|
Home > Archive > Alternative Power sources > June 2007 > Are some of you really "off grid?"
You are viewing an archived Text-only version of the thread.
To view this thread in it's original format and/or if you want to reply to
this thread please [click here]
| Author |
Are some of you really "off grid?"
|
|
| GeekBoy 2007-05-31, 5:25 pm |
| Noticing some here and elsewhere are making claims of being "off
grid."
After watch the hit series "Jericho" on CBS it had me wondering
because I noticed some of you have indicated you use propane stoves
and refrigrators.
Where were would this leave you in case of a large disaster such a
another Hurricane or other situation where you could no longer obtain
such propane?
I think this still makes those people "on grid" since you still need
the resources of the grid and fossil fuels to keep that propane coming.
| |
|
| We're talking about the electricity grid.
My own off grid system uses an electric refrigerator, solar hot water,
but I do use propane to cook. Could use home grown wood to cook if
necessary.
Q
GeekBoy wrote:
> Noticing some here and elsewhere are making claims of being "off
> grid."
>
> After watch the hit series "Jericho" on CBS it had me wondering
> because I noticed some of you have indicated you use propane stoves
> and refrigrators.
>
> Where were would this leave you in case of a large disaster such a
> another Hurricane or other situation where you could no longer obtain
> such propane?
> I think this still makes those people "on grid" since you still need
> the resources of the grid and fossil fuels to keep that propane coming.
>
| |
| Steve Spence 2007-05-31, 8:25 pm |
| Propane appliances are usually easily modified to run on biomethane (natural
gas). When someone mentions "off-grid" it is accepted and understood they
are specifically talking about the electric grid. It's not easy being off
the everything grid. You would have to grow all your own food, make your own
clothes from animal and vegetable sources, make all your own building
supplies, etc. Not very feasible for most folks.
If the grid power goes out, we don't notice. We have 4 months of propane
onsite, so a temporary blip would not affect us much. A long term emergency
would impact us, and force us to switch to other alternatives in various
parts of our life, or go without. Many things we could go without, but
shelter, food, water, and heat are not things we can do without. It's those
things we endeavor to be self sufficient in.
--
Steve Spence
Director, Green-Trust
http://www.green-trust.org
"GeekBoy" <tcreek@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1180637507.473622.157520@q66g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> Noticing some here and elsewhere are making claims of being "off
> grid."
>
> After watch the hit series "Jericho" on CBS it had me wondering
> because I noticed some of you have indicated you use propane stoves
> and refrigrators.
>
> Where were would this leave you in case of a large disaster such a
> another Hurricane or other situation where you could no longer obtain
> such propane?
> I think this still makes those people "on grid" since you still need
> the resources of the grid and fossil fuels to keep that propane coming.
>
| |
| Steve Spence 2007-05-31, 8:25 pm |
| We cook with wood in winter, and with propane in summer. We heat water and
home with wood. We have a 5 acre woodlot, so that's sustainable. In the
absence of propane, I can move the wood fire cookstove to the garage, and
get busy on the methane digester project we have been preparing for all
winter.
--
Steve Spence
Director, Green-Trust
http://www.green-trust.org
"Q" <hugemoth@access4less.net> wrote in message
news:vIF7i.15360$Ut6.13852@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...[color=darkred]
> We're talking about the electricity grid.
>
> My own off grid system uses an electric refrigerator, solar hot water, but
> I do use propane to cook. Could use home grown wood to cook if necessary.
>
> Q
>
> GeekBoy wrote:
| |
| dances_with_barkadas@yahoo.com 2007-06-01, 9:25 am |
| pretty easy to get a two-week long stores worth of propane. hard to do
with electricity!
you're not "off the grid" unless you can do toileting without city
sewage hookups, guys. 2 days without toileting on your private
property, because the municipal water-treatment plant is down: you'll
be with the rest of the folks at the Red Cross evacuation center in
the high school gymnasium.
A hanging sheet is enough privacy to carry on your marital relations,
isn't it?
Line A for women's porta-pottie access, ladies... waiting time is 47
minutes.
lots of enjoyable conversation. Bring your starbucks cups, people.
| |
| Steve Spence 2007-06-01, 9:25 am |
| Many of us don't have city water or sewage anyway. I have a septic tank, and
a 12vdc water pump on my well. I generate more than enough solar to keep the
well pump happy, and with the wind gen, the rest of the house stays online.
I can always fire up the propane or veggiegen if there is no sun or wind.
