Power Generation

By Michael C

I noticed that many people on this blog want to store milk, vegetables, seeds, and medication in a refrigerated atmosphere but have yet to buy 2 refrigerators.  Remember the “two is one and one is none” motto; you need 2 ways (or more) to cool your food.

You could make a Zeer pot like I did but there is too much humidity and the pots aren’t big enough for 2 gallons of milk.  I can’t buy another (let alone storing a 19 cubic footer) $700 fridge as a spare.  The other problem is – I might not have AC to use in the future, regardless of all the solar panels I have.

So, I needed a small DC powered fridge that will hold at least 2 gallons of milk and some other stuff.

I thought of what MD Creekmore would do – a “Do It Yourself” project.  (Mr. Creekmore has a propane fridge (read his book on living in a travel trailer) but, even though he is a great inspiration, I want to limit my power needs to solar since that is the only long-term solution and also because I have solar)  Just like the “MDC made” water filter or electric generator – a person can make a refrigerator.

Of course, there will be some technical discussion of the actual properties of said fridge.  It will be a bit more involved than the water filter project and, for good reason – you want something a bit more complex.

My most important consideration is that it can be serviceable by me, so, the fridge is not going to use Freon.  I am going to use a “Peltier junction” cooling unit – already built for the purpose.  These units are less efficient heat pumps than an evaporator/condenser cooler but are solid state, small, low power and can be ganged together for more cooling power.  Did I mention cheap? At only $35 per unit – you could buy 2 and have one for a spare.

I added fans to the Peltier heat sinks (see photo) and they are the only moving parts.  They are blowing air “into” the heat sink – an important point here; there is more exposure to cooling air than trying to suck air “out” of the fins.

You can have lots of spare fans and they are easily replaced.  I wedged some round head screws between the tapered fins to mount the fans on each heat sink.  The power cord goes to a car cigar plug (negative ground) with a 10A inline fuse.

For anyone who is not familiar with the Peltier device – it is a heat pump that is made like a silicon chip.  A DC electric current will get the chip to “pump” heat to one side of the chip leaving the other side cold.  Heat sinks (and fans) help to distribute the hot and cold.

The second part is the “containment box” that would consist of the good ol’ beer casket – where they get an icy bath until they meet their drinker.  Yes, a cooler, the cooler I selected is 18″ x 10″ x 10″ (1.07 cu. ft. approx.) about 20 quart.

A cooler has all the “fridge” properties like waterproof food grade inner walls, foam wall insulation (except the lid), rugged dent resistant outer walls.  The other benefits of the cooler are: lightweight, portable and you probably have them lying around in a corner from all the camping trips.  This cooler will actually fit 3 gallons of milk but the 2 side containers will touch the walls.

Now, a cooler can be expected to work as good as a cooler was designed to work – it melts 2 bags of ice keeping 12 beers cold for a couple of hours.  I figured that I would improve the efficiency a little bit.  I also figured that this could make for a great article so I wanted to gauge any progress I made.

I decided to use a 7 dollar temperature monitor with remote sensor, which eliminates the “open fridge door” variable in checking the temperature inside.  The sensor was taped to a plastic box (see photo) to keep it off the “floor” of the fridge so that air temperature only would be measured.

Now, what to check, since I am designing a fridge; the “cooling cycle” is the metric to gage.  This just records the temperature as the fridge runs – how fast it cools. The other metrics are – lowest temperature and the “warming cycle” which is keeping track of the temperature after the cooler is shut off.

As I add insulation I will keep track of how the numbers stack up.  The lowest temperature is the temperature when loses (heat gain) are equal to cooling effort.  The cooling effort is (approximately) 60 Watts – that is what the heat pump and both fans consume.  (A person could mount 2 cooling units which would double the total cooling power)

The first task involved adding the Peltier unit to the cooler.  The smaller top heat sink has 2 “fins” that slide out from the grooves on the side.  I cut the hole (to the size of the smaller, top heat sink) into the plastic (see photo) with a metal Stanley cutter; the cover is really thick in some areas.

I tested the “bare fridge” (see graph) and found that I could only get a 17F degree drop in temperature.  The graph shows a fast rise after the heat pump is turned off and the lowest temp (47F) does not really work for keeping milk cold.

The second test involved adding a cheap space blanket (see photo) to the outside of the cooler.  I used cellophane tape to attach an old (12 year) Mylar space blanket to the top and bottom of the cooler.  The improvement was noticeable; the test ran longer as the heat pump was shaving 0.3F and 0.2F bits for a while.  As long as the temperature kept falling – I would run the cooler.

Next I foamed the cover (see photo) and then tested (see graph) a third (and fourth time), the low temp was now down to 40F deg. – good enough for milk.  The fourth test was exactly like the third except for shorting the Peltier leads together at shutoff, this extended the cool time about 35 minutes at the low end.

Doing this made the Peltier junction “fight” the temperature change with its own electric generation thru “temperature difference”.  (This efficiency improvement would be – adding a switch to shut off/short leads)  Adding expanding foam to the cover was the biggest improvement made, so far, and the cost was small – just 4 bucks.

The poly-urethane foam did not stick to the poly-ethylene cover so clean up was easy.  The cover is easy to foam after you have cut the hole in for the heat pump.  All the later trials do not vary in the first hour of testing – proving that the foam insulation was a big factor for the fridge.

The next step was to replace the old space blanket with a much better insulation solution.  The blanket was interesting but, contains no insulation, just pure heat reflection and with only an 80% rate.  I first added aluminum foil (used for grilling) to the top and bottom of the cooler.

I wrapped a heavier space blanket around the cooler then doubled the blanket over a fiberglass batt wrapped around the cooler.  The space blanket will “seal” the fiberglass in a sandwich and also serve as a double reflective layer.

I used duct tape to hold the foil against the sides and for the blanket seal.  The foil gives 100% heat reflection but tears too easily, the blanket and insulation “press” the foil against the cooler wall and protect it.

The testing (see graph) shows that the “NASA cooler” can now drop down to 32 F.  It also took almost 4 hours to warm up to 60F.  A side benefit of the added insulation is that sound levels are down by half, can’t hear the fan inside.

Things to ponder

This fridge is meant to be run on solar power (click here to read an article about making a portable solar power station) – just one sixty Watt panel (direct connected) will provide all its power during the day.  At night – one can use a battery or plastic “ice blocks” to help keep the cold temperature.  A 100 Watt solar panel (this 100-watt solar kit is great – check it out at Amazon.com) would provide enough power for the fridge and a battery.

I do not have temperature regulation – Peltier cooler does not stop at a pre-set temperature.  Right now the cooler cannot go below the freezing mark (32F/ 0 C) no matter how much it runs since it does not have enough power but regulation could be added if saving power became paramount.  Remember this fridge was homemade and can always be upgraded.

I only measured the air temperature (see chart) inside the fridge; milk (and all other things) will take longer to cool down, maybe 6 hours (per gallon of milk) with this unit.  It will also take longer to warm up – a cold gallon of milk will help chill the next gallon of warm milk.

I could reverse the cooling into heating by adding a small “bridge diode” to the fan leads and putting in a reverse-able coupling.  The Peltier unit comes with a connector – you would need to find the cord to fit the connector.  Of course; I already have a solar cooker.

You could go out and buy a cooler with the Peltier unit inside although I think that it would cost a little more than my unit.  It might be a quite a bit less efficient (no space blanket heat reflection) and the parts replacement will be a question.

Parts list

Free          cooler (18″x10″x10″ size I used, yours can be different)

$35           PJT-10 – Large thermoelectric device (allelectronics.com)

$6            2X CF-390 – 80mm cooling fan ($3 -allelectronics.com)

$4            can expanding foam (hardware store)

$1            about 8.5 ft. of thin aluminum cooking foil (free)

$13           CW B250 Space (brand) blanket ( EE beprepared.com )

$3            about 8.5 ft. (4 X 16”) fiberglass Insulation (hardware store,

———-        I had this laying around too)

$62

I know that this fridge does not look “commercial” and I would not blame you if you bought a nice $1400 “Sun Cooler” DC fridge but if your Sun Cooler gives out – you now have the skill to convert a cooler to a fridge.

Well, what do you think?

by Repair Mama

I just wanted to do a post on trying to save money by making your home cost you a little less.  Why give your money to the utility when you can use it to prep.  They get enough of our hard earned dollars as it is. I have used these methods for years, (my older home is a nightmare)

Doors and heat loss…

Your home has 2 ways to lose heat in the winter.  Air infiltration, and heat loss.  Doors and windows are usually the biggest loss factors in heat loss. Air can leak in causing cold spots and the heating system to run longer to make up for the cold coming into the home.

