09-07-2009, 04:08 AM
Getting back to jakes question about what its like to live in Waa Waa
I almost bought there. But after thinking long and hard about continuing my off grid adventures I bailed out.
Life in Waa Waa is life off grid. Life off grid is hard. I have been off grid for 20 years. For 20 years it has been ten hours a month at least in "life support system repair and maint." I have propane and solar as well as genset back up. Its is a given one of the systems will need attention during a normal monthly cycle.
There are inherent constant duties. Batteries for one need constant care - let em get dry they die, high a charge rate - they die, low charge rate - they die, dont float em in time - they die... lose one cell out of the bank - you die as you have to dis assemble the bank and test each cell out, of 6 per battery, out of circuit after sitting off charger overnight- after being fully charged - no mean feat in itself.... meanwhile no coffee.. and its likely to be raining or dark. One low (leaking or dead) cell will keep the entire bank from charging... that is why we keep at least two banks
Run the inverter at low voltage because the batteries are sh_____ (11.8 - 12.0 at 70 degrees being all done) and the inverter overheats and dies.... another 3500 down the tubes or out for repair --- good thing we have propane lighting back up - or we would be in the dark till it gets back. Although the battery says a 100 amps... you are only going to get 60 out of it and going to have make 80 to get back to even... then stuff will work again
The lower the voltage the hotter the power tools run.... I can cook a craftsman 8" grinder with a soft pad in a week if I'm "working it" it, sears hates me.
Propane fridges --- always seem to blow out at a bad time... a little drafty ... the fridge done until re - light - never mind about the food. Slow cool down after grocery shopping typical to the system, it will be 24 hrs until you can sample that ice cream just in from the store. Rust flakes in the supply line? put your ear to the fridge, you can hear the ammonia bubble, bllllooooooop.........blllllllooooop ... that sound needs to be just right and four hours later ... it will be cool enough to use, patience indeed a virtue. Rent mosquito coast ... they got the sound right. No sound..... clean the ruby -- yup real ruby with a tiny hole drilled in it... jet again..... "you mainlanders always make things worse by tinkering with it"
Carl at maine refrigeration... the last parts source for early (read bulletproof" propane fridges - even if there is a c02 poisoning buy back program, just don't use em indoors - grin)
Lighting - ever try to find a humprhies mantle in a hurry - even though you cant find the fixture for less that a hundy - the mantles 10 figure on 2 per year per fixture and hard to find
So after 20 years of being off grid 20 year bullwinkle:
dropped in. tuned in and plugged into helco... my friends accusing me of "swallowing the anchor" and moving on to a cushy life after 20 years in boats and off grid cabins.
So what is life like in Waa Waa .... well in my opinion ... living of grid Waa Waa or not - Life off grid will be hard and somewhat primitive - hope you like warm beer..... from research - gin and tonic works warm for lunch in the tropics when everything is down... cuts the peanut butter sandwiches.
One may have internet ... but one will have a constant expensive technology intensive struggle to power it in my experience. I am one of two out of 45 cabins that have internet. A testament more, to a high frustration threshold than skill by the way
adler barbour
norcold
consul
trace
trojan
humphries
honda
unisolar
starband
suburban propane
hardy diesel
flight systems
maine propane refrigeration
louis equipment
west marine
radio shack
fair plan insurance (high risk fire)
plano power equip
dell laptops - order extra power supply or two ... they dont like inverters - even the good ones
toyota off road, icon, and total chaos - suspension pieces for the "service truck" grin
I brought my vacuum pump - send an email when you get to refrigeration
Just a few of the companies I keep in business as I struggle to keep my "low impact" canyon place comfy -
... took a while to narrow it down
We up canyon have a term for the newbies... as a new buyers and off grid newbies come in ... The old timers heard to mumble "poor bastards" ... the term for less than 5 year residents up canyon... Don't know what you call the pilgrims down in Waa Waa as they go through their first five years off grid.
aloha
edited for spelling and maybe a bit better clarity
I almost bought there. But after thinking long and hard about continuing my off grid adventures I bailed out.
