Week Eight

Week Eight demonstrated the importance of testing in any engineering project. Many defects were highlighted after a full-scale test, one of which being the wire-insulating epoxy putty. The epoxy putty was implemented into the design after the group realized that when the wire contacted salt water, at high temperatures, corrosion would occur at an intensely fast rate. The water would have metallic deposit in it after any use of the heating element, and to prevent contact from the water to the wire, an epoxy putty was set around the wire. The epoxy putty hardened and had ceramic properties, which unfortunately made it brittle in the face of the high pressures from air pockets in the putty rapidly heating from the wire, leading to cracks around the casing. The epoxy putty also released a dangerous gas, despite it being advertised as resistant to high temperatures. The group decided that the use of epoxy putty would not be safe for either the plants or anyone close to the system, so instead we have opted to go with heat resistant tape, rated up to 536 degrees Fahrenheit. After numerous tests with the tape, the water was observed to be clear of any contaminants and no odors or dangerous gasses were noticed either. This is intended to be the final system the group uses to boil waiter. The circuit also had progress made on it. The pump, solar, and heating systems now all rely on switches and buttons to make the whole unit safer and easier for use. We expect to continue testing and updating our system, just to ensure that everything works the best that it can.