First, we will deal with the doors leading to the outside or unconditioned spaces of your home.  Weather stripping is a must!  To do a cheap test of the doors, use a lighter or if you smoke, a cigarette and place it close to the cracks where the door meets the door jam.  If the flame flickers, or the smoke moves, you have air infiltration.

This is a place that needs weather stripping.  The package of stripping purchased at the hardware store is not expensive (I have even used thin strips of cardboard or other materials staple-gunned into place when I could not afford the stripping).  The package will have installation instructions so you can figure out how to use the product.

After you install the stripping, retest the door.  Did you find a major leak at the bottom?

I do every year.  This is usually the big problem spot.  Even with a storm door, this area is a big problem.  Here you can install a thing called a door skirt.  It is a metal strip with a rubber strip at the bottom.  You will have to measure the door and see what length of skirt you need.

Most commercially purchased exterior doors come in 32”, 34”, and 36” (wide).  Cut the door skirt with a pair of metal snips, position the door skirt along the bottom of the door remembering to push down to make the rubber contact the door eliminating the air leak and screw that puppy into place.

You can seal the top of the door skirt to the door with silicone caulk but is not totally necessary.  Now that should take care of the major leaks in the exterior doors.

Sometimes, I find it necessary to lay a large towel between the storm door and the exterior door to further cut down on air leaks, but this is annoying if done to a door that you frequently use.  I do this on the doors that I don’t use much. (I have 3 doors leading to the outside, but we usually only use one of them).

Do you have an air leak at the door jam trim where it meets the wall?  If the gaps at the trim are small, caulk is the answer here.  They make a paintable latex caulk that comes in white that can be used here.  I purchase mine at the Dollar General Store for about $2.00 per tube. The caulk will fill in the crack making it less likely to leak cold air.

If the cracks are large, you can fill them in with fiberglass insulation by pushing in small pieces with a butter knife and then filling with a spray foam product that will expand and dry, or caulk.  Do you have a large window in this door?  Is the glass single pane or multiple panes?

When you touch the glass, is it very cold?  Can you feel cold radiating from the glass when you stand close to it?  If so, the only thing I can suggest here is a very thick window covering or curtain.  I have small windows on my doors and have them covered with quilted curtains.  My little windows don’t radiate much cold, but I cover them anyway.  The thick quilted curtain acts like a layer of insulation that holds the cold at bay just a little.  Every little bit helps.

Now that the doors are airtight and the glass is taken care of, look at the storm door from the outside.  Is there anything you see that can let air into the exterior door?  Any air leakage stopped here will not make it to the main door or into your house especially on a windy day.  Cracks can be caulked and stripping can be done to stop air leaks.  Adjustments to the door latch can make the door close good and tight here is desirable.

If you have a screen door that is not metal and glass, the whole area of screen is like an open window.  I have in the past covered the screen with thick clear plastic to stop the majority of air flow.  It is not really attractive but will help with the cold blowing air.

Next, let’s look at the windows…

What kind do you have?  Windows come in a variety of ways depending on the age of your home or if they were updated ever.  My home used to have the wood frame, single pane windows that were very common in older homes.  The panes of glass were placed in and “Glazed” or puttied into place.  These are some of the most inefficient types of windows you may have next to say jalousie windows.

One pane of glass between you and the cold outside is a major source of heat loss in an older home.  I hope that if you have this type of window that an external storm frame and window is in place on the outside of your home.  They do help some.

Some of the storm windows had additional screens that could be put in to keep bugs and such out in the summer, and the glass pane that could be put in for winter or bad weather to keep air and heavy rain away from the outside of these wooden window frames.  If this is the type you have, here is what we need to do.

Look at the individual panes of glass, are any broken or missing?  If so, we need to replace the pane or at least tape over the cracks.  Is the caulk, putty, or glazing missing where the glass meets the wood of the window frame?  If so, re-caulk the cracks and make the seal airtight.

Keeping the air from coming into the house is what we need to do in this step.  Is the storm window in place, or is the screen still there? If the screen is still there, place the glass pane to the bottom, or if the glass is missing, cover the screen with plastic to block the wind from blowing into the window.

Are there cracks or gaps around the outside frame of the storm window?  If so, stuff the cracks with something, or caulk them into place.  I use silicone caulk here, water doesn’t affect it much.  Silicone cannot be painted but does come in clear or white.  This will seal up another source of air leakage.

Can you open the wooden window?  If so, you can place a small, thin piece of the same foam weather stripping that you bought for the doors along the bottom where the pane meets the window sill.  Then close the window tightly down onto the stripping to seal up that air leak.  Use the lighter or the cigarette and check the window and window trim for additional leaks.  If air is leaking around the window trim, use the latex caulk and stop that air from coming in.

Now, let’s look at the blinds and curtains…

Winter is a good time to take down the light and airy ones that you may use in warmer weather.  Vinyl backed drapes are good for the winter months, but you may want to go a step farther.  Windows are not insulated like the walls of your home and are a large part of heating loss.

Think of the window as a thin place in the wall that the cold can come in.  What do you have in the house or garage that can make the windowless cold.  Insulation comes in many non-traditional forms.

You want to find material that does not conduct heat or cold well.  Fiberglass insulation, Styrofoam panels or pieces, thick quilts, foam rubber like in couch cushions, or the like.  These things can be measured or assembled to cover the entire inside of the window frame to keep the cold out.  It will make for a darker house, but the savings on the heating bill might make it worth dealing with.

Here’s what I have done as an example…

I have used fiberglass insulation measured to fit the window and placed down inside of a large black contractor grade trash bag (to keep the fiberglass fibers from getting all over everything and making me itch) and place over the window.  I fit it to the inside of the window trim so it does not stick out past the wall and use the spring-loaded café curtain rods to hold it into place.  This cuts the air infiltration to almost nothing.  The window does not exist.

This is also good for blackout situations.  You can pull up a corner of the bag if you need to see out but will block out all light from being seen from the outside of the house.  If the area is under a power outage, the people around you will not know that your lights are on.  Cool HU?

Now you can top off with a layer of plastic to cover the entire window if you want to or just put the curtains back up.  The room will be dark, but look normal. Normal is good.

This week I was dealing with my windows before the cold blast came in that was forecast for us.  I did not have any fiberglass insulation handy, so I went to the garage to see what I had to use.  I found Styrofoam panels stored there for just this type of thing.  They were 15”x20” and my windows were larger than that.  I laid the panels on the table in the kitchen and measured out what I needed to cover each window.

The panels were cut to fit, and taped together with clear packing tape.  I looked around the house again for more materials to finish my project and found cases of disposable bed pads that were ordered for mother’s bed.

She is gone now, so I don’t need them for the purpose intended.  I opened a pack of these (the backs are white) and placed them over the foam panels that I had made and stapled them into place onto the foam.  Tape could also have been used, but I am deadly with a staple gun!  Once the panels were completed, I placed them over the glass in my awful windows and pulled the mini blinds down over them to hold them into place.

White shows through the glass to the outside of the house like drapes, so it does not look strange and the rooms are warmer now.  I finished off the inside of the window with heavy winter drapes, and that project is done except for the large window in the living room.

This window is too large for the amount of foam boards that I had left.  So I went hunting and found some old ugly drapes sister in law gave me some years ago.  I cut the pleated tops off and turned them over.  I took down the drapes already over this window and matched the vinyl backs to touch each other and stitched them together along the top just below the pleated tops of the newer ones.  If one set of drapes are good, 2 layers are better.  They move together when opened and will hang on one rod with one set of hooks.

They look normal but are warmer.  Under the drapes, I have another rod firmly mounted to the wall and have added a set of “S” hooks like you would find on the end of rubber bungee cords.  I save the hooks after the bungee has broken.  I have here a large, old bedspread that covers the entire window.

I make some holes in the bedspread and slipped the S hook through the holes to hand this under the drapes.  Another layer of insulation to keep the cold out.  Close the drapes and the living room looks normal from the inside and outside.  Project complete!

I know there are many other things that will need to be addressed to keep from having to give the utility money, but this kinda takes care of windows and doors.  I will follow with more posts to cover plumbing, water heater, attic, crawl spaces, and basements.

Insulation and air leaks are the majority of all of these posts.  Every dime you spend on insulation will pay for itself over and over.  Just remember it is all about comfort and saving money.

Plumbing and Pipes…

There is nothing worse than having the pipes freeze and bust in the extreme cold weather.

