Bricks or barrels? Pre-fab or pour your own? How do you decide what to make your heater out of? Are they all safe? Do they all really work with the same efficiency?What works best? Ever ask yourself that question?When it comes to build a rocket heater have you considered what type of building materials would…;
Bricks or barrels? Pre-fab or pour your own? How do you decide what to make your heater out of? Are they all safe? Do they all really work with the same efficiency?
What works best? Ever ask yourself that question? When it comes to build a rocket heater have you considered what type of building materials would make for the best burn chamber? Are you good with brickwork? We weren’t. Ever use refractory cement? We hadn’t. What do the pros build with? Is there a plug and play type of system? Well, welcome to our world. Inside this booklet are various versions of burn chambers currently be used by backyard builders to the pros.
Written by Ray & Randi Dudley, authors of “Lessons from Our Rocket Mass Heater”, this is a primer for folks that have never built a heater and are just starting their research. PACKED with photos, links, websites, stats and resources we take a look at everything from the tried and true brick builds to the cutting edge materials and shapes employed by the innovators and pros. We present the pros and cons plus we talk about things like cost, ease of use and we even look at some unique builds.
Build your way to a more self-sufficient lifestyle with step-by-step projects for backup and supplementary utilities–including independent water, heat, and electricity–growing and storing food, raising small livestock, beekeeping, and more. Many of the projects require basic materials available at your everyday home center, but this book also provides valuable DIY resources for solar, hydro, greenhouse,…;
Build your way to a more self-sufficient lifestyle with step-by-step projects for backup and supplementary utilities–including independent water, heat, and electricity–growing and storing food, raising small livestock, beekeeping, and more. Many of the projects require basic materials available at your everyday home center, but this book also provides valuable DIY resources for solar, hydro, greenhouse, and gardening needs. This book will help you build security with utility backup systems and become more sustainable, resulting in less dependence on city systems for basic needs. Whether you have a city plot or simply pots, this book includes all of the information needed to plan, build, and succeed with greater self-sufficiency.
A companion volume to Backyard Homesteading, 40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead provides details on how to build more than 40 projects to enhance your sustainable living. Even if you are only moderately handy, you’ll discover the tools and techniques for building your own feeders, fences, and structures. In the process, you’ll save money…;
A companion volume to Backyard Homesteading, 40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead provides details on how to build more than 40 projects to enhance your sustainable living.
Even if you are only moderately handy, you’ll discover the tools and techniques for building your own feeders, fences, and structures. In the process, you’ll save money and have the satisfaction of doing it yourself!Used Book in Good Condition
Charles Hays and Penny Powers are dwarfed by their 1100-square-foot sun tracking solar array that cost $90,000.
(MIKE MCDONALD / iNFOnews.ca)
August 08, 2017 – 8:00 PM
KAMLOOPS – After installing the largest sun tracking solar panel in B.C. on their farm in Black Pines just north of Kamloops, Charles Hays and Penny Powers expect to never pay for power again.
If all goes according to plan, the power company will pay them.
Charles Hays and Penny Powers hope their story will inspire others.
(MIKE MCDONALD / iNFOnews.ca)
Money isn’t what drove the pair to install the 1,100-square-foot solar array that stands up to 39 feet tall housing 45-watt solar panels at 285 watts each on their property on Westsyde Road. Hays says they kicked around the idea of an alternative source of energy for a while but because their property backs up against a hillside, wind and solar power didn’t seem like viable options.
“When you look at a different way of doing something, like solar panels, usually the first step is to say ‘great idea, except it won’t work for me and here’s why’,” he says. “But the tipping point happens when you see other people doing it.”
“There’s a mobile home on Westsyde Road that has one of those little RV solar panels on top. Maybe they’re charging their phone with it or maybe they’re running their laptop. You see that and you think to yourself ‘they made that work, I wonder what we could do here in our lives to make this work’.”
Hays hopes their project will inspire others to look into using alternative sources of energy, though this scheme might not be for you — it cost roughly $90,000 to install the unit.
“We are trying to reduce our monthly expenses because if you reduce expenses you save more of what’s coming in without your taxes going up so it’s like a big raise,” she says. “If you have the money to put down immediately to get this, you won’t have hydro bills for the next thirty years.”
Admittedly, says Powers, all financial figures are estimates from B.C. Hydro and Sweet Spot Solar, which installed the array. Their solar system is the first of its kind in the province so they’ll have to wait and see what reality holds.
From day to day, they will either create enough power for themselves — or they may not. Because they are still part of the B.C. Hydro grid they won’t be without power. When they make more than they need, the energy will be fed back into the grid and will be used to power other homes. At the end of the year, B.C. Hydro will simply look at how much energy has been put back into the grid and if it is more than what they have used, they will be paid for it.
