CHIT CHAT in VOLTVILLE

[cindycated]

Hahahahahaha!!!

Quick, we can still do it, love has no boundaries.

Plus the free solar power design and installation LOL

OK, if I can ever afford to move and build my cargo container house, you've got a deal!
(serious about the container house though - here's my dream house: http://logicalhomes.com/1/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=73&Itemid=95)

 

[Konstantine]

You can overcome any problem as long as you have the will and take the first step. Even one panel is a step forward and help you save.

 

[Renolizzie]

Kon and Cindy - You guys are slaying me Too funny.

Learning a lot about solar today

Greenhouse is almost ready. I insulated the new ventilation door. I put up some cross pieces to hold the straw up as it was slumping and I put the straw back up on the north wall. I then restapled the plastic over the straw.

This year I am putting a large tub in there and I am going to try growing some tomatoes right inside the greenhouse. I have some old wooden box planters and I am going to start lettuce as soon as I figure out the temperature is fairly good overnight. I'll moniter that for the next couple of days. March 15th I'll be starting seeds inside the house in flats. When they start growing pretty good after a couple of weeks, into the greenhouse.

One problem with not using electricity or a heater is that you have to plan carefully. I filled the central pond that keeps the moisture level up inside. It also acts as a heat reservoir. I placed rocks in there, as well, to soak up the heat during the day and then the rocks release the heat at night. I have to balance the widow, the ventilation door and the man door being open to keep it from overheating without letting the greenhouse get too cold. That means I have to check the greenhouse several times a day to open and close it. If you don't close it up early enough, the temp can really get a bit too low for the overnight.

There's your solar power

 

[awsum140]

My overall point is that it certainly is possible to convert to being "off the grid", but again, you talk about gas for an energy source, another grid you're connected to either by a pipe or a truck. The cost of converting or even building is far in excess of the costs of being "on the grid" not to mention a whole lot less convenient. And yet again, I have to question the overall "greenness" of the whole idea. Most of this stuff is built in plants that really don't care about pollution or the environment, think China. There is no magic cure, just a balance and that balance is an individual thing governed by costs among many other things. If a house "off the grid" costs double or triple what a house on the grid costs I don't think it is very feasible. It may be fine for the Hollywood crowd so they an feel good about themselves, but in the real world I don't think so.

 

[SandySu]

Yep, that's how I hope to do it someday. Start with hot water heaters for my long hot showers and radiant floor heating, then add on as I go from there.

I lived in a house with radiant-floor heating from the age of 12 till adulthood. It worked fine till it broke, and then tearing up the floor to fix it was so expensive, my parents just installed more traditional baseboard heat instead. Granted, this system was older -- I think the house was built in the '50s and I'm sure newer systems are better, but if you get a house with radiant-floor heating, think about what you'll do when it breaks.

 

[Renolizzie]

My overall point is that it certainly is possible to convert to being "off the grid", but again, you talk about gas for an energy source, another grid you're connected to either by a pipe or a truck. The cost of converting or even building is far in excess of the costs of being "on the grid" not to mention a whole lot less convenient. And yet again, I have to question the overall "greenness" of the whole idea. Most of this stuff is built in plants that really don't care about pollution or the environment, think China. There is no magic cure, just a balance and that balance is an individual thing governed by costs among many other things. If a house "off the grid" costs double or triple what a house on the grid costs I don't think it is very feasible. It may be fine for the Hollywood crowd so they an feel good about themselves, but in the real world I don't think so.

.
If you live rural and are far from the power poles then solar certainly makes sense because it can be $5,000 and more to have the power run to your property. We have a number of people out here that are on solar. I didn't want to be on solar and we bought a place on a paved road with electricity

However, running electricity to the garage or other part of the property is costly and we come up with other ways to do things.

 

[awsum140]

One other comment about solar electricity. The cost, per kilowatt hour of solar electricity, based on a 30 year system lifespan, currently is .38. Compare that to oil, coal or gas generation at LESS THAN .05 per kilowatt hour. I really don't see any economy there at all. There are certainly applications and cases where solar power is either economical or required by other limitations, but in general, at almost eight times the cost, I don't think it's a very good choice. Incidentally, I got those numbers off a site that is pro-solar.