This could lead to a very expensive repair bill, or a wasted weekend having to re-plumb your home due to busted water lines.

There are many types of pipes that you may find in your home.  Galvanized steel, copper, cpvc, pex, and such.   I know more about the cpvc than the other types of pipes.  Cpvc will freeze and bust at 19 degrees if not insulated and protected.

The first thing to address is pipe insulation.  The most common type found here is a black foam style that comes in 6ft sections that are split down the middle lengthwise.  Some types will have an adhesive along the split to stick it back together after it is placed on the pipe.

It comes in many different sizes line ½”, ¾”, and 1”.  You will need to know what size your pipes are and purchase what sizes you need.  You need to know about how many feet to purchase.  You can return pieces that you don’t use if you purchase too much. The most common tools and materials that you will need for the insulation is a razor knife or carpet knife.  A serrated butcher knife or scissors can also be used to cut the insulation pieces.

A cheap roll of black electrical tape, and tape measure.  Most pipes in this area are in the crawl space, or in the basement.  Look and find where the main water line comes into the house and start there.  This is where the 200PSI black plastic pipe will come in from the meter in the yard.  Find where the pipe enters the foundation.

Place the pipe into the slit and close the insulation around the pipe.  Use the electrical tape around the insulation to hold it together.  Wrap around 2-3 times and move on to the next piece. You do not have to tape up the entire piece of insulation.

Tape at ends and maybe in middle but that is all that is needed.  If the pipe is shorter than the insulation and comes to a tee or elbow, cut the insulation in 45-degree elbow or whatever is needed to cover the fittings or terminations and seal up with the tape.

You will use quite a bit of tape, but it is cheap and goes a long way. Work your way and cover all of the pipes. Tape the insulation at the ends and around the fittings to keep the pipe from being exposed.  This will protect you a little better from the pipes freezing and bursting due to the cold.

Another thing you can look into is a product called heat tape.  Lowe’s or Home Depot will carry this product and can give you some instruction on how to install and use.

It will need electricity to work, so read the package to get an idea on how to install and the power requirements.

The insulation on the pipes will help protect from freezing, but another benefit of the insulation is not losing as much heat from the hot water line when you run the water to do dishes or take a shower.  Any pipes ran in an unconditioned space is susceptible to heat loss.  The cold pipe will take the heat from the water, causing you to use more on the hot water tap to get the desired temp at the faucet.

Insulation blankets for water heater tanks can be purchased at the hardware store.  It is a fitted blanket to fit the outside of the water tank to keep the water from losing heat as fast.  This will keep the elements from having to work as hard and keep the electric usage down a little bit more.

Another usage saving idea for the water heater is to adjust the tank temperature down a bit.  I have had customers in the past that want to crank the temp up as high as it will go.  Water heaters are now preset at 120 degrees to prevent scalds but can be adjusted up or down by the homeowner.  The cooler the setting on the tank, the less fuel or power it will need to use to maintain the temperature.  Thus saving money.

Water savings can be upgraded by using less water if you are on a meter and have to pay for what you use.  Water saving aerators can be added to the bath and kitchen sinks to cut the gallon per minute rate back. Water saving shower heads can also be purchased inexpensively and installed as well.

As a water-saving measure in my home, I added a ½” ball valve to my shower arm before the shower head was put into place.  This way, during a shower, I can leave the faucet settings where I like them and turn the flow of water down or off at the shower head when the water is not needed.

I don’t need the shower head running the water down the drain while I am shaving legs or shampooing my hair before rinsing.  This cuts down the amount of wasted water and I still get clean.

A ½” brass ball valve costs around $5.00 and screws right onto the chrome shower arm with just a bit of Teflon tape.  Use a short ½”xclose brass nipple on the other end and then reinstall the shower head with another bit of Teflon tape to prevent the thing from leaking.  After your shower is over, just turn the water off at the faucet handles.  This will keep the line to the shower head from being pressurized when not in use between showers.

Now, let’s look at the toilet.  Is this toilet an older style with a large tank? Or a newer model? The newer models already have a smaller tank as a water saving feature.  They will use less water per flush as compared to the older models.  An older tank used more water per flush, so you can do 1 or 2 things here to make the toilet use less water per flush.

You can place a brick in the tank.  The brick will take up some space where the water used to be and raise the level of water in the tank causing the fill valve to shut off sooner.  Or you can adjust the fill valve to a lower position causing it to shut off the water flow at a lower tank level.  This will make a little less water available to the toilet for flushing purposes.

Another thing to look for in a toilet is the flapper.  This is the round rubber thing in the bottom of the toilet tank that raises up when you push the flush handle down.  This device should have a good seal and not leak water into the bowl when the toilet is not flushing.

If the flapper is leaking water by when it should not, you need to replace it.  They are usually less than $5.00 and will save you at least that much or more over the life of the item.  They are easy to install and the instructions can be found on the back of the package or on a paper insert inside the package.

That takes care of the fixtures inside the house.  I hope this did not bore the socks off of all of you.  Home maintenance is something that has to be done all of the time and it will get away from you if you let just one little thing slip.  Like not doing the dishes after every meal, the list of things that need to be done just pile up and get bigger the longer you wait, costing you money every second.

Heating and Air Maintenance…

Traditional home heating systems come in many different types and configurations.

Natural gas, propane gas, electric, and fuel oil.  Some of these topics will work for all forced air systems and some for just gas and electric.  We quit servicing fuel oil many years ago and my knowledge of them is extremely limited!

The first thing I will cover on a forced air heating system is the filter.  Many types of filters are on the market for these systems and you will have to measure the return air grille to see what size of disposable filter to purchase.  Types of disposable filters are the cheap economical fiber and cardboard ones are the ones I will tell you to purchase.

There is a reason for this that I will explain to you in a minute and then tell you why not to use them.  The other types of disposable filters that you can find are the thicker materials that will be pleated and will be labeled as allergen type to catch smaller particles that are in the air like pet dander or pollen.  Stay away from these!!!!  They are system killers!

These types of filters restrict air flow into the heating system, reducing the air volume too much less than the forced air system is designed for.  Unless the unit was installed by a licensed contractor and was specifically designed and installed to use these filters.

Restriction of airflow will cause several issues in a system in heating mode as well as issues in air conditioning mode.  In heating mode of a natural gas or propane furnace or gaspak, these types of systems have a part inside called a “heat exchanger” These function much like a firebox to keep the flue gasses separate from the air you are heating and breathing.

Restriction of air flow will cause the heat exchanger to overheat because not enough air is passing through it to heat the home and will cause the heat exchanger to fail prematurely.  Failure of the heat exchanger is a burn through, or crack causing the flue gasses to enter your home and your family will breathe these gasses.

Carbon monoxide poisoning and death will result from using a heating system with a cracked heat exchanger.  If you have a heating system that uses combustion to make the heat, PLEASE purchased a carbon monoxide detector and install it in accordance with the instructions found with it.  It could save your live and the lives of the family that you love!

Air restriction in air conditioning mode will cause the evaporator coil to freeze up, causing a reduction in cooling and makes the compressor work harder.  The compressor can fail prematurely and cost you a bunch of money to have replaced.  Even a dirty air filter will cause these things to happen, so be sure to check it often and vacuum off the filter or change it regularly.

Another thing that can be done to cause air restriction in a system is covering up or closing off vents.  Even keep doors closed to bedrooms can starve the system for air. This can make all the things that I described above happen as well.  Your system can not pull air in if it can’t push the air out.

Each system is designed to move a certain amount of air called CFM or cubic feet per minute.  Mess with this and lots of things can happen from the unit costing you more to operate to failure of the system.  Airflow is the biggest thing that you can control to protect yourself.  Have the system serviced by a licensed technician with a good reputation once a year.  Have the airflow checked, gas pressure measured, air temps done at each floor register, and have the furnace cleaned and serviced.

Also, have them do readings with a carbon monoxide meter.  Purchase a carbon monoxide detector if you don’t have one.  Have someone like yourself or the technician check to see if the ductwork is insulated.  If it is not, you can be losing heating BTU’s (British Thermal Units) just by your hot air being transported through cold metal also costing you money and comfort.

If you live in a climate that is humid, the uninsulated ductwork will sweat in the summer time setting you up for wet ceilings if ductwork is in the attic or growing mold where there is an increase of moisture for it to thrive in.  It will cost to insulate the ducts, but well worth taking care of.