What makes this solar array so unique is that is does not sit stationary and let the sun pass by like most solar systems. This one has two motors designed to tilt and rotate to face the sun throughout the day.
“It is just a set of linear actuators that move it a little bit at a time so it can face the sun,” says Michael Mehta, president and CEO of the Sweet Spot Solar Company. “In principle, it is very similar to the way a sunflower tracks the sun.”
Mehta is also confident the array will lead to a profit for Hays and Powers at the end of the year. On one sunny day in July, it took just two hours for the unit to produce enough energy to power the average home in Kamloops.
However, while the savings seem great and the technology is fascinating, there are some downsides to the set up at the farm in Black Pines.
The property will not be immune to power outages as they are still running through the B.C. Hydro grid. There is the possibility to set up a series of batteries to store some of the energy, but Powers laments that it would take an entire room in their house just to store that kind of power.
Due to its size, the towering array is susceptible to strong winds which can blow through the Black Pines area at times. However the array has a built-in safety procedure that will send it into “table-top mode” which makes the panel go completely flat in order to avoid damage.
There will be some maintenance involved as well, according to Mehta, who says the mechanical parts used for the tracking function will probably have to be repaired or replaced every 10-15 years. The panels themselves have a minimum lifespan of 25 years.
The big issue they are dealing with now is the impact of smoke on how much sun reaches the unit. Hays says at its worst they have seen a 40 per cent reduction in energy. However, Mehta says the solution to this issue is built into the solar panels as they are bi-facial which means they absorb sunlight from both sides. This ability to pick up the reflection off background material adds up to 20 per cent to the array’s absorption power.
Now, you may be wondering if it would be worth it to you to set up a tracking solar panel on your property. Mehta admits that with this technology is new and might not be worth it for most home owners. Instead, try a few panels at your home for a more affordable option in the future — he says it’s well worth the investment.
“The huge advantage to the people with solar is they can resell their house at a premium,” says Mehta. “They have done studies in the U.S. that find you get 100 per cent of your investment back in solar. Renovating a bathroom or a kitchen may get you 30 per cent or 40 per cent.”
Whether the installation of the massive solar array will be costly, cost neutral, or a money maker for Hays and Powers is still yet to be seen, but they hope to inspire others to find their own ways of saving — or producing — energy.
The solar array houses 45 solar panels at 285 watts each. It is anchored down by a 12 ft x 12 ft concrete slab buried beneath the ground.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won’t censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
This book is for anyone thinking about or already living off-grid. It includes detailed step-by-step plans for a solar cabin and over 30 other projects. This is an encyclopedia for homesteading and off-grid living written by a homesteader and includes cabin plans, solar and wind system installation, solar composting toilet, how to make a living…;
This book is for anyone thinking about or already living off-grid. It includes detailed step-by-step plans for a solar cabin and over 30 other projects. This is an encyclopedia for homesteading and off-grid living written by a homesteader and includes cabin plans, solar and wind system installation, solar composting toilet, how to make a living from your homestead, where to find cheap land and much more. . . This book was designed as an Ebook with links and videos that will not work in the printed version. If you want full color pics, links and videos to work please order the Ebook download or Cd version available on Lulu.
In the past twenty years, interest in wood-fired ovens has increased dramatically in the United States and abroad, but most books focus on how to bake bread or pizza in an oven. From the Wood-Fired Oven offers many more techniques for home and artisan bakers―from baking bread and making pizza to recipes on how to…;
Chelsea Green PublishingPrice: $44.95 $34.43 Free Shipping
In the past twenty years, interest in wood-fired ovens has increased dramatically in the United States and abroad, but most books focus on how to bake bread or pizza in an oven. From the Wood-Fired Oven offers many more techniques for home and artisan bakers―from baking bread and making pizza to recipes on how to get as much use as possible out of a single oven firing, from the first live-fire roasting to drying wood for the next fire.
From the Wood-Fired Oven offers a new take on traditional techniques for professional bakers, but is simple enough to inspire any nonprofessional baking enthusiast. Leading baker and instructor Richard Miscovich wants people to use their ovens to fulfill the goal of maximum heat utilization. Readers will find methods and techniques for cooking and baking in a wood-fired oven in the order of the appropriate temperature window. What comes first―pizza, or pastry? Roasted vegetables or a braised pork loin? Clarified butter or beef jerky? In addition to an extensive section of delicious formulas for many types of bread, readers will find chapters on:
• Making pizza and other live-fire flatbreads; • Roasting fish and meats; • Grilling, steaming, braising, and frying; • Baking pastry and other recipes beyond breads; • Rendering animal fats and clarifying butter; • Food dehydration and infusing oils; • And myriad other ways to use the oven’s residual heat.
Appendices include oven-design recommendations, a sample oven temperature log, Richard’s baker’s percentages, proper care of a sourdough starter, and more. . . .
