A Short Message + A Post from Belgium
Hi folks,
Sounds like the fire display went over very well. As you can see from the fire display, we have a large readership here that continues to grow, and all of you are very good about spreading the word. I like freeacre's idea of the seasonal fires. We should ponder that, and figure out how to organinze it. This week I have been on the road, and won't be through until Saturday night. So, I have a huge backlog of emails to respond to and probably won't get through them all until late Saturday or Sunday. If I haven't gotten to you, don't fret. I am just traveling too much this week to keep up with things.
In my absence, my Belgian friend has offered a post for all to consider. My great thanks go to him for helping cover the bases while I'm away. I'll see you guys in a couple of days. I will leave today's Booshism before the post.
Cyclone
"Will the highways on the Internet become more few?"
Our fearless genius, George W. Boosh; Concord, New Hampshire; January 29, 2000
Preparing for Afterwards
One Way to Become Self Sufficient in Domestic Energy
With oil more or less at its peak, supplies becoming increasingly difficult to obtain over the coming years and certainly becoming astronomically pricey it will become more and more important to reduce personal consumption from external sources. This describes a method to use solar storage to provide hot water; heating and electricity generation.
There will be an initial capital outlay but with projected rapidly rising fuel prices the pay back time could be a lot shorter than you would think.
This assumes a couple of very basic things. You are not going to move house because you sure can’t take this one with you. You own the area outside your house and also you need to be far enough above any local water table for it not to interfere.
Hire or purloin a mechanical digger and dig a big hole in your back garden. This is where the heat storage is going to be. You will ask how big the hole needs to be and I cannot for sure tell you this, it depends on too many variables, how far north you are; how cold your winters are how much sunlight you get and even the construction of your house. As a rough guide have a look at the design output of your central heating boiler in Kcal/h or BTU/h whichever you guys work in. The heat storage is represented by Mass of storage material, X specific heat (assume 1.1 or 1.2) X the desired rise in temperature say 80°C X the number of hours storage you guess will need to get you through the winter and you have to dig a hole big enough for that much weight. Bigger is not a problem, or just dig a hole as big as your pockets will allow and what you have is what you have.
Line the hole, bottom and sides with insulation like glass fibre or Gyproc which has a vapour barrier, shiny side out, to keep the water out. Make a second layer with the shiny side facing into the hole to reflect the heat back in like the inside of a Thermos flask. You could even build a false wall a few inches in and fill with polystyrene or vermiculite loose fill or even pine needles, anything that will trap air which is one of the best insulators there is. Next place concrete reinforcing mesh on the bottom and from this build rows up vertically. This is to spread the heat throughout the storage material as evenly as possible, you could use copper plumbing pipe, it depends on the price.
Fill the hole with loose pebbles or gravel to a couple of feet from the surface. Place more steel mesh on the top followed by more insulation. In the sunniest part, preferably the centre place more steel mesh vertically upwards rising several feet above ground level. Build a box around the steel and fill the box with concrete. Embed a large central heating radiator, painted black into the concrete block before it sets (before you pour the concrete actually). When the concrete is set remove the box, paint the cast block black to absorb (not reflect) the heat and cover the block with a greenhouse. Connect the radiator into your central heating system with valves so that the CH boiler can be bypassed or assisted or just let this feed a hot water storage tank and let it thermal siphon. Leave for several months until the water in the radiator becomes hot before using and don’t forget to put in an expansion pipe somewhere in the system to release the pressure of overheated water. The area over the hole can be filled with soil and grassed over or used to grow vegetables.
To generate electricity you will need to purchase a commercially available Stirling engine with a genny, sometimes called an external combustion engine although you don’t need combustion to make them work only a heat difference and this can be provided by placing one sensor on the hot water pipes. The other sensor can be placed in a deep freezer run off the system. These types of engines can be found here:
http://www.stmpower.com/Technology/Technology.asp
and here:
http://www.stirlingenergy.com/whatisastirlingengine.htm
I never said this option was going to be cheap but once installed you can have free heat, hot water and electricity for the rest of your life, provided you don’t move house.
This is just one example of how energy independence might work. I am sure that many of you will have other ideas or suggestions.
Other sites for becoming less energy dependant can be found here:
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/
and here:
http://www.carbro.co.za/washing_mashine.html
From Belgium
posted by cyclone @ 6:07 AM
22 comments
22 Comments:
Belgium,
It will take me a while to follow up on all the links you posted. Be assured I will.
