# New webpage, I call "Self Reliance Resource"



## mark d fellows (Sep 6, 2010)

hey guys, I don't know if this is the proper placement for this post, but this is where I spend most of my time on here, so I wanted to post links to my newest section on my website.  I call it "Self Reliance Resource", and am just starting it.  There is some info on my pellet stove setup, pellet stove solar backup system, rechargeable batteries, etc.  I will be adding pages on a disaster preparedness kit, and bicycling in the next few days.  please check it out!

Let me know what you think

http://www.markdfellows.com/untitled1.html


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## soupy1957 (Sep 6, 2010)

Looks like a good beginning!  Here's a thought........for SOME folks (me included) "red" text is a bit hard to focus on (as I get older).  Consider a different color scheme?

-Soupy1957


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## mark d fellows (Sep 6, 2010)

soupy1957 said:
			
		

> Looks like a good beginning!  Here's a thought........for SOME folks (me included) "red" text is a bit hard to focus on (as I get older).  Consider a different color scheme?
> 
> -Soupy1957



Thanks for the suggestion!  I thought about it, but didn't know what color to make the text.  Do you have a suggested color?  I would appreciate it!

Mark


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## slvrblkk (Sep 6, 2010)

Mark Fellows said:
			
		

> hey guys, I don't know if this is the proper placement for this post, but this is where I spend most of my time on here, so I wanted to post links to my newest section on my website.  I call it "Self Reliance Resource", and am just starting it.  There is some info on my pellet stove setup, pellet stove solar backup system, rechargeable batteries, etc.  I will be adding pages on a disaster preparedness kit, and bicycling in the next few days.  please check it out!
> 
> Let me know what you think
> 
> http://www.markdfellows.com/untitled1.html



That is completely awesome!! I would love to try something like that one day...... Nice job with that


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## mark d fellows (Sep 6, 2010)

slvrblkk said:
			
		

> Mark Fellows said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Hey, thanks a lot for looking!  I appreciate it!  Thanks for the compliment!


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## mark d fellows (Sep 6, 2010)

Okay, thanks to Soupy 1957's helpful tip, I have changed the main body of the text to white.  Hopefully that is a little easier to read, as the red was a little bothersome!  I need the background black, to highlight the pictures that are from my photography.

Thanks!

Mark


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## soupy1957 (Sep 6, 2010)

It IS easier to read now........."thanks."

-Soupy1957


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## Wood Heat Stoves (Sep 7, 2010)

couple of suggestions... 

update meta, the description and keywords dont relate to page


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## briansol (Sep 7, 2010)

I've been looking into a personal home water power system (as i have a river bordering my property).  Seems like a ton of money for not much gain though.  

Interesting set up with the soloar panels.  That's actually quite reasonable in price.  I think if i were to do something like this, i would need some sort of ATM switch direct into my power box so it could feed un-used energy back to the electric company.  The windmills on amazon seem reasonable too.  400 watts... not bad.  I use about 1k a month.  So, 2 widnmills and a solar panel and i'm ahead of the game, with about a 10:1 return ratio (10 months to break even on investment)


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## ARGlock (Sep 7, 2010)

briansol said:
			
		

> I've been looking into a personal home water power system (as i have a river bordering my property).  Seems like a ton of money for not much gain though.
> 
> Interesting set up with the soloar panels.  That's actually quite reasonable in price.  I think if i were to do something like this, i would need some sort of ATM switch direct into my power box so it could feed un-used energy back to the electric company.  The windmills on amazon seem reasonable too.  400 watts... not bad.  I use about 1k a month.  So, 2 widnmills and a solar panel and i'm ahead of the game, with about a 10:1 return ratio (10 months to break even on investment)



You'll have a lot more than ten months to break even. Grid connected systems with both federal and state incentives (Arkansas pilot program) have gone from 24 years to around 12 years to break even. In regard to wind you have to determine if you have a good enough wind resource to even justify the installation. Most of Arkansas for example does not have the resource. Kansas yes!! 

To make around 350 killowatts/month with a PV system, you will have to spend around $20,000 before incentives. Federal is 30% (tax credit) then each state could have some type of incentive. This you will have to verify for your state.

Good luck,

AR


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## briansol (Sep 7, 2010)

Are these advertiseed numbers really that off?  

claims 400 watts.  Now granted, thats peak.
http://www.amazon.com/Sunforce-4444...ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1283893412&sr=8-2
so add another for 800 watts peak

round it down to 500 watts of usable power given wind (there's almost always at least a slight breeze here)

so, with 4 of these, or 3 + 2 soloar panels, i'll be at the 1kw point i need to break even, for a cost of about 2 grand + batteries/switches, call it 3k.
saving 150-200 a month in no power bill is about 10-15 months before break even.  sooner if its windier and sunnier.
And of course, that's pre tax credits.

I don't see where you're getting 20k from.


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## briansol (Sep 7, 2010)

Maybe my math is wrong.  i use 1000 KWh a month peak (usually in the mid 900s). this averages out to about 30 kwh per day.
assuming its making the peak 400 watts as claimed ALL DAY (not feasable), i need 75 of these 

30000/400 = 75


back to the drawing board


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## ARGlock (Sep 7, 2010)

briansol said:
			
		

> Maybe my math is wrong.  i use 1000 KWh a month peak (usually in the mid 900s). this averages out to about 30 kwh per day.
> assuming its making the peak 400 watts as claimed ALL DAY (not feasable), i need 75 of these
> 
> 30000/400 = 75
> ...



Yeah, it's just not that cheap! I know, I'm in the business of selling solar thermal systems and have experience with PV systems. The PV panels are coming down in price though. About 30% in the last 4 years. They still Ain't Cheap! 

