the same as cost rate. And did you elect cash payout at eoy? Or credits into your account? That's really important too.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Next Friday I'm to be down at Highlands Ranch Hospital. Closest station to them is Littleton / Mineral on the D Line. That starts at 18th and Stout, not Union Station, annoyingly. I think that bike lane infrastructure has been improving downtown at least. Maybe 17th St will be good.

View attachment 196980

Then, as I found out last year when I did this on my acoustic commuter (flat tire on e-commuter that morning in garage) it's a bit hilly from Littleton / Mineral to the hospital. About 4.5 miles and 350' vert on the route I'll take. This will be a day for the e-commuter, even though hauling it up the steps of the high floor D Line will be a pain in the ass.

Timing for this adventure: 7:36 am at Littleton / Mineral means 7:03 am at 18th and Stout. 6:49 am at Union Station to allow for the transfer fairly easily means 6:34 am at Central Park.

So a 6:25 am acoustic bike departure Wed morning, and a 6:15 am e-commuter departure from my house Friday morning. Got to remember to bring headphones and an iPad to watch movies!

Pretty sure you know this - but you can take any line that goes to Broadway from Union and transfer pretty painlessly to the D-Line there.

I'm still annoyed that they discontinued the C-Line which went directly from Union to Mineral.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Tesla Powerwall 3 has 11.5 kW of power

Tesla Powerwall 3 is about to launch, and we can now confirm that it will be offered with up to...

electrek.co

Exclusive: Tesla is about to launch Powerwall 3

Tesla is preparing to launch Powerwall 3, the third generation of its home battery pack, according to information obtained by...

electrek.co

So 11.5 kW power, 13.5 kWh for the upcoming Powerwall 3.

Per this 7 pm to 1 pm is off-peak, which is 18 hours if I can do math. 10 cents/kWh in either season.
1-3 pm is mid peak. 19 cents/kWh summer, 13 winter.
3-7 pm is peak. 27 cents/kWh summer, 17 winter.

The question therefore is with that 11.5 kW and 13.5 kWh, how much could I wind that meter back at peak hours (and mid peak if there's enough capacity, which there won't be trivially): the answer would be 13.5 kWh worth of energy, over 1.17 hours, which the astute reader will note is << 4. The best arbitrage one could do is to buy 13.5 kWh at 10 cents and sell that back, if you will, at 27 cents in the summer, every day.

13.5 kWh * $0.10 / kWh / 89% == $1.52 to fill it up, using 89% charging efficiency
13.5 kWh * $0.27 / kWh == $3.65 credited to empty it, not applying that factor since that 89% is round trip. might be doing this wrong

$2.13 per day.

On the cost side, I'm seeing $11.5k estimated installed cost for one Powerwall 2 (which has the same kWh, slightly lower kW power but irrelevant since still well less than 4 hours worth).

There's a 30% Federal tax credit from 2023-2032 for standalone with existing solar. Xcel has local incentives if one allows them to use the battery as a buffer: $500/kW up to 50% of equipment cost, + $100 annually. That'd be $5,750 + $100/year trivially but I think that caps due to the 50% bit, so let's call it $4,750. Denver furthermore has a credit for either 80% of project cost up to $500 or up to $2,750 if one also jumps to a heat pump or heat pump water heater. Colorado has a new 10% state tax credit as well, and exempts systems from sales tax.

(I don't think the heat pump or heat pump water heater options would make sense for me as the cold climate air source heat pump rebate is 40% of cost up to $3,500, and the smart heat pump water heater credit is 60% of project cost up to $1,750. That remaining 40-60% of cost would increase my net costs more than the $2,250 difference, I'm guessing... but maybe not for the smart heat pump water heater potentially? will mull this and tease it out separately. Going with $500 here.)

Up front cost +/- timing of rebates would therefore be $11.5k - 30% * $11.5k Fed - 10% * $11.5k CO - $4,750 Xcel - $500 Denver == $1,650.