From the Wood Fired Oven is more than a cookbook; it reminds the reader of how a wood-fired oven (and fire, by extension) draws people together and bestows a sense of comfort and fellowship, very real human needs, especially in uncertain times. Indeed, cooking and baking from a wood-fired oven is a basic part of a resilient lifestyle, and a perfect example of valuable traditional skills being put to use in modern times.
If you want to introduce alternative power supplies around the home and garden or even live totally off-grid in your boat, caravan, or yurt and need a practical introduction to solar power and 12-volt supplies, here is an essential guide to the subject. Not only will it save you money, it will show you how…;
If you want to introduce alternative power supplies around the home and garden or even live totally off-grid in your boat, caravan, or yurt and need a practical introduction to solar power and 12-volt supplies, here is an essential guide to the subject.
Not only will it save you money, it will show you how to run your lights, laptop, DVDs, and music, and even your tools and household products, from a simple 12-volt system. Be in control of more of your home’s own energy supply, develop a low-impact way of living, and be prepared for power outages in the future!
Do It Yourself 12 Volt Solar Power begins with a lesson on how electricity works and the main components of a DIY solar system. The author uses clear diagrams and terms. There is, of course, more technical information as the book progresses, but don’t worry, this no-nonsense guide provides a useful, back-to-basics approach for the layperson.
This is a reference book that will help you troubleshoot and get the best value for money from what you can find hidden in the back of the garage. It is also quirky and humorous and shows you how to make a sun-following system using just a bicycle wheel, a pallet, and the motor from a CD player!
How does advice on electrical work pertain to survival?
Simple. Whether we are homesteading, going off-grid or building a bug-out facility, it does us no good to go through the effort if that shoddy work burns it to the ground or electrocutes the person doing the job or a loved one.
Like I said. Simple.
But the reality is that many who do their own electrical work do not meet building code requirements, or at least are willing to risk not following them to the letter and that is dangerous and could be deadly!
Most amateur electricians make similar mistakes. So much so that compiling a list for those just starting out is fairly easy.
To see the list of common mistakes amateur electricians make, check out the next page.
The only large-capacity washer for a family or a group of people. Can handle blankets, quilts and mummy bags. Durable and easy to use. Made in the USA of rust free components. The only manual washing machine that provides the same capacity as your home washing machine. Fixed shipping cost of $250 for lower 48…;
The only large-capacity washer for a family or a group of people. Can handle blankets, quilts and mummy bags. Durable and easy to use. Made in the USA of rust free components. The only manual washing machine that provides the same capacity as your home washing machine. Fixed shipping cost of $250 for lower 48 states.Large capacity – Same capacity as your home washing machine (28 gallons). Smooth circular operation – no repetitive up and down or back and forth movement. Conserve water – Easy to capture and reuse water so water from a rinse cycle can become water for the next wash cycle. Long lasting – Durable, UV resistant tumbler. Strong – Industrial strength bearings with grease fitting. Rust free – Stainless steel, aluminum and galvanized components. Wringer station with wringer included to provide a complete, self-contained, off-grid laundry solution.
Energy systems have been transformed by regulation and the progress of technology. Global awareness of climate change will only accelerate this trend, increasing the rate of growth of alternatives to fossil fuels the world over.
Renewables are playing an expanding role in the global energy transition and will continue to reshape electricity markets. With low marginal cost and priority feed-in to grid systems, renewables can squeeze conventional generators out of the market and drive severe short-term price swings.
The effect remains marginal but, as soon as the share of renewable energy in the power mix reaches critical mass, it can bring serious disruption. This is already the case in some European countries, such as Germany and the UK, and will impact coal generation in the US from 2020 and gas generation in Europe beyond 2025.
Global supply growth for renewables is the fastest in the energy mix, reaching an average of 7% per year between 2015 and 2035 for wind and 11% for solar. These positive figures cannot hide the fact that their rapid increase is from a relatively low base, but renewables have often surprised to the upside in recent years – a trend which could continue.
Global growth differs by location due to different climate conditions and the ability of technologies to suit the needs of local populations. In geographically-advantaged countries, the share of renewables in the power mix grows exponentially. India, for example, has ambitious solar targets and we expect an increase from 3% of total power generating capacity in 2015 to more than 35% in 2035.
Meanwhile, wind power remains the prerogative of developed and mature markets (with the exception of China). As fossil fuels and nuclear use slowly decline in Western Europe, we expect wind to become the largest source of electricity by 2030 at around 21%.
Asia will also see renewables develop steadily, driven by a will to cut CO2 emissions in the mature markets of Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, or as a result of a steep increase in power demand in the case of South East Asia.
In China, despite slower power demand growth, solar and wind will develop at a fast pace, reaching 7% and 18% of total electricity output respectively. We also forecast nuclear output to expand here more than tenfold between 2015 and 2035 – a stark contrast to many other countries, where nuclear remains unpopular.