Another thing that you can do to save a little bit is by installing a programmable thermostat on the wall.  When purchasing this thermostat, you will need to know the type of system to purchase for.  If you have a heat pump, you will need to purchase one that is for a heat pump.  2 stage heating and 1 stage cooling unless you have a high dollar system that calls for 3 stage heating and 2 stage cooling.  If you have a gas furnace and air conditioner, you will need a 1 stage heating and 1 stage cooling.

These are usually a little cheaper than the thermostats for heat pumps.  If you have an electric furnace and air conditioner (not a heat pump) you will also need  1 stage heating and 1 stage cooling. If you have heat only, you can use the same thermostat as a gas or electric furnace, but you will not have wires to hook up for the cooling stage and that is no big deal.

Now that you have the thermostat, you will need to read the instructions and make sure that you can install the thermostat.  If you think this is a bit much, call the HVAC tech and they will install it for you, but I have no idea what they will charge you.

If you want to tackle this yourself, be sure to TURN OFF THE ENTIRE SYSTEM! Turn off the breakers that power the system.  If you don’t and you touch some of the wires together with the power on, it will give a small spark and you will burn out either the transformer in the unit or the electronic control board.  This could be a bit costly to have repaired.

Once the thermostat is installed and set up according to the instructions included with the thermostat, it is time to program it.  You will be able to set it to operate at a colder temp when you are not home and raise the temp to warmer just before you arrive home.

This is accomplished nicely if you have the same schedule every day.  Some thermostats will allow for different settings on the weekend and on the weekdays.  Some others will allow you to program a separate time schedule for each day of the week.

Next thing I will tell you if you have gas heat. Natural gas does contain a bit of moisture in it, and if you are on a natural gas well, the moisture content is even more.  This moisture will freeze small pieces of ice and restrict the flow of gas through either the meter or the gas pressure regulator.

It is a good idea to insulate the regulator or the meter to prevent a loss of gas pressure that may cause you to lose heat when it is bitter cold outside.

I have seen it cold enough here to cause the gas meter and regulator that sets outside to freeze enough to cut the heat off.  I went out and wrapped insulation around the entire meter and covered it with a trash bag.  After a little bit, the meter thawed out and I was able to turn the heat back on.

I hope this article will help some of you look over the system and maybe help save some money.  Extending the life of the unit will save the money of untimely replacement as well as a lower operating cost.  I am available to answer any questions that I can to help with the HVAC things you need.

I hate spending money that I don’t have to and hate to see other contractors rip people off just to make a buck.  These type of people just give all contractors a bad name!

Also, read:

• How To Stay Warm During a Power Outage

by Papa Bear

The Dallas Observer published a report[i] recently that Texas has the worst electric grid in the nation. This was based on a North American Electric Reliability Corp report[ii]. That’s not very encouraging. They are also reporting that there is the possibility of rolling blackouts in 2013.

For a couple of years, I have had the interest in setting up a backup power system for home use. There is a mobile system that provides power to work a couple of times per month and is a backup system when at home. It provided power for 2 freezers, a refrigerator, and a fan during 3 days of outage one summer several years ago. But we really want a system that has the specific purpose of supporting the house.

When looking for a mobile 120 volt (V) system I did talk to an “expert” who wanted to sell the best system that they had. He wanted to get me excited about selling power back to the electric company. After redirecting the talk with the expert to a mobile plan, and taking some of his advice, it proved to be an exercise in frustration.

Not wanting another talk with another overconfident salesman I decided to plan the home system. One essential requirement is to start with home power needs. There are charts available that will show what most appliances consume.

Another way is to check the sticker on the appliance and see what the manufacturer states is the power usage. Another way is to use a meter that will measure the power usage.  The most well known and used is a meter called Kill-A-Watt.

There are other brands that perform the same function.  Plug it into a 120V outlet, plug your appliance into it and let it run for a day or two.  It does not store the information so you must write it down before unplugging.  Check the number of watts (W) that it has used, the total time that it was plugged in and do the appropriate math for 1 day of consumption.

Example: our medium size freezer was tested for 2.76 days giving us an average consumption of .938 KW per day.

Doing this with each 120V appliance can give a measure of our household needs. Remember that the appliances may not be all running at the same time.  The total consumption will be one of the concerns in picking batteries and charging them.

How do you pick a battery system?

Let’s look at some battery definitions. Cold Cranking Amps. Cold Cranking Amps is a rating used in the battery industry to define a battery’s ability to start an engine in cold temperatures. The rating is the number of amps a new, fully charged battery can deliver at 0° Fahrenheit for 30 seconds, while maintaining a voltage of at least 7.2 volts, for a 12-volt battery. The higher the CCA rating, the greater the starting power of the battery.

Open Circuit Voltage (O.C.V.) The voltage of a battery when it is not delivering or receiving power. It is 2.11 volts for a fully charged battery cell.

Reserve Capacity (RC) Reserve Capacity, (RC) is a battery industry rating, defining a battery’s ability to power a vehicle with an inoperative alternator or fan belt. The rating is the number of minutes a battery at 80 degrees F can be discharged at 25 amps and maintain a voltage of 10.5 volts for a 12-volt battery.

RC is the number of minutes a new, fully charged battery at 80 degrees F will sustain a discharge load of 25 amps to a cut-off voltage of 1.75 volts per cell (10.5V on 12V battery). This battery rating measures more of a continuous load on the battery and is a much better indicator of how it will operate bilge pumps. An RC number given in the specification indicates that it is more than just a cranking battery and probably a hybrid starting battery. This is a very useful rating for a boater.

Reserve capacity is directly, though not completely, related to battery plate size and quality. As a general rule, cranking batteries have little reserve capacity after cranking operation unless they have thicker plates. If they have thicker plates, it will have a lower CCA rating.

Amp-Hour – battery rating: AH is a common battery rating for batteries. Amp-hour rating of battery capacity is calculated by multiplying the current (in amperes) by time (in hours) that the current is drawn. Variations of the amp-hour battery rating is the most used rating. It most commonly signifies a deep cycle, marine or industrial battery.

Example: A battery which delivers 2 amperes for 20 hours would have a 40 amp-hour battery rating (2 x 20= 40). This is known as the 20-hour rating versus other ratings based on times such as 5, 8 and 100 hours, but also at different amperage rates. Such ratings are given based on what is considered most useful for the intended application.

A battery intended to supply low amperage for long periods, for example, would use the 100-hour method, whereas a 5-hour rating would likely be for a high amperage rate. The 20-hour method is most common.

Marine – It seems as if every battery manufacturer today sells “marine” batteries but, as mentioned earlier, many such take considerable liberty with the term. Some marine batteries are deep cycle, others are hybrids, while others are pure hokum. True marine batteries are designed for dual use of engine starting and house service and are therefore hybrids (not true deep cycle). These will have spongy, porous plates that are significantly thicker than automotive batteries.

They will be larger and heavier than auto batteries. A true marine battery will tolerate up to 50% discharge, whereas a deep-cycle and industrials tolerates up to 80%, whereas an auto battery will quickly die at such discharge rates.

Numerous batteries found in small boats will be labeled “auto/marine” and the only way to tell the type is by cutting it open and examining the plates unless you are buying a reputable brand, but it’s still a pretty good bet that any battery so labeled isn’t going to be very good. There are also very many brand names of this type, and also many of low quality.

Deep-Cycle – These batteries are distinguished by having much thicker plates (1/4″ or 0.270″ for Surette), nearly seven times thicker than an automotive battery, but high-quality batteries will have solid lead plates versus others made of a lead powder composite. Lead powder plates allow for much more rapid charging but also deteriorate much faster, whereas solid or more dense and thicker plates are slower charging but have a much longer service life.

Deep cycle batteries withstand greater abuse and thousands of charging cycles and have much greater service life than the other two types. They do not, however, have as great cranking or burst power, being designed to provide power over longer periods of time. These are best for use with inverter systems. They are identifiable by their cost of 2-3 times that of other types and 20 hour AH ratings. The number of brand names of this type is relatively small since the cost is higher. Good quality ones are usually not found in discount stores or mass retail outlets.

Golf Cart – batteries are generally a quasi-deep cycle similar to marine, and though not as good as batteries with solid plates, they are better than the auto/marine types. Usually set up in banks of six-volt batteries, these have a greater number of plates to provide longer periods of use under a constant power demand and deep discharging. T-105, US2200, and GC-4 are common identifiers. These batteries can discharge up to 80% without being damaged. They are not better for use with inverters than true deep cycle batteries.

Industrial Batteries – “Industrial” or “commercial” has long been used as a designation for deep cycle batteries used in forklifts, sweepers, floor cleaners and similar battery-powered machinery. Similar to golf cart but usually true deep cycle types with much heavier and pure lead plates up to around 0.270″ thick. These batteries can discharge up to 80% without being damaged.

