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Sorry Dave, I don't know what it means, I was just paraphrasing from the book. Which is a handy reference, but doesnt go into much more detail than this. I assumed he meant using a variable voltage power supply. He did emphasis that these methods do not have 100% success rate, but that if the batter...

According to the book 'Do it yourself 12 volt solar power' - A layer of dirt, especially damp dust on the outside of the battery can create a connection between the two terminals, speeding up the self discharge rate. Also if you have sulphur build up on the plates you can crack it off using a batter...

It depends very much on what your budget is, what materials are available locally, how much time and energy can you put into building it, whether you think planning may be an issue, whether you might want to be able to dismantle or move it and what your needs are. My personal approach has been to st...

I live off grid with a pretty basic set up. No running water, but rainwater collection. I am just finishing building a fancy bender living room/ kitchen space that is about 15'x15'. I've just bought a beautiful used Jotul 507, which I didn't realise until I went to collect it, has a backboiler. (It ...

as for the goats eating the chicken grain, i guess we can feed the chickens inside their house with just a wee door open for them to get in and out so the goats cant get at it. iv seen goats and chickens being kept together before quite happily. Bare in mind that goats can get through suprisingly s...

Sign up to volenteer at Lammas in West wales http://www.lammas.org.uk/index.htm

I've just returned from a week there helping to build the timber framed strawbale and cob community hub. It was wonderful. Lovely people and surroundings. Highly recommended

Cheers for the info dave. The others of a similar style available. For example http://www.my-tool-shed.co.uk/p14581/Wolfcraft_B2200_Master_Water_Pump/product_info.html Looks a bit more sturdy. Matching revs would certainly be an issue to be considered, but I wouldn't have thought it would be too dif...

Do you think so? I'm a bit unsure about selling craft items on ebay. Seems people mostly use it for bargains and collectables. I think I might save it for a stall in the future.

Fortunately the land has a great water supply. A fairly sizable river runs just below the farmhouse, there is also a spring for drinking water and large concrete irrigation tanks that are filled from the spring. A moped sounds like a good idea. In terms of money, Initially we will be living on money...

I am moving to Spain soon and will be living completely off grid, with a bike generator and possibily a solar panel. However, the current residents on the land have been living the for a year without any electricity. The have a fairly sizable river running below their property with a number of weirs...

Thankyou. I'm not actually going to smoke anything in it. It was originally started as a commision, then the buyer went off the radar and it sat unfinished, and i've just got round to finising it now. It is certainly very tempting to give it a try though.
Pete

I thought as you're talking about smoking and pipes and the like, i'd post a picture of a pipe that i've just finished making today. Sorry, its not strictly relevant to the discussion, i'm just quite pleased with it :oops: http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2011/052/2/2/composite_pipe_by_pditchfield-...

Thanks for the quick replies folks. Contadina, this adventure has come about through a trip the two of us made on bikes around France and Spain. so we have a fair bit of experience living on and with bikes, and both of us have kevlar protected tires. But, you are right, it will be difficult. The com...

Hello, I'm Pete, i've just arrived here. I have just started a thread on my approaching self sufficiency plans here http://www.selfsufficientish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=22048&view=unread#unread which includes a bit of an introduction. Seems like a good forum, and I am ready to learn f...

Hello folks, This is my first post on the forum. I thought some of you might be interested in my plans, and be able to offer me advice/thoughts. I am reaching an exciting new chapter in my life. In just under 2 months I am moving, with my girlfriend, to a piece of land in rural Spain. This is going ...