My first impression, without doing any detailed investigation, is that we should have been thinking along those lines 30 tears ago. But of course, when energy is relatively cheap, who wants to go to that kind of trouble to save a few bucks in 20 years. Sort of like the Pogue carburetor, and all other developments like that.
In our case, we would have to move to another location to even try it. Our water table is 15 feet, and in the spring it is some higher. So for our particular location it simply is not viable.
The other problem is going to be the investment to do it. My off the cuff estimate is that it would cost in excess of $20,000 in most locations of the U.S., unless you could do all the labor yourself and rent the heavy machinery. For instance, in our very particular location, because of the high water table, if you do any expansion of your house, or build a new house, you are required to put in what is called a sand filter sewage system. It sits primarily on the surface, is quite large ( approx 15' X 30')and is around 3-4 feet above the general level of the land. When it is contracted out it runs from about $12-$18 thousand to put it in and has all kinds of pumps and other electrical components and sensors to make it work. They are flat out ugly and decrease drastically the land usage. We don't have one, and will not even think of putting one in, which limits what we can do with the property.
Like you said, with escalating energy costs, it would be a viable investment if you could come up with the bucks. Unfortunately, it is a choice for mostly the wealthy to consider.
Of course, in almost any setting, it is far more efficient energy wise to build below the ground or an earth bermed house. But of course that isn't ostentatious enough to suit most people. Showing off your wealth doesn't work below ground. People would have to come and (shudder) walk through your place to see how successful you are. And in locations with heavy wind storms, or high heat, or bitter cold, it makes a lot of sense to go underground to some amount. But Nooooo. Instead, we build stick houses above ground and have to go to extravagant lengths to heat and cool them and then have them damaged or blown down by wind storms. Of course, below ground construction in a flood plain doesn’t make much sense. But then building on flood plains is stupid to begin with, at least in my opinion.
Interesting and good idea you have put out. We have been considering alternatives similar to that for years. Money has always been the stopper.
Belgium,
Fianlly got through the links. The last one with the hand cranked washing machine was talked about by the fellow in I think Singapore who gave a huge list of how he is preparing for an urban survival thing.
The first and second links talk about the Stirling engine. I had heard the name before but nothing about it. It is interesting that they are talking about using compressed hydrogen for the working gas. At this time not only is hydrogen difficult and costly to extract, but it also migrates through the molecular composition of any material that it is stored in.
The third site is most interesting to me and will take some exporation.
Looks to me like it has a large amount of contributers with some interesting ways to do stuff that I had never thought of or heard about.
Murph,
I take your point about cost. I thought of it as a self build project but maybe it is a bit ambitious. There are many variations on the theme. This is one, perhaps extreme example which on thinking about it more closely may be more suitable as a small community project. The principle will work on a smaller scale also, even with a plastic swimming pool full of water placed on the garage roof and covered with a clear plastic sheet. It is by starting somewhere and then refining ideas amongst many people that workable solutions are found.
From Belgium.
Belgium,
My problem is age and endurance. Tackling a project like that I wouldn't have hesitated when I was younger. And, as I mentioned, digging a very deep hole around here is futile unless you are putting in an open well. I have a neighbor who did that on his property next door in the 50's.
Talking about digging a hole here, it is the easiest place to do so that I have lived in. It is volcanic ash, no rocks for at least 35 feet. I lived in mountains of Akansas back in the 80's and whever you talked about digging any kind of a hole people ran away. Had to use dynamite a lot of the time. Hard clay and rock. Putting up a fence line was fun fun fun. lol
Latest update from the guy in SG
Bought additional items
1. 5 rafts, each can support 2 person size/260KG max load. size 2.6m length max 1.8 m width max, cost US$100 each. Made in Germany. 4 delivered to my home, one still inside warehouse. Comes with mechanical air pump
2. 260KG of grains, delivery date scheduled 29th March 2006 daytime. I estimate it can last 1 year. I might consider buying 50% more on 28-3-2006 if I hear bad news on 28-3-2006. The packaging on grain indicate it can last until 2-28-2008
3. 4 lifejackets, about US$80 each, top of range by German company. Delivered.
4. 1 3 wheel bicycle, US$150. No indication of weight supported. The area near shop has a lot of identical models, and a lot of them have a lot of rust. But beggers cannot be choosers. Drove it home manually.