Yet another type name has crept into the lexicon recently, is the RV type. Most RV types sold are cranking batteries or hybrids as indicated by their higher cranking power but lower reserve power.

Obviously, the deep-cycle is the preferred battery type for marine use but for its one drawback of being less able to provide high cranking power. This is overcome simply by increasing battery size.

AGM Batteries – AGM stands for Absorbed Glass Mat which contains the electrolyte absorbed in a mesh of Boron-Silicate glass fibers. Thus there is no fluid electrolyte to leak or spill nor will they suffer from freeze damage. There are two big advantages of this type. First, it can be charged with conventional chargers without fear of damage from modest overcharging.

Second, water loss is reportedly reduced by 99% because hydrogen and oxygen are recombined within the battery. Further, this type has a modestly lower self-discharge rate of 1-3% versus up to 15% with standard lead-acid batteries. The AGM is a true no maintenance battery.

It otherwise has similar characteristics as the standard lead-acid battery. They have yet to see much use in boats, probably due to the higher cost. These are widely used in battery back up power systems and solar systems.

The downside is the cost of around 2-3 times comparable standard batteries. Thus their greatest benefit is for installations where it is hard or impossible to ventilate charging fumes such as the interiors of sailboats.

So which one?

The battery type that you pick will usually be determined by the available budget.  Getting the biggest and best there is may be nice but won’t help a bit if it means going into debt to do it.  Also, with multiple batteries in a battery pack, they should all be purchased at about the same time and be the same type/kind. Never mix older batteries with newer ones. The older ones will degrade the new ones. It should be apparent, but let’s say it anyway: never depend on a single battery of any kind.

Searching online shows the full range of battery types. The true deep cycle batteries have AH ratings that are high but so is the price tag. Many of the lead-acid and AGM batteries are 6V which means you would need to buy them in pairs. One pair would be hooked up in series to make 12V. That means positive post of one 6V battery to the negative post of the other, and negative post of the first battery to the positive post of the other.

Normally individual 12V batteries will be cabled together in parallel. What this means is that the positive connections will all be linked and all the negative connections will be linked as well. In this way, your 12V battery pack will give you a combined reserve power. If you are working with 6V batteries you would connect the positive connection of one battery to the negative connection of the other, then the negative of the first to the positive of the second. That would produce 12V.

Think of it this way: parallel connection increases amperage, series increases voltage. Standard battery cables are ok to use. Try to keep them all the same length. If your batteries have screw terminals connect to those instead of the battery post.

How many is enough?

There is no easy answer to this question. If you listen to the solar experts they will tell you to buy 2 times the number of batteries that you think you will need. Their justification is that you should not use more than 50% of the battery’s reserve so that you do not shorten its life.

In the beginning, I used a single battery for mobile power. Yeah, that was dumb. It was adequate for the task but that was all. For extended use, I replaced the single battery with 3 marine/deep cycle batteries of the same size. That number was based on available space and budget. Using that trio in parallel connection has shown itself to be a good choice for the task. Based on personal experience, decide how much battery power is needed to meet your expected daily power consumption then add at least 20%. The extra should be enough cover what you did not plan for.

Deep cycle batteries will typically last 4-5 years. That is the lifespan not the warranty. Expect to replace them. Knowing that their end of life is coming you could plan your next purchase 1-2 years in advance, using that as the time to make an expansion in capacity if need be.

Is there any maintenance?

With a lead-acid battery, which are sometimes called a flooded lead battery, you must periodically check the fluid level. This means opening a plug and viewing the level. If the fluid level is below a marker then you must fill it until it reaches the marker. In most cases, there is a ring at the end of a short column.

The fluid must touch the ring. Fill the battery with distilled water. Do not use tap water, filtered water or purified water. There will be minerals in it that will shorten the life of the battery. AGM batteries do not have a level to be checked.

Over time all batteries will collect dust on the top. Wipe the dust off as there is a very small possibility that it will conduct power between posts. Also, check the connections to make sure they are still tight. Check the terminals and cables for any sign of corrosion.

How to use the batteries

There are 12V appliances available. If you want to get ideas to go to a large truck stop and look at the 12V accessories that are offered for the truckers. There are fans, slow cookers, toaster ovens, and coffee makers just to name a few. At RV stores you can also see small refrigerators, lights, and other accessories. Online searches can turn up major items such as deep freeze and larger refrigerators[iii].

Feeding 12V power into your home is not difficult. There are 2 basic plans: feed power from the battery pack directly to the location of the appliance, or feed power to a point where it is distributed as needed. The 2^nd method is similar to the load center for your household current. We are planning on having some 12V products so a load center will be part of this plan. Electronics supply stores often sell security camera systems.

One accessory for the security cameras is a 12V power load center that is fed from a built-in transformer. This should be easily adaptable as a load center for a 12V system. The 2 terminal blocks at the top of the box are for connecting the devices needing power. You can make one yourself or buy one.

Most of the time we will need 120V power for the existing appliances. There will be a need for an inverter. It will take the 12V power and produce the 120V that need. Since we have estimated or measured the amount of the appliances will use we can use this to decide how large of an inverter is needed.

The 120V power that comes into our homes is alternating current (AC). It is graphically illustrated as a sine wave because the power flows forward then backward by the same amount. In the USA this flow, or cycle, occur 60 times per second. In many other countries, it cycles 50 times per second.

Inverters are made to produce either step wave or sine wave. A step wave imitates the 60 cycle sine wave but in incremental steps. The sine wave inverter makes a smooth flow of power. If your power needs include medical devices such as a CPAP machine then you will want a sine wave inverter for the device power supply. Note that the sine wave inverters are more expensive than the step wave inverters. You can run 2 inverters, step wave, and sine wave, from the same battery pack if need be.

The first mobile inverter I had was a 1000W major brand that came from the solar expert’s store. It proved to be completely inadequate. What I later learned was that the total wattage is split among the outlets. So if the inverter produces a total of 1000 watts and has 2 outlets, each outlet can support a load of 500W.

Some inverters have 2 values in their specifications: continuous load and surge. In that case, the surge amount is divided by the number of outlets. So if the inverter has a 1250W capacity with 2000W surge each outlet will have a capacity of 1000W. Unless the inverter specs show a surge, there is none. The total value is all you have to work with.

Many inverters have LED indicators that show the amount of power that is being taken from the batteries and voltage level. Most will also have cooling fans that are thermally controlled. Those that do not specifically say they have thermally controlled fans will keep the fans running all of the time. This means that the inverter is taking power from the batteries when it may not be needed. Most inverters will also have a low power shutoff. If the voltage drops below 10.5V the inverter will not run.

There are inverters that go to 240V of you have a need. These can be used on a well pump for example. These require 24V supplied by the batteries.

Inverters can power devices that are plugged directly into them. A good extension cord running between the inverter and the appliance is one method of doing this. Another is to connect to the household wiring via a transfer switch. The transfer switch is usually an external switch that cuts out grid power and supplies power from the inverter.

Ways to recharge them.

Charging batteries is not done at 12V. Most charging methods will be about 15.5V. Most charging systems talk about charging in amps not watts. There is an easy way to convert:

Amps x Volts = Watts

This first one may sound silly but the basic battery charger found in most automotive or farm stores will work. If your backup power system is waiting for the next grid outage this will keep the batteries peaked.

Make sure that it is an automatic charger as they will start at their maximum value and make the charging current taper to a minimum until the battery system is fully charged. It will then act like a “maintainer” to keep the batteries from self-discharging.

A trickle charger is the same thing as a maintainer. It puts a very small amount of amps, usually 1A, when the battery needs it. This also works if your power system is on light duty until the next outage. There is a manual charger but you must monitor the charger. When the charger shows that the batteries are fully charged you must disconnect the charger.

The next type of the charging method would be 12V automotive alternator that is mounted on an exercise bicycle or some similar device. There are a couple of alternators to choose from but the easiest to work with is a model that has an internal regulator. Another way is to use a small gas engine to run the 12V alternator. There is a web site[iv] that shows how to make your own small engine charger and sells parts to do this with.

Many of the AC producing gas generators, usually those below 4000W, have a connection for 12V. The documentation for these generators say 2 things that are of interest: the 12V connections are only for charging batteries and they are not regulated.

Using the 12V output from one of these generators to the batteries would easily lead to an overcharge situation which would be very bad for the batteries. To prevent this means connecting an automotive regulator to the 12V output then connecting the regulator to the 12V battery pack.

