# One obvious use of solar energy



## Sundeep Arole (May 30, 2006)

Instead of using the dryer consider hang drying clothes on a clothes line. A bit inconvenient, perhaps, but well worth the energy it saves for the little effort involved and
almost zero investment.

In the winter, hang drying the colthes in the room where the woodstove is does double duty - the clothes dry and it also raises the room humitity somewhat.


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## Sandor (May 30, 2006)

HotFlame said:
			
		

> Instead of using the dryer consider hang drying clothes on a clothes line. A bit inconvenient, perhaps, but well worth the energy it saves for the little effort involved and
> almost zero investment.
> 
> In the winter, hang drying the colthes in the room where the woodstove is does double duty - the clothes dry and it also raises the room humitity somewhat.



This is a no-brainer and I have been doing it for years.

The one concept my g-friend was missing is that when you run the dryer, air is being pulled in from outside (from whatever leak the vacuum will expose), heated and exausted outside.

So, in the winter, your pulling in cold air. In the summer, your pulling in hot air.


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## Eric Johnson (May 30, 2006)

Clothes dried on a line have a much nicer feel and smell than those dried in a machine.

When I was a kid, my grandmother would run the longjohns through a ringer and then hand them on the clothesline in the winter. When they would come in they were stiff as a board, but dry and very nice.

We hang our clothes out whenever the sun is shining--winter or summer.


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## Mike Wilson (May 31, 2006)

Brilliant  A solar powered clothes drying machine!  Simply stellar!

Here's a link for design and implementation ideas:
Solar Powered Clothes Dryer

I wonder if this qualifies for the 2006 tax deduction for energy efficiency?

-- Mike   :coolsmile:


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## elkimmeg (May 31, 2006)

The only down fall of the solar dryer is the occasional hornet, that takes exception of being disturbed, when  putting on ones Jeans.

 That sharp sting pain near a sensitive area can get your attention in a hurry


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## fbelec (May 31, 2006)

elkimmeg said:
			
		

> The only down fall of the solar dryer is the occasional hornet, that takes exception of being disturbed, when  putting on ones Jeans.
> 
> That sharp sting pain near a sensitive area can get your attention in a hurry



are we listening to the voice of experience :gulp:


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## velvetfoot (Jun 1, 2006)

We got a front-loading washer a little while ago.  The clothes come out much drier than with the top loader.
It also uses less water and detergent.


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## webbie (Jun 1, 2006)

HotFlame said:
			
		

> Instead of using the dryer consider hang drying clothes on a clothes line. A bit inconvenient, perhaps, but well worth the energy it saves for the little effort involved and
> almost zero investment.
> 
> In the winter, hang drying the colthes in the room where the woodstove is does double duty - the clothes dry and it also raises the room humitity somewhat.



I made a BIG return from my clotheline at my last house. They were building a new development next door and decided that my clothesline would detract from the value. So the builders came over and talked to us....they also didn't like the tar paper on the roof of our unfinished detached garage.

So, they painted the entire garage for me (it was base cinderblock), roofed 50% of it (the part facing the development) and put up a nice 6 foot wood fence on the side of our property where it faced the new street.

When you add that to the energy savings, it looks real good!


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## Eric Johnson (Jun 1, 2006)

See Craig, it really does pay to put off finishing some of those home improvement projects.


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## fbelec (Jun 2, 2006)

i need you guys to have a talk with my wife.


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## elkimmeg (Jun 2, 2006)

fbelec said:
			
		

> elkimmeg said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



 Yeah it happened  it got me a few times till I squashed it.  Did not miss a very sensitive are by much And it did hurt


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