Reviving ASUS eee901 NetBook PC for Data Scrappings

5 March 2022

# eee901, Network, SSD upgrade,  mSATA,  mini-PCIe,  Windows

This ASUS eee901 was a very popular netbook PC about 10 to 15 years ago.  It was one of the cheap netbook PC that uses SSDs for memory storage.   It was very hackable and many hobbyists like to do all sorts of modification work using this PC.  

Because the netbook uses only 5 Watts.  I bought a couple of these for stock data mining which required the PC to be operating 24/7.  When the SDD finally failed to work and plenty of free stock screening websites are available free for downloading,  I decided to retire them some 5 years.

Lately,  I took up the interest to do stock data mining again. This time is for data that are not available anywhere on the Internet.   The choice then was between buying a new netbook or upgrading the eee901 with a faster and bigger SSD.

What SSD Were Used?

These ASUS netbooks use a special SSD called mini-PCIe SSD.  These SSD has a similar form factor as the mini-SATA (mSATA) SSD.  Mini-PCI SSD is not easily available and mSATA SSD cannot be used to replace Mini-SSD directly in the ASUS netbook.

The Final Choice

.I decided to revive the eee901 for the following reasons

1)  Netbook has now been replaced by the tablets which run on either Android or iOS.  They are not good for running the Excel macros which were written earlier for data mining;

2)  There are adaptors available to convert mSATA SSD to mini-PCI SDD for use in eee901.  The adaptors are fairly cheap.   The SSD replacement and upgrading work is estimated to cost less than SGD$30/=. It is much cheaper than a new netbook;  moreover,  I have a few spare mSATA SSD lying around and I can use them for the upgrading work.

The only Snag

The eee901 PC has two SSD;  one 8GB master SSD that is accessible after removing the cover;  the other is the 4GB slave SSD that is hidden inside the PC.   When the new adaptor SSD is used to replace the 8GB Master SSD,  the PC will recognise only the new adaptor SSD as a slave.  The BIOS will always give this warning error about "master SSD not found" whenever the PC is booted up.  The warning error cannot be defeated because it is an error message.   It will stop loading up the Windows.  This is not good when one is trying to automate the PC to start up windows and run the excel macros automatically.   

Installing the adaptor SSD to replace the hidden 4GB will solve this startup error but the adaptor SSD must be shortened because the hidden 4GB is half-height.  It is around 50 mm long whereas the new adaptor SSD is around 70 mm long. 

Can the Adaptor SSD Be Shortened?

Yes,  it can.  One must use 1/2 height mSATA with a short piece of PVC plastic added as shown in this automated picture.  There is just enough room in eee 901 for the installation of this new and shortened adaptor SSD

How to Install the Inside the eee901?

Here is one of the video

Enhanced Performance

Users will find the replacement Adaptor SSD running much faster than the original SSD.  This is because the mSATA is of the more advanced Technolgy.  The mSATA's speed can be several times that of the original SSD.  

With the larger capacity SSD,  one can use the original Windows 7 with the response and speed,  at times,  even better than the Intel E8400 PC with the hard drive.  Some has tested eee901 using Windows 10 but the response was a bit sluggish as reported because Windows 10 will require 3 GB RAM to run efficiently.  The eee901 only has a maximum RAM of 2 GB.

Water & Electricity Saver for Instantaneous Heater

Important Note & disclamers :  Modification to any water heater is extremely dangerous.  It should only be done if only you are familiar with the device as there are many accidents involving electricity electrocutions if the modification is not done properly.  

The alternative and safe way to achieve the same result is to turn on the tap to switch on the instantaneous heater on a high setting for a few seconds  and then turn off the tap for the water in the heater to be warmed up.

This article is just for reference only.  The author assumes no responsibility whatsoever.

Introduction

In tropical countries,  electrical instantaneous heaters are often used.  This is because residents often need only heating for showers. These heaters do not occupy space. They often save water and electricity as compare to water storage heaters. Also, they are less than 3 KW and can be powered from the usual 13 Ampere power point. This article will describe a device that will further save some water and electricity.

Working Principle

Every Instant water heater has a small heating exchanger. It gets power through a set of micro-switches that select 2 or more heating elements to warm up the water. The modern ones nowadays use electronic TRIACs to control the heater.