You can look your state incentives up here:

http://www.dsireusa.org/

Got Sun? Go Solar!  (At least Solar Thermal)  
AR


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## jtakeman (Sep 7, 2010)

Mark,

What do you do with the power once you have filled your batteries?

This maybe better in the green room, Just us pellet junkies here!


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## fossil (Sep 7, 2010)

Movin' it to the Green Room, as it's a more appropriate spot for it.  Correct the spelling of "illustrates"...typos really detract from an effort like this, IMO.  Rick


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## woodgeek (Sep 8, 2010)

briansol said:
			
		

> Maybe my math is wrong.  i use 1000 KWh a month peak (usually in the mid 900s). this averages out to about 30 kwh per day.
> assuming its making the peak 400 watts as claimed ALL DAY (not feasable), i need 75 of these
> 
> 30000/400 = 75
> ...



I think you missed a factor of 24 hours in a day.

30 kwh/day = 30000/24 = 1250 W average or (3) 400W generators.

That said, capacity factor (average output/peak output) on wind generators at the best sites is 0.3.  If you are so lucky, you would still need 10 units to offset your usage.  Most residential sites would have capacity factor <0.1, so you'd still need 30.

The info I've read (no real experience) suggested that most small wind generators on the market are pretty hopeless: peak power is stated at a rather high wind speed, capacity factors at residential sites (i.e. short towers) are seldom discussed or surveyed prior to setup, and hardware lifetime before failure is often less than 1 year.

check out: http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2009/04/small-windmills-test-results.html
        and: http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2008/09/urban-windmills.html

tons of renewable energy info at: http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/index.php
but the folks there are not as fun as here....


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## woodgeek (Sep 8, 2010)

Mark,

I also set up a very small off-grid system using PV and a lead acid battery I had sitting around.  Mostly as a learning experience and b/c my 9 yo was excited about it.  I've found ebay to have better prices on <50W panels, esp if you watch for free shipping deals.

Also, what year was your heat pump produced, and has it been serviced lately?  Are you in a mild climate?
My newish heat pump in the mid-atlantic region at $0.20/kWh wind power is cheaper to run than pellets at my local price.  on a $$/MMBTU basis.

Of course, for emergency heat, I wood burn would.   All my power outages, however, occur in the summer.


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## mark d fellows (Sep 9, 2010)

Wow, I didn't know this thread had taken off so.   A couple of things here.....

If you are worried about time to break even, you are totally missing the point of these pages.  

People waste so much money on so many things, yet are worried about how much money they spend on solar, and other self reliance experiments?  It might not be as fun as replacing your 50" tv with a 56" tv, but it is more rewarding.  

These subjects on these pages might be "green" as a side effect.  They definitely are not for SAVING money, or "cost effectiveness"  The whole idea behind every one of these pages, is for self reliance, or to be prepared to do things for yourself in an emergency.

I am not trying to be green.  

I am not trying to save money.

I am trying to be prepared to take care of myself in a disaster, or in general.  If there is anything that has become clear to me in my older years, is that no one can be counted on when the chips are down.

The power grid is ancient, and you have to rely on politicians to do what is important.  Politicians do what is in the interest of getting them re-elected, not what is not so popular, but yet necessary.

The question was asked what I do with all that energy once my batteries are charged.  The answer is absolutely nothing.  It serves it's intended purpose, which is to supply BACK UP POWER.    I do use the power packs to light the house for fun, blow up tires, and the other day to power an appliance in the shed.  

I was planning on this being a starter system, so I could experiment and learn on.  After that, it serves its purpose of backup power, that is renewable daily.

I also have no plans to feed power back into the grid.  I think that is missing the point.  The point, as far as I see it, is to be more Self Relaint.  That means you can take care of yourself.  You might not think that is being altruistic, but just taking care of yourself, means there are more resources for others, which means you are helping others out.

I will fix the spelling mistake.  Thanks for pointing that out!

Further comments and questions are welcome!  Thanks for looking, I appreciate it!

Mark


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## mark d fellows (Sep 9, 2010)

woodgeek said:
			
		

> Mark,
> 
> I also set up a very small off-grid system using PV and a lead acid battery I had sitting around.  Mostly as a learning experience and b/c my 9 yo was excited about it.  I've found ebay to have better prices on <50W panels, esp if you watch for free shipping deals.
> 
> ...



The heat pump is about 4 to 5 years old, and we had them put it in the house before we bought it. It is the smallest model they sell I think at 2-2.5 tons, so maybe it is too small for the house.  It has never really worked well, but it fits my experience with other heat pumps, in other houses, and from talking to a lot of other people.

Heat pumps don't really work well in Maryland, it still gets too cold.  Heat pumps in general are bogus for Maryland, that is why they have those "heat pump helpers"  Farther south, and it probably works fine.

Thanks for asking!

Mark


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## Seasoned Oak (Sep 21, 2010)

Nice work on the website, ill look in on it every so often. Seem like i had the same thoughts as you, but went down a different road.
How to provide heat during a power outage? Ice storms are the worst.
I didnt want to go the generator route.I already have one and unless you run it on a regular basis it dont want to start and also you cant run it in the house and so on.
 So i needed something that could run without electricity!
 I bought a very good wood stove. It has an electric blower but its not needed to run the stove. It also cook and roasts food(internally) so thats a plus,if your without power. It has a large viewing door glass so it lights up the room is in, also
 a plus when theres no power
SO No need for a generator that probably wont start when i need it the most.
I have a few cords of dry hardwood stored but i have a lot of waste wood which is free,its hard to beat free. SO payback times for me is very very short.


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