Ignoring time value of the money spent on it here. Smoothing in that $100/year makes the arbitrage price $2.40/day. Trivially it's therefore $1,650 / ($2.40 / day) == 687.5 days.

With all these various and sundry incentives stacked that's actually an order of magnitude shorter than what I was expecting. The new as of 2023 30% Fed and 10% CO incentives really help. Hey @stoney after your test please come sanity check this, as I'm thinking these tea leaves indicate I should get a Powerwall or 3. All the credits scale with total cost other than the Denver one already hitting its cap at $500.

I read an article somewhere that made it *appear* that it would make more sense financially to buy a Ford F150 Lightning to be the "house battery" with one of those fancy 2-way charger thingies. Bonus is that you also have a EV pickup you can use for... you know - manly things.

ETA: I think this was the article: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/ford-f-150-lightning-pro-is-a-better-deal-than-a-tesla-powerwall-179807.html

 

[Toshi]

Why you make me think? And TVM plus your expected real RoR are critical to the calcs, because you need to factor the opportunity cost of you money. I used 3% indefinite Xcel electricity inflation and an 6% a/t & loan RoR.

Also, iirc, the buyback rate isn't the same as cost rate. And did you elect cash payout at eoy? Or credits into your account? That's really important too.

these are true things

but also keep in mind that this seems entertaining to do or at least plan so it's happenin'



(I net overproduce on the year at least prior to adding the EQB so only the inflation of the fixed Xcel fees would matter to me. Not sure what I picked initially but come time of use pricing I'll definitely pick the credits/"Solar Bank" option as the payout rate for excess production straight up is very low.)

Pretty sure you know this - but you can take any line that goes to Broadway from Union and transfer pretty painlessly to the D-Line there.

I'm still annoyed that they discontinued the C-Line which went directly from Union to Mineral.

yeah, Google Maps transit planner has me doing this. but I'm betting that riding the 10 blocks and going right to the D Line will be quicker overall, plus then not loading the heavy bike twice on the high floor trains.

I read an article somewhere that made it *appear* that it would make more sense financially to buy a Ford F150 Lightning to be the "house battery" with one of those fancy 2-way charger thingies. Bonus is that you also have a EV pickup you can use for... you know - manly things.

ETA: I think this was the article: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/ford-f-150-lightning-pro-is-a-better-deal-than-a-tesla-powerwall-179807.html

yeah, if the $40k one had ever materialized. and it was still eligible for me for Fed and ye olde $6k (it was $6k once upon a time) CO credit and some Xcel credits then it might have made sense. * also in a universe where 30% Fed + 10% state + local/utility incentives didn't exist to make the Powerwall cheaper in comparison.

come 5-10 years from now I most likely will have some sort of stupid electric pickup with a 150 kWh pack and vehicle to home if not grid capability, though. that's happening, I can foresee.

 

[Toshi]

Exclusive | Robert F. Kennedy Jr. press dinner explodes in war of words and farting

A verbal war broke out between two old-timers over climate change that led to one loudly farting at the table to express his disgust.

pagesix.com

worth reading beyond the amazing headline, too. people are so stupid.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Exclusive | Robert F. Kennedy Jr. press dinner explodes in war of words and farting

A verbal war broke out between two old-timers over climate change that led to one loudly farting at the table to express his disgust.

pagesix.com

worth reading beyond the amazing headline, too. people are so stupid.

Has he got a snakeskin around his neck?

 

[SkaredShtles]

Also: "(He also asked us to refer to him either as a “gallivanting boulevardier” or a “beer-fueled sex rocket.”)"



ETA: Beware the comments... do not venture there.

 

[Toshi]

Oppenheimer. it shall be seen.

small screen, projected on actual 35 mm film:

How you can watch ‘Oppenheimer’ on 35mm film in Denver

Movie fanatics all over the globe are preparing for July 21 when the two most highly anticipated blockbusters premiere in theaters, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” However, ther…

kdvr.com

large screen, IMAX Digital (which is 2K iirc) at Colorado Center. has benefit of opening up to the full aspect ratio on the shots intended for that.

almost as large screen, Dolby Cinema at Westminster AMC is probably the best way to go realistically... if there were a true IMAX 15/70 joint still around it'd make sense to see there

Large Formats – LF Examiner

lfexaminer.com

.