With technology continually improving, renewables are no longer simply regarded as the expensive green option but are now considered serious competition. It’s clear that renewable energy is in a strong position to force the market to reshape.
As well as being part of our subscription service, the full report is also available to purchase
Media enquiries If you would like to interview one of our experts, please get in touch with one of our regional press offices.
Find out more We provide strategic analysis and insight on global trends and geopolitical issues, from supply and demand forecasts across all fuels and sectors of the energy industry, to analysis of evolving macroeconomic trends. Our research into the threats and opportunities for natural resources helps to identify and understand scenarios for key global risks and uncertainties.
To discover more, register your interest below and we will contact you.
Heating with wood is often considered a natural and economical alternative to electricity or fossil fuels. However, even with a fairly new and efficient woodstove, many cords of wood are required for burning over the course of a single winter, and incomplete combustion can contribute to poor air quality. A rocket mass heater is an…;
New Society PublishersPrice: $39.95 $28.73 Free Shipping
Heating with wood is often considered a natural and economical alternative to electricity or fossil fuels. However, even with a fairly new and efficient woodstove, many cords of wood are required for burning over the course of a single winter, and incomplete combustion can contribute to poor air quality. A rocket mass heater is an earthen masonry heating system which provides clean, safe, and efficient warmth for your home, all while using 70 to 90 percent less fuel than a traditional woodstove.
These unique and beautiful installations provide luxurious comfort year round. In cold weather a few hours of clean, hot burning can provide twenty or more hours of steady warmth, while the unit’s large thermal mass acts as a heat sink, cooling your home on sizzling summer days. Packed with hard-to-find information, The Rocket Mass Heater Builder’s Guide includes:
Comprehensive design, construction, and installation instructions combined with detailed maintenance and troubleshooting advice
Brick-by-brick layouts, diagrams, and architectural plans augmented with detailed parts drawings and photographs for clarity
Relevant and up-to-date code information and standards to help you navigate the approval process with local building departments
Earthen masonry heating systems are well-suited for natural and conventional builders alike. A super-efficient, wood-burning, rocket mass heater can help you dramatically reduce your energy costs while enhancing the beauty, value, and comfort of your home.
Erica Wisner and Ernie Wisner have built over seven hundred super-efficient, clean-burning masonry stoves. They are dedicated to the search for sustainable solutions and the hands-on teaching of creative, ecological, and practical skills.
The Rocket Mass Heater Builder s Guide Complete Step By Step Construction Maintenance and Troubleshooting
It’s the concern that any individual making use of alternative energy certainly asks at some time …
Just what are the most effective batteries for an off-grid power system?
As a result of the dropping costs of renewable resource systems, an increasing number of individuals are wanting to make use of alternate power sources as a method to:
Conserve loan
End up being much more power independent
And damage their dependence on the large energy firms Solar cell Bank With Refurbished BatteriesHowever, setting up a renewable energy system, most of the times, needs you making a significant initial investment that you won’t get back for numerous years.
Among the biggest costs associated with alternative energy systems is the batteries in the battery financial institution.
So choosing the appropriate batteries for your off-grid system is crucial (and also maintaining the batteries alive as long as feasible is likewise critically crucial)!
You Don’t Need to Get New Overpriced Batteries
Prior to we tell you exactly what 3 batteries we recommend for your different energy system’s battery bank …
It is essential to first note that you do not have to acquire the 3 batteries we advise brand-new.
Instead, you could make use of the EZ Battery Refurbishing program to:
Get old or used batteries absolutely free (or economical).
Refurbish them back to “like-new” condition.
After that utilize those replaced (like-new) batteries in your alternate power system’s battery bank INSTEAD of purchasing new costly batteries.
Doing this will save you a significant quantity of loan when constructing a battery bank and also it aids make alternative power obtainable to those with a tighter budget!
But that still leaves the inquiries …
What are the very best batteries to make use of in your solar power, wind power, or other different power system?
In this post we’ll attempt to respond to that concern in a really basic and also straightforward manner.
Here’s exactly what we’ll discuss:.
Lead Acid-Batteries VS. Other Battery Technologies in a battery financial institution.
Deep Cycle vs. Shallow Cycle Batteries in a battery bank.
Flooded Lead-Acid Batteries (FLA) VS Secured Lead-Acid Batteries (SHANTY TOWN) in a battery bank.
And also finally, which 3 Batteries we recommend for your residential off-grid power system (based on the criteria we go over in this article).
Lead Acid-Batteries vs. Various other Battery Technologies.
A number of the batteries that are made use of in renewable energy systems were originally developed for other purposes. The most popular instance of this is the lead acid battery which has dominated the industry for a very long time.
Deep cycle lead-acid batteries have actually verified to be one of the very best (as well as most economical) battery types for alternate power system battery banks for these reasons:.
They have the ability to endure frequent discharging,.