 

For these heaters to heat up the water, one needs to first set the selector switch and turn on the water. The water pressure sensor will pick up the pressure and actuate the micro-switches. These switches will turn on the appropriate heater element to heat up the water in the exchanger. The schematic circuit diagram of Aerogas Elegance water heater is as shown below:

 

Water & Electricity Savings

To heat up the water, water must first flow through the heater for the pressure sensors to pick up the pressure. Water amounting to 1.2 litres will be wasted before warm water can flow out of shower head. At the same time, electricity amounting to about 8 Watts-hr will also be wasted. Assuming a household of 4 persons might take 6 showers per day,  a total of about 2,600 litres of water and 17 kWh of electricity can be saved per year. This might sound to be petty savings for one household.  But it is still a sizable saving for a township of more than 10,000 families.

 

How Water and Electricity Can be saved?

To save, one can use this electronic gadget called “Trigger Delay Time Off Timer” as shown in the following:

 

Circuit Description

The gadget operates on 220V AC supply.  The delay time off is triggered started by a button.  The complete schematic diagram is as shown below

For the gadget to work in the seconds range, the default variable resistor must be changed from 50K ohm to 5K ohm. As the heater will consume 9-13 amperes, it is also necessary to add an external relay. The built-in relay has only a 10 ampere rating.

This gadget has an opto-coupler to isolate the trigger button from the 240V Supply. But the button is linked to the neutral terminal of the 240V supply. It does not offer complete electrical isolation. It will be ideal if there is an isolating transformer for electrical isolation.

 Wiring up

Safety Precautions

Important Note: Wiring up will need one to know about safe use of electricity. A wrong wiring such as wrong polarity connection by interchanging the line and neutral wires for example,  can cause shower head or water to be alive. It can be dangerous causing electrical shorts and execution.

Whenever possible, use only push button of plastic material. If metal material is used, its body must be connected to the earth.  Only waterproof push button can be used.

Further, one should always test the integrity of the heater’s earthing system. The method described in this article can be used to test theearthing.

To further protect the heater, it is recommended to install the following:

1) A Thermal fuse to cut the supply to the relay when the heat exchanger reaches an abnormal temperature of 85^oC. This temperature is about twice the normal operating temperature of the heat exchange. The thermal fuse must be of non-metallic type.  It is to be attached to the heat exchanger for proper operation.

2) A surge diode is to protect the relay contacts from electrical arc welding. This will prevent the relay from welding. Heat exchanger is wire wound. They cause inductive current that could cause the relay to use and weld together. The surge diode will clamp the voltage to less than 328 Volts. This is the breakdown voltage of the 400V surge diode.

For information, the thermal fuse and the surge diode would cost less than USD$1/= each. It is good investment for a piece of mind.

 

 

Why Singaporeans Cannot Get Cheaper Electricity from Singapore Power?

7 Apr 2019

# Singapore Power,  Open Electricity Market, Vesting Contracts,  Electricity Retailers, Gencos
http://tinyurl.com/y68n8rub

Unless one switches the electricity account from Singapore Power (SP) to other Electricity Retailers,  Singaporeans will not be able to get cheaper electricity rates.    This is because Singaporeans having SP's accounts are doing the Nation a service.   They are contributing about S$500 per household per annum for the past 4 years.

Why it is so?

Singapore has a small electricity market with just a few Power Generating Companies (Gencos).   To create an efficient and competitive electricity market in Singapore,  SP has been made to sign an agreement or contract with some six major Gencos in Singapore.  This contract is called “Vesting Contracts (VC)”.  It is for SP to buy electricity from the 6  Gencos at a fixed price called "Vesting Contract Price (VCP) to be worked out every quarterly according to a formula approved by the Electricity Market Authority of Singapore (EMA).   The  Vesting Contracts have no expiry date and can be terminated only by a 60-day notice according to the contracts agreement. 

It is understood in the effort to "privatise" further the supply of electricity,  SP will eventually relinquish its role as the supplier of electricity and retain the role only as infrastructure supporter. However,  it is also understood that there will always be a need for SP to be around to help existing consumers who would need SP's continued services.

What is this Vesting Contracts?