So at this point, you might wonder, if there is an AC generator why use the inverter? If your batteries are very low connect the AC appliances to the generator while the batteries are charging. Unless there is an unlimited supply of fuel for the generator, and it is completely silent, you will not want to have it running all the time.

Next up in the power chain would be a windmill. They are great for producing power, can be configured for 12V or 24V and have very little upkeep. One little problem: they require a minimum of 10 mph of constant wind speed in order to produce electricity. Some of us cannot get that much wind speed. A secondary problem is visibility. They are up in the air, rotating blades, acting like a beacon to anyone who is without power.

Finally, there are photovoltaic or solar panels. In most towns and cities they can be seen attached to the flashing stop signs or school zone signs. It is the same concept as home use.

Solar panels can be purchased in single panels or in sets. They are as small as 5W or currently as large as 290W. The choice is not easy and neither is the price. When selecting panels remember that the higher values may mean a faster charge but the batteries usually respond better to a slow steady charge.

The maximum power of any panel will be achieved when the panel is in “ideal” position. Ok, what does that mean? Simply put, the panel must be directly facing the sun. In other words, if the panel is perpendicular with the sun then it is directly facing the sun. When the sunlight strikes the panel at an angle the power output drops. Open circuit voltage for solar panels can be anywhere from 17.2V up.

In the 1980s there were experiments done with solar panels. One of these tests was to devise tracking systems so that the panels were kept facing the sun. Most of the early methods proved to be difficult to work with.

Another thing that was done was to place the panels at an angle that more closely matched that of the sun. For example: if the location was Denver, CO the latitude[v] is 39 degrees meaning that the panels should be mounted at the same angle from horizontal.

Today people generally point them in a south facing compass direction and put them at a 45-degree angle. Not ideal for maximum utilization but it is easy to set up. Modern tracking systems are available.

Another possibility is to have multiple panels but not all pointed at the same compass direction. Place them at several compass directions so that a lower peak current will occur but be spread out over a longer time. For example, if there are 5 panels in the solar array place each of them at 5 compass angles along the path of the sun. With solar panels, it is possible to mix panels with different output.

The solar panel approach will require a charge controller. This is a device that takes the input from the panels and feeds it to the battery system until the batteries are charged. The smallest one will handle a total of 105W or 7A. Better ones can support 30A or more and will show the state of charge of the batteries. All of the charge controllers prevent the batteries from discharging through the solar panels when the sun is down.

There is a small amount of upkeep with solar panels. You should keep the surface clean. Dust and dirt that accumulates will cut down on the amount of sunlight that the panels get.

Now what?

Let’s look at all this as 2 possible choices – one where finances are unlimited, and the other where there is a budget.

Open-ended system.

Description                              Type                           Quantity

AGM batteries                        210AH                           8
Inverter                                   7000W 24V                   1
Transfer switch                                                              1
Solar Panels                            95W                               12
Charge controller                    24V                                1
Tracking system                                                             1

The batteries would be wired into a 24V system in order to feed the inverter. The transfer switch would perform the cutover during a grid failure. The tracking system would make sure that maximum power is delivered to the batteries.

While convenient it becomes too easy to live in the house with a full power system. It does not give the incentive to conserve during difficult times. The movement of the tracking system may attract attention.

Budget system.

Description                              Type                           Quantity

Deep cycle/marine batteries     #29                               5
Inverter                                     3000W 12V                 1
Solar Panels                              40W                             5
Charge controller                                                           1

The budget system would be manually connected to appliances. It is possible to run some things, such as freezer and/or refrigerator from the inverter all the time. That way there is no loss of food in the event of an outage while away from home. The panels do not all have to be purchased at the same time, plus they could be mixed with smaller ones that turn up on sale.

Disclaimer

I do not have all the answers. This discussion does not include all the possibilities or all the details. Any product that may appear in a web link is not an endorsement.

[i] http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2012/07/texas_has_worst_electricty_gri.php

[ii] http://www.nerc.com/files/2012SRA.pdf

[iii] http://www.altestore.com/store/Refrigerators-Freezers/Solar-Powered-Refrigerators-Freezers/c639/

[iv] http://theepicenter.com/tow082099.html

[v] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longitude

 

By Sandra

A number of years ago I awoke to the unpleasant reality that when the stuff hits the fan and people were unable to get food and water, they would spill out into the suburbs, even past the burbs, to our sleepy community, to take what they wanted by any means they could.  Although I lived in a “safe” area with preps, a garden and neighbors who were hunters, I realized I could not expect them to protect me, nor would I be able to defend the property I owned.

I recognized I was going to have to move out of my comfortable environment.  It was just a matter of where.  I started to search for a country homestead where I would stand a chance of staying alive and protecting myself.  A place small enough to be manageable on a small income, but large enough for my kids and their families to come when “the trigger event” occurs. This is the short version of how I did it.

First, I evaluated how much I could spend.  What could I pay cash for, what could I get a mortgage for, how much tax could I afford to pay once I left my job?  Would I buy just raw land or could I get some kind of a residence on the property?  Once I figured out that magic number, I had to decide if I was going to pay cash up front or get a small mortgage?

I called my bank and ask them what they would offer me and I was impressed with the no points and the very low rate they quoted.  I had to pray hard on what to do because I didn’t have any debt.  If I used my retirement funds to pay cash for a place it might put me in a tight spot later on. I finally decided to take a mortgage out until I could sell the suburb house and pay off the new mortgage.  With a preapproval letter in hand, I started looking for my country homestead.

Where to go?  I read the recommended books, considered the options, including moving west where my husband’s family is located.  But, I like the state where I live. Tennessee is listed as one of the top 5 “freedom” states and the state legislature, while not perfect, thinks about preserving the people’s rights more than other states I have visited.

Plus, there is no state income tax and while there are four seasons, winter is normally mild and the growing season is about 8 months depending on the year.  I got the map out and decided where I was going to start looking.  I did a lot of research on the internet to learn about the counties and the small towns in those counties.

I looked up taxes, best use rights, zoning laws and restrictions. Almost every weekend for a year, I was in the car driving the back roads of  Tennessee. Besides my BOB, I always had maps, boots, hat, bug spray, compass and a handgun with me.  I frequently got lost and would go into the local café or gas station and ask directions.  I talked with the people in the cafes and ask them about the area and if any places were for sale.  Some places were friendly and others not so much, which gave me an idea of whether “outsiders” would be accepted or not.

I had to learn about the topography of the land in different counties. When you look at the pictures on the internet, they don’t show you that 13 of the 15 acres for sale are on a 1500 foot high hill, which would only be good for goats. I walked quite a few properties so I could learn the lay of the land.  I wanted some acreage, so I learned to use land and farm sites, not realtor.com.

I learned how to check google earth to see what was bordering the land I wanted to look at so I didn’t drive 3 hours to a site to find the next plot was a junkyard.  “Prepper” real estate ads and sites were way too expensive for what they offered and real estate agents were not willing to drive 1 or 2 hours from their offices to show you property.

I learned how to work around the agents to go see property myself and talk to the property owner and their neighbors.  Country folks are usually sitting on their porches watching the world go by. I’d pull in a driveway and wave at them and if they waved back, I’d go talk to them. They’d tell me who died and who was wanting to sell.  I would always ask if the land flooded, how often, where the closest stream/river was, if it was good hunting land, and if they would buy the land. I heard quite a few interesting stories!

After about 6 months, I got pretty knowledgeable and narrowed down the counties I would considered buying in.  I programmed my favorite internet sites with the parameters I wanted and then it was just watching, visiting and waiting until the right property came up for sale. After about a year, I had my choices narrowed down to two counties and two properties.

One homestead I wouldn’t need to do anything to the residence, the land was pasture with ponds, but it was located closer to a small city than I wanted and the taxes were higher than the other choice.  The second choice I would have to refurb the residence, but the land was raw hunting land with a meadow and natural springs scattered throughout and it was more isolated, but still within 12 country miles of a tiny town.  Both were about the same acreage and had old barns on the property. I spent a week praying and doing “what if” games in my head and finally put an offer on the property with the raw land.

Buying a property from country folks is not anywhere similar to buying a house in the city or the suburbs. There is a lot of poker face haggling going on, but basically what you see is what you get.  If you are not an expert, you have to bring your team of experts with you.  You need to have a guy for the house, the electrical, the roof, the well, the septic, and for the outbuildings.

If you are going to farm the land, you need a guy to come check the land.  Depending on how far out in the country it is located, it is not easy or cheap to get this team of experts out to the property when you want them to come.  Did I say that country folks work on their own time schedule?

