| Author | Message | ||
     Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 814 Registered: 04-2019 |
In trying to find a place to put my 1975 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, I am running into the problems with restricted zones and with undeveloped land being able to hook up to utilities. So I am seeking alternatives to conventional hook ups. I was thinking if at night the room lit itself that would be cool. Turns out there are clear paints that light up your rooms at night and looks cool too.   Make with strontium aluminate. In the day use the sun for light, at night use the strontium aluminate to illuminate your house. For powering tools computer etc use either solar cells (As David Gore pointed out in another thread) or a generator (probably costly in fuel). I was also thinking for the toilet use a very big underground cement tank and have it pumped out when needed. With an alarm light to it that when it is about full the light lights up to warn you. What do you think, what would you do? . | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3416 Registered: 04-2003 |
Mike, For your toilet, have a look at installing a waterless composting toilet. Widely used in Australia for environmentally sensitive locations e.g. national parks and country roadside rest areas. https://www.nature-loo.com.au/ https://www.clivusmultrum.com.au/ Problem solved - no pump out  | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 815 Registered: 04-2019 |
I saw that over at: https://blog.landcentral.com/land-university-blog/grid-living-part-three-waste/#.XUIhjPI3nIU And a picture of what most look like: http://buttecreekwatershed.org/BMP/test2/Book6last_files/image059.gif It looks stinky like an outhouse. And it looks like you have to have some height to it as well. Climbing up the toilet to go ??? Do they stink? | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3417 Registered: 04-2003 |
If used properly for their intended purpose, they are fine. If material that hasn't been eaten and/or drunk first by a human is put into the system, there can be problems with the bacteria responsible for breakdown of the waste being killed by the contaminants causing odour problems until the bacteria can resume their normal function. This is why some people have had a bad experience using public composting facilities because of prior contamination from failure to comply with the requirements of a composting system. If used for public gatherings, there will be problems from individuals who leave messes behind afterwards. That is, males who cannot aim properly and females squatting over the toilet and hoping for the best instead of sitting down properly for the entire performance!! The design of the facility housing is completely up to the person purchasing the system. Private conveniences will always depend on the buyer's preference. Public conveniences usually are designed for ease of access and cleaning. . | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 816 Registered: 04-2019 |
Down the street a lady (family) has a big mobile home. She is on the last of the line and nothing beyond her house will be turned on. Because of the elec. lines, and the water lines are too old to hold pressure. She has a aerobic-system that sprays the end product in the air and on the land. She has much less than an acre of land and got a permit for it after a long battle. (Where as a septic tank requires, there without water, 2 acres) Then there are grey water systems.   I would have to get the water from the roof drained into a tank as you talked about. And for elec either Wind or Solar power. But I don't know how many watts I would need. ? | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3418 Registered: 04-2003 |
Mike, For off-grid locations, solar or wind powered generation must be combined with storage batteries and inverter to provide 24hr/7day/12month continuous power. The choice between solar and wind generation or a combination of both is determined by your local year-round weather conditions. The aerobic and "grey water" systems with spray/soakage effluent dispersal are prone to problems during extended periods of wet weather if the soil cannot absorb both the rain and effluent at the same time without causing run-off to adjoining properties. Local laws may require the effluent to be chlorinated before discharge for health reasons. Any solar/wind power installer will be able to look at your appliances/lighting/power equipment and advise the power rating required to handle the peak demand. If necessary for peak loads, load shedding capability can be installed to maintain reliable power. | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 817 Registered: 04-2019 |
Really all I have in the way of elec. is lights, computer, refrigerator and tool use. Maybe Air Con in the summer, a little floor heater in winter. In my 18 wheeled truck I had an inverter that was 12 v and ran my computer, and microwave. You had to have the engine running to use the microwave. It had nice big cables to it and never got hot. I assume that if you put + to + to + on the batteries it stays 12 v to the inverter? I am trying to talk them down in price to have money for the solar panels. This might be more than I can handle in the short term. And the realtor is an online business. I worry from my ignorance if I will be ripped off. Wind power https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200672638_200672638 | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 818 Registered: 04-2019 |
