| Good morning Michigan. Today is Money Saving Monday, June 29, 2009.
I was looking around for some inexpensive alternative energy stuff, and I came across Colorado Solar Systems. These guys sell portable solar space heaters.
The space heater is hand crafted, and I believe it is built when ordered. It sits in a south facing window, and works like this -
... when the sun is bright the panel collects heat from the sun and gets very hot, 140-170 degrees. When the thermostat inside the panel detects a temperature of 120 degrees or more, the fan will automatically turn on which will draw room temperature air into and through the panel and return the warmer air into the room. When the panel cools to 90 or below the fan will shut off.
I was actually around for inexpensive solar panels that would charge batteries, but I didn't find anything that was affordable. Except for do-it-yourself solar panels, which was a little bit more than I wanted to get into right now. But these space heaters are nice, and could save you some money in the winter.
Anyone make these in Michigan?
Answer to Friday's Michigan trivia:
Depglass!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I...
Iron Mountain was once a mining city when the Chapin Mine was up and running. ...
The original land was very swampy and filled with trees. To get rid of all this water the Chapin Mine Pumping Engine was created.
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The engine itself rises 54 feet (16 m) above the floor of the room. The designers estimate the weight to be 725 tons over all.
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The Chapin Mine Pumping Engine (Cornish Pump) was designated as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Monument by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers on June 6, 1987 and has been featured in the History Channel's Modern Marvels Series on the World's Biggest Machines.
Today's Michigan trivia:
Between 1854-1927, 12,500 of these were shipped in to Michigan, from New York City and the Boston area. The first arrived in Dowagiac, in September 1854, on the Michigan Central Railroad.
Today in Michigan history:
1863 - George Armstrong Custer is appointed to command the Michigan Cavalry Brigade.
Raised in Monroe, Michigan, George Armstrong Custer graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1861. Serving as a junior officer for the first two years of the Civil War, Custer-and two other junior officers-were promoted to brigadier general in late June 1863. The unique move was intended to instill élan in the Army of the Potomac's cavalry command, which was often bested by Rebel cavalry.
Custer received command of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade, which consisted of four regiments of Michigan cavalrymen. Several days later, Custer and his command played a key role in stopping Rebel efforts to break the center of the Union line in the third day of the Battle of Gettysburg. Via Michigan History Magazine
Signe Wilkinson:
That's it. Enjoy Monday! |
