Off grid shop

Jim F

Jim F

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Keep politics out of this,
This is theoretical right now.
If someone wanted to live in virtual isolation, and needed to make their own stuff, what would be the best power source?
Solar, wind,water wheel ?
any other options ?
 
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Depends on location. In the desert solar or wind will be primary, maybe even possible to work with a Sterling engine which operates off the principle of heat differentials. Some of the Scandinavian countries have been making use of Sterling engines to generate electricity, by basically scavenging waste heat on the inside and the cold outside. Same idea might work in a desert environment but in reverse.

There has been a lot of advancement with water power. The classic water wheel being turned in a river that most think of is an example of a low head, high volume system. A lot of modern water wheels are high head, low volume.

Several years ago I was on a fire and ended up working around a small resort, consisting of the owners house, a common building (kitchen, bathrooms etc), some storage buildings (it was a river kayaking resort) and about 1/2 dozen cabins.
I got to chatting with the owner and as I am a bit of a geek about alternate energy he showed me the system that they used. The bulk of his electricity came from a small 4-6" water wheel / turbine (Pelton wheel). It was supplied with water through a normal size (3/4", 1" maybe) PVC pipe from a spring a couple hundred feet up the hill. He used Solar panels to charge a battery bank for additional power and to provide some surge capacity. He said the water power was usually enough to run everything.

This area was very "off grid" all the homes in the area had to supply their own utilities. Water power was very popular being a river canyon and it was kind of neat to see the modern pipelines often running alongside the remains of water channels that had been used to supply water to the monitors used for hydraulic gold mining in the 1850s.

It is very common to see multiple sources of power since most natural power supplies fluctuate throughout the year and even daily.

You can also create a natural gas from wood chips, and other dry carbon sources (dried trash, food scraps, the bones of your enemies etc). There are even DIY gassifier kits that can be used to power a generator or vehicle. The gas made through the process is very similar to the coal gas used in the 1800s for gas lights.
 
Another source because we are drowning in plastic literally is YouTube has many vids on converting plastic to diesel. What’s cool is the process powers itself from the off gassing of the plastic once it gets up to temp.
 
Agree 100% with "it depends upon location." Us recommending solar isn't going to help if "someone" in a perpetually cloudy location near the Arctic Circle. What's the location like?

Also, since you're asking for free advice, it helps to not come across as overly controlling and demanding. "Keep politics out of this" doesn't come across as a polite request, but a demand.
 
Without (wrong word) coming off as a "nay sayer", serious thought must be applied to going "off grid". A single person, even a small family, would not easily run such an operation. I have studied the possibilities (as an engineer) for a long time. And still don't have a plausable answer. I do have my "system" worked out for what suits me. But now I'm an old man and confined to a wheelchair. So all that work and planning has gone "out the window". Any such operation would take three or four men and a half dozen little boys.

Imagine yourself in a "Back To The Future Pt3(?)" scenario. Consider what would be available "off the shelf". Having an "IC" engine, diesel or gasoline, to generate power for electricity would be nice, but. . . Either requires fuel. Gasoline is pretty much out of the question. Diesel can be made from plant oils. Making diesel is time consuming, even more so when you consider tending the crop from which the oil is derived. Lard will as a lubricant work for slower engines, but not high speed IC engines.

Then there are the alternatve electrical sources; wind, water, solar, and the like. To get a couple of thousand watts (2+ HP) continuously would take an enormous plant and constant attention. Add a large battery bank (with limited life span), inverter, and the appurtinate hardware. Again, there goes your time.

The next step down the ladder would be gasifier engines, "hot air" engines and steam. All require a fire, read as firewood. Time consuming, physically demanding, steady source, etc. Firewood would be from an axe, no chain saws. Fuel, chain lube, etc. Plus transport. No tractor and wagon, a horse or mule is about the limit to pull a drag.

Gasifier devices require regular attention, hot air engines do have some down sides, and steam is very hazardous. For what it's worth, hot air engines are a little older than steam engines, from the late 18th century. They have been used as marine propulsion engines. The size versus a steam engine was untenable, steam winning out. Just as IC engines won out over steam. And turbines over reciprocating engines. Ad infinitum, ad nausium. . .

Again, step down the ladder, to animal and water power. And nowhere yet is the time to do machine work. Think it through well, long term technology is time consuming. And resource demanding. Staying alive and keeping the house warm becomes the big issue.

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Time to build a full scale "model steam engine"? That along with solar panels for lights and minor draws. Everyone was "off-grid" for most of human history so life style changes are assured. I plan to stay "on the grid" as long as I possibly can.
 
When I watched TV, there was a show on Discovery I believe, called "Homestead Rescue", this is why I asked.
Marty Raney came up with some cool ideas for those off grid homesteads.
None of them had a shop type scenario though.
 
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