 

[Toshi]

Theaters – LF Examiner

lfexaminer.com

per that the Colorado Center one can do 1570 still! but the digital is older tech. time to find out if they're showing it actually on film. that'd rock.

 

[Toshi]

Theaters – LF Examiner

lfexaminer.com

per that the Colorado Center one can do 1570 still! but the digital is older tech. time to find out if they're showing it actually on film. that'd rock.

as I suspected

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

they're going to show it on their (2K, xenon lamp) digital side. didn't even get a print, which is 600 lb!

 

[SkaredShtles]

Oppenheimer. it shall be seen.

small screen, projected on actual 35 mm film:

How you can watch ‘Oppenheimer’ on 35mm film in Denver

Movie fanatics all over the globe are preparing for July 21 when the two most highly anticipated blockbusters premiere in theaters, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” However, ther…

kdvr.com

large screen, IMAX Digital (which is 2K iirc) at Colorado Center. has benefit of opening up to the full aspect ratio on the shots intended for that.

almost as large screen, Dolby Cinema at Westminster AMC is probably the best way to go realistically... if there were a true IMAX 15/70 joint still around it'd make sense to see there

Large Formats – LF Examiner

lfexaminer.com

.

Barbie is a "highly anticipated premier"?

 

[Toshi]

Seattle has a 1570 capable IMAX at the Pacific Science Center. but they're not getting film for it.

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

List of Confirmed Theaters Showing Oppenheimer on IMAX 70mm Film (USA)
Source: IMAX
Last Update: June 3, 2023

• Harkins Arizona Mills 25 – Tempe, AZ
• AMC Metreon 16 - San Francisco, CA
• Universal Cinema AMC at CityWalk Hollywood - Universal City, CA
• TCL Chinese Theater – Hollywood CA
• Regal Edwards Ontario Palace – Ontario, CA
• Regal Irvine Spectrum 21 – Irvine CA
• Esquire IMAX – Sacramento, CA
• Regal Hacienda Crossings – Dublin, CA
• AutoNation IMAX, Museum of Discovery & Science - Fort Lauderdale, FL
• Regal Mall of Georgia - Buford, GA
• IMAX Theatre at Indiana State Museum - Indianapolis, IN
• Chrysler IMAX Dome Theatre, Michigan Science Center – Detroit, MI
• Celebration! Cinema Grand Rapids North - Grand Rapids, MI
• AMC Lincoln Square 13 - New York, NY
• Regal UA King of Prussia - King of Prussia, PA
• Providence Place Cinemas 16 – Providence, RI
• AMC Rivercenter 11 - San Antonio, TX
• Cinemark 17 – Dallas, TX
• Regal Opry Mills – Nashville, TN

 

[Toshi]

I have mused about this very concept here before

These 'digital drive' bikes replace a bicycle chain with software

Ever heard of a “digital drive” bike? It might seem like a strange concept, but several companies are developing commercial...

electrek.co

makes sense. but on the other hand, merely shifting my cheap 9 speed drivetrain (with new road spacing Microshift cassette) on my e-commuter also accomplishes much of what they aim to do

 

[6thElement]

Definitely on my to watch list:

 

[canadmos]

Yeah I never go to the movies, but I shall go see that on IMAX.

Batman The Dark Knight and Interstellar were both awesome on IMAX.

 

[Toshi]

Yeah I never go to the movies, but I shall go see that on IMAX.

View attachment 197015

Batman The Dark Knight and Interstellar were both awesome on IMAX.

lucky. that is indeed one of the confirmed 1570 film IMAX locations!

