Re: off grid

[Rob Savoye <rob at welcomehome dot org>]

On Wed, Jan 03, 2001 at 04:09:41PM -0700, Trout wrote:

> I see some of Domestead people writing to the Dome Home list.
> Was wondering if you got a web site or list where I can talk to people
> living off grid.

  Well, I'd guess you can talk to some of use here. I just completed a
new project which folks may be interested in. I setup a long-range
wireless phone system for my off-grid (wind & solar) geodesic domes
here at 8800 feet in the CO Rockies. Both ends of the phone are off the
grid. The landline end has a small portable power system on it, as it's 
litterally sitting in the woods on a hilltop... I just wrote up a web
page on this project, which is at http://www.senecass.com/rob/domes/phone/.
I don't know of any off-grid discussion lists, but I have a bunch of info
on my web site.

  For folks that have seen my other posts on this, I just finished my floor!
I found a huge pile of 20 year old Oak floor boards in a shed, so I decided
to use them in my domes. Running a floor sander in an off-grid house was
interesting, but it sucked 800watts an hour... I managed to do this by
stopping sanding when the batteries would get low, and then allowing a
day or so for them to recover, before doing more. I wound up using a
water based stain (to bring out the grain) and a water based varnish, cause
they were non-toxic. It came out pretty nice, considering I'd never done
a floor before... Pictures are at http://www.senecass.com/rob/domes/renovation/

	- rob -