Unfortunately having some technical difficulties up there. The batteries died in the Reconyx camera that has the best point of view so haven't gotten any pics from it in a few weeks. It also takes one status pic a day even with no motion. Those are the pics I always use to compare. I do have a second camera that triggers off the windmill motion but it only captures approx half the lake.

Still have HUGE news! Never kept holes open this long!! EVER, and this ain't no easy year!! We have had a hell of a year for snow so far. I think we are sitting at ~140% of normal. We had a storm come in one week that shut the power down almost completely for a week! Then another storm after that. In the past this would have been the exact thing that would have created doming and the holes in the ice would have been gone for the rest of the winter. Instead, this year as soon as the power came back on, the holes around the pipes opened right back up immediately. Not only did the holes reopen but they continued to grow larger for weeks afterwards. The only diffuser that does not have a pipe is the quad. The only diffuser that does not have a hole open in the ice is the quad! The quad is suspended by a large buoy. This was done for two reason. One, it is suspended over very deep water and a pipe would have been difficult. Two, I wanted to see if a buoy was capable of disrupting the ice dome formation. Then I would not need pipes sticking out of the water. Well the buoy has failed and the pipes have been a huge success.

Another huge proof of the pipe concept is the windmill hole. That windmill is 7 years old now. It needs a new diaphram. It does not put out as much air as when it was new. The difference in the plume from new to now is substantial. Yet this is the first year EVER the windmill has kept a hole open ALL winter so far and it is doing it in a year with ~140%ish of normal snowfall. For the record, in the past the windmill diffuser was sitting at 5' deep with no pipe. This year the windmill diffuser is suspended from a pipe 12" below the water surface. I wasn't sure how 12" would do up there. I mean last year we measured the ice at three feet thick. I had no idea what would happen to a diffuser at 12" deep. However, this is all one big experiment so I figured what the hell, let's see. So far it is a huge success!!! Yes, it's a small hole, but the important part to me is the concept works with a broke down mill. OWS has a replacement compressor head for the windmill that supposedly cranks out 4.5CFM. After these results I NOW feel confident that would not be wasted money. Slap that sucker on my tower next year and boom, much bigger hole. Maybe they need an extreme conditions Beta tester!! My neighbors weather station recorded 87mph winds. Mine recorded 45mph winds. laugh

Next steps are figuring out 24/7 winter run time. That would mean more panels, bigger batteries and maybe a compressor change for winter. I also want more CFM in summer. Thinking maybe a second solar rig. Maybe direct drive or maybe battery back up.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


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