They’re less costly compared to other kinds of batteries,.
They have much more tough resilience,.
They supply a lot more regular performance compared to various other batteries.
The fact that they are widely generated additionally means that they are fairly very easy to replace if a battery in your battery financial institution needs changing.
It ought to be noted however, that since late, lithium ion batteries for household alternate power systems, like Tesla’s Powerwall, have actually been gaining ground– yet the first financial investment right into lithium ion batteries is still much more than the initial financial investment into lead-acid batteries.
The Powerwall may ultimately transform this however right now deep cycle lead-acid batteries are the least expensive as well as most sensible option for a home battery financial institution.
Deep Cycle vs. Shallow Cycle (Cars and truck) Batteries.
Back when the renewable energy sector was still getting vapor, people that wished to go totally off the grid would frequently need to improvisate and also use car batteries. However, auto batteries were never ever developed for this function as well as shouldn’t be continually drained pipes and also reenergized (which is exactly what they should carry out in a photovoltaic panel or wind generator system).
Cars and truck batteries are intended to be utilized only for beginning as well as ignition. If you have a look inside one, you will see that they have a lot of thin plates.
These plates have a large overall surface that could promote a large number of chemical reactions. When you start your auto, these responses generate the abrupt ruptured of power that is required for ignition.
Deep cycle batteries on the various other hand, have thick lead plates that do not provide much area for chain reactions. Though they produce less current, they are made to do so for a lot longer time period.
Basically, automobile batteries are “shallow cycle” batteries that will promptly burn out when utilized as storage space for eco-friendly power.
Flooded Lead-Acid Batteries (FLA) VS Sealed Lead-Acid Batteries (SHANTY TOWN).
Prior to informing you what three batteries are best for different power system’s battery banks, it must be explained why flooded lead-acid batteries (FLA’s) are better for renewable energy compared to secured lead-acid batteries (SLA’s).
One of the reasons that some individuals favour SLA’s is since they call for little upkeep. Unlike FLA’s that should be checked frequently for water level, SLA’s that are utilized correctly could be laid off.
Nonetheless, secured lead-acid batteries have 2 huge imperfections: they are delicate as well as break rapidly. So if you’re intending on using your solar panel or wind power system each day, this will ultimately position an issue.
So, right here are the groups of swamped lead-acid batteries that are best for an off-the-grid power system:.
The 3 Best Batteries.
So since we know we desire a lead acid battery, that’s flooded (FLA), and has deep cycle buildings … below are our 3 favorite batteries for an off-grid system’s battery bank:.
1) Golf Cart Batteries.
Golf Cart BatteriesGolf cart batteries are one of the most widely produced batteries on this listing.
They additionally function fantastic in an alternate power system application. So it’s not a surprise that they are among the most frequently made use of batteries in battery financial institutions for renewable resource systems.
Although the 5 to six year life span of golf cart batteries could seem reasonably brief, golf cart batteries greater than offset their shortage in this field by being very sturdy and also low-cost (you could also use these 7 ideas to extend the life of golf cart batteries).
Additionally, golf cart batteries can also be located virtually anywhere, making them a great option for battery financial institutions.
If you actually wish to build a premium quality yet economical battery bank among the best choices is to:.
Get old or “dead” batteries from golf courses or golf cart look for cost-free … or economical (just call them and also ask if you can have their old batteries probably lying around as well as littering their shop).
Then refurbish those batteries to like-new condition with the EZ Battery Reconditioning program.
Make use of those replaced batteries in your battery financial institution.
2) Industrial or Forklift Batteries.
Forklift BatteriesA battery financial institution that uses one or more commercial batteries follows the other philosophy of a golf cart battery bank. As opposed to depending on numerous strings of smaller batteries, you make use of a few or even one battery to keep all of your power.
Due to the fact that these batteries aren’t generally produced to typical dimensions, you will certainly need to have one made that is perfect for your requirements.
Or you could try to find an old industrial or forklift battery that’s the correct size for your system as well as use that.
Like golf cart batteries, there are often ways to get cost-free or cheap forklift batteries.
One means is to phone or go to industrial firms as well as see if they have old or “dead” forklift batteries. Deal to dispose of it for them or pay them a bit. If they concur, you can then replace the battery as well as utilize it rather purchasing a new expensive commercial battery.
However if you prefer to get a brand-new custom made battery instead, you ought to expect to pay quite a bit. However fortunately is these types of batteries are typically constructed to last 15 to Twenty Years.
Other thing to consider are:.
These bigger batteries will certainly be heavier and also more difficult to move.
There may be innovations in battery innovation that might make the battery obsolete in years to come.
However if you don’t mind making a significant financial investment upfront (anywhere from $2,000 to $10,00) as well as are alright with spending time maintaining your batteries in leading problem, then industrial batteries might be best for you.
3) L16 Batteries.
