what preps do you INTEND to do?

[TomW]

I've seen a load of woodburners made from old fire extinguishers and gas bottles. Fairly easy to make and result in a compact and portable stove. It's also something I intend to do so ties in nicely
Safety wise ensure containers are empty before removing the valve and in the case of gas cylinders fill with water to ensure no gas is lingering before cutting. Don't vent the bottle where the gas can settle into a low point like a drain either, best to burn it off using an appropriate appliance! There is also a question of ownership with gas bottles but they're often to be found dumped by laybys for some reason...

[jean405]

Jean405 - where are you buying your Tatler lids from? I haven't found too many places willing to ship to the UK.

Would you be interested in a group buy ? (no problems if not, but sometimes it saves on postage)

Hi R&T, my boss's brother lives in the US and travels back and forth from the US and Scandinavia and will bring stuff, as long as it isn't too heavy. So I avoid shipping costs. Amazon.com sells them, don't they ship world wide?

[Rosesandtea]

Jean405 - where are you buying your Tatler lids from? I haven't found too many places willing to ship to the UK.

Would you be interested in a group buy ? (no problems if not, but sometimes it saves on postage)

Hi R&T, my boss's brother lives in the US and travels back and forth from the US and Scandinavia and will bring stuff, as long as it isn't too heavy. So I avoid shipping costs. Amazon.com sells them, don't they ship world wide?

Ah. Well it has been a while since I looked into it - I was asking around when they first came out. A lot of companies in the US refuse to ship internationally, it is a pain.

I just looked at Amazon and I can't get them via Amazon but a company listed with them that trades separately, does.

[hobo]

ND,

I switched to 12v stuff with batteries as I gather inverters take a bit of juice to run themselves.

Hobo

buy battery(ies) and inverter(s) for off grid electric and therefore reduce my reliance on the grid.

Design a routine for production and / or storage of ethanol alcohol for heating and hot water.

[nickdutch]

ND,

I switched to 12v stuff with batteries as I gather inverters take a bit of juice to run themselves.

Hobo

buy battery(ies) and inverter(s) for off grid electric and therefore reduce my reliance on the grid.

Design a routine for production and / or storage of ethanol alcohol for heating and hot water.

Indeed. But it all depends what kind of systems you are trying to create. There are opportunity costs with everything.

[TomW]

If you plan to run summit like a laptop its worth looking for a 12v lead. Otherwise your stepping 12v up to 240v the back down to your laptops voltage (roughly 10 to 14 for most). For other 12v stuff try truck supply sites, they've got loadsa stuff, even microwaves!

[nickdutch]

If you plan to run summit like a laptop its worth looking for a 12v lead. Otherwise your stepping 12v up to 240v the back down to your laptops voltage (roughly 10 to 14 for most). For other 12v stuff try truck supply sites, they've got loadsa stuff, even microwaves!

Bit by bit, I intend to have (over many years worth of one-bit-at-a-time-ing) a full circuit based on 12 v for lighting, another one for appliances and another for inverting to 240V 50Hz for other devices.

This should cover most of my electrical requirements. But FIRST, gotta get more solar made up and stored away until I have enough, then get the batteries and charge controller, then get the extra wiring etc., . . . .

one-bit-at-a-time-ing

Its all VERY low income stuff. i have a high cash flow but low income, so I have adjusted my methods to suit that style.

Things i want to have on my circuits

TV (already have a second hand caravan TV, it even works off the cable box that i could probably power off inversion !)
Computer (speakers, modem etc maybe off inversion, I dunno yet.)
Stereo
Lights
Electric blanket (its a 60w device therefore cheaper then any other night time heating solution)

IF I can get enough power together,
dehydrator, microwave, steamer, and slow cooker

If I can do that then I have a chance of having a "normal" life (at least as normal as my current life) but being more off grid.

You get the picture.
I still got to make that damned bicycle generator for when there aint no sun, and I also got to get basic wind generation together.......

gimme time man !!!
(but considering the way that international things are escalating, i don't know if I got that. I worry ya know)

[buttystella]

just did after thinking about it for months ordered a stainless Berkly water filter unit coming on Friday.

[pseudonym]

just did after thinking about it for months ordered a stainless Berkly water filter unit coming on Friday.

That's on my list too, a couple more months and I'll have the cash for it.

[nickdutch]

just did after thinking about it for months ordered a stainless Berkly water filter unit coming on Friday.

That's on my list too, a couple more months and I'll have the cash for it.

Thats a long way further down the line for me, but I might start to stock up in purification tablets.