Off Topic. Advice for off the grid solar power users.

Most people who follow this blog have realised by now the connection between 18th century living history/historical trekking and survival. So the other posts I make on here are not so far off the track in that respect. My wife and I have been living off the grid for over 30 years now, and we were living up in Elm Cottage without any electricity for at least 20 years. Hence once in a while I like to share some of my learnt knowledge with you, in the hope that it may improve your standard of living, or at least help prepare you for hard times.

Many people when going off the grid think that only the power source changes, not their lives. This is NOT the case. When living off the grid you need to change the way you used to think back in town, your lifestyle needs to change. You do not have to live without comforts, but you do need to adapt to your new way of living.
You can't use an electric stove, it will drain and kill your batteries. You can not leave the television turned on all day when not actually watching something and you may need to limit your viewing hours depending on the solar system you have, and the weather conditions.
If you have any questions or suggestions I have missed, please contact me.

For Solar Power Users Off The Grid.

·         Really hot weather here in Australia, so check the water/acid level on your batteries frequently. Hot weather and high charging rates will deplete the level of distilled water in your battery cells.

·         Only use distilled water in your batteries.

·         Do not overload your batteries regardless of weather conditions; only use items that your solar system was built to handle.

Items Not To Use.

·         Electric stoves and ovens.

·         Electric grills.

·         Electric irons.

·         Electric hot water systems.

·         Electric toasters.

·         Electric lawn mowers (other than those with self battery power).

·         Electric jugs.

·         Electric kettles.

·         Clothes dryers.

·         Electric heating appliances.

·         Air conditioners.

·         Flood lights.

·         Electric welders.

·         Compressors.

·         240 Volt water pumps.

·         Anything that uses a lot of power.

Do Use.

·         The highest star rating appliances you can get in Television monitors, washing machines and fridges.

·         LED lighting.

·         Wood burning stoves and heaters.

·         Outdoor washing lines and indoor washing racks.

·         Large windows and fly screens.

·         Curtains to shut out the sun on very hot days and keep the heat in on cold days.

·         Security screen doors so you can leave the doors open on a hot day.

·         Solar powered battery operated security lights that run on their own separate solar panels.

·         A back-up generator that will charge your batteries and power the house at the same time.

 

Do Not:

·         Leave lights on.

·         Leave appliances tuned on when not in use.

·         Leave the fridge door open for any longer than necessary.

·         Use the washing machine or any other high power usage appliances on overcast days.

·         Run your batteries down below the recommended levels. If you do, use your generator to charge the batteries until they are back up to the recommended specific gravity and voltage levels.

·         Use power tools for any longer than necessary. Consider alternatives for these electric tools, such as foot powered or hand powered.

·         Allow trades people to use your power. Inform them before hand that you run your house on solar power and they need to supply their own power generator for power tools and other electric appliances.

 

Do.

·         Check your batteries specific gravity, amps input, and volts frequently in winter. Record these levels along with the date, weather conditions, and what type of appliances you were using the day before.

·         Keep your batteries up off the cold ground. Batteries work more efficiently when hot, solar panels work more efficiently when cold.

·         Clear the snow off your solar panels as soon as possible in winter.

·         Place your solar panels so you can reach them without going onto your roof if you live in snow country.

·         Make sure trees and bushes are not shading your solar panels at any time of the day.

·         If you need to, use high power usage appliances during sunny days whilst the sun is shining, e.g. washing machine, electric drills etc.

·         Close your wood burning stove down when not in use. This will save you wood and will not add to the heat in summer.

Off The Topic, Off The Grid. Or, A Bug-Out Retreat.

My new DVD is now available and can be ordered from the same "Buy Now" button to the left of this post.
Off the Grid DVD
Price: US $20.00
Discounted Price for Multiple Quantity Orders: US $18.00
Quantity:
Off The Grid DVD. The author shows you around part of his property & family home. He talks about how they live off the grid with their own water supply, grey water disposal, composting toilets, solar electricity, cooking on a wood fire stove, heating, gardening, water saving methods & more. Plus 9 other videos related to self-sufficiency.

DVD Contents:

Off The Grid, plus 9 more videos:

Making Tallow 1,2,and 3

Making cordage from plant fibres.

Making dipped candles.

Traps and Trapping: 

• The Figure 4 trigger and the cage trap.
• The small game snare.
• The preditor snare.
• The trail snare.



Cottage Economy, by William Cobbett

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32863/32863-h/32863-h.htm

Horns & Shot Pouches. A Link.

http://dfruthflintlocker.blogspot.com/2011/10/accouterments.html

D Fruth Flintlocker

Wattle and Daub.

Wattle daub as a construction method was very popular, and the Europeans took this method with them to the New World.

Woodsrunner's trail: The one hour gunsmith puts a new mainspring in a muzzleloader

Woodsrunner's trail: The one hour gunsmith puts a new mainspring in a muzzleloader

Preserving the Harvest - Herbs

http://thebuzzatthehive.blogspot.com/2011/10/preserving-harvest-herbs.html#comment-form

Gunpowder In The kitchen! At The Old Foodie Blog.

http://www.theoldfoodie.com/2011/11/gunpowder-in-kitchen.html

Preserving Eggs and More. A New Blog.