L16 batteries for SolarIf you want batteries that have a little extra capability compared to golf cart batteries however do not wish to invest in industrial batteries, L16 batteries are a great middle ground.
These swamped lead-acid batteries were originally made for supermarket flooring scrubbers.
The good thing with these batteries is that they last a bit longer than golf cart batteries– concerning six to eight years. However, they are frequently two times as heavy and also the 6-volt models can be twice as costly.
Final thought.
Different houses will certainly have various power need as well as will require battery banks that are sized accordingly.
If you construct a battery financial institution utilizing any one of the 3 batteries mentioned above, you should have the ability to create a battery bank that is just right for your requirements.
There are some amazing new advancements in the battery globe for alternate power. These new items should be getting in the marketplace over the next pair years, like the lithium ion Tesla Powerwall. But currently, our three preferred batteries for domestic off-grid, alternative energy systems are golf cart batteries, L16 batteries, and industrial batteries.
And also if you’re interested in saving loan on your battery bank, you can use the EZ Battery Reconditioning program to find out how to:.
Aging or “dead” golf cart batteries, L16 batteries, or industrial batteries for free or economical.
Recondition them back to 100% of their working problem.
Use those “like-new” batteries instead of purchasing new pricey batteries to conserve a great deal of money!
Good luck with your battery bank! And Pleased Battery Reconditioning!
So over winter I’ve incorporated a solar controller and a suction line float switch…
So over winter I’ve incorporated a solar controller and a suction line float switch to ensure the piston pump does not run dry, and a suction prime line to increase suction lift to the pump. #upcycle #solarpump #gettingreadyforahotsummer
@futurepump’s solar irrigation pump is a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to costly and…
@futurepump’s solar irrigation pump is a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to costly and polluting petrol or diesel pumps, and instead of spending hours carrying water, farmers can increase their income and grow more crops all year round . #Uniting4Climate @connect4climate #eyeonclimate @cop23fj #cop23 #climateaction
We recently bought a 22 year old house that had a massive rock gas fireplace. Not only was it useless for producing heat (being mostly decorative) it burned a fossil fuel controlled by a public utility. We much prefer a real fire, not to mention we have years of standing firewood on our property.
While a real wood fireplace/stove was on our prerequisite list for our new home, this house had pretty much everything else. Since the existing fireplace was very large and constructed of solid moss rock, we assumed it must have been a real fireplace at one time and later converted to a gas fired insert by a previous owner.
Forgive the quality of some of the photos. This was an exhausting process for an old guy, so I took photos with whatever device I had handy at the time.
The first part of this article will cover the three D’s: Discovery, Disappointment and Demolition.
While I personally installed a wood boiler and two wood stoves at the old homestead, I had no experience with a major conversion. The first stop was to a local home and hearth type store to get an idea of what we were dealing with and the options for wood inserts…assuming we could use the existing moss rock structure.
We were told it was essential to determine if the structure was originally a wood burner or built for the gas insert – because if it was originally built for gas – you CAN NOT convert it to wood. I thought the “you CAN NOT convert” statement was just a sales line since most home and hearth stores make the majority of their profit on installation work – not the stove they sell you.
However, the first step was knowing for sure if this was an old wood burner or someone actually went to all the labor and expense to build this massive moss rock structure for an older gas insert (older meaning it looked as much like a real wood fire as a politician’s smile).
The house has a large wooden chase on the roof that could have easily accommodated a masonry or insulated pipe chimney. Since the gas insert was nicely mortared into the rock structure, I choose the roof as a starting point to see if looking inside the chase would provide any real clues as to the gas/wood question.
Having fallen off a 2-story roof about a decade ago, I was really hoping to avoid a similar fate this time. However, since there were no active thunderstorms with high gusts of wind (the cause of my previous fall) I cautiously made the climb and pulled the lid from the chase. This provided my first dash of disappointment. There was no indication of a previous masonry chimney and the existing hole for the gas exhaust pipe indicated a larger, insulated double-walled exhaust pipe sometimes used for a wood burning fireplace was never there.
Not one to easily give up hope until (all) the facts prove otherwise, I knew the house had been re-roofed a couple of times during its life. It was possible that all evidence of a wood burner was removed when the gas insert was installed and the house re-shingled. The only way to know for certain was to get a look inside the moss rock structure to see if it contained an old firebox/masonry structure or if it was constructed of wood framing.
As you can see from the photo below, this was not going to be easy because the installation of the suspected gas insert was done well – the insert frame was completely mortared into the structure. I needed to get a look inside while causing a minimum amount of damage in case we decided to forget this project and stick with the gas insert.
Fortunately I have a 15’ long, USB powered borescope. Essentially this is a camera lens placed at the end of a long flexible tube that can be plugged into you phone with an adapter or directly into your computer/laptop/tablet. These can be purchased for less than $20 on eBay. I removed the glass front of the gas insert and drilled a small hole into the top of the firebox in a location that could be easily patched. I then fired up the borescope on my tablet and went in.
