Stu Fields wrote:
"Ted Frater" wrote in message
...
azotic wrote:
"Stu Fields" wrote in message
.. .

There was no detail only a teaser that DOE was interested in getting
their SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) money out there and
spent before they lose it. I can remember having to come up with
something to spend the SBIR money so that we could get some next year.
GEESH..I sure hope we get more and bigger government to take care of
me...
Request research funds to devise a method to tax the electricity
individuals
make with solar power at home for thier own use. Off grid people are of
course not paying thier fair share of taxes.

Best Regards
Tom.


Off grid people of course dont get the benefits the on grid tax payers
get.
So its seems fair to me that we( off grid folk) dont pay the tax to which
you refer. .
Afterall (correct me if im wrong) you dont pay for services you dont get.
Ie you dont pay your plumber or whatever if hes not doing anything for
you.
Off grid electricity cost more per watt than on grid. It does have its
compensations tho.
If anyone is interested , weve been off grid for some 40 yrs, and our
setup uses the following.
Ex British rail standby signalling alkaline batteries, I bought them at
10 yrs old at £30.00 a ton, had 3 tons. Have a useful life in excess of 50
yrs.
We used from the 70 crates, there in 316 stainless steel in hard wood
boxes, some 20 at present, powering a 3kw outback system.
We charge them with a 6kva Lister diesel generator controlled by an
Outback mate.
Recently, we came by 1000 galls of diesel fuel at £1.00 a gallon. so weve
plenty put by. The proper pump price of this tax free tractor fuel here in
the UK is £2.50 a gallon.
we plan to cut this generating cost by building a 48v. DC generator
powered by a 650 rpm Lister 6/1 single on waste vegetable oil.Weve 3 of
these engines put by.
Currently we get this WVO from a local hotel for free. So were stock
piling it for future use.
We think that this way of providing electricity is the cheapest way, much
more efficient that solar power. We will add another 3kw outback in due
course to give us a steady 6kw power supply.
Our main power usage is our fridge freezer.
hope this is of interest.
Ted in rural wilderness Dorset
UK.
Ted: Having driven around in the UK, I can believe that solar might not be
the most efficient way to generate power. Only saw the sun a couple of times
in two weeks. However, have you ever logged your time collecting WVO,
diesel, and maintenance? I'd be interested in knowing the cost interms of
amount of labor req'd.
It does sound like you've been pretty inventive in taking care of your power
needs. We have people living not to far away in the mountains that have
come up with combinations of solar and diesel to answer their forced off
grid lifestyle.
I really like the no moving parts and minimal maintenance of the solar and
we live in the desert where we are truly wasting sunshine. With two
helicopters, my wrench twisting time is already more than I like.



Time spent doing the above,?
well, the WVO is collected about every 3 weeks when I take a trip into
town to do my chores, at the same time I collect the thick worktop off
cuts from a kitchen maker . these are also free,and are the best and
most consistent fuel supply for our wood burner/water heater/ cooker/
house heater.Cut with a tractor driven saw bench and tungsten tipped blade.
Diesel maintenance is minimal. oil change 2 times a year, fuel injector
service every 4 yrs. will do 50,000hrs before it needs a ring and bore set.
However I was trained as a flight engineer, still have all my foot
launced flying kit, Earn my living as an applied art metal smith. forge
bronze, silver ,titanium etc. also mint all sorts of products.
do have plenty of space, storage and fun!!.
A fully equipped engineering workshop is here as well.
Have lots of projects on the go.
Been very lucky really.
Our weather is capricious, weve had 8 weeks of high pressure with only 3
or 4 days of cloud cover. need the rain badly .
Just the way it is!!.
Thanks for your interest.
allways enjoy rec. crafts, metalworking.
Ted.