5. Oven thermometer, 150 to 600 degrees C. Germany. US$15. pocket size.
6. 200 cans of canned food., bought over 10 trips to local supermarket
7. Read the long emergency and empire of debt cover to cover in bookshop, over many trips.
8. Sold my car, which is why I need supermarket delivery of grains.
9. 2 new pair of eye glasses, titanium frame, US$500.
The glass water distill kit will also be delivered end of month and the maker told me I am the only person to order it, there is only 1 maker.
Welcome Back Anonymous in SG. Good to hear you're still with us.
Man, your house/apartment must be jam packed with stuff. It sure sounds like you are about as ready as you can be.
Did you light a bonfire Monday night?
I presume you are keeping up on the news and the posts and comments at this and other sites.
Again, good to hear from you.
Hey! Been missing you,Singapore Guy! I was thinking, too, unless you are living in something the size of the Library of Congress, it must be getting mighty crowded!The stuff sounds all good,though. I went to a sports show and purchased two large magnesium and steel "permanent matches" to make fires in a pinch. I want one of those 3 wheeled bikes...with a basket. I remember a funny disagreement that the murphinator and I had once about the meaning of "rotating" cans. When you store cans, they always say to "rotate" them. I thought they meant to turn them upside down every once in awhile. Murph said it meant to use them and replace them. He won. lol
Belgium
The information you posted was very interesting to say the least. I have been thinking of ways to become independent of conventional fuels. One thing that I was considering would be wind generation of electricity. This how ever would be difficult to achieve in the middle of the city where I live not to mention the cost. I need to get more information before I condemn the idea completely.
I think you have something in the area of solar collection, and you are correct in saying there is more then one way to skin a cat. Most of us are not engineers so we don't have any idea as to one get some sort of version of this to work for us. The trick is to come up with something that will use what you have already to move the heat, either to a mass for storage or directly into a living space. The other part of the equation would be to keep it simple. No pumps or utilize what you have with minimal modifications. Oil or non-toxic anti-freeze for instance will not freeze under most conditions. Standard 1/2" L Copper pipe, painted flat black will burn you if it’s been in the sun for a while and if you tacked flat copper sheet to the tubing. I am still trying to figure out how to get the heat transfer material to move by adding sun generated heat and I think its possible. You would have to install the copper circuit in an insulated case with one side being plexi glass and exposed to the sun. The interior would either be a mass of water in a holding tank or a gravity aluminum fin/copper coil arrangement. Believe it or not you can even purchase a hot water holding tank with the heating circuit installed. Fin spacing should be say two to three fins per inch. I unfortunately can't tell how to size the surface area to the mass storage or the interior gravity coil. Also keep in mind that copper will grow with heat being applied. So I would have to install expansion joints of either stainless flex or same in copper, which I know exist and also allow for expansion in the case. Most of the materials I have mentioned can be purchased from your local hardware store.
The bond fire
I would have but we had blizzard conditions here. I do like the idea doing it by the seasonal changes though.
Sean
From SG.
I was too busy on Monday night. Chicago VPN box crashed and Chicago Internet connection got cut off due to problem with ISP and it took me almost 4 hours to get it online, made 3 IDD calls to chicago. And while fixing the Chicago box, San Fransico internet connection lost for 10 minutes. And to cap it all, the customer complain that failure to report back progress on fixing of problem and I was asked to write 2 big reports to be completed by 3pm local time(As 2 big incidents on going at same time from local time 5am to 8am, chicago time is somewhere in evening).
Belgium
I noticed one of the lengths you have listed give all sorts of idea on independence. I am starting to think about composting. The thought came to mind that the majority of seeds we purchase are engineered to grow one time. Now I was buying stuff off of embay and started running into sources of seed that would re produce after the first year. This is the way it used to be before corporate America got involved. So if any one has sources for seed that hasn't been engineered post it for me would you
Sean
From SG
There are still some items that I cannot locate a supplier, so I am not as ready as yet.
1. 10 man outdoor camping tent, weights 10KG.
2. Portable king/queen size camping bed, complete with mechanical air pump, for use inside the 10 man outdoor camping tent. Weights 8kg + mechanical air pump.