Disappointment was only seconds away. While certainly not providing a 4K, HD image, the borescope clearly showed what I most definitely did not want to see: Wood studs and insulation – everywhere. This left no doubt that our massive moss rock structure was, in fact, originally built for the gas fireplace insert – first wood framed, then sheetrocked and finally stone faced and mortared.
No worries – I just have to figure out the process of converting the existing structure to a wood burner. There has to be a way.
My initial disappointment grew as I spent night after night researching every possible avenue trying to find a reliable source that explains how to convert the gas fireplace into a wood burning one. The bottom line is you can’t! Even with a zero-clearance wood burning insert, one which doesn’t require a heavy masonry chimney, the heat generated by the actual wood burning insert itself is too extreme. It is against every building code in the US to do this and is a major fire hazard.
That left only two choices: Rip out the entire moss rock structure and start over, or leave it in place and place a wood stove in front of it. Either way, I (finally) agreed with my wife that with all the other projects that needed to be done, I would, for once, not do this myself. This was to be the first major project I would let a contractor complete. That was until the bids came in. The going rate for removing the moss rock structure, putting the rocks back on the wall and installing the wood burning stove we wanted was over $8500. Way out of our budget. Not going to happen.
After a week of staring at the structure, “Laying Hands” upon it (just trying to get a feel for how many tons of rock/mortar would have to be removed) my wife and I agreed if we wanted a wood stove and wanted it done right, like most everything else we would have to do it ourselves.
Removing the gas insert was not too difficult. Simply remove the mortar around the trim, disconnect the gas line and electrical connections, ‘saws-all’ the sheet metal firebox enough to bend it in, remove some screws and it pulled right out. Just cap off the gas line (I planned to leave it stubbed out on the hearth for possible future use), put some wire nuts on the bare electrical wires (I will re-route it to be used for future use powering a blower unit) and we were ready for the next step.
Now the real fun began. As you can tell from the photos, the moss rocks in question are not pebbles. Some are 2-3 sq. feet and 4”-6” thick. It was time for a serious tool and a lot of manual labor. We decided that I would perform the highly skilled and technical job of operating the small jack/jill hammer and my wife would carry the stones outside as I popped them off. It seemed a fair division of labor in my book.
Popping the stones off was fairly easy. Just place the chisel bit at a 45 degree angle where the stone meets the mortar and pull the trigger. I had to chisel several spots on some stones, but they all popped off without a lot of effort. And, yes, I did actually help my wife carry out the larger ones.
Once all the stones were gone, that left what proved to be a tougher job, removing the 3-4” layer of wired in mortar that covered the structure. I don’t want to indicate that my wife gets upset when a big mess is being made, but I put in ear plugs for this procedure – and it wasn’t to protect me from the sound of the demolition hammer.
After most of the mortar had been removed, it was time to deal with the wood mantle. The mantle consisted of a bunch of laminated pine 2x6s. It measured 5.5” thick, 18” deep and 8’ long – basically solid pine. During construction they framed and dry-walled the area, then hoisted the mantle into place and angle-screwed it top and bottom into every stud. Then the mortar and moss rocks were added, locking the mantle into place.
At this point the only thing left to do was remove all the screws and figure out how my wife could support the 100-150 lb mantle as I removed the last few screws – assuming the weight didn’t just suddenly snap off the screws and allow the mantle to drop uncontrollably.
Fortunately I maintain a miniature hardware store in the shop. I grabbed some pulleys, rope and 4 self-drilling lag bolts (I love those things). Lagging the pulley contraption at the top of the structure and into the sides of the mantle did the trick. As the screws were removed down the line, the pulleys took the weight. Removing the last screw allowed the mantle to gently detach from the wall without breaking any toes, or worse – creating a big mess.
After the mantle was down and dragged out the back door (where it still sits at the time of this writing) it was fairly easy with the help of a saws-all to cut out the framing/drywall in large sections. Done! That left us with bare studs on the back wall and part of the ceiling and a hearth only half covered in flagstone.
Our initial thought was to re-use the moss rock on the back wall. However, since neither my wife nor I are spring chickens, the thought of mixing literally a ton of mortar and lifting all the rocks back up to the top of the wall was less than appetizing. We discussed numerous design ideas (using lighter materials) and came up with something we both liked.
If you are curious about the vertical silver tube mounted between the studs in the photo above, you will have to return for Part Two of this article, which will begin to cover the rebuild process.
Below is an image mock-up I did prior to the rebuild of what we were shooting for.
S’no joke–Japan and Sweden are already saving their winter snow to cool buildings when the weather heats up, and a new study looks at the possibilities of doing the same in Canada.
