[geeks] living cheap (moved from rescue@)

[Mike Hebel]

Kris Kirby wrote:

> On Tue, 5 Nov 2002, Chris Hedemark wrote:
>
> >Methinks a diesel generator is in order if you plan on getting
> >completely off the grid *with* HVAC.
>
>
> Not necessarily. You can do a *lot* if you're willing to put in the
> effort. Think multiple `cold' wells and water circulation.

Depending on where you are geographically this sort of cooling works 
quite well.  Of course for some reason my mind went completely off the 
rails and thought of a solar generated steam furnace that turns an 
electrical generator to generate power for the AC unit.  But then there 
are times I think the laws of physics don't apply to me either... /joke ;-)

>
> Honestly though -- leaving HVAC behind is a better idea. I can understand
> it for the computers, but for that you should minimize the space and
> effort expended. It's one thing to cool a house -- it's another to cool a
> single super insulated room.

Not to harp on a single project but that's why I was looking at 
Earthships construction.  The insulating value is so high that the temp 
in those places stays rather constant and with proper solar window 
location and airflow the people that live in them report almost nothing 
in heating/cooling costs.  But then we're talking about heat generators 
of the most insidious sort.  To bad there isn't a way to turn that 
excess heat into electricity.  Oh, wait:

http://www.varmaraf.is/english/index.htm

I knew I saw an article on it somewhere.  You could literally water-cool 
all your equipment and recharge batteries on the solar setup as well. 
Probably still a long way off though.

Definitely be fun to try!

Mike Hebel