3. Big water containers. At the moment, I got 8 x 25 litre water containers stored with water, 1 x 100 litre water container empty, 1 x 60 litre water container empty. Dtill trying to locate more bigger size water containers
Saw the internet ad for such item
Sean,
Seeds Trust, PO Box 596
Cornville,AZ 86325
Specializes in heirloom vegetable seeds from all over the world. Inexpensive, too. New catalog just out.
Singapore Guy,
You are certainly taking this stuff seriously. It looks like you have a nuclear fallout shelter down there. Now, if you can just fill half of it with pebbles; no just kidding. You are certainly further along the line than I am. I think you are making most of us feel a little bit inadequate.
Sean,
I have only been to USA once and I didn’t take time out to investigate the plumbing systems so excuse me if this is well known to you. It is how a hot water system worked before the days of the combi-boiler, at least in the UK.
http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/domestic_hot_water_systems.htm
We nearly always used the indirect system whereby generated hot water rises because it is less dense than cold water, enters the coils within a copper tank full of water and transfers the heat to the water in the tank. The water in the coil then becomes cold and therefore denser and falls under gravity back to the heat source. This is usually referred to as a thermal siphon. These copper tanks, sometimes called a hot water cylinder, can be purchased encased in polystyrene foam. Also in case you are not familiar with the term “immersion heater” it is simply a long high powered kettle element for use as back up or for quick use.
Wrt seeds, GM versus normal, Google the terms annual and perennial.
From Belgium
Freeacre,
The murphinator, I like it. I also like your idea about burning bonfires at the changing of the seasons. As society becomes simpler we could revert to more of these pagan ways, just so long as you are not advocating sacrificing virgins when the crops fail. I think they owe society a greater debt than that. After all we are all committed to stamping out profligate waste.
From Belgium
No worries, Belgium. No virgins here. Got an overabundance of fundies and Bushites, though...
Singapore Guy,
Just a curious question because you are so far away. What got you alarmed about the world situation to want to go the extent you have for survival?
Freeacre
Keep the virgins safe and sound
Shovel the Bushies in the ground
Bury them deep and stamp on the mound
Then there won’t be any fundies around
From Belgium
sean,you are right,there is more then one way to skin a cat.but you know what? they never do like it.
just got a copy of HEIRLOOM SEEDS in the mail for a buck, www.heirloomseeds.com
beautiful website ,check it out makes one want to plow up the goddam lawn.
man i hate lawns.love gardens.and they grow well where i live in the bottom of an extinct volcano (i hope)lots of artesian water,some of its hot and the beets are especially sweet from the minerals found here.the magnesium steel striker tool is very good,gives off large sparks to start tender,in my servival gear is also encluded a couple of magnifying glasses,because fire is absolutely essental for survival when the matches and flick your bics are all used up.you know survival is just like going camping only longer,and you would be surprised at what you do not need to really enjoy being at one with nature.you will,depending upon where you intend to survive need several things,(i'm talking raw survival) and there are several good books that take alot of the worry out of whether you can make it without your computer and starbucks each morning.
i have lived mostly off the land with children for a few years and could of been even more self relient except for the laws regarding poaching and trimal nets and the like.summer in the north winter in the south is good except for the transportation that is bound to be something of a problem when the stuff hits the fan so dig in where you are?
north and south have most of the same requirements,shelter,food and clothing.pretty easy huh? make it simple basic to start just to survive and add on the luxuries later,beer,mota,beer,mota.you know once you get comfortable with the great outdoors the laughs will come easy and your health will bloom from lack of stress which this shit system we have been forced fed all our lifes comes to an end.i truly love all you brothers and sisters and wish you great connection and oneness with the spirit that is always right there if you can just hear it.(:
montana freeman
o,one more really good happing,.disconected the bottom element on the water heater and lowered my electric bill by 20 bucks a month!! still get good shower but have to make it quick.
my baby son (going for driver license soon)would use all the hot water per shower and he asked me about what happened to it,i just shrugged and walk away.
montana freeman
Belgium,
Nice post. That Stirling engine has been around for a hundred years or more! I saw a bunch of them at a "Flywheelers" convention not long ago.
One guy there had one set up on top of a solar colector, and said it made about 5 horsepower of the heat of the sun. He had a tiny one that ran of the heat of your hand! This is not a new technology! It's been around for a long time! Evidently the big oil companies did a "Red Car" job on it!
Too right - thaks
The solution for society or another change of Emperor's clothes?
http://pesn.com/2006/03/24/9600253_Fleischmann_joins_D2Fusion/
From Belgium
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