On 13 Jul 2003 18:32:51 -0700, jim rozen
wrote:

In article , Gunner says...

A thread came up a day or three ago, about building some sort of motor
to run a small generator or a belt to supply power to :stuff: in
either remote locations or in the event of a long term power failure.

I think that in most remote locations the major factor would
be lack of fuel. So it would have to take into account
the local fuel supply if any. Most remote areas you find
folks pumping or lifting water by hand or other human power.

That's probably the most important thing an engine can do.

For a non-remote area the most important thing would be
sanitation, water supply (again) and garbage disposal.
A good reason to be out of a populated area where one
could have a) an outhouse, b) a hand-pump well.

Some places water wells are far too deep to be able to operate a hand
pump, while modifying an generator or mechanical pump to run from a
belt drive would not be that hard.

If you really wanted to stay connected to civilization
then one of those wind-up battery radios would be a
nice touch. Honestly I don't think an engine would
be of much use unless one were in a large agricultural
setting and most of those tended to be large cast iron
single-jug hit and miss types. Simple, reliable, belt
drive for all the machines.

Jim

Its not a matter of staying connected, but the ability to run tools by
either electrical generation or belt drive thats important.

Gunner

"What do you call someone in possesion of all the facts? Paranoid.-William Burroughs