In Stockholm, more than 35 million cubic feet of snow is cleared every winter, and dumped. In 2009, Sweden’s Sundsvall Hospital switched to snow for summer cooling. The technology is simple: You store the snow in an insulated pit and then, when needed, you pump the chilled meltwater out into a system of pipes. Just like pumping hot water through a building to heat it, you can use chilled water to cool it.
The advantages are many. It’s quiet, it’s more reliable, and it doesn’t require refrigeration units to cool the air. Now researchers at the University of British Columbia think Canada could do the same. “Snow is not a waste, but a resource,” study co-author Kasun Hewage told Popular Science.
The team’s report, published in the Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy journal, explores the different methods of snow cooling, and compares them to regular air conditioning. In Canada, residential buildings account for 17% of total energy usage, and 15% of greenhouse gas emissions, and this is growing thanks to increased use of air conditioning.
“Snow storage is an ancient, simple, and low-cost technique and it is feasible in countries like Canada, which has high-energy demands for both cooling and heating during a year,” says the report. Its oldest recorded use was in 1833, where buckets of ice were hung in a South Carolina hospital to cool the building. Eventually, machines were invented to do the cooling instead. Why? Storage. Snow storage took up too much precious space, and nobody cared about cutting energy use a century ago.
Previous studies have focused on regular snow storage versus air conditioning. This one looks at alternative methods of snow storage. Canada is especially good for this because almost everywhere goes below freezing in the winter, so anyone can harvest and store their own snow and ice. There are four traditional methods of storage: Indoors, and outside either on, in, or under the ground. The study added higher-tech options: Regular, loose storage; watertight storage (which minimizes contaminants and the need for later processing); and high-density storage (HSS), where the snow is compacted.
The results were surprising. Whereas air conditioning units are the worst in terms of environmental impact, conventional storage (just collecting the loose snow and insulating it) was also fairly damaging, partly because it needs a lot of space, and partly because of the materials used to do it. So too was watertight storage. The best overall method, then, is HSS, where the required space and materials are at a minimum over its lifecycle.
The conclusion is that snow is a good alternative to regular air-con, as long as your climate supports its use. And even if the environmental impacts were equal, snow is just more pleasant, without noise, hot exhaust, or drying of the indoor air. Best of all, you can even fashion a DIY version, if you are willing to dig a pit, and to hang buckets of ice around the place in summer, that is.
I Have Created A New Product On How To Build Solar Panels And How To Install A 1kw System On A Roof. 4 Solar Panels, Charge Controller, Deep Cycle Battery And Inverter To Get 220 V.great Conversion Rate.
Manawatu homeowners off the grid after designing alternative solar energy system
Murray Wilson/ Fairfax NZ
Norbert Reiser built his own alternative solar energy system and installed it to power his house.
A Feilding homeowner has not paid a power bill in six years after building his very own alternative solar energy system.
Norbert and Renate Reiser have been self-sufficient since 2010, with the $15,000 system converting sunlight into power and servicing all their household appliances.
They also grow vegetables, fruit, chickens and sheep for food.
Norbert Reiser
Norbert Reiser’s home-built controller system.
The couple moved from Bavaria in Germany in 2001 and it took Norbert eight years to reconfigure his home’s power circuit.
The poor summer and abundance of liquid sunshine hasn’t hindered the couple’s lifestyle where they carry on with showers and use appliances as per usual.
Murray Wilson/ Fairfax NZ
The $15,000 system converts sunlight into power and servicing all household appliances.
“It was one of my main reasons to come to New Zealand. Not only is it a lovely place, but I could live my dream to be self-sufficient with my own electric energy,” he said.
“The rising power consumption from a rising Kiwi population creates a lot of stress to our hydro generators and water resources.
“The price of petrol and energy will never go down any more, so being self-sufficient helps. From my perspective, this is the same price, on investment, than you would get on the grid.”
The unit converts energy from sunlight into electricity, which is then stored in two batteries under the house.
Ad Feedback googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display(‘storybody’); });
In winter, a wetback heats the hot water cylinder so power can be preserved. Water is circulated through pipes and is heated using heat from the fire.
Norbert Reiser, an industrial electrician by trade, said the couple cooked on a gas stove, with only the fridge and freezer running fulltime.
In case of an emergency, they have a back-up generator. In six years they’ve only had to use it three times.
“It’s for if the weather is really bad – if we have maybe five, six days of constant rain,” he said.
Resier intended to build a garage where he could install more solar panels. The aim was to rely less on two storage batteries.
“I can prove that it is possible to build a self-sufficient house off the grid,” he said.
“I built my own controller circuits and got the main parts from the electronic shops, like inverters, power meters for inlet and outlet.
“It is like being the conductor of an orchestra – all these components then get alternated to my specific needs.”
Living off solar energy required people to be on their toes and thinking all the time with an understanding of how to use energy wisely, he said.
Conserve loan
