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Friday, December 24, 2010

Solar Water Pumping - Maybe the Best Option

Solar Water Pumping: A Do-it-yourself Example

Joe Pattie owns and operates an Angus-cross cattle farm near Lead Hill, Arkansas. Many of his pastures have small ponds or creeks to supply livestock drinking water; others are on permanently fenced ridge tops with very little access to water during the normally dry summer and fall. He started looking for a reliable remote water pumping solution for a 38-acre pasture with no direct access to water. He decided drilling a new well was the most logical solution.
Joe Pattie with solar panels
Joe Pattie with solar panels set at 24 degrees for summer water pumping and tripod for pulling pump in background. Photo by Leif Kindberg.
Pattie knew there were multiple options for pumping well water including mechanical pumps powered by a windmill and AC and DC electric pumps drawing power from the local electric company, a generator, or a solar system. He priced the cost of running power lines for an AC pump with his local electric CO-OP and found that this would cost about $6,000. A generator would create ongoing fuel expenses. His existing Aermotor windmill pump on another pasture required a generator with an AC pump as backup during times of insufficient wind. After researching Solar-Powered Livestock Watering Systems, he found that they pump their highest volume of water during summer days—when the cattle need water the most.
"I was interested in trying out solar pumping," says Pattie. "It sounded pretty reliable."

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Security Items List

SECURITY
ITEMS




Archery Gear

Catapult 

Dogs (and plenty of dog food)

Pepper Spray, Knives, Slingshots

Binoculars









Hand crank phonechargers

Heavy cable for roadblocks, etc

Tripwire

12 gauge - perimeter alarms

Cannon Fuse - 

FIREARMS
MBR - Main Battle Rifles

M1A

FN-FAL
M1 Garand


Carbines & Sidearms

AR-15

AK-47

SKS

Shotguns

.38 Revolver

9mm Pistol

.40 Cal Pistol

.45 Cal Pistol


Bolt guns


Tactical Bolt Gun

.22 Rifle

Parts kits

AMMUNITION
.22 Long Rifle Ammo

.38 Cal Ammo

9mm Ammo

.40 Cal Ammo

.45 Cal Ammo

7.62 mm

223

308

12 Gauge Shot

20 Gauge Shot




Reloading Supplies
Gunpowder

Projectiles

Brass

Primers

DIY Solar Water Heaters

Solar Water Heating

Solar water heating systems have a good economic payoff, and are manageable systems to install or build as a DIY project.  Some of the solar water heating designs are simple and low cost.  You can save a great deal of money by building your own system -- several thousand dollars.  There are dozens of free plans listed below that should meet just about any need. 

Simple batch systems are basically a tank painted black housed inside of a glazed box -- they work well in warm climates, and can be used in cold climates if drained for the winter.  There are also plans shown for quite a few solar water heaters that can be used in cold climates right through the winter -- this includes our own $1,000 solar water heating system that has provided a solar fraction in excess of  90% through our cold Montana winter.

It is also possible to collect the federal tax rebate by using certified collectors, and building the rest of the system yourself.

My thanks to the people who have built systems, and then taken the time to send in pictures and descriptions for others to use.

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