One thing I will caution readers about is to find out if the property is in any sort of tax relief program.  For example, is it planted with trees for logging?  Does it have an agricultural exemption?  Is it in any program which offers a tax reduction?  My property was in a “greenway”, which was supposedly county sponsored; but after research, I found it was really funded by the state, which was really funded by the federal government.  I had to take the property out of the program, pay taxes from the last year which the property had a tax reduction.  By doing this, the property is no longer considered a tax-relief property and is no longer on the government inventory list.

I purchased the property for a reasonable price, considering I was going to have to redo the residence interior.   The bones were good but the guts were old. I had to find a contractor I could work with, who would drive an hour into the country! Most contractors would listen to what I wanted and tell me no, it was too far for them.

It took me three months to find two contractors who could do the job and get bids; I picked the one I liked the best. The contractor did the work I couldn’t do; wiring, plumbing, moving walls, digging a basement. It was not cheap and it was not fast, but it was good. Between weather delays, people delays, inspector delays, it was about 8 months to complete the contractor part of the refurb.  My sons laid the new floor, painted the interior, changed lights, fans, etc.  There are still baseboards and crown molding to put back up; plus a hundred other little things to do.  It’s a work in progress.

The house had a fireplace with a 40-year-old gas log set, so I went shopping for a wood stove to put in the fireplace. Wood stoves are not cheap!  Once you find what you need, it has to be installed. I’m not talking about just inserting the stove; the chimney has to be inspected, primed and flued and a topper added to keep the brand new roof from burning up. Again, getting people 1 hour out in the country was a time-consuming effort; but it ended well. It heats the entire house to between 66 and 70 degrees, depending on the outside temperature.

I tried to make all the basic systems redundant, the electric HVAC is backed up with a propane generator, which is backed up by a wood stove and fans. The frig and freezer are backed up by the generator and the kitchen stove runs on propane plus the wood stove is also a backup.

The electric well pump is backed up by the generator, but I’m still working on getting a solar system for the well, then I might add to it later. The septic, while new, can be diverted to the first owner’s old country line, which runs out in the woods somewhere.  My son installed a video surveillance system that shows 360⁰ completely around the house and which works beautifully. With 7 large dogs outside and 6 yappy little dogs inside, not much goes unannounced.

The last couple of months have been spent fencing the front 2 acres, installing gates, clearing the garden, planning a rain catchment system, and coops for the chickens and ducks!  It has been frustrating slow at times but exciting at the same time.  I have been accepted in the area and my neighbors are friendly and helpful.

I think any horde, gangs, or desperate people leaving the big cities, which are 125 and 175 miles distant, will get tired, lost and discouraged long before getting anywhere near the backwoods, especially if they are walking.  Most people out here have guns and I hear target practice going on all the time.

I feel safe; I can defend myself, and am working towards establishing a home business and being at least half-way self-sufficient!  I hope this inspires some of you to take the challenge and find yourself a country homestead!

by Dan W

One of the more important things we’ve wanted to include with our other prepping supplies is a communication system. Something beyond two cans and a string! Should a catastrophic event occur we don’t expect help in the form of government assistance will be readily available.

Besides, we are leery and don’t think we’d want that kind of help ……….. even if it was offered. At least not until things have shaken out a bit and we have a better feel for what is going on.

However, it will be important especially during the early phase of an event to be able to receive broadcasts (if there are any) to stay apprised of situations both near and far. Forewarned is forearmed!

We discussed just who it might be that we wanted to communicate with, why, and the type of equipment we’d need. There’s a big difference between active and passive communicating. Getting active on the airwaves right away using a radio transmitter did not seem to be a wise thing to do.

Better to stay quiet and attentive while things shake out. The time will come when communicating with those outside your immediate vicinity will not be as risky. Until you know what is going on, why broadcast your presence?

Maintaining communications with those in your tribe is important. If we had to leave our compound for any reason it would be beneficial to stay in close contact with those afield. Small handheld transceivers satisfy this need but eventually, we’d need to be able to actively communicate over greater distances.

A more powerful transceiver of some sort would be needed. We were torn between choosing a Shortwave or a CB Transceiver. These two devices each fill a different function in communications equipment: The Shortwave Transceiver is a long range device while a CB Transceiver is more suited to relatively short range communications.

Setting up and using a shortwave system is more complex than using CB devices. There is a definite need for both types of devices in a complete communications system, but did we want to purchase and set up both types? Would only one type suit our needs?

After much discussion regarding the pros and cons of each, we decided to go with a CB Transceiver as our main unit. Our choice was based on our feelings that we really don’t need to actively communicate with anyone at long ranges (other than listening). To cover all bases we may still purchase a hand-held SW Transceiver at a later date.

We analyzed our needs to determine what devices we’d want to assemble for our communication station. Our “want” list quickly evolved into a “need” list. These are the generic items we settled on:

• A professional quality CB Base Station combined with an excellent antenna system would allow us to reach out across our valley.
• Handheld CB Units (x4) would amplify the flexibility of our base station and give us roving communications capability. We wanted units with rechargeable batteries and an adapter for an external antenna.
• FRS (Family Radio Service) Band Transceivers (x4) for use around our property (short range).
• A multi-band radio (AM/FM/Aircraft/SW + SSB) would be our ears to the outside. This would have to be high quality, high gain radio.
• An emergency frequency scanner that could monitor police, fire & EMS, plus the Aircraft bands; further adding to our ability to monitor what is going on locally.
• A small inexpensive multi-function AM/FM, CD, Cassette player for entertainment. A life without music is unthinkable, so I consider being able to listen to recorded music a crucial aspect of surviving.

These devices would compose our communication and entertainment system. We knew what equipment we wanted to use, but needed to address the issue of how they would be powered? What would it take to ensure we had enough self-generated electricity to meet the need? What other items did we have, or plan to get, that would also need power? It’s always a good plan to plan for more capacity than what you think you will need.

The only other key items in our cache needing power (either directly or by charging its batteries) were: our Voice Alert Intruder Warning Station and sensors, several Night Vision scopes, the Marine Band transceiver on our boat, and a bunch of flashlights. Only the Voice Alert was added to our “needs power” list for the purpose of calculating total electrical load requirements.

I mentioned a Marine Band Transceiver in the previous paragraph. Let me digress for a moment to discuss where it might fit into the scheme of things. Since Marine Band frequencies are different from FRS, CB, and standard SW Band and since folks in a survival mode would likely be using those more common devices to communicate; using a marine band radio to connect with your friends provides a small measure of “secure communications”.

At least it would be somewhat more secure than other methods of communicating over the airwaves. People living in landlocked areas don’t tend to think about Marine Radios and would probably not be monitoring those frequencies. Back to the main topic.

Primary Considerations

Starting with the assumption that there would be no grid electricity or phone system operative, our communication devices would need to be powered by whatever electricity we could generate. We’ve got a large gasoline generator that will provide a lot of juice, enough to run our home if needed.

But even with rationing our supply of gasoline it will only last so long. Scrounging for more fuel during the first few months of chaos might prove to be unproductive, as well as a very risky chore.

Wind or water power is not an option where we live so that’s out of the equation. Solar power is an obvious choice. A bank of solar cells, charging a bank of batteries, powering an inverter to produce AC power, is feasible; but I have some reservations regarding this type of arrangement.

First is the number of solar cells required to produce adequate charging current and second is the number of batteries that would be needed.

Those two issues, plus our northern locale and the reduced daylight hours during the 6 months of our winter cycle (at Winter Solstice we have about 8 hours of daylight) made me reluctant to bite the bullet and put our funds into a large, complex solar power supply.

The ratio of expense versus return just didn’t seem to make a large solar-powered system worthwhile. I wanted a system with as few components as possible. The more components there are within any system, the greater the likelihood one will fail; thus rendering the system inoperative.

Considering all of my negative concerns, solar power still seemed to be the answer. I decided to compromise; I’d use solar power on a smaller scale to power our communications system. With a working solar power supply, we could then hold back on using our generator. This has a positive impact since the generator is noisy and would attract attention. A solar charger is silent.

System Design Criteria: I searched through commercial products to see what was available but couldn’t find anyone device that had the features I was looking for.

Nowhere was there a solar-powered, battery based, a multi-voltage power supply that would suit my wants and needs.

So, I decided to design my own. I wanted to follow the time-proven “KISS” philosophy of design ………….. Keep It Simple Stupid! The result is a system that is based on two main components: A Portable Solar Battery Charger and a Power Panel.