Add on to the above post: Have you heard of using worms in a composting type system, and in septic tanks? Septic Tank Worms https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6iUZ0xTpKU I was thinking worms drown in water, and this site says the same. https://www.wte-ltd.co.uk/septic_tank_treatment_worms.html But this site uses worms to eat it. https://www.permaculture.co.uk/readers-solutions/how-make-vermicomposting-flush-toilet I am going to know more about poop then I care to. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3419 Registered: 04-2003 |
Every worm I have ever seen in a pool of water either "swimming" or in the mud at the bottom has died or is about to die if not removed. The worms would work in a composting toilet as there is no added water when the system is used for its intended purpose. As for your load, I recently experienced a complete mains electricity blackout for 3 days following a major underground power feed short circuit in our street which necessitated replacement of the cables and distribution nodes due to the consequent damage from the currents involved and the lack of a protective shut down circuit breaker in the transformer responsible for our street as a consequence of a major sewer transfer tank and pump located at the bottom of our street adjacent to the river and the water authority required uninterrupted power to the pumps to avoid tank overflows polluting the river resulting in heavy fines. I decided to hire a generator to provide power for this period as I had refrigerators and a freezer full of food and being winter, I needed hot water, light and power. When I inquired about hiring a suitable generator, the costs involved were very high for the short term duration so I priced buying a suitable generator and was able to purchase an 18hp 14KVA generator for AUD1000 which was a few hundred dollars more than the hire cost with the benefit I would have it for future use as I live in an area subject to electricity disruptions from thunder storm lightning strikes. I set up 2 temporary 15amp [240V supply in Australia] cables from the generator and used power boards to connect essential items including the electric hot water service. I will be organising an electrician to fit a 3 phase isolating switch after the meters [so they do not record power usage when the generator is being used and the sole 3 phase air conditioning unit can be isolated from an existing sub-board] with connection points adjacent to the main board for the two 15A single phase generator outputs when needed to allow use of the existing power circuits immediately. . | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 824 Registered: 04-2019 |
David, So a kilovolt-ampere (kVA) = 1,000 watts and I take it 14 kVA powered your house. So 14,000 watts powered your house? I will need to know more about the function of a composting toilet. What it takes to construct it etc. I called the county today and asked if I could use a composting toilet. She said as far as I know you can use it but it is up to the state. Which is like what, I thought it was a county thing. But the state then Federal government have the final say. I asked about a outhouse she say no to that. Which most old houses out in the boonies still have one if not used. I guess they are grandfathered in. I was looking into a porta potty, but they have not got back to me on a long term price. I would want to build the composting toilet out of wood (cheaper) then find some coating to seal it from water. I used some coating on wood to build a shower onto a bathtub, in a very old building. Found in the attic a club membership of names and dates joined, back to 1886. So the building was at least that old. Any thought on coatings? . | ||
| ross kowalski Prolific User Username: cdfpw Post Number: 1189 Registered: 11-2015 |
Mike, A few thoughts on homesteading. I would think a big consideration would be a well. I think you are likely going to need a deep well which also means a 220v submersible pump. Those take some juice as well. Another thing is "back to basics" by readers digest. Back when going feral was the "it" thing to do Readers digest published a book about homesteading. It had everything from purchasing a property to animal husbandry to heating and cooling to electricity to what have you. I have a copy which I would gladly give you, but they published a million of those things so you can get one for a small sum from the usual places. Technology is making living "off the grid" a little more plausible these days but it is still a lot harder then just living where everyone else does. | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 826 Registered: 04-2019 |
