Some notes on an off-the grid house
Apr. 2nd, 2012 11:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
teresafloydLoren Amelang lives off-grid in California and this video includes some tips and ideas:
Don't cover the greenhouse roof with glass because the winter sun comes through the windows on the walls because it's lower, and in summer it gets too hot.
He uses a commercial three compartment sink in main kitchen. It must be very handy for washing produce.
He uses a wood cook stove in the kitchen for heat as well as for cooking, and has a gas stove in his summer kitchen. I think an electric stove might work well, but perhaps he can't easily generate enough electrictity. It looks like his summer kitchen is located on the north side of the house.
He has located his fridge in the summer kitchen so that it doesn't fight the heating system in winter when electricity 'costs' more.
His solar panels are mounted a few inches above the roof so that they do not overheat and are thus more efficient.
I like the fabric tube with computer fan to force excess heat from ceiling to floor, but a ceiling fan does pretty much the same thing.
He had a system set up that was supposed to drain the water out of the solar panels if temperatures dropped below freezing, but it failed many times. He was concerned about various issues regarding storing and using traditional deicing products so uses Susterra® propanediol antifreeze in his hydronic systems.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/03/dupont_tate_lyl.html
Don't cover the greenhouse roof with glass because the winter sun comes through the windows on the walls because it's lower, and in summer it gets too hot.
He uses a commercial three compartment sink in main kitchen. It must be very handy for washing produce.
He uses a wood cook stove in the kitchen for heat as well as for cooking, and has a gas stove in his summer kitchen. I think an electric stove might work well, but perhaps he can't easily generate enough electrictity. It looks like his summer kitchen is located on the north side of the house.
He has located his fridge in the summer kitchen so that it doesn't fight the heating system in winter when electricity 'costs' more.
His solar panels are mounted a few inches above the roof so that they do not overheat and are thus more efficient.
I like the fabric tube with computer fan to force excess heat from ceiling to floor, but a ceiling fan does pretty much the same thing.
He had a system set up that was supposed to drain the water out of the solar panels if temperatures dropped below freezing, but it failed many times. He was concerned about various issues regarding storing and using traditional deicing products so uses Susterra® propanediol antifreeze in his hydronic systems.
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/03/dupont_tate_lyl.html
no subject
Date: 2012-04-02 03:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-02 07:07 pm (UTC)It doesn't get hot in the winter, and I wouldn't rely on it completely but there would be at least four or five hours of sun at least three to five days per week. He doesn't seem to have a wind turbine which I found odd. Around here, if we don't have sun, we have wind so all the hippies tend to have both.
We will definitely be putting in a wood boiler like the one he has outside and that should be plenty to heat the space and provide hot water so solar and wind could probably be enough for most other uses.