• The Solar Charger needed to be portable so I could easily move it around the property to wherever the sunlight was strongest.
• The Solar Charger would need to be able to recharge a slightly discharged Deep Cycle 12 vdc RV battery within 8 – 10 hours.
• The portable Solar Charger should have an onboard 120vac-12vdc charger to provide one more way to charge a battery.
• The battery used would need to have enough capacity to power the equipment for at least 12 hours out of a 24-hour cycle.
• Two batteries would be used initially, although more can be added if desired.
• Each day (of the use cycle) the batteries would be swapped. The freshly charged battery would come into the house to be connected to the power panel. It would replace the battery that had been used the previous day & night. The slightly discharged battery would then be rolled outside (on the Solar Charger) for recharging.
• The Power Panel would be designed so as to provide easy access to facilitate battery and device connections.
• The Power Panel would supply 12, 9, 6, 3, and 1.5 vdc as well as 120vac at amperage levels required by the devices (Radio, CB Station, etc.).
• 120VAC would be supplied to the Power Panel by three sources: Normal Grid connection, Generator, and an onboard 12vdc to 120vac Inverter.
• All of these DC voltages, plus the 120 VAC, would be readily accessible on the face of the Panel. A connection would be by the use of common connectors, alligator clips, terminal strips and the like.

The Portable Solar Charger and the Power Panel would comprise a very flexible electrical supply system. As long as we had grid power or were using our generator the Solar Charger and the Power Panel would remain in standby mode.

Electrical Sizing: Once I had decided on the general details for the charging station and power panel, I set about figuring which specific communication devices I wanted to purchase. This was necessary so that I would know what the estimated total power requirements were for each device.

That way I could ensure my system would be adequate for the load. As I said earlier, I wanted to be able to have a way to communicate via CB, be able to listen to what was being broadcast locally on emergency channels, receive worldwide broadcasts, and play CD’s or cassettes (yes I still have boxes of them).

After shopping around, I selected a CB base station by Galaxy, a world/all band receiver from Grundig, a Uniden300 Channel Broad Band Base Station Emergency Frequency Scanner, and a nice little Sony AM/FM/Cassette/CD Radio & Player. Another electrical device that would be connected to the Power Panel is our Voice Alert System base station.

I obtained the amperage requirement specifications for all of these devices. Both idle and operational mode values were figured into the equation. The total wattage needed would be my guide in choosing an appropriately sized battery as well as other assembly components.

The Voice Alert Perimeter Defense system (which would be on almost all of the time especially at night) draws less than a ½ amp/hour. If the CB Base Station is turned on it will draw less than ½ amp/hour in the Receive-Only mode, and less than 1 amp when transmitting.

The World Band Receiver uses less than ¾ amps/hour. The scanner uses less than ¾ amps and the Cassette/Cd player uses ½ amp/hour at a normal sound level. If the CB Transmitter or the Inverter was in use the current draw would be greater: meaning that the battery would need longer to recharge.

And of course, the louder the audio setting the more current these units will draw. If all of them were turned on at the same time the total current draw is still well within the arbitrary 5 amp limit.

After a search, I selected a Deep Cycle RV battery made by Interstate (SRM-27) that was rated to provide 12vdc @ 5 amps 19 hours. It would be a rare occurrence when all of these devices were in use at the same time so in all likelihood, the battery would actually be put to use for less than 12 hours a day.

This battery was perfect and would work well to satisfy my initial target value of 5 amps. The Interstate battery would work just fine!

Portable Solar Charger Design: Having settled on the major components, and the overall design of the portable solar charger and power panel, I began the actual layout design work. I settled on using a common hand truck purchased at a local retailer as the base on which to design the portable charger.

The hand truck was large enough to accommodate all of the components. It would work well as the batteries are heavy and unwieldy to carry around. An additional plus is that the entire charging station can be rolled into the house for security and to facilitate the battery exchange.

The Solar Power Charging Station is essentially a 20-watt solar panel connected to an SP Charge Controller. The solar panel is mounted on the hand truck so it can be pivoted at the top on a vertical plane. This allows it to be angled so as to best capture the rays of the sun, yet present a slim profile when not in use.

I added a special locking hinge that allows the angle to be easily set. The Solar Panel Battery Charge Controller moderates the output of the panel and keeps the battery from sulfating over time. A very small meter was added so I could monitor the voltage of the battery as an indicator of its charge level. T

o give added flexibility to the unit I added a small 120vac charging unit. A heavy plastic battery box is mounted on the foot of the dolly. Each of the electronic devices was mounted to the hand truck so as to be able to easily remove them. This was done so the individual components could be stored in my grounded Faraday Shield cabinet ………… just in case!

Power Panel Design

The Power Panel is simply a fixed panel that has a variety of quick connect terminals and cables that can be selected and connected with ease. It has two inputs: 12vdc (using battery clips) from the batteries currently in use) and 120vac (using a standard extension cord type connector plugged into a wall outlet). The 120vac is used when our generator is running and supplies 12vdc by powering a standard charger.

The 12vdc to 120 vac inverter is also mounted to the panel. I added a switch so I can choose between Generator/Grid 120vac or Inverter 120vac). The inverter I chose is a Power Bright PW1100. It will provide 1100 watts and draw roughly 9+ amps when used at its max capacity.

It is not a true sine wave inverter but then again I don’t need one. I do not foresee having to use the inverter all that much, but it’s nice to have it wired in and available if needed.

There are no indicator lamps as they just add to the load on the supply. The output connections are all switched and labeled to reduce confusion. I did add a 12vdc switched light (low current LED) to illuminate the panel and immediate surrounding area.

The best radios in the world are worthless unless connected to a good antenna. To complete my communications system I bought a Solarcon I-MAX 2000 24’ CB/HAM Base Station vertical antenna. I constructed a 40’ long-wire receive only antenna.

Both are mounted on the roof peak of my home and feed into my office. The roof peak is approximately 40’ high so the antennas are nicely elevated. These antennas extend the operating range of the CB and significantly improve the reception of any receiver.

to be on the safe side I also added a lightning arrestor. There are other antennas available but I believe that the ones I have chosen are a good compromise.

Details

Major components of my Solar Charger, Power Panel, and the Communication Devices:

•CB Radio, Galaxy DX-2547 AM/SSB CB Base Station
•Eaton (Grundig) 750 Satellite AM/FM Stereo/Shortwave/Aircraft band Radio
•Sony CFDS05 CD/Cassette/AM/FM Radio
•Uniden 800 MHZ 300 Channel Base or Mobile Scanner (BC355N)
•Cobra HHRoadTrip Hand Held CB Radio (x4)
•Maybe: Baofeng UV5RA Ham Two Way Radio 136-174/400-480 MHz Dual-Band Transceiver
•Instapark 20W High-Efficiency Mono-crystalline Solar Panel
•HQRP Solar Panel Controller 10 AMP @ 150 Watt
•Power Bright P-1100 12vdc-120vac Inverter
•Solarcon I-MAX 2000 24’ CB/HAM Base Station Antenna
•Battery Tender 021-0156 Battery Tender Plus 12V Battery Charger True Gel Cell Model (x2)
•Mini Blue Digital Panel Voltmeter 4.5 – 30v for 9, 12, and 24 vdc (x2)
•Adjustable Drafting Table Hardware, lift up ratchet support, sold By Rockler
•Wineguard DS-3000 “J” Pipe support for antennas (x2)
•Coaxial Lightning Antenna Surge Protector LP350
•Hand Truck with air-filled tires, $60 @ Home Depot
•Misc. screws, bolts, wire, coaxial cables, etc.
•Custom mounting plate for Charge Controller, etc.

As of this writing, the Portable Solar Charger has been completed and works as designed. A “maintenance level” charger is kept on both batteries to ensure they are always fully charged. Assembly of the Power Panel is in progress and I expect it to be completed in the near future.

Below you’ll find several photos on the Portable Solar Charger and a very basic schematic for the electrical connections. They should give you an idea of how I put it together. It’s not necessary to be an electrical engineer to assemble a system like this.

All of it is basically a “plug and go” type arrangement with common components readily available off the shelf. You too can put one together and tailor it to your own needs.

Define what you want to do, what type of devices it’ll take to do it, then make a parts & components list. Be sure all of the components you’re going to put together are compatible and will give you the power you need.

Almost everything I used is available online or at your local hardware store. I did have a local metal shop fabricate an aluminum square “C” shaped plate for mounting the SP Controller and small battery charger. The purpose of the “C” shape, beyond providing a mounting plate, is to shield those two components from the weather.