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#Post#: 3683--------------------------------------------------
Homesteading, etc.
By: Piper Date: January 21, 2016, 11:53 am
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What do you guys think of this:
HTML http://www.mysolarbackup.com/
I like that it's a renewable energy source and very
indoor-portable, but I'm not sure how much the smaller unit
would actually power. The larger ones are likely quite
expensive (and heavy), since they don't seem to mention the
price anywhere. But, I know I can't handle a gas generator. I
have a propane stove for heat if we lose power; I thought this
would be good for light, for powering a hot plate to cook on, a
small fridge, fans, etc.
I would love to try growing a bit of food, too, but can't handle
a rototiller. I s'pose I could try turning a top layer with a
shovel, and I've plenty of manure, which breaks down into what
looks and even smells like potting soil. I could do some
container gardening, too.
Have you ever had an interest in wilderness survival? I have a
couple books that teach some nifty tricks.
Maybe there are forums for such topics. Probably. But they
likely don't include God in the equation.
Something in me just calls to learn to depend on myself and do
it well. Maybe with Kevin so sick, I just want to know I could
handle things if . . . well, you know, if the grid did fail or
something. I don't have the power of a man, but I can be
prepared and practice a few skills.
It does seem a fragile thing to be utterly dependent on
electricity.
How, for example, would I find fresh water?
The root cellar, like we talked about, seems a good idea. You
can store lots of your produce in there, canned goods, and
cheese.
Breeding both chickens and rabbits would be a cinch, if it came
to that.
Probably, security would be the difficult thing. I mean, those
who did plan ahead would be preyed on by those who hadn't.
But, life without electricity is an interesting topic. And it
wasn't really that long ago people survived quite well without
it. The Amish do quite well off the grid. But, I think most
Americans would be completely lost without power.
Did God mean for us to become so dependent on electricity? On
transported goods? Has it all detracted on how much we depend
on Him?
Just thought I'd put up the thread and see if it goes anywhere .
. .
#Post#: 3690--------------------------------------------------
Re: Homesteading, etc.
By: Kerry Date: January 23, 2016, 8:32 pm
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They want about two grand for it. The price is on that page but
way down towards the bottom.
That's $3,295.00 worth of components (at retail) in this
package. Anyone who wants to be prepared... can be, while we
have inventory... your price is just $1,797.00 plus only $150.00
shipping anywhere in the continental U.S.
Okay, so you'd have electricity during the day . . . if the sun
was shining. What about night or days that weren't very sunny?
#Post#: 3692--------------------------------------------------
Re: Homesteading, etc.
By: bradley Date: January 23, 2016, 9:01 pm
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Flat areas with lots of sun would do well with solar power, and
Kerry is right about overcast days reducing its effectiveness
greatly. In a flat area with lots of sun, the best solution
would be solar power with a wind generator backup and lots of
batteries to store the electricity. Then the batteries can be
both expensive initially and the repair and battery replacement
would have to be factored in. Its not cheap to break away from
traditional power initially, and the amish would be overwhelmed
shortly by people, and some of those people would not be nice
and have guns and such as that. Your silo would be a boon to
security as most people woudnt assume it would have a basement
of sorts. Would the door to the area be easy to hide? Plus
you should probably put something like wood in the above ground
area inside the silo to have a "reason" to go in and out without
raising suspision (for building a fire), and a little woodstove
to use it in. Because people would sneak onto your property
and see if you have anything or even use binoculars from a
distance to watch you to see if you have goods there being
carried around. I dont think the lack of power would be longer
than a month or two at most, but thats just a guess, the power
companies know what can happen and they have replacement parts
if there is mp blast. But the time involved in replacing all
the parts can take time. Plus they probably wont have a
complete set of replacement parts, and more will have to be
manufactured. But in the meantime, our economic might will
take a blow, but.... 8) the powerful will be the ones who will
lose the most, so thats good.
#Post#: 3693--------------------------------------------------
Re: Homesteading, etc.
By: Kerry Date: January 24, 2016, 1:17 am
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I never saw it myself but a friend told me that a power company
in South Carolina used its extra power at night to pump water
from below up to a lake above it. Then during the day when
demand was higher, they let the water back down through turbines
to generate electricity. That was before solar power and I'm
not sure but they may have been using nuclear since there was a
nuclear plant there. But it would work with solar power too if
you had a tank up in the air or a lake at an elevated place.
Think of the cost though!
A cheaper method might be to store energy in flywheels. . .
eventually.
HTML https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flywheel_energy_storage
Right now, people are still working at flywheels. The cost
right now is quite expensive.
#Post#: 3694--------------------------------------------------
Re: Homesteading, etc.
By: Piper Date: January 24, 2016, 6:44 pm
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Thanks, some good ideas, Brad.
Kevin wasn't too keen on the solar generator, either. He didn't
think it would produce much power, and the bigger units are way
too expensive.
The flywheels look interesting.
I love the wind turbines (Iowa has quite a few), although people
seem to not want to live near them.
Yeah, I could probably hide that door if I needed to, Brad.
#Post#: 3695--------------------------------------------------
Re: Homesteading, etc.
By: bradley Date: January 24, 2016, 8:34 pm
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Hmm, just got an idea for a perpetual motion machine, just bits
of it, an overall idea, involving heated water rising to the
surface through channels that have a turbine attached creating
electricity, and the contraption floating in the water, with a
portion of the energy created to heat the water at the lower
portion of the contraption. Wish I had the labratory I have
always desired to test and invent based on ideas.
#Post#: 3696--------------------------------------------------
Re: Homesteading, etc.
By: Piper Date: January 25, 2016, 11:01 am
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I didn't know you were an inventor. :)
#Post#: 3697--------------------------------------------------
Re: Homesteading, etc.
By: bradley Date: January 25, 2016, 1:34 pm
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Well, so far, due to lack of funds and space, it mostly just
happens in my head. I once had an idea on a device that might
allow time travel.
#Post#: 3698--------------------------------------------------
Re: Homesteading, etc.
By: Piper Date: January 25, 2016, 2:00 pm
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Woah! You could end up like that guy uncontrollably popping in
and out of time. ;)
#Post#: 3699--------------------------------------------------
Re: Homesteading, etc.
By: bradley Date: January 25, 2016, 3:58 pm
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I wrote a time travel novelette once also. Have lots of
interest in time travel, but fear its knowledge could take a
world on the edge and make it 100 times worse.
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