Posts from — January 2005

Don McGrath’s Sparrow

Welcome to the new age of Greener vehicles.

Time was, electric vehicles were promoted as the zero emissions saviours of the future, but the distance they could travel before recharging, and long recharge times led searchers to the hybrid vehicle, combining the advantages of a quiet, zero-emissions electric motor, with the range extending and battery charging capability of a small engine. This seemed to promise a solution, but effective mpg gains weren’t much better than a efficient diesel, batteries were expensive and emissions were still dirty.

Enter the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV), a hybrid engine-electric, with the ability to plug in for recharging, cleaner point of use for electric only short trips, and long range capability. Combined with a efficient diesel, and clean burning biodiesel or vegetable oil, this could be the solution the automotive industry has been looking for. For more info, see the following sites:

Alternative Fuel Cars: Plug-In Hybrids and Electric Cars

Hybrids? Some opt to go all-electric

Plug-In Hybrids: State Of Play, History & Players

Plug-In Hybrid Electric Light-Duty Vehicle Research Project (PDF)

How Electric Cars Work

MicroHydro Generator

If your homestead can take advantage of water sources to produce electricity, then you have come to the right place. Here are the ins and outs of water-powered electrical production, from the microhydro web site. The link at the end takes you to the site for more info.

Water poweris as old as civilization . If you live in an old mill or have an upland stream flowing through or close to your property, you probably have a site suitable to generate some or all your domestic power requirements. If there is insufficient power for your needs electrically,you might still be able to use water power to drive a water source heat pump.

The main power requirements are in the winter months, so there should be little or no conflict with other river demands. Adequate provisions may have to be made for migratory fish, and if construction is needed, take care not to dam up the area. Check land drainage upstream of your intake. Construct all schemes in an unobtrusive and environmentally sensitive manner, and where appropriate buy drawings of proven designs.

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Burbank Resident Robert Beher on the roof with his 2 kW solar PV system

Here on our off-grid homestead, we use PV panels as part of our energy solution. PV takes the energy in the sun’s light, and converts it directly to DC electricity for battery charging. A inverter then takes the low voltage DC, and converts it to 120vac house current. In other countries, it may be converted to 220vac. The number of PV panels you need is determined by your electrical usage, and the part of the world you live in. We get 2.5 full sun hours a day, another area might get 6, so they would need fewer panels than we do for the same load. A good beginner’s tutorial can be found here . It’s a PDF, and requires Adobe Acrobat.

Electric Car conversion

Victor Tikhonov converted a Honda from gasoline to DC Electric. A few years later, he upgraded it to a AC Electric propulsion system. Everything he modified, from removing the engine, installing the electric motor, control and instrumentation systems, adapting existing accessories, to performance testing is laid out for all to observe, and hopefully replicate with their own vehicles. Since electricity can be generated with solar panels and wind generators, a electric vehicle is an appropriate addition to the off-grid home.

The Conversion

DIY Wind Generator

With a regularly windy site, a wind generator can be an inexpensive source of electricity, especially compared to photovoltaics (PV). Commercial wind generators can be pricey, initially, as are the towers and installation. This can be done Do-It-Yourself (DIY), with proper education and experience. My friends at Otherpower.com build their own wind machines, and do their own installation. Follow along

as they construct a 15′, 1500 watt unit.

Ancient Kalamazoo Franklin

We had a very old Kalamazoo Franklin wood stove that was coming apart at the seams, literally. The final straw was this week when the cast iron chimney elbow separated from the firebox. We decided that it needed to be replaced, and in a hurry. Out door Temps were -10F, and heading to -22F, so a new Vestal Classic stove was ordered and delivered.

New Vestal Classic

I removed the old 26 gauge 7″ galvanized chimney pipe, and replaced it with new 22 gauge 6″ black chimney pipe. My fingers went right through the old pipe. As soon as I unhooked the chimney, the stove elbow fell completely off. This was a disaster waiting for an opportunity. I connected the new pipe, screwed it together, connected the new stove, and lit a fire. Soon the heat was again warming our home. My wife set a rocking chair in front, and enjoyed some well needed “me” time, and the cats curled up on the hearth, and took a nap. Life is good, and warm, again.

Solar Water Heater

Good ol’ John Canivan – guru of sun heated water systems, related the following to me:

In 1970 a friend of mine left the civilized comforts of a New Jersey home to seek out and experience the free, wild wilderness of an Adirondack hilltop in upstate New York. Jake loved the country life and swore that he’d never leave his mountain retreat. He endured the cold winters without electricity and baseboard heating, but Jake still missed running hot water. When spring came he took a 300-foot coil of black plastic tubing and connected one end to a spring high up on the mountain. He draped the remainder of the 300-foot coil on his roof and spread it out to cover as much surface area as possible. For a $50 investment and one hour’s worth of labor Jake had himself a bonafide hot water shower. He made good use of it whenever the sun was high on the mountain. I used it a few times myself. It works. The roof might look a little funny and the hot water would sometimes run out sooner than you’d like, but it did work when the sun was shining.

John has a practical tutorial on the how’s and why’s of sun heated water on his website.

CHARLEY Boorman went off-grid with best friend Ewan McGregor but has not been able to find work since.

Since the pair returned from their motorcycle journey in aid of UNICEF, very few job offers have come his way. Charley has had to make do with promoting the DVD and book of the pair’s Long Way Round adventure.

McGregor, on the other hand, is one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. He is currently in Los Angeles filming the sci-fi thriller The Island with Scarlett Johansson. (more…)

Solar Haven’s Rain Water System

Wells in our area average nearly 1000 feet deep. This is “historical” water which will never be replaced. At today’s prices, a well would cost in the neighborhood of $25,000 — far in excess of our budget.

Ever since we visited New Zealand almost 20 years ago, we have thought about catching and storing the rain from our roof. There we found New Zealanders, rich or poor, collected the rain from their roofs and stored it in barrels or tanks. Wells were the exception rather than the rule, municipal water system almost non-existent. Why not do the same thing in our part of the Sonoran Desert where rainfall averages about 12 inches per year?

We have over 3000 square feet of roof surface to collect rain water between the greenhouse and new straw bale house. TO FIGURE HOW MUCH WATER IS COLLECTED: approximately 600 gallons of rain water is collected for every 1000 square foot of collection area for one inch of rain. Thus one inch of rain produces about 1800 gallons of water and comes close to filling the storage tank. The new above-ground storage pool will hold about 4500 gallons.

There’s even a book which will answer all your questions when you come to install your own rainwater gathering setup – Rainwater Harvesting: The Collection of Rainfall and Runoff in Rural Areas – Buy it from Amazon – 14.95 (more…)