chris.pirillo.com – What’s better than an iPod speaker dock powered by solar energy? The answer would be a solar powered iPod speaker dock with 8 speakers. This is what you’ll find in the NSP500B Soulra XL Sound System by Eton. The Soultra XL connects to your iPhone or iPod and gives you incredible sound with no annoying power cable to lug around. A 72 square inch enhanced monocrystal solar panel produces enough energy to charge its rechargeable lithium ion battery pack and your device at the same time. You can pick one of these up here: go.tagjag.com chris.pirillo.com http twitter.com
www.permies.com The first solar dehydrator is shown by robert and marina at dell artimus farm. The solar heat comes from a heated panel at the bottom, and there is a black chimney at the top that creates a draw. They use a stainless steel screen. The dryer is a year and a half old. They have dried beans, flowers, cherries, grapes (raisins), kale, walnuts and apples. They tried some tomatoes, but those ended up as pig food. Matt at feral farm shows a “down draft solar dehydrator.” The solar heat enters at the top and then goes down. Because as it gathers moisture, the solar heated air gets heavier. He has nettles in there. Mark Vander Meer, of wildland conservation service in Missoula, Montana shows off his solar food dehydrator still loaded with dried plums. Those plums have been in there all fall, winter and most of the spring. He talks about trying to dry fruit with electric food dehydrators and how expensive that was. This solar dehydrator also uses the down draft technique. He says plums take three days and apples take a day and a half. These are all passive systems. There are no fans. Relevant threads at permies www.permies.com www.permies.com www.permies.com music by Jimmy Pardo
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etoncorp says:
September 18, 2011 at 11:27 am (UTC 0)
@myawesomeapps Hey Cesar – “Solider Knows Best” also did a review of the Soulra XL and called the sound quality “impressive” and said it did get “really really loud.” He did say the bass could be a bit better, but overall, he thought it was great. You can search for his review here on YouTube. Just search “Soulra XL Soldier Knows Best” — he talks about it around the 2 minute mark. Thanks — and thanks, Sir Pirillo for an excellent review of the Soulra XL!
myawesomeapps says:
September 18, 2011 at 11:46 am (UTC 0)
How is the sound quality and is it loud? please reply. I’m really looking into buying this.
CarpaceEater says:
September 18, 2011 at 12:03 pm (UTC 0)
@lockergnome the why not a very drunk raj?
wilson809isback says:
September 18, 2011 at 1:01 pm (UTC 0)
I wonder what would happen If you lived somewhere where there is 24hour sunlight?
billy6540 says:
September 18, 2011 at 1:54 pm (UTC 0)
@lockergnome – Not Howard my ass.
Mvito91 says:
September 18, 2011 at 2:06 pm (UTC 0)
@GhamTk WRONG! Im suggesting a second possibility to charge the phone, next to being charged by cable. Solar cell iphone will enhance the battery life, and thats what im sayin! Bro!
ivarsrini says:
September 18, 2011 at 2:10 pm (UTC 0)
Show us your girlfriend
lockergnome says:
September 18, 2011 at 2:13 pm (UTC 0)
@17sTHEM17 – I am NOT Howard.
lockergnome says:
September 18, 2011 at 2:54 pm (UTC 0)
@duraso809 – What?
lockergnome says:
September 18, 2011 at 3:30 pm (UTC 0)
@danielelicker – Thank you?
GhamTk says:
September 18, 2011 at 4:21 pm (UTC 0)
@Mvito91 if it died in your pocket though you would have no way to get calls….also you usually put your hand over the back of the phone where the solar panels would be
danielelicker says:
September 18, 2011 at 4:29 pm (UTC 0)
hopefully you will take no offence to this(hopefully you Mr. Pirillo will take it as a compliment, but your girlfriend has a very sexy voice, congratulations
duraso809 says:
September 18, 2011 at 4:37 pm (UTC 0)
christ smoke?
MJElectronics says:
September 18, 2011 at 4:53 pm (UTC 0)
Nice dock for the park in the summer
jowillkit says:
September 18, 2011 at 4:58 pm (UTC 0)
looks good
Madmarb2k8 says:
September 18, 2011 at 5:34 pm (UTC 0)
wow! i was going to make one of these in school hahaha
17sTHEM17 says:
September 18, 2011 at 6:24 pm (UTC 0)
Howard and his girlfriend from THE BIG BANG THEORY
RIGHT !?
2muchjpop says:
September 18, 2011 at 6:24 pm (UTC 0)
wat was that hot, seductive voice?!
bashar876 says:
September 18, 2011 at 6:36 pm (UTC 0)
this shit dont work in sweden!!!!!
bashar876 says:
September 18, 2011 at 6:56 pm (UTC 0)
1:16 wtf! IS HE DANCING?
JohnHelgeK says:
September 18, 2011 at 7:07 pm (UTC 0)
CHRIS YOU’LL GET SEWED FOR PLAYING THAT SONG!!