Oppenheimer in IMAX 70mm

Experience Oppenheimer in IMAX 70mm Film only at the select locations listed below. Hurry, tickets are on sale now and only available for a limited time.

www.imax.com

 

[canadmos]

lucky. that is indeed one of the confirmed 1570 film IMAX locations!

Oppenheimer in IMAX 70mm

Experience Oppenheimer in IMAX 70mm Film only at the select locations listed below. Hurry, tickets are on sale now and only available for a limited time.

www.imax.com

Coincidentally I'm at this theater's plaza for dinner now. If the movie was out, I'd probably bail and go watch it instead.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Just out of curiosity - why the interest in seeing this movie on a big screen?

 

[6thElement]

Just out of curiosity - why the interest in seeing this movie on a big screen?

Not from me

I'll watch it when it's available to be "acquired" online for viewing.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Not from me

I'll watch it when it's available to be "acquired" online for viewing.

After watching the trailer... that's where I landed. Is there some visual stuff I'm missing?

 

[Toshi]

After watching the trailer... that's where I landed. Is there some visual stuff I'm missing?

it's Christopher Nolan. he shoots bigly. in film IMAX format. it'll be a bigly experience on a bigly screen

 

[SkaredShtles]

it's Christopher Nolan. he shoots bigly. in film IMAX format. it'll be a bigly experience on a bigly screen

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Westy]

After watching the trailer... that's where I landed. Is there some visual stuff I'm missing?

Like all good movies the best part is the explosive climax, and Oppy was known to have a big one.

 

[Toshi]

a multi-post

1) New smaht meters got installed randomly today as the Xcel contractor apparently went down the whole block. Two are showing time an hour off (not great when this is for time of use pricing! I called them to open a ticket).

main, a GE I-210+ non-C. CL 200 means rated for up to 200A continuous demand, so again my main panel is probably 200A. FM2S means "Form 2S", for single phase 3-wire, and 3W similarly is 3 wires. I'm not 100% certain this one was replaced. I searched through nearly a year of photos and didn't see one of the meter before so who knows.

I'm not sure why it's not the I-210+c given this is a smart meter application hmm

two ones, one for each PV system. these appear to be new indeed. they are OpenWay Centron units, which use the itron network to communicate I guess? one was giving "error 4". these are the ones with the time an hour off.

2) along the lines of adding the U-shaped window AC to the little kids' room, I added a standard-shaped AC window unit with built in heat pump to the garage, since it be all hot in there

94 heats. not sure if this is measured at the keypad or the opener

before and after. it's not a wide window. the unit fits fine. had to jerryrig the side things a bit. it uses the same app as the one in the girls' room. in the winter its heat pump functionality will be employed: normally I use a little resistive heater but this should be more efficient, because heat pump. I think it works down to 41F outside.

The new ostensibly road bike cassette has its high end gears spaced 1 tooth apart: 11,12,13,14,16,18,21,24,28t. I was wrong above with the numbers but the idea is the same Note the muck on the old cassette only on the small cogs: I pretty much exclusively ride in the second from highest gear on the old cassette so should be able to replicate that on the new one for sure

3) the road cassette on my commuter e-bike as pictured above is great. I use the 11, 12, 13, 14, and 16 tooth gears at various points in my commute. much approve, and it was cheap. just required the new e-bike specific tools before I could pop it on.

4) drew fully upon my Denver HELOC (the $200k one drawn $72.1k or something like that for the first batch of renovation payments) as an update email on the house (washer/dryer layout had to be changed a bit on second floor due to wiring in the walls) read "Erica will also be working on invoicing and get that over to you this week", which I take to mean that $$$$$ will be due imminently.

having the money in my money market account will lose me money in that I'm paying prime - 0.74% or whatever on the drawn down HELOC while only earning 3.30% in money market. but it will let me pay the bills on my credit card then pay that balance down immediately. depending on exactly how big these bills are I might have to do this in two transaction/payoff/transaction/payoff mini cycles over a few days. we shall see. either way I have more debt, wheeee

 

[Toshi]

another multi-post

1) the wall mounting service that Handy.com provided apparently involved using a drywall anchor instead of finding an actual stud. the mount pulled out of the wall at one corner (thankfully not dropping the TV, just lowering it down to the console below it). they will not stand behind their service since it was past 30 days:

I replied, hoping to get them to fix it:

They didn't mount it in a stud. I could not have possibly known this within 30 days, and only found out when it failed. Please escalate this to your supervisor to see if the policy can be overridden here. See attached photo: that's not in a stud. They used a drywall anchor, apparently. Shoddy work, and I'll be happy to spread the word about the quality of work if you guys can't address this.