The Buzz At The Hive may well be worth following, probably not new, but new to me. I found some interesting information here, well worth a look.
http://thebuzzatthehive.blogspot.com/

Primitive shelters 3.

Primitive Shelters 2.

This is the half-faced shelter I built in the forest.

Primitive Shelters 1.

More On The Snapsack. 18th Century Images.

Above images from a 1760 sketch by Paul Sandby. British soldiers arresting Jacobites.

More On 18th Century Belt Pouches.

Many historians and costume experts will tell you that the belt pouch went out of fashion in the 17th century and was no longer being used in the 18th century. My arguement has always been that items from earlier periods were indeed worn and used because of practicallity and not fashion. A waistcoat per se may not survive 50 years of hard wear, but the style will. If a person on a frontier wants to wear a long 17th century waistcoat in the 18th century, then he/she can do so.
Below is a sketch from 1760. You will note that he is wearing two belt pouches. One large one in front, and a smaller one on his left side.

By Paul Sandby 1760ad.

Making Moccasins.

This is the introduction to moccasin pattern making and making moccasins, all of which are on the Primitive Skills 2 DVD plus other skills.

How to cook pigeon. A Link.

Pioneer Handbooks.

http://pioneerhandbooks.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-to-cook-pigeon.html

Pioneer and settlers handbooks of the 1800's. A Link To A New Blog.

A little late for me, but there is some interesting information on this blog, well worth looking at:

http://pioneerhandbooks.blogspot.com/

More On The Jerusalem Artichoke.

Jerusalem Artichoke.



The misnamed Jerusalem artichoke has no real link with Jerusalem, and isn't related to other artichokes. It looks a bit like a knobbly pink-skinned ginger root and has a sweet, nutty flavour, reminiscent of water chestnuts.
Although not widely used (perhaps because of its awkward appearance or anti-social effects - see NUTRITION), it is an inexpensive and versatile food that can be used both raw and cooked and makes a delicious soup.


HISTORY
Jerusalem artichokes are native to North America. The French explorer Samuel de Champlain brought them to Europe after coming across them at Cape Cod in 1605. He described them as tasting like artichokes, and is likely to be responsible for this part of their name. The Jerusalem part is thought to be derived from girasole, the Italian for sunflower to which they are related. Another theory suggests the name is a corruption of Terneuzen, the Dutch city from where the root was introduced to England in 1616.


BIOLOGY
The Jerusalem artichoke plant (Helianthus tuberosus) is related to the sunflower and produces edible tubers. It is hardy and grows readily in cold climates.


NUTRITION
Jerualem artichokes are very rich in inulin, a carbohydrate linked with good intestinal health due to its prebiotic (bacteria promoting) properties. These health benefits come at a price; the food can have a potent wind-producing effect.
Jerusalem artichokes also contain vitamin C, phosphorus and potassium and are a very good source of iron.


BUYING
Roots should be free from soft spots, wrinkles or sprouting. Knobbles and uneveness are unavoidable (and not indicative of quality), but smoother, rounder artichokes are easier to prepare.


STORING
Jerusalem artichokes will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.


PREPARING
Like potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke can be served with or without the skin - scrub clean and leave it on for maximum nutritional benefit.
Cook as you would potatoes - roast, sauté, bake, boil or steam. If peeling or cutting, drop pieces into water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent discolouration. Unlike potatoes, Jerusalem artichoke can also be used raw (e.g. in salads) or lightly stir-fried.
http://eattheseasons.co.uk/archive/jerusalem_artichoke.htm

Nutritional Information
100g provides as percentage of recommended daily allowance


18% Iron
17% Potassium
& Calcium, magnesium, selenium, copper and traces of other minerals.
4% Protein
6% Vitamin C
13% Thiamine
6% Niacin
& small amounts of other B vitamins
http://www.selfsufficientish.com/artitchoke.html

Pinole. A Request From Bob.

Thanks for asking the question Bob.
Pinole.



Their Psindamooan or Tassmanane, as they call it, is the most nourishing- and durable food made out of the Indian corn. The blue sweetish kind is the grain which they prefer for that purpose. They parch it in clean hot ashes, until it bursts, it is then sifted and cleaned, and pounded in a mortar into a kind of flour, and when they wish to make it very good, they mix some sugar [i.e., maple sugar] with it. When wanted for use, they take about a tablespoonful of this flour in their mouths, then stooping to the river or brook, drink water to it. If, however, they have a cup or other small vessel at hand, they put the flour in it and mix it with water, in the proportion of one tablespoonful to a pint. At their camps they will put a small quantity in a kettle with water and let it boil down, and they will have a thick pottage.


With this food the traveler and warrior will set out on long journeys and expeditions, and as a little of it will serve them for a day, they have not a heavy load of provisions to carry. Persons who are unacquainted with this diet ought to be careful not to take too much at a time, and not to suffer themselves to be tempted too far by