PLUMBING UP MOTHER'S SOLAR FURNACE

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Then, after you've pieced together the plumbing to and from the boom, cover it with insulation (you may have to cut this material into sections to make it fit properly) and tie the segments around the pipe with the metal strips provided. Next fasten the conduit-and-insulation assembly to the gimbal frame with several sections of hanger strap, and cover the hydratilic hoses with wired-in-place rubber pipe insulation.

THE FINAL TOUCHES

To offset the weight of the boom-and-steam-generator assembly, put a cinder block or two in the counterbalance tray below the gimbal frame (you might have to experiment to get the balance just right). With this ballast in place, hook the two helical springs together and fasten them through the eyebolt on one of the frame arms. When that's done, tie your drive rope to the free end of the spring, then thread the cord through the block pulley, between the idler wheels and around the drive pulley, and over to the eyebolt at the tip of the opposite mounting tripod. Pull the rope taut, and tie it to the ring

The next step is to fasten the two sunrise/sunset control switches onto the face of the small triangle that constitutes part of the furnace's base. To do this, attach—in a fixed horizontal position—the control arm and hub assembly (detailed in MOTHER NO. 55, pages 93-95) to the gimbal frame's lower axle. Then cut two 3" lengths of perforated hanger strap bolt the switches to each section of metal "belt", and attach the straps to the angle-iron base ... positioning the switches about 1-1/2 inches below the ends of the control arms. With this type of arrangement, you can easily adjust the system by bending the hanger strap as required.

Once the control switches are installed to your satisfaction, mount the phototransistor switch housing, which was described in MOTHER NO. 55. Bend your 12" piece of shelf bracket into a right angle, and—using the holes predrilled in this metal channel—fasten the bracket to the threaded guy wire mount eyebolt in the front left-hand corner of the mirror frame. Now simply drill a couple of holes in the sheet-metal housing and attach the box to the upright section of shelf bracket with two small bolts.

POSITION THE MIRROR FRAME ...

Because the sun's position in the sky changes with the seasons, it's necessary to adjust the mirror frame on its axis every few weeks. To do this, stand below the boom mounting plate when the sun is at its zenith (at midday) and lengthen or shorten the elevation control chain as necessary ... while sighting down the length of the boom. When the steam generator housing blocks the sunlight's glare, the mirror frame is adjusted correctly (you could also check this "aim" by making sure the housing casts a shadow directly in the center of the mirror frame).

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