It is a contract signed between SP and the Gencos and facilitated by EMA.   This contract spelled out how SP must buy electricity from the Gencos at VCP for about 55% of Singapore’s electricity demand.   The method to work out this VCP will only be reviewed by EMA every 2 years.    SP will be based on the approved method to calculate the VCP  quarterly.  For readers who wanted to know more about how the VCP is set,  please refer to EMA’s website www.ema.gov.sg.

What’s the Purpose?

It was explained that one of the reasons for having the VC is to remove the “incentives” of the Gencos “fixing” the electricity market price by “short selling” the electricity supplies;   thereby pushing up the “pool price” in the Singapore Electricity Pool Market (SEPM) where electricity is sold at wholesale price..

How Vesting Contracts Work?

 

Before VP was introduced in 2004,  consumers will buy electricity from the electricity retailers at the pool prices or the Uniform Singapore Energy Price (USEP).   Say the consumers want to buy 3 MW,  they will approach Genco 1  who will supply only  2MW at pool price because that is all that he has had;  the consumers will have to buy the 3rd  MW from Genco 2 at a negotiated price.   There is no competition;  also, the pool price can be always"fixed" by the few players.    After VP was introduced,  the Gencos are bound by the VP to sell only 55% or 1 MW to the consumers.  The Gencos will have to compete to supply the 3rd MW at a competitive rate.  

Has it Worked?

It can be seen that this VCP method worked quite well before 2009 although it has benefited the  Gencos more with the pool price running below the VP.  Somehow the picture was a bit out of track after 2009 and it has gone awry after 2012.

The SP's consumers have been “subsidizing” the Gencos all these time after VC was introduced in 2004.  In the graph just shown above,   it can be seen that the orange patch is much larger than the green patch which denotes that the consumers were paying the Gencos more than the pool prices,

This article claimed that the VP in Singapore had made the Singapore consumers pay the extra $2.7 billion over the last 4 years. This worked out to be more than $ 500 per household per annum.  

Are there any other Better Methods?

1.  Breaking Up the Gencos into many smaller generating companies 

It was said this is not economical as the smaller generating companies do not have the economy of scale to provide cost-effective and cheaper electricity prices;

2.  Imposing a Price Cap in the Electricity Pool market  

When there are only a few market players,  imposing a price cap was viewed to hurt or delay the decision for the entrance of new Gencos;   the setting of the price cap can also be tricky and very often,  the prices are set higher than necessary. 

3. By breaking up the generation and forcing Gencos to lease out the capacity to several operators

EMA said this was not workable.

Any Other Improvements?

1.   Shortening the Vesting Contracts reviewing period of 2 years

The 2-year review is reasonable if we have a stable energy price over the 2 year period. This reviewing period should be shortened to 6 months or even less when the energy price is volatile especially when there is drastic change in the energy price.   SP should also be asked to shorten its time of working out the VCP.   The aim must be one that will ensure the VCP will always track closely to the market price.

2.  Allowing more parties to join the VP

The contract is presently signed only between the 6 major Gencos and SP.   It will make the system more transparent and the VCP more stable if there are more participants.  Don't forget that VCP can also be "fixed" by the few "interested parties".

3.   Not limiting the Generating Capacity 

EMA allowed Gencos to have excess generating capacities for reasons to get more users to participate in the LNG  Vesting Contracts (LNG VC). This LNG VC is another instrument used by EMA to ensure stable LNG supply.  However, there was a called for EMA to limit the generating capacities after the Hyflux's TuaSpring saga as it was viewed that the excess generating capacities is hurting the Gencos badly.     

It should be noted that the consumers will get better pricing with more competitions.   Furthermore,  Gencos are not small flies or companies;  there is no need to "spoon feed" them by over-regulation that will hurt the consumers pocket.  The free market should always rule. 

 What is the recourse for Consumers?

At present,   the VC only applies to SP's consumers who are non-contestable consumers.  It does not apply to contestable consumers who buy from Electricity Retailers. By 1 May 2019,  all electricity consumers in Singapore will have the option to switch their electricity retailer from SP to about 30 retailers in Singapore. 

If consumers think that they should not do the "National Service",  they can always switch to another retailer to become a contestable consumer.  

However,  those who have signed up to be contestable consumers should not be too happy because if SP cannot provide the 55% demand,  the contestable consumer might be called up to satisfy the 55% demand and pay electricity at the VCP level.  