Actually, as David pointed out in another thread, one does not need a well just for things like taking a shower, flushing the toilet (if I could have one) or washing your hands (and I drink only bottled water anyway). It rains a lot down here, and I mean like unable to see up the road kind of rain as well. People in old houses used the rain on their roofs to gutter it into a well, or in my case would be a tank. Using solar power you can heat it just with glass and black paint. The electricity will cost for solar panels or wind, but I'm hoping they will come down on the price to pay for that (wish me luck on that). And I don't have to move in right away it is not far from here. At the very least I could clear it and put cars there, something I cannot do where I am. It would pay for itself in one or two cars just that alone. Living there would be a benefit. Is the book called: Back to Basics: How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills? I have the 4th Edition thanks for reminding me, I never read it, maybe it is time. (E-Book pdf) | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 832 Registered: 04-2019 |
That book goes into detail on wind power but near nothing on solar panels. The solar panels charge the batteries which are connected in parallel (not series) so the voltage stays the same but the amperage rating (also known as Amp Hours) is increased. Solar panels work by allowing photons, or particles of light, to knock electrons free from atoms, generating a flow of electricity. Solar panels actually comprise many smaller units called photovoltaic cells. (blah blah blah) Not sure why I can't just use solar panels to charge batteries to power an inverter. (I'm sure David or someone can say.) The orange inverter I had in my 18 wheel truck and powered my microwave and computer, at the same time just fine. Then the black one has not just 2000 watts but 12,000 watts to power (probably) most of the house (until it burns out, as the feed back says, probably it is only a 6000w inverter and peak 12,000w). I cannot convince google to give me house not car inverters.   | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 833 Registered: 04-2019 |
This post is hooked to the two above (somehow). Sometimes when I am out in the garage (working on my Rolls Royce) and I want to make my meal for the night. I use a slow cooker and buy chicken parts, or sometimes I use Italian meat balls, or today I used hot dogs. I buy two cans of 26oz 737g of Cream of chicken condensed soup. A box of 7.25oz 206g Macaroni & cheese and a few bags of the College staple of foods Maruchan Ramen noodle soup chicken flavor, The last two ingredients are for the noodles, cheap. Then put it all in the slow cooker, including the cheese and flavoring if you like (if everything is pre-cooked 1 1/2 hours, first 1/2 hour just to heat it up usually). Add 1 1/2 cans of water. You can if not cooked put the mac & cheese noodles in with the rest. If it is raw meat I cook it for 6 hours until it falls off the bone. The last 1/2 hour put in the noodles (Ramen for pre-cooked and cooked). It may take longer for the mac & cheese noodles they are stabborn. | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 834 Registered: 04-2019 |
The above sentence "not" is an error You can if "not" cooked put the mac & cheese noodles in with the rest. Should read You can if everything is pre-cooked put the mac & cheese noodles in with the rest. Not that anyone cares. (If you do, I used today a bag of Bar S Franks 12oz 340g with 8 dogs in it that I laid on a plate and cut all at the same time into little slices.) https://www.dollargeneral.com/media/catalog/product/cache/image/700x700/e9c3970ab036de70892d86c6d221abfe/0/0/00015900134014_cl___jpeg_3.jpg | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 876 Registered: 04-2019 |
Does anyone know what this is?   | ||
| Mark Luft Frequent User Username: bentleyman1993 Post Number: 288 Registered: 10-2016 |
What does the lid say?? It looks like a opening to access a septic system or plumbing drain. | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 879 Registered: 04-2019 |
It looks like Sanitary Cleanout (?) it is beside the road, technically not on my property. We have setbacks in the USA where the government owns from the street some feet to your property. I'm not allow in the neighborhood until I actually own the property. America land of the free my Asp. The land is undeveloped so it can't be a septic tank, but here in Texas instead of fixing pipes they often use a pump truck every week to pump out the system full of muck. Behind my house they do that every Thursday and if they don't the muck starts to pool and empty into the river. And the EPA does nothing about that or the water. They are all on the take. | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 3439 Registered: 04-2003 |
As your area appears to be unsewered, the most likely explanation it is a pre-installed pump-out connection for a future holding tank installation. Perhaps it is compliance for a land sub-division approval - the local authority should hold the relevant details of the approval for subdivision and creation of individual titles. | ||
| Mike Thompson Frequent User Username: vroomrr Post Number: 881 Registered: 04-2019 |
David, Apparently where I am buying property 1. the lines are make of clay and gently warmed to home oven temps, then gently put in the ground to last long enough to be approved then turn to dust. 2. the lines are not hooked to anything because they said they need a pumping station to get it to the treatment plant. But as long as they hook me up it is their problem how to deal with it. I think you are giving Texans more intelligence than they deserve. The lady you have to deal with to get hooked to the utilities did not know if it as in the city limits or not. With a population of 1000 people you would think she could keep that in her head. |