Konstantine, there was a movement going on here in the US not too long ago to make us stop eating beef to reduce the number of cattle and thereby reduce the amount of hydrogen sulfide from cow flatulence which is, supposedly, a major contributor to greenhouse gases and climate change. As Ripley once said, "Believe it or Not".

 

[SandySu]

I read something interesting about solar power recently in Smithsonian magazine. Here's the site, in case some of you tech people want to see what they did at MIT. Solar Tool v.2 The article said this could easily be done for other communities. Apparently, they can figure out just where and how many solar panels a place would need to install. It sounded really interesting when I read the article. Unfortunately, I was interrupted, because the magazine was at the PT office, and they were ready for me before I read it all. Next time, if the magazine is still there, I'll pick up where I left off reading.

 

[Renolizzie]

I lived in a house with radiant-floor heating from the age of 12 till adulthood. It worked fine till it broke, and then tearing up the floor to fix it was so expensive, my parents just installed more traditional baseboard heat instead. Granted, this system was older -- I think the house was built in the '50s and I'm sure newer systems are better, but if you get a house with radiant-floor heating, think about what you'll do when it breaks.

That's what I always think when I hear radiant floor heating. If the heating stops working you are SOL.

 

[SandySu]

It's Lent now, isn't it? So my photo this evening is a flower commonly called Lenten Rose, aka Hellebore.

 

[abracadebra]

Debra, you have a malware or a virus on your PC. Sends strange emails.

no virus kon....when I send emails to yours...there from my mobile....not comp....so I don't know what you mean sends strange emails...my mobile ok....my net link down due to some fault....just got fixed..

 

[Konstantine]

Good morning Debra. That's OK i thought i should tell you.

 

[abracadebra]

good afternoon kon....yeah it was down for 12 hrs....its getting to be regular thing lately

 

[Konstantine]

I read something interesting about solar power recently in Smithsonian magazine. Here's the site, in case some of you tech people want to see what they did at MIT. Solar Tool v.2 The article said this could easily be done for other communities. Apparently, they can figure out just where and how many solar panels a place would need to install. It sounded really interesting when I read the article. Unfortunately, I was interrupted, because the magazine was at the PT office, and they were ready for me before I read it all. Next time, if the magazine is still there, I'll pick up where I left off reading.

Here is a better one for solar PV*SOL Pro
And for geothermal GeoT*SOL Basic

 

[abracadebra]

not a good day for me...don't you hate it folks when your X comes back to haunt you.....he just had to txt.....yes where still friends.......... I pretend so well it dosnt matter...its what he said....that's me off.......hopefully by tomorrow im over it....

 

[cindycated]

I lived in a house with radiant-floor heating from the age of 12 till adulthood. It worked fine till it broke, and then tearing up the floor to fix it was so expensive, my parents just installed more traditional baseboard heat instead. Granted, this system was older -- I think the house was built in the '50s and I'm sure newer systems are better, but if you get a house with radiant-floor heating, think about what you'll do when it breaks.

Yep, systems are better now. No corrosion, no cracking, no failure of joints. The only way to break it is to puncture the tube with a nail. My problem with conventional heating is that I'm allergic to dust, so I would probably end up being cold and not using it (like now)...and I hate being cold!

 

[abracadebra]

<<<< angry!! crazy!! mad!! !! Deb..................mood.....

 

[Konstantine]

not a good day for me...don't you hate it folks when your X comes back to haunt you.....he just had to txt.....yes where still friends.......... I pretend so well it dosnt matter...its what he said....that's me off.......hopefully by tomorrow im over it....

So you are still loving him?
You can block his messages if you want to. Or ignore him.

 

[cindycated]

Exes will always be good at pushing your buttons...if you let them.

 

[abracadebra]

always love him....he just dosnt know i still do.....i broke up with him....cause he wanted kids..........im over that crap......i cant ignore him....he thinks where still good friends....rock and a hard place...i just have to play actress better....