Give me power!!

[The-Great-Nothing]

Hi Nick

Do you have time to write a tutorial on the homemade solar panels? Or a link to a good guide?

Thanks

Matt

[ticklemonkey]

Funnily enough I was chatting to a friend who is 'a scientist's and apparently in the 50s a small nuclear reactor was tested. It ran on nuclear waste produced a small amount of non toxic waste, automatically shut down if getting too hot and was generally great. However, it was banned by the unaa as it had not been tested on a large scale like other reactors.
Time for a rethink?
I do not have full details unfortunately but I heard it was not overtly broadcast. I wonder why?

[shrophopper]

Solar:
Learn how to make your own panels with broken cells, tabbing wire, solder, plastic sheeting (or similar) and reclaimed wood. Learn the basic electronics and get a Grid Tie Inverter as a hedge against electric power rises.

Your out door stuff sounds great, but for me, cooking indoors is what I am more interested in as when winter comes, outdoors will be a right pain, so that's why I have an interest in alcohol (ethanol not methylated spirits) and will get a carbon monoxide detector just in case.

Still haven't got the still setup that i desperately want. That's gonna take time, energy, money and planning / thought.

Why the preference for ethanol over methylated spirits? - Are you planning on producing your own ethanol for a spirit burner? Be good to know more if you'll indulge me!

[bulldogeagle]

if we want to stuff this planet then by all means go nuclear, but the more nuclear plants that are built means more nuclear WASTE to be stored somewhere and this stuff has a shelf life of thousands of years so i dont think your children and grandchildren will thank you.

[metatron]

If you buy boxes of photovoltaic cells of ebay and solder up your own panels you can save a lot of money, also open fires are great but a cast iron or steel stove will burn fuel more efficiently and you can put a pot on top and cook.

[metatron]

if we want to stuff this planet then by all means go nuclear, but the more nuclear plants that are built means more nuclear WASTE to be stored somewhere and this stuff has a shelf life of thousands of years so i dont think your children and grandchildren will thank you.

As someone who has worked in the industry, nuclear is very clean and safe now, we are not talking 1950/60's designs anymore. Waste is minimal and can be reprocessed into other useful items, what can not be reprocessed can be stored underground. Its the cleanest practical form of power available today.

[diamond lil]

Well you keep it down there with you pet, I don't want it up here beside me!

[daylen]

It's reducing our energy demand that needs looking at first rather than increasing any supply.

I think we do need to re-learn how to be frugal. Perhaps not people on this forum but society in general. For example, how many people put lids on pans when cooking? How many people have the central heating on to a point where they walk around in shorts and t-shirt?

We use energy with no thought whatsoever. It's just nonsense really and it needs to be sorted out.

Personally I'm trying to get together a few solar panels and battery backup so I can run lighting and my computer off-grid. I'm also saving up to install a wood burning stove in the lounge.

I've also looked at different ways of cooking to save fuel and money too. Have you seen the Wonderbag? It's a modern take on the old fashioned haybox. http://nb-wonderbag.com/content/what-wonderbag

As an aside, personally, nuclear power makes me scared. Not the technology - I'm sure we *can* make safe, clean nuclear reactors - but the implementation. As with all things it will be dictated by costs. Corners will be cut to save cash. That's just what happens. We find out all the time about waste that hasn't been disposed of properly and such like. I don't think that's something I trust governments or corporations to deal with sensibly.

[nickdutch]

Solar:
Learn how to make your own panels with broken cells, tabbing wire, solder, plastic sheeting (or similar) and reclaimed wood. Learn the basic electronics and get a Grid Tie Inverter as a hedge against electric power rises.

Your out door stuff sounds great, but for me, cooking indoors is what I am more interested in as when winter comes, outdoors will be a right pain, so that's why I have an interest in alcohol (ethanol not methylated spirits) and will get a carbon monoxide detector just in case.

Still haven't got the still setup that i desperately want. That's gonna take time, energy, money and planning / thought.

Why the preference for ethanol over methylated spirits? - Are you planning on producing your own ethanol for a spirit burner? Be good to know more if you'll indulge me!

I felt unwell after burning methylated spirits. it could be a CO problem.

I believe that the equation for burning methanol (as well as etnanol) is low or zero carbon monoxide, but I did see a prepper video by a chap who used a methylated spirits burner indoors and his Carbon Monoxide detector went off.

Possibly the denaturing component of methylated spirits creates Carbon Monoxide, so home made alcohol is superior for home heating and cooking.

Also, in continuing with the theme of this thread, i am going to get really really good at heat retention cooking. Its clean, green and makes great stews.

If i stay on mains electricity, then iron pans and an induction hob is probably the way to go. Induction hobs work as quickly as gas so more efficiency (so i am lead to believe)

[preppingsu]

Nick,

A little thought on Carbon monoxide......

http://www.instructables.com/answers/Wh ... -alcohols/

Stay safe!