| Author |
|
muddy0409
Regular Member
Joined: 15 June 2011
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 69
|
| Posted: 15 February 2012 at 3:44pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hi all.
I've been lurking around this site for a while, reading what other people have done or are planning and have come up with my own possibly hair brained plan for the future.
We currently live in an employer provided home in country WA so we can't really do anything here. We do own a house in country NSW which we are renting out until we move over there in 3 years or so.
Because it is rented out, we don't qualify for any rebate for converting to solar hot water, so that will wait until we get there.
Now, it seems to me that the biggest power costs are Hot Water, Heating & cooling, Refrigeration and lighting.
The Hot Water is covered as above.
Heating I am considering installing a Vulcan oil heater running on cooking oil (filtered).
Cooling and Refrigeration I haven't figured out yet.
Lighting is the interesting idea..
I am thinking of separating the existing lighting wiring from the mains switchboard so I am left with a fully isolated lighting system that simply has to be changed over to LEDs and a couple of hundred watt solar panels/battery system (or wind).
That would leave refrigeration, cooling, washing machine and a few power points for tools etc. on the grid, which would not be too expensive.
When you all finish rolling around the floor laughing, I would appreciate any comments from anyone who may have done similar things.
Peter Moritz
__________________
A vote for The Greens is a vote for
One World Government.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
yahoo2
Guru
Joined: 05 April 2011
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 423
|
| Posted: 15 February 2012 at 7:36pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
muddy0409 wrote:
Heating I am considering installing a Vulcan oil heater running on cooking oil (filtered). |
|
|
There is a couple of hurdles to clamber over with oil heaters, Pete. Mainly to do with the properties of heater oil vs cooking oil. heater oil is technically a number 2 grade diesel or kerosene, depending on the source of the unfracked crude (similar but not quite the same as diesel used for motor vehicles and without the additives). It has a thinner viscosity than both cooking oil and biodiesel, it ignites easier and burns with no residue. It takes a lot of skill to modify a standard oil heater to burn efficiently and safely with anything else.
I have toyed with the idea of importing a Kuma stove set up for biodiesel but I know that organic waste oils are starting to pick up in value in some parts of the world, so it may not turn out to be the cheapest option in the future.
If you live somewhere cooler, then good reliable heating and insulation will make the biggest change to your standard of living. I notice that large areas of rural NSW is having gas piping laid, it would be interesting to find out the cost of this as an option for heating.
yahoo
Edited by yahoo2 on 15 February 2012 at 7:48pm
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
brucedownunder2
Guru
Joined: 14 September 2005
Location: Australia
Online Status: Online
Posts: 943
|
| Posted: 16 February 2012 at 7:28am | IP Logged
|
|
|
What's that thing to the right of the fireplace ???
__________________
Bushboy
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
yahoo2
Guru
Joined: 05 April 2011
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 423
|
| Posted: 16 February 2012 at 9:15am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Dunno, might be some sort of fancy stick for adjusting the flue maybe? it's not mentioned in the owners manual, so perhaps its an optional extra.
I have seen a shiny bent stick like that at a couple of weddings, so it may be nothing to do with the stove at all! decoration? like frilly curtains?
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
VK4AYQ
Guru
Joined: 02 December 2009
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2176
|
| Posted: 16 February 2012 at 9:49am | IP Logged
|
|
|
It may be an igniter
keeping a safe distance from the flames during ignition cycle.
Bob
__________________
Foolin Around
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
shawn
Senior Member
Joined: 30 March 2010
Location: New Zealand
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 205
|
| Posted: 16 February 2012 at 2:52pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Somthing to play with while sitting on the rocking chair, keep any pests away.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
brucedownunder2
Guru
Joined: 14 September 2005
Location: Australia
Online Status: Online
Posts: 943
|
| Posted: 16 February 2012 at 7:18pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Here, Grandpa , little fella brings grandpa out hi ol Davey Crockett cap --bin a long time between drinks that I've seen that fur cap --do youse 'senior" cits. remember them those caps ?
back to me bonnox
Bruce
__________________
Bushboy
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
muddy0409
Regular Member
Joined: 15 June 2011
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 69
|
| Posted: 16 February 2012 at 7:58pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Yeah.
I can even remember when I had one of them other things too!
__________________
A vote for The Greens is a vote for
One World Government.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
yahoo2
Guru
Joined: 05 April 2011
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 423
|
| Posted: 16 February 2012 at 10:46pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Hi Pete,
It is amazing how the ever onward march of technology changes things. Two years ago I would have said you are on the right track with the lighting idea. Now? I am not so sure!
Just this week I saw 240V LED bulbs in the stores, 7 watter's supposedly equivalent to the old 75 watt incandescent bulb for $25 bucks. There are good replacements for the halogen downlights in LED and new high efficiency power supplies to drive them. LED fluro's are starting to come down in price as well.
I reckon the best bang for buck is to change the lights you use the most to 240 volt LED's and fit those halogen bulbs to all the other fittings. I cant think what they are called, they look like a standard old globe and cost about $1.50 (just make sure they filter the UV light). No point in spending $25 on a light you switch on for 10 minutes a day.
If your keen to build a DC system it is a challenge to come up with things to power with it.
Here's a few from my list
12/24 volt LED floodlights for outside and in the shed.
24 volt air compressor and large storage tank
charging station- a shelf or cupboard packed with all my chargers(phones GPS etc)
24 volt water pump
24 volt swimming pool automatic vacuum cleaner
car stereo in the shed
electroplating bench
yahoo
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
grub
Senior Member
Joined: 27 November 2007
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 130
|
| Posted: 17 February 2012 at 6:33am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I believe that the thing to the right of the fire box is called a "fire stick" and therefore is perfectly fine to be next to the fire box.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
yahoo2
Guru
Joined: 05 April 2011
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 423
|
| Posted: 17 February 2012 at 8:47am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Sorry about this Muddy,
Bet you thought you were joining a highly intellectual think tank with in depth serious discussion about issues that one day may save the planet.
Nu - Uugh!
It's time for the truth to come out. Here is a photo of a bunch of us 'senior members' having a beer or two at our annual forum convention.
THAT'S RIGHT We have all got curly red hair and big feet 
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
muddy0409
Regular Member
Joined: 15 June 2011
Location: Australia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 69
|
| Posted: 17 February 2012 at 11:29am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Oh wow!
Them shoes would fit my wonky feet perfectly. Where do I get a pair or two. Plain boring old black, not really into fancy arty farty colours.
__________________
A vote for The Greens is a vote for
One World Government.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Active Topics
Memberlist
Search
Help
Login
Register
Bookmark
Email
Topic: My (hair brained?) plan!