--
Steve Spence
Director, Green-Trust
http://www.green-trust.org
<dances_with_barkadas@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1180699838.810440.135070@o11g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
> pretty easy to get a two-week long stores worth of propane. hard to do
> with electricity!
>
> you're not "off the grid" unless you can do toileting without city
> sewage hookups, guys. 2 days without toileting on your private
> property, because the municipal water-treatment plant is down: you'll
> be with the rest of the folks at the Red Cross evacuation center in
> the high school gymnasium.
>
> A hanging sheet is enough privacy to carry on your marital relations,
> isn't it?
>
> Line A for women's porta-pottie access, ladies... waiting time is 47
> minutes.
>
> lots of enjoyable conversation. Bring your starbucks cups, people.
>
| |
|
| On 31 May 2007 11:51:47 -0700, GeekBoy <tcreek@gmail.com> wrote:
>Noticing some here and elsewhere are making claims of being "off
>grid."
>
>After watch the hit series "Jericho" on CBS it had me wondering
>because I noticed some of you have indicated you use propane stoves
>and refrigrators.
Most off-gridders aren't really trying to be self-sufficient, just
free from the electrical grid either by choice or by necessity.
>Where were would this leave you in case of a large disaster such a
>another Hurricane or other situation where you could no longer obtain
>such propane?
It's easy to be nearly free of fuel burning if one spends enough or
has a mild climate like ours. Start with the paragraph titled "what it
powers" here http://www.citlink.net/~wmbjk/solar30.htm. Others have
done the same in harsher climates.
>I think this still makes those people "on grid" since you still need
>the resources of the grid and fossil fuels to keep that propane coming.
The commonly accepted definition of "off grid" stands.
Wayne
| |
| Usenet2007@THE-DOMAIN-IN.SIG 2007-06-01, 5:25 pm |
| In article
<1180699838.810440.135070@o11g2000prd.googlegroups.com>,
dances_with_barkadas@yahoo.com says...
> pretty easy to get a two-week long stores worth of propane. hard to do
> with electricity!
>
> you're not "off the grid" unless you can do toileting without city
> sewage hookups, guys. 2 days without toileting on your private
> property, because the municipal water-treatment plant is down: you'll
> be with the rest of the folks at the Red Cross evacuation center in
> the high school gymnasium.
I have a yard and a compost bin, so I could last indefinitely
without flushing the toilet.
--
Get Credit Where Credit Is Due
http://www.cardreport.com/
Credit Tools, Reference, and Forum
| |
| Brian Funk 2007-06-01, 5:25 pm |
|
<dances_with_barkadas@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1180699838.810440.135070@o11g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
> pretty easy to get a two-week long stores worth of propane. hard to do
> with electricity!
>
> you're not "off the grid" unless you can do toileting without city
> sewage hookups, guys. 2 days without toileting on your private
> property, because the municipal water-treatment plant is down: you'll
> be with the rest of the folks at the Red Cross evacuation center in
> the high school gymnasium.
It's called a septic tank/system. Used by many rural home owners. No city
connection.
My propane will cook, heat water, refrigerate, some space heat, and give
light for months if I don't take care. If I conserve, it will last at least
6 mos, may be longer. Wood heat and.................
solar/batteries/generator for the luxuries.
There are a lot of us folks that have rural/remote situations that are truly
off grid.
brian
| |
| Bruce in Alaska 2007-06-02, 8:25 pm |
| In article <MQ08i.419988$115.397235@newsfe10.phx>,
"Brian Funk" <bfunk850@cox.net> wrote:
>
> There are a lot of us folks that have rural/remote situations that are truly
> off grid.
> brian
>
>
I for one live "Off Grid", since the nearest "Grid" is 250 Miles
away......
Bruce in alaska
--
add a <2> before @
| |
| Charles Foot 2007-06-03, 5:25 pm |
| Bruce in Alaska wrote:
> In article <MQ08i.419988$115.397235@newsfe10.phx>,
> "Brian Funk" <bfunk850@cox.net> wrote:
>
> I for one live "Off Grid", since the nearest "Grid" is 250 Miles
> away......
>
> Bruce in alaska
Yep, same here. Although the nearest 'grid' is only 80 miles away, it's
ocean all the way......
Same, of course, with any other reticulated services such as water and
sewage.
100% solar power, 100% rainwater harvesting, septic tank, grow our own
vegetables all year round. Cook mainly with propane, but occasionally
fire up the wood stove.
Chaz on Great Barrier Island
| |
| George Ghio 2007-06-10, 3:25 am |
| wmbjk wrote:
> On 31 May 2007 11:51:47 -0700, GeekBoy <tcreek@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Most off-gridders aren't really trying to be self-sufficient, just
> free from the electrical grid either by choice or by necessity.