Life in Waa Waa is life off grid. Life off grid is hard. I have been off grid for 20 years. For 20 years it has been ten hours a month at least in "life support system repair and maint." I have propane and solar as well as genset back up. Its is a given one of the systems will need attention during a normal monthly cycle.
There are inherent constant duties. Batteries for one need constant care - let em get dry they die, high a charge rate - they die, low charge rate - they die, dont float em in time - they die... lose one cell out of the bank - you die as you have to dis assemble the bank and test each cell out, of 6 per battery, out of circuit after sitting off charger overnight- after being fully charged - no mean feat in itself.... meanwhile no coffee.. and its likely to be raining or dark. One low (leaking or dead) cell will keep the entire bank from charging... that is why we keep at least two banks
Run the inverter at low voltage because the batteries are sh_____ (11.8 - 12.0 at 70 degrees being all done) and the inverter overheats and dies.... another 3500 down the tubes or out for repair --- good thing we have propane lighting back up - or we would be in the dark till it gets back. Although the battery says a 100 amps... you are only going to get 60 out of it and going to have make 80 to get back to even... then stuff will work again
The lower the voltage the hotter the power tools run.... I can cook a craftsman 8" grinder with a soft pad in a week if I'm "working it" it, sears hates me.
Propane fridges --- always seem to blow out at a bad time... a little drafty ... the fridge done until re - light - never mind about the food. Slow cool down after grocery shopping typical to the system, it will be 24 hrs until you can sample that ice cream just in from the store. Rust flakes in the supply line? put your ear to the fridge, you can hear the ammonia bubble, bllllooooooop.........blllllllooooop ... that sound needs to be just right and four hours later ... it will be cool enough to use, patience indeed a virtue. Rent mosquito coast ... they got the sound right. No sound..... clean the ruby -- yup real ruby with a tiny hole drilled in it... jet again..... "you mainlanders always make things worse by tinkering with it"
Carl at maine refrigeration... the last parts source for early (read bulletproof" propane fridges - even if there is a c02 poisoning buy back program, just don't use em indoors - grin)
Lighting - ever try to find a humprhies mantle in a hurry - even though you cant find the fixture for less that a hundy - the mantles 10 figure on 2 per year per fixture and hard to find
So after 20 years of being off grid 20 year bullwinkle:
dropped in. tuned in and plugged into helco... my friends accusing me of "swallowing the anchor" and moving on to a cushy life after 20 years in boats and off grid cabins.
So what is life like in Waa Waa .... well in my opinion ... living of grid Waa Waa or not - Life off grid will be hard and somewhat primitive - hope you like warm beer..... from research - gin and tonic works warm for lunch in the tropics when everything is down... cuts the peanut butter sandwiches.
One may have internet ... but one will have a constant expensive technology intensive struggle to power it in my experience. I am one of two out of 45 cabins that have internet. A testament more, to a high frustration threshold than skill by the way
adler barbour
norcold
consul
trace
trojan
humphries
honda
unisolar
starband
suburban propane
hardy diesel
flight systems
maine propane refrigeration
louis equipment
west marine
radio shack
fair plan insurance (high risk fire)
plano power equip
dell laptops - order extra power supply or two ... they dont like inverters - even the good ones
toyota off road, icon, and total chaos - suspension pieces for the "service truck" grin
I brought my vacuum pump - send an email when you get to refrigeration
Just a few of the companies I keep in business as I struggle to keep my "low impact" canyon place comfy -
... took a while to narrow it down
We up canyon have a term for the newbies... as a new buyers and off grid newbies come in ... The old timers heard to mumble "poor bastards" ... the term for less than 5 year residents up canyon... Don't know what you call the pilgrims down in Waa Waa as they go through their first five years off grid.
aloha
edited for spelling and maybe a bit better clarity