How Open Electricity Market Works in Singapore?

30 March 2018

 

Introduction

It was recently announced that starting from 1 April 2018,  Singapore would open up its Electricity Market also to households and small businesses that consume electricity less than SGD$400 per month.  Previously,  only those bigger consumers can join the electricity market.  

The new scheme will start from Jurong with a soft launch and gradually opens up to the rest of Singapore so that over 1.3 million households and small businesses can join the electricity market.

 

What is the Open Electricity Market?

Simply, it is just a market for buying and selling of electricity;  hopefully,  the consumers can get cheaper electricity through competitive buying and selling of electricity.

In the older days,  electricity is always generated by PUB (former SP Group) who will also deliver and sell the electricity to its consumers directly at fixed and regulated rates.  

About 20 years ago in 1998,  the Authority started the Singapore Electricity Pool (SEP) to "test" the workings of the market.  Real retail marketing started only in July 2001 when they allowed only those consumers having 2 MW or more power requirement to buy electricity from the retailers.  This market has since opened up to smaller consumers but only now,  they will open it to the 1.3 million households and small businesses in Singapore.  

How the Open Electricity Market Works?

Basically,  2 groups of people will be serving the consumers;  the retailers and SP Group.   

The retailers will buy electricity directly from the Generating Suppliers (Generators) through Singapore Electricity Pool and sell the electricity to the consumers at a rate inclusive of all fees and costs.   SP Group will continue to maintain the electricity networks and infrastructure in the background,  bringing and delivering electricity to the consumers. SP Group will also read the meters as usual.

In the open electricity market,  the consumer will have to sign a contract with the retailer of his choice.   The contract will spell out the condition of supply and also the contract period (usually 12 or 24 months) for the discounted electricity price.

 

Do I have to Join?

It is not compulsory for consumers to join the electricity market and switch from SP Group to a retailer. Consumers who prefer to stay with SP Group to buy electricity at the fixed and regulated tariff can continue to do so.  No further action will be required.  Consumers can always join or switch to a retailer at a later date.

Where can I get more details?

The exact detail of the open electricity market is outlined in this handbook

https://www.ema.gov.sg/cmsmedia/Handbook/NEMS_111010.pdf

Additional materials can be found in the EMA websites

https://www.openelectricitymarket.sg/home

tnyurl :  https://tinyurl.com/ya7fopyy

Insulation for Reef Tanks

2 December 2012

Introduction

Many reefers use chillers to cool their reef tanks to mimic the environment of the living corals and other ocean creatures. The tank is usually kept in temperature around 25-28C. This article will examine how much energy can be saved by insulating the tanks.

Heat Gains

One of the heat gains of the aquarium is through the glasses which have thickness varies according to the tank capacity. The thickness ranges from 5 mm for a 2 ft tank to about 12 mm for a 6 ft tank. The heat gains or energy losses will vary according to the thickness of the glass; the thicker the glass, the lesser the energy losses. The heat gain through the exposed glasses can be responsible for 50% of the energy losses for a 2 ft to about 12% for a 8 ft tank.

Energy Savings

As aquarium operates 24 hrs/day, the heat gains by the tank is non-stop over the period. These heat gains will have to be removed by chiller; otherwise, the cooling will not be effective. By insulating the tanks with ¼” thick polystyrene foam for all sides except the font viewing panel, as much as 30% of the energy can be saved and hence, the cooling bills.  The thicker the insulation, the more the energy or cooling bills will be saved.

How Much in $ and Cts?

Assuming one has a ¼ hp chiller and a 3 ft tank (36x24x24), the energy saving will be about 10% of the chiller running bills. If we further assuming that the chiller runs about 8 hour per day, the chiller kwh consumed will be about 370watts x 8 hrs/day x30 days = 88 kwh per month. With rate @ SGD$0.2727 per kwh, the cooling bill will come up to about SGD$ 24/=. The saving could be as high as SGD$ 2.50 per month.

Foam As Backdrop

This reefer uses foam to mimic the rocks as a backdrop. This arrangement will improve thermal insulation and reduce heat gains or energy.  It would be more effective if he can also seal the edges of the foam so that there will be no water movement in between the glass and the foam. 

 His tank finally looked like this

Other Relevant Sites 
tinyurl :  https://tinyurl.com/y9vs4pzx