[eth0]

Nice yoke but wonder would it be more efficient using a stirling engine?
You can buy those thermoelectric modules on ebay fairly cheap and stick them onto any ould heat source but you need a cold source as well or at least a fan to keep the other side cool.

[CamperMan]

we did try to live completely off grid a while back..

we had a small plot of land up in Leitrim with a mobile home on it, we collected rain water, had the large bank of batteries rigged up to solar panels, a backup generator just in case... gas cooker, diesel heater, gas heater...

the whole setup worked a treat, but after 9 weeks, we left.. the neighbors were very noisy.. so bloody inconsiderate

[Grizzly 45]

Yeah,yeah,can the laughter!

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/...m-or-camp-use/

and there is a link there on how to build one or two in the article.

[colonel-yum-yum]

A slight variation of the pocket stove idea, that should be easy enough to run up with the right tools.
http://www.180tack.com/180stove.htm

[touts]

Time to catch up on this thread. Looks like the government are going to majorly P*** off the Taliban of the public service unions later today. I predict strikes and blackouts by the Summer.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0222/state_assets.html

[Khannie]

Originally Posted by colonel-yum-yum

A slight variation of the pocket stove idea, that should be easy enough to run up with the right tools.
http://www.180tack.com/180stove.htm

I got a 404 on that.

[baords dyslexic]

Originally Posted by Khannie

I got a 404 on that.

If you go to the home page you get:





180tack.com is undergoing maintenance

[colonel-yum-yum]

Hmm, must have gone down since yesterday. The site needed an update in fairness, bugs all over the place!

[The Mustard]

Originally Posted by Ziboo

I had considered alcohol stoves due to their simplicity as an emergency backup if other options were not available, but looking around the shops for a source of fuel, the only thing I am seeing is meths, and it is being sold at an extremely high price for small bottles (approx €6 for 500ml). Could anyone suggest either a location where it could be purchased more economically than the DIY shops or an alternative (cheaper) source of alcohol fuel.

Not an alternative to DIY shops, but Woodies sell 2.5 litre cans of meths for about €18, if memory serves.

[eth0]

Originally Posted by The Mustard

Not an alternative to DIY shops, but Woodies sell 2.5 litre cans of meths for about €18, if memory serves.

Jaysus thats a lot. I remember buying E85 for 90c a litre a few years ago, dunno why methylated spirit costs so much, never actually thought it could be expensive cause the e85 was so cheap

Methanol costs a lot but the percentage is very low these days i think

[cruizer101]

I think one of the main essentials we run off electricity is the fridge and maybe lights. Light can be got from other sources such as lamps and that but refridgeration is a tricky one.

My mum told me how when they used to go camping the got a basin of water in which they sat the milk over which was layed a wet tea towel, once left in a shaded area the evaporation would keep the milk cool. There has been mention of this elsewhere in the thread how evaporation can be used to cool.

In fact thats basically how modern fridges work, they evaporate a refridgerant inside which is then pumped to the back where it loses the heat it absorbed. So the electricity is just driving a pump.

So why not drive the pump in some other way, personally I don't see why some sort of hand operated pump could be used along with a well insulated fridge but thankfully there is another way.

Anyone who has a caravan might be familiar with the fact the fridge can run of electricty or gas. The first time I heard this I couldn't believe it, how could burning gas (creating heat) cause something to cool, was there a mini gas turbine behind the fridge driving a motor, seems a bit complicated.

So I googled, and here was the result.

Heat can be used to drive the refridgerant around the cycle and in fact ingeniusly involves no moving parts (ideal for a SHTF situation as moving parts mean wear and that means repairs, whcih aren't ideal). There is no point in me explaining how it works its explained well in the link, with nice animation and all.

They are designed to run of gas but I'm sure another heat source could eb used easily enough.

These fridges are expensive enough to buy, it may in fact be cheapest to pick one up by buying a whole caravan that has a working one. Some nice bits of electrics in caravans too, inverters and that.

I'm after rambling a bit more than meant to, but thought would be of some interest to some here anyway.

[Red Neck Hughie]

Originally Posted by Ziboo

I had considered alcohol stoves due to their simplicity as an emergency backup if other options were not available, but looking around the shops for a source of fuel, the only thing I am seeing is meths, and it is being sold at an extremely high price for small bottles (approx €6 for 500ml). Could anyone suggest either a location where it could be purchased more economically than the DIY shops or an alternative (cheaper) source of alcohol fuel.

Cheaper Alcohol.. throw some potato skins or basically anything with carbs into a plastic bag with water and tie it off, some time later you get alcohol. The more sugary stuff you put in the more alcohol you get out.

Easy electricity.. 1 take a cheap battery drill, remove the battery
2 wrap some paracord around the chuck (many times)
3 connect a torch light between the terminals where the
battery terminals would have been (you might need a
little wire or even a paperclip if youre stuck
4 pull the cord hard and the bulb will light
When you do this once you'll see how important wind/water/bicycle electricity might be post shtf

The basic motor has no semiconductor ****e thats vulnerable to emp either..

[Mightymouse vs Dangermouse]

Hey Guys, just checking if you ye have or know anyone who has built log/wood cabins to ilive in say 25 by 20 foot???
Is there ways around the planning permission side etc???

[Doc Ruby]

Originally Posted by Mightymouse vs Dangermouse

Hey Guys, just checking if you ye have or know anyone who has built log/wood cabins to ilive in say 25 by 20 foot???
Is there ways around the planning permission side etc???

I don't think you need planning if its a temporary structure like a portacabin, so maybe just don't dig foundations and tie it down or something?

[Tabnabs]

Originally Posted by Mightymouse vs Dangermouse

Hey Guys, just checking if you ye have or know anyone who has built log/wood cabins to ilive in say 25 by 20 foot???
Is there ways around the planning permission side etc???

Be worth asking in the Actually you did...

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showt...p?t=2056597817