[Noisebridge-discuss] 1. Re: Electricity usage at the space is up UP UP

Danny O'Brien danny at spesh.com
Sun Jun 26 00:56:20 UTC 2011


On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 4:38 PM, aestetix aestetix <aestetix at gmail.com>wrote:

> Is the electrical usage a concern, or just an observation?
>
> If there have been an influx of new people, and you (the general you) see
> someone around, why not ask them if they've considered putting in a
> membership application? I wonder how many people come by and don't even know
> they can become a member, and have no idea how to contribute towards the
> space.
>

The answer is *lots*. And the biggest confusion is that *you don't need to
become a full member to donate*. Lots of people don't want to become a full
member, which can be a little long-winded, but still want to give something
to Noisebridge and the community. You can set up a monthly donation for
$10/mo<https://www.paypal.com/subscriptions/business=treasurer@noisebridge.net&item_name=Noisebridge%20Monthly%20Donation%20%28Affiliate%20Member%29&cy_code=USD&a3=10&p3=1&t3=M&src=1>
$20/mo<https://www.paypal.com/subscriptions/business=treasurer@noisebridge.net&item_name=Noisebridge%20Monthly%20Donation%20%28Affiliate%20Member%29&cy_code=USD&a3=20&p3=1&t3=M&src=1>
$40/mo<https://www.paypal.com/subscriptions/business=treasurer@noisebridge.net&item_name=Noisebridge%20Monthly%20Donation%20%28Affiliate%20Hacker%29&cy_code=USD&a3=40&p3=1&t3=M&src=1>
$80/mo<https://www.paypal.com/subscriptions/business=treasurer@noisebridge.net&item_name=Noisebridge%20Monthly%20Donation%20%28Affiliate%29&cy_code=USD&a3=80&p3=1&t3=M&src=1>or
any
amount you like <https://www.noisebridge.net/wiki/Donate_or_Pay_Dues>.

I was thinking about creating a little (physical) card explaining this,
because I think the social awkwardness of asking people to donate is hard to
overcome without a bit of help. Anyone a designer who would like to help
with this?

d.



>
> On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 4:11 PM, Danny O'Brien <danny at spesh.com> wrote:
>
>> On Sat, Jun 25, 2011 at 10:24 AM, rachel lyra hospodar <
>> rachelyra at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> If anything I would say overall use of the sewing machines has declined
>>> over the last year; it used to be much harder to get time on the single
>>> needle.
>>>
>>> In the last year we have acquired some big hogs:
>>> -vending machine
>>> -second fridge
>>> -lazor
>>>
>>> As well as, in my estimation, slightly increasing kitchen use and
>>> steadily increasingly large numbers of people that are soldering on
>>> mondays.  Also, just MORE users. If we are charging 20 more laptops every
>>> week that could add up, no?
>>>
>>> IMNSHO all commendable uses of the space (well, except maybe the vending
>>> machine, curious what the ROI is there when it's adjusted for power
>>> consumption).
>>>
>>>
>> The vending machine actually brings in a fair amount of money.
>>
>> Just to clarify, we're not really looking at a huge increase here: I don't
>> think we have to change much at all to accommodate it.
>>
>> As you say, creating affordances for people to give us money is the most
>> obvious one.
>>
>> d.
>>
>>
>> Maybe we can find a way to blame the hippies.
>>>
>>> Maybe we can find a way to more prominently solicit donations.
>>>
>>> mediumreality.com
>>> On Jun 24, 2011 6:27 PM, "Bruce Wolfe" <brucewolfe.sf at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> > How about WiFi webcams with white LEDs pointing onto the meters? Then
>>> you
>>> > can walk around the space with a smartphone even, unplugging devices
>>> and
>>> > don't need the additional humans in the creepy basement.
>>> >
>>> > How many new servers were installed lately, too? Remember, that data
>>> centers
>>> > charge for rackspace based on power consumption.
>>> >
>>> > I have to say that kitchen appliances and anything that is AC motorized
>>> will
>>> > probably be the culprit. Sorry, fabric-hackers, maybe sewing machines.
>>> >
>>> > Good luck.
>>> > Bruce
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On Fri, Jun 24, 2011 at 4:22 PM, Danny O'Brien <danny at spesh.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> We have mechanical meters, I think the smart meters are due in the
>>> next
>>> >> year or so.
>>> >>
>>> >>
>>> >> On Fri, Jun 24, 2011 at 3:11 PM, Bruce Wolfe <brucewolfe.sf at gmail.com
>>> >wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >>> Additionally, are these PG$E mechanical or Smart meters?
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Bruce
>>> >>>
>>> >>> Sent from Android. Pardon spelling.
>>> >>> On Jun 24, 2011 2:20 PM, "jim" <jim at well.com> wrote:
>>> >>> >
>>> >>> >
>>> >>> > Good idea. A variant is to unplug the suspect device
>>> >>> > and plug it into something that measures Amps (e.g. a
>>> >>> > variac). What this will yield is a snapshot of amps.
>>> >>> > What's additionally needed is to know the amount of use
>>> >>> > during a billing period.
>>> >>> > A gizmo such as Andy's suggestion (we have one buried
>>> >>> > behind the refridge next to the vending machine) can show
>>> >>> > power usage for a time period. (I saw it but didn't want
>>> >>> > to move all the stuff necessary so's to retrieve it--if
>>> >>> > someone does retrieve it, maybe it'd be good to have a
>>> >>> > well-known storage place for it or the note someone would
>>> >>> > write to indicate it's current working location.)
>>> >>> > I suspect the cooking stuff as the primary sucker of
>>> >>> > power and NB money: can cookers tell if there's been
>>> >>> > greater use of that stuff in the last three months over
>>> >>> > the previous quarter?
>>> >>> >
>>> >>> >
>>> >>> >
>>> >>> >
>>> >>> > On Fri, 2011-06-24 at 12:10 -0700, Bruce Wolfe wrote:
>>> >>> >> Go analog and start unplugging things one at a time while someone
>>> is
>>> >>> >> watching the meter spin (or numbers flip) while on walkie-talkies,
>>> or
>>> >>> >> a human chain to relay the message up and down or maybe just plain
>>> old
>>> >>> >> two cans and string.
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >> Bruce
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >> Sent from Android. Pardon spelling.
>>> >>> >>
>>> >>> >> _______________________________________________
>>> >>> >> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
>>> >>> >> Noisebridge-discuss at lists.noisebridge.net
>>> >>> >> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
>>> >>> >
>>> >>> >
>>> >>>
>>> >>> _______________________________________________
>>> >>> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
>>> >>> Noisebridge-discuss at lists.noisebridge.net
>>> >>> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
>>> >>>
>>> >>>
>>> >>
>>>
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>>>
>>
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>
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