Mvito91 says:
September 18, 2011 at 7:58 pm (UTC 0)
@GhamTk I know! Once u get it out to use it, it starts charging 🙂
kristofergvenetadze says:
September 18, 2011 at 8:38 pm (UTC 0)
why is someone snorring in the background ???!! :DDD
TheDuskPhantom says:
September 18, 2011 at 9:07 pm (UTC 0)
@ZeroC0ol1989 haha I can imagine the ad. white background with the word “iPanel.” Dont forget the period :D.
ZeroC0ol1989 says:
September 18, 2011 at 10:03 pm (UTC 0)
@TheDuskPhantom
Well I’m sure Apple knows a way to present it so that everybody wants it 😉
TheLeslie244 says:
September 18, 2011 at 10:41 pm (UTC 0)
I wonder if thi would work up here in Alaska…..
katekaterinake says:
September 18, 2011 at 11:32 pm (UTC 0)
the reporter is funny!
TheCatfishClayton says:
September 18, 2011 at 11:51 pm (UTC 0)
What if you used that draft to power a sort of wind mill thingy???
deadlyyellowrose says:
September 19, 2011 at 12:37 am (UTC 0)
Is there a way to build a smaller version?!
teddy0072 says:
September 19, 2011 at 1:12 am (UTC 0)
This is great! Thank you, Paul.
TranshumanCyborg says:
September 19, 2011 at 2:10 am (UTC 0)
I bet you could use it to dry clothes too
paulwheaton12 says:
September 19, 2011 at 2:58 am (UTC 0)
@GreedIsYourGod you could start a thread at permies for whatever types of videos you want. I try to keep most of my personal rants in articles or podcasts.
GreedIsYourGod says:
September 19, 2011 at 3:17 am (UTC 0)
Paul, Thank You for doing these videos! I know they are fun, but it is also a valuable service very much needed in this world right now! We do realize they take valuable time out of your life to do them. Tell me (I don’t remember seeing it) but is there an indexed pointer section on Permies that points to not just your’s but other good stream-able Permie type videos?) Also could you do a video update of your personal favorite Permie resources?
Bi11Compton says:
September 19, 2011 at 4:06 am (UTC 0)
These are great. Excellent use for solar!
Bi11Compton says:
September 19, 2011 at 4:25 am (UTC 0)
These are great. Excellent use for solar!
cantecleer says:
September 19, 2011 at 5:01 am (UTC 0)
— these are very cool. I had never considered the downdraft/gathering of moisture aspect to this kind of solar heating application. awesome^^
vutEwa says:
September 19, 2011 at 5:59 am (UTC 0)
way cool!!!
EKWisner says:
September 19, 2011 at 6:25 am (UTC 0)
Very cool!
paulwheaton12 says:
September 19, 2011 at 6:25 am (UTC 0)
@My10Acres come ask your question at permies.com and I’ll see if I can get some pics posted there.
My10Acres says:
September 19, 2011 at 6:51 am (UTC 0)
Any source for the plans, or at least a cut away drawing? I’m having trouble visualizing the downdraft in my head.
10kids100 says:
September 19, 2011 at 7:07 am (UTC 0)
So glad he mentioned how much it cost to run his electric dehydrator….plus doing so many large trays at once! Putting this on the project list.
monteros says:
September 19, 2011 at 7:31 am (UTC 0)
totally awesome!
amberb57 says:
September 19, 2011 at 8:27 am (UTC 0)
I knew that cat was going to get in there! LOL
heyerstandards says:
September 19, 2011 at 9:26 am (UTC 0)
Ingenious! Thanks for posting all the neat info.
MrOffGrid says:
September 19, 2011 at 10:17 am (UTC 0)
Ive built mine using beer cans painted black in a panel that feeds into a cabinet I built out of scrap wood, painted black. but I put a white corrugated plastic roof on top thinking that the white top would be cooler than the bottom and get the heat to travel up and out the vents on the top kinda like the top on the last dryer, I havent really gotten to fill it up cause I built it last winter. i have dryed some bananas and strawberries in it, hope to fill it up with peaches this year!
ksrasg says:
September 19, 2011 at 10:54 am (UTC 0)
I would love to see plan too
jedesignz says:
September 19, 2011 at 11:45 am (UTC 0)
Great Video as always Paul. You always seem give me something to think and drool about.
carltonhobbs says:
September 19, 2011 at 12:09 pm (UTC 0)
You should have had a thermometer to test the heat range, or ask them if they have done so. Very nice though.
KayakFisher01 says:
September 19, 2011 at 12:26 pm (UTC 0)
Wow, those dehydrators have a lot of drying space. The first one didn’t look so big until he opened the door and with 8 trays, minus the cat, it looks like more than 45 square feet of drying room. Very nice.
MrRob5001 says:
September 19, 2011 at 1:09 pm (UTC 0)
Thanks for the video. Great information.