In the meantime I'm getting the LG stand mount for the TV (the G series doesn't come with it--they push wall mounting), and assuming my attempt to get Handy to do something fails I'll return the wall mount to Costco. hmph.

2) gonna try sharpening my Shun santoku. got stones. soaking 'em now, will try my hand at honing the edge later. If I parsed @Adventurous right from earlier months' posts, my Shun is a Japanese name but has a German style 25 degree bevel as stock. not that I'm going to have much accuracy in estimating that anyway...

3) as planned, carted the elder two kids down to camp in Lowry. they're getting big: we still were within maybe 10# of the rear section weight limit with them, their clothes, and their camp gear in backpacks in the panniers, but starting and stopping takes a bit of concentration (and downshifting for sure!). the route also wasn't great as forecast, with the section on Syracuse being actually fine wrt case and the painted on bike lane, but a pain because of the associated stoplights. experience gained, some exercise had, and we all arrived safely at our destinations.

(we did pass a ghost bike memorial on Syracuse, so I got to explain to the kids that that wasn't just artwork...)

note grumpy face on 10 year old pre-teen Mariko. she was grumpy because the sun was bright. which it is

they appear so much lower than me because 22" wheels on the e-cargo to lower the platform for stability. which I appreciate. they are enough to handle at that height.

 

[Toshi]

they're getting big: we still were within maybe 10# of the rear section weight limit with them, their clothes, and their camp gear in backpacks in the panniers

looking this up for my own reference:

Payload Capacity	350 lb
Rear Rack Capacity	120 lb

I was 196 lb this morning. kids are about 70 lb and 50 lb, respectively. their helmets/clothes/camp gear/panniers probably added another 15 lb. call my clothing + helmet another 5 lb.

so we were over the rear rack rating just a bit, but under the total payload.

recall that the rear section is quite beefily constructed. this is an old photo. since then:

- got the second front seat pad (sales guy didn't remember I'd need two for the longtail)
- dropper added instead of telescoping post, real WTB saddle instead of poofy nonsense one
- stem/bars/grips/brake levers all replaced for better ergonomics and braking performance (stock levers had oddly huge reach and terrible pivot geometry, just bad all around)

I also cleaned off the winter-time scuzz off the epoxied garage floor in the interim, too.

 

[Toshi]

drew fully upon my Denver HELOC (the $200k one drawn $72.1k or something like that for the first batch of renovation payments) as an update email on the house (washer/dryer layout had to be changed a bit on second floor due to wiring in the walls) read "Erica will also be working on invoicing and get that over to you this week", which I take to mean that $$$$$ will be due imminently.

having the money in my money market account will lose me money in that I'm paying prime - 0.74% or whatever on the drawn down HELOC while only earning 3.30% in money market. but it will let me pay the bills on my credit card then pay that balance down immediately. depending on exactly how big these bills are I might have to do this in two transaction/payoff/transaction/payoff mini cycles over a few days. we shall see. either way I have more debt, wheeee

as with the last one I did, they approve $10k and then hold the rest for their anti-fraud team to go over it, or to internally shuffle assets or whatever. haven't gotten an invoice from the renovation lady's firm so this should work out well in terms of not having an extended amount of time with a huge (albeit transient) credit card balance.

 

[Toshi]

update email on the house (washer/dryer layout had to be changed a bit on second floor due to wiring in the walls)

current plans as being built out for the loft area --> master suite at the mountain house. that process is going along as planned.

meanwhile the deck reinforcement idea appears to be 100% dead in the water with the current crew. plans as submitted to the county were not complete, and my efforts to get the engineer and the county guy to hash it out together apparently never resulted in anything. so no building permit # yet alone a permit, no permit, no HOA approval, no actual buildable plans for the deck reinforcement, let along a cost or contractor to actually build 'em.

(recall that the hot tub that was for there is the one that'll be plopped down in our back yard in Denver after the electrical (July 24-25) and concrete (July 26-27) work gets done. we're on vacation after that so the actual hot tub being wheeled in there on its side and hooked up might be mid August in reality.)

 

[Toshi]

these are the days to Install All of the Window Air Conditioning Units +/- heat pump

this one is a 12.2k BTU GE Profile Clearview. its gimmick is it's an over the window design. AC only, no heat pump.

we have very deep sills due to the R-38 walls but it adjusts sufficiently

installed

unfortunately it kinda sucks. it has rumbly and occasional rattly sounds when it runs and it wouldn't connect to the GE app despite me holding down that Wifi button on it again and again. I shall show it to the wife and then pack it up to return to Amazon, methinks

Toshi Clark (@toshi.clark) on Threads

Mid day project: install a GE Profile Clearview over the window sill AC unit in our bedroom. (We have central air but some of the upstairs rooms get hotter as it’s single zone, and I’m apparently in a mood to buy all of the AC units. No heat pump on this one but fancy design) We have very deep...

www.threads.net

video of it rumbling

 

[canadmos]

It sounds like it just has a cheap offbalanced fan inside of it.

 

[Toshi]

It sounds like it just has a cheap offbalanced fan inside of it.

Yeah. For $580 from GE I expected better.

 

[Toshi]

Shrimp and grits with an over easy egg was excellent at Tupelo Honey tonight.

 

[Toshi]

one of these days y'all will log into this thread I and I will have impulse-bought an electric bus. early ones coming off fleet service now popping up for sale!

2012 Proterra Ecoride BE35 4x2 33-Seat Electric Transport Bus

Air Conditioner, Wheelchair Ramp

www.ironplanet.com

2012 Proterra Ecoride BE35 4x2 33-Seat Electric Transport Bus

Air Conditioner, Wheelchair Ramp

www.ironplanet.com

but it won't be a Proterra EcoRide BE35 like these two

https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/Proterra_EcoRide_BE35

because "The EcoRide BE35 can travel up to 30 miles before the lithium ion batteries need to be recharged. The batteries are recharged through Proterra's Fast Fill charging station, where recharging takes ten minutes.[1]"

30 miles! wow.

 

[Toshi]

instead it'd be something like the MCI one, which I do believe I've posted about years ago in this thread:

https://www.mcicoach.com/mci-j4500-charge-a-luxury-electric-coach-ready-for-north-america/
https://www.mcicoach.com/site-content/uploads/2021/12/MCI-Electric-Series-Brochure.pdf
https://www.mcicoach.com/coach/electric-series/specs/

544 kWh! 260 kW power, 3,320 ft-lb (!!) torque. amusingly only "150+" kW CCS fast charging.

230 miles of range. max speed of 72 mph. 54,000 GVWR with a 17k front axle, 24k on the drive, 16.5k on the steerable tag axle. 45k curb weight against that GVWR so some payload to work with for a conversion. a touch over 45' length rolling on a 315" front-to-drive wheelbase.

the variant with the extra middle door that opens to a low floor looks promising... but hunting down interior shots shows that this is a compliance design entirely to work in an area to stow a wheelchair user in a little vestibule. (plus it doesn't have a lavatory.)

some day... probably not. :lol: but that'd be super cool. no slides and would have to find a company to build out the interior because I'm not doing that. but 200+ mile range, electric. a BUS. that'd be cool.

 

[6thElement]

Can some of your tax dollars hurry up and repave the Grand County side of Berthoud Pass?