tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post8768694973354332854..comments2023-08-28T07:52:09.405-04:00Comments on Future House Farm: Homemade EnergyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-85375673071191301232013-02-27T18:37:51.785-05:002013-02-27T18:37:51.785-05:00If you just want to keep the coop warm and don'...If you just want to keep the coop warm and don't care how as long as it is not electric or fossil fueled, just let the manure build up, always making sure you keep a clean layer of bedding on top so the bird doesn't come in contact with the manure. The composting manure will keep the coop warm. When I used to raise dairy goats, we followed this method of handling manure. This is a well known method and is utilized by many foreign and domestic farms. Twice a year, we cleaned the barns - spring and fall. the "pack" kepts the goats warm and I had pen doors that I could raise as the pack got higher. The goats never came in contact with raw manure. You put clean straw down to prevent that. There was no smell - until you started cleaning out the barn - as soon as you start digging it out, the amonia about knocks you out. That's where you make sure there is plenty of ventilation during clean-outs.Suzie Queuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11522694459758355398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-30817693852369480272008-08-28T11:01:00.000-04:002008-08-28T11:01:00.000-04:00You may want to look into a passive solar heater f...You may want to look into a passive solar heater for the colder months and a small battery/photovoltaic panel with a DC fan (eliminates the inverter) to provide ventilation during the summer.<BR/><BR/>I don't think that car alternators are a good choice for a turbine. I believe they are electrotmagnetic and need an intial electrical source to get them working. A DC motor from a treadmill may be a better choice.<BR/><BR/>http://www.instructables.com/id/SPREE_Solar_Photovoltaic_Renewable_Electron_/<BR/><BR/>http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/2006-12-01/Build-a-Simple-Solar-Heater.aspx<BR/><BR/>http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/SpaceHeating/SolarBarn.pdf<BR/><BR/>http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-1000-watt-wind-turbine/Natehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01193985323664816037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-88479838481821683152008-08-06T01:57:00.000-04:002008-08-06T01:57:00.000-04:00check out pacwind.net and broadstarwindsystems.com...check out pacwind.net and broadstarwindsystems.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-90776619288019026962008-02-21T19:18:00.000-05:002008-02-21T19:18:00.000-05:00Thanks Mike. If I find anything definitive as I re...Thanks Mike. If I find anything definitive as I research this more I'll be sure to send it your way. I have a feeling that your assumption about higher speed equaling greater noise may be on target.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13379219719661524753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-80743786827648115782008-02-21T03:30:00.000-05:002008-02-21T03:30:00.000-05:00Kelly, I've never come across a working vertical-a...Kelly, I've never come across a working vertical-axis machine, so -- sorry -- but I can't comment there. My <EM>guess</EM> is that they might be even noisier, since they tend to operate at (sometimes much!) higher speeds... Still, it's just a guess ;-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-42785601697695471972008-02-19T22:13:00.000-05:002008-02-19T22:13:00.000-05:00Mike, I admit that I hadn't thought of the noise t...Mike, I admit that I hadn't thought of the noise they make, but as I read your comment, I could recall a number of occasions when I heard that whooping sound. If we had a field of windmills making that sound I could see how that would cause someone to curse. However, I highly doubt we would ever get to that point. By the way, how do vertical axis turbines compare in this arena?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13379219719661524753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-28697470798577984772008-02-19T01:31:00.000-05:002008-02-19T01:31:00.000-05:00One thing seldom mentioned about small windmills: ...One thing seldom mentioned about small windmills: they can be quite noisy!<BR/><BR/>Peculiarly, they are noisiest in light to medium breezes; in heavy winds most are designed so that the vains feather out of the wind to prevent them overspeeding, and anyway, heavy winds are pretty noisy by themselves, masking any windvane noise.<BR/><BR/>The wind is usually <EM>not</EM> the product of the alternator/generator, but of the vanes themselves. As they move through the air, they leave a partial vacuum behind the blade, and the noise comes from air "collapsing" into that vacuum. Exactly the same reason that sonar operators can hear ships and submarines moving about.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-80324076241998578502008-02-18T18:00:00.000-05:002008-02-18T18:00:00.000-05:00Christina, Thanks for the info. We'll be sure to c...Christina, Thanks for the info. We'll be sure to check it out and post about any findings.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Sean, Solar certainly has a good many wrinkles to iron out. I like the idea of it because there are no movable parts like windmills, so there is a whole lot less wear and tear. But the resources they use to make the panels are not in an endless supply. So I'm not sure if the supply would ever meet the demand. I've heard of nanosolar, but I haven't had the opportunity to read much about it.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Ali, Wow! Unity college would be great. I went to their site and they unfortunately are not looking for and English professor. I've never sent an application to a school that wasn't looking, but I may have to rethink that with Unity. Thanks for the heads up.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Patrick, The chicken windmill, if we do in fact build it, will be very small scale. I don't think we will be calling the power company just yet. However, I have never heard of tying the windmill directly into the grid without batteries. I will certainly read into that, thanks.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13379219719661524753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-29435681180444226822008-02-18T09:41:00.000-05:002008-02-18T09:41:00.000-05:00The climate in Holland is really we suited for sma...The climate in Holland is really we suited for small windmills. The problem we have here is zoning.<BR/><BR/>If you are a household and you want to put up a small windmill, it's a huge undertaking with lots of red tape.<BR/><BR/>If however, you are a huge corporation, and want to construct a massive windmill farm in some scenic area, it's usually not a problem.<BR/><BR/>Even pretty small windmills can be efficient enough to connect to the power grid, use it for your house and sell the excess to your power company. Have you looked into this? Then you don't need a battery. The main expense here would be paying an electrician to wire it all up for you.<BR/><BR/>The main logistical problem I think you'll have is getting the windmill up high enough. You have to look into it to be sure, but it probably has to be higher than any structures in the area, and at least a few hundred feet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-14877985265851558182008-02-18T09:06:00.000-05:002008-02-18T09:06:00.000-05:00Don't know if they are looking for anyone, but hav...Don't know if they are looking for anyone, but have you considered Unity College?<BR/>http://www.unity.edu<BR/><BR/>I'm guessing you'd fit right in. It is a small, friendly, crunchy, campus.<BR/><BR/>AliAlihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04462041577129730944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-34258803128600458542008-02-17T23:56:00.001-05:002008-02-17T23:56:00.001-05:00I'm not expecting any great leadership from state ...I'm not expecting any great leadership from state and national governments on subsidies. In California, they have the Million Solar Homes bill that passed a year or two ago, solar is still way too expensive. From what I have heard, nanosolar, a new technology funded by Google, may soon bring the cost of panels down considerably and make it easier to install. Keep your fingers crossed. Keep us posted on the DIY project.<BR/><BR/>SeanMad Man Bamboo Nurseryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16453053848433990196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-61665027638649782112008-02-17T23:56:00.000-05:002008-02-17T23:56:00.000-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Mad Man Bamboo Nurseryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16453053848433990196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4321001235420683667.post-51376729403303189252008-02-17T23:02:00.000-05:002008-02-17T23:02:00.000-05:00Invention Nation did a great focus on energy at ho...Invention Nation did a great focus on energy at home via windmills. They even had someone show how he made them work for him.Christinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12607821498331135305noreply@blogger.com