Brilliant UFO abduction lamp.
Your blood puddle pillows are in.
Clean your dishwasher with Lemonade Kool-Aid.
Clever light bulb design.
Days Ago digital day counters are small gadgets that attach to your food containers via suction and magnets to keep a running count of how many days ago you put your leftovers in the fridge.
Scrabble furniture.
Handy way to skip all the intro crap on DVDs that is usually forced on you when you throw a disc in your player. Apparently the chapters on DVDs that you can't skip (FBI warnings, copyright stuff, etc.) are flagged, on the disc, as UOP, or User Operation Prohibited. This site lists some of the techniques you can try to skip the ennui.
This colour coordinated bookshelf looks cool, but you might have a hard time finding a particular title.
For chewie edge lovers or corner brownie fans - it's the Edge Brownie Pan. All edges, all the time. Via BoingBoing
Puzzle carpet.
This to That is a handy site that will tell you what adhesive to use when attempting to glue various objects together.
Super creative bathroom tiles.
Skinny house in Brazil.
Apparently there are many LED lightbulbs available already. Via TreeHugger
WiiRoomba. YouTube of a guy controlling his Roomba with a Wii remote.
Hardcore Lost fans have a party and repackage the snacks and beer as Dharma Initiative rations. Make your own with the PDFs that they've so generously shared.
Here's a nice set of home improvement videos with the energetic and snappy Eric Stromer.
Faucet Fountain turns your regular faucet into a drinking fountain.
Kids and the Home Office. Here's a list of tips for the parent that works from home.
Save the Internet.
Your blood puddle pillows are in.
Clean your dishwasher with Lemonade Kool-Aid.
Clever light bulb design.
Days Ago digital day counters are small gadgets that attach to your food containers via suction and magnets to keep a running count of how many days ago you put your leftovers in the fridge.
Scrabble furniture.
Handy way to skip all the intro crap on DVDs that is usually forced on you when you throw a disc in your player. Apparently the chapters on DVDs that you can't skip (FBI warnings, copyright stuff, etc.) are flagged, on the disc, as UOP, or User Operation Prohibited. This site lists some of the techniques you can try to skip the ennui.
This colour coordinated bookshelf looks cool, but you might have a hard time finding a particular title.
For chewie edge lovers or corner brownie fans - it's the Edge Brownie Pan. All edges, all the time. Via BoingBoing
Puzzle carpet.
This to That is a handy site that will tell you what adhesive to use when attempting to glue various objects together.
Super creative bathroom tiles.
Skinny house in Brazil.
Apparently there are many LED lightbulbs available already. Via TreeHugger
WiiRoomba. YouTube of a guy controlling his Roomba with a Wii remote.
Hardcore Lost fans have a party and repackage the snacks and beer as Dharma Initiative rations. Make your own with the PDFs that they've so generously shared.
Here's a nice set of home improvement videos with the energetic and snappy Eric Stromer.
Faucet Fountain turns your regular faucet into a drinking fountain.
Kids and the Home Office. Here's a list of tips for the parent that works from home.
Save the Internet.
More Info on the Vulcanus MK4 Microwave Hot Water Heater
Looks like the people from Pulsar Advanced Technologies, the inventors of the Vulcanus MK4 (now apparently the "Mark 4")microwave based hot water heater, have updated their website, adding some details on the unit:The Vulcanus Mark 4, is a state of the art microwave hot water delivery system for the 21st Century. It is a containment field otherwise known as a Faraday box, much like the ones used in your microwave oven at home. The unit size is 24x14x7.5 and weighs only 20lbs. It was designed to save on construction costs, as a boiler room is no longer necessary but was made esthetically appealing so that it could fit as a “stand alone” fixture. Its compact size allows the Contractor, Plumber or Developer the versatility to place the unit as close or as distant to the water outlets as is desirable.
Also, some details from the gas to microwave comparison page:
It looks the company will be showcasing the Mark 4 at the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas in May, 2006.
Many Choices of Instant On Demand Hot Water Heater Units
Apparently there are quite a few options in the on-demand, instant hot water department! We've seen the Quooker instant boiling water faucet, as well as the very interesting but not-yet-available Vulcanus MK4 microwave based hot water heater. There is also Chronomite Tankless, as well as Niagara Industries whole house tankless hot water heater. If you're browsing, Froogle produces no shortage.With ever increasing energy costs, and given that traditional water heaters account for up to 20-30% of a homes energy use, tankless water heaters are becoming more attractive to homeowners.
The US Department of Energy has some information on tankless water heaters, including a section on whether the devices would work in your home. From the site:
For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, demand water heaters can be 24%–34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. They can be 8%–14% more energy efficient for homes that use a lot of hot water—around 86 gallons per day. You can achieve even greater energy savings of 27%–50% if you install a demand water heater at each hot water outlet.
Update on the Vulcanus MK4 Microwave Water Heater
In the original post about the Vulcanus MK4 microwave based water heater, the Pulsar Advanced Technologies website found in the Globe and Mail article turned out to be a work in progress. It looks as though the Pulsar Advanced Technologies people have another website, found here. Website number two has some actual information on the Vulcanus MK4, including a FAQ and a tiny picture, seen here. Apparently PAT, as I call them, are developing two models: To begin with, we have two models whose function is to deliver two temperatures to several points of use. The first model has the capabilities to go from 35F-140F within seconds and supply multiple outlets concurrently. That is to say that this base model can service a bath/shower, and all other household faucets endlessly. The second model is equally fluid, but through a secondary thermostat control will deliver water at a higher temperature to service dishwashers and washing machines along with the various bathroom and kitchen amenities.
Stay tuned...
Categories: efficiency green electricity invention energy water heater vulcanus mk4 ondemand
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New Microwave Based Water Heater Announced
It's all about instant hot water these days. According to Canada's Globe and Mail, a company called Pulsar Advanced Technologies is about to announce a product that uses microwave technology to instantly heat hot water. According to the article, the Vulcanus MK4 "can heat water from 35 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit in seconds and can source multiple applications at once: showers, dishwasher, sink usages and more. The Vulcanus MK4 is the size of a stereo speaker with a sleek modern look, making it ideal for condos and apartments, while powerful enough to serve the needs of any size family." This is exciting news for anyone tired of being at the mercy of natural gas prices, not to mention those just looking to reduce their energy footprint.
Instant Boiling Tap Water
Quooker sells a nice looking product that produces instant boiling water, straight from the tap. The faucet draws the boiling water from an insulated tank mounted underneath the counter, where water is heated to 110°C. As the water flows from the faucet, it cools to 100°C. Quooker says that the unit's energy consumption is "next to nothing" in standby mode. I wonder if it would melt one of these. Caution! The boiling water you are about to enjoy is hot...
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