>
>
> It's easy to be nearly free of fuel burning if one spends enough or
> has a mild climate like ours. Start with the paragraph titled "what it
> powers" here http://www.citlink.net/~wmbjk/solar30.htm. Others have
> done the same in harsher climates.
>
>
> The commonly accepted definition of "off grid" stands.
>
> Wayne
Dear me, wayne
It appears that you have lost 10kWh of input. You used to claim 15 to 30 kWh/day.
Could it be that, in truth, your numbers are in fact the purest fiction?
Or perhaps you will claim that the now defunct Air X produced 10kWh/day?
Then there is the question of what it runs. Read it again and, low and behold, there are still no
figures for:
Heating
Cooking
Dishwasher
Laundry
Computer
Ceiling Fans
Lighting
Shop
Given the paucity of figures it seems that you.
Are cold in winter
Eat cold tinned beans
Lick your dishes clean
Stink to high heaven
Use someone else's computer
Use a piece of string to wave the ceiling fans back and forth
Crawl under a rock at the end of the day
And look at tools that are never used
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
| |
| Vaughn Simon 2007-06-10, 9:25 am |
|
"George Ghio" <ghio@nobodyhome.com.au> wrote in message
news:466ba73e$0$30920$88260bb3@free.teranews.com...
>
> Could it be that, in truth, your numbers are in fact the purest fiction?
>
Just a friendly word George. It would be really nice if you could please
make a point of sharing your (considerable) knowledge without putting others
down.
Thanks,
Vaughn
| |
| George Ghio 2007-06-10, 8:25 pm |
| Vaughn Simon wrote:
> "George Ghio" <ghio@nobodyhome.com.au> wrote in message
> news:466ba73e$0$30920$88260bb3@free.teranews.com...
> Just a friendly word George. It would be really nice if you could please
> make a point of sharing your (considerable) knowledge without putting others
> down.
>
> Thanks,
> Vaughn
>
>
Ok, The point is that wayne put up a website that basically says "Look what I did!"
This is fine, as long as the site explains what you did.
Problem: wayne's site is all "Look at my toys".
Wayne has an interesting system. It is dependent on location. Most of the loads rely on the sun
being out.
During the day, wayne does everything he can while the sun shines. This is because the system does
not have the battery capacity to store the panels daily production. This is a very hand to mouth
type of system.
When yo see the food (energy) stick it in your mouth (use the energy) because after dark you won't
be able to see the food.
When wayne says look at my site and start with "What it runs..." so you go and have a look.
He has listed heating as one of his loads. Fine, except that all it says is he runs heating. What
good is that without the kWh load for that appliance. After all the load is the energy used for a
period of time, not just a heater.
The same goes for: Cooking, dishwasher, laundry, computer, ceiling fans, lighting and shop.
Without the actual loads the information is useless. Just "look at my toys" stuff.
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
| |
| wmbjkREMOVE@citlink.net 2007-06-10, 8:25 pm |
| On Sun, 10 Jun 2007 13:54:28 GMT, "Vaughn Simon"
<vaughnsimonHATESSPAM@att.FAKE.net> wrote:
>
>"George Ghio" <ghio@nobodyhome.com.au> wrote in message
>news:466ba73e$0$30920$88260bb3@free.teranews.com...
> Just a friendly word George. It would be really nice if you could please
>make a point of sharing your (considerable) knowledge without putting others
>down.
>
>Thanks,
>Vaughn
Seriously man, whatever you're smoking put it down. I suppose you're
trying to get Ghio to act human by complimenting him? It's hard to
imagine why you'd think that could work given that you've been reading
his antics for years. And how can he have "considerable" knowledge to
offer when he holds the record for the most numerous and egregious
errors posted here? How can he provide help to even the greenest of
newbs given that most of them are working with hardware that he's
never even seen, much less laid hands on? Not to mention the ultimate
proof of the pudding - don't you think that considering the
unprecedented expansion of the alternative power market, that if the
Ghinius had anything to offer he'd be in the biz happily making money
instead of sitting on the sidelines disgruntled and inventing fault?
Can you imagine him with his 20K wire and 250A rheostat stories
encouraging prospects not to spend $20 for a KillaWatt, while trying
to compete against actual professionals? Of course not. The market has
spoken - it doesn't have any need for the nitwittedness of an
inexperienced self-titled "consultant". Neither does Usenet but
apparently he hasn't anything better to do.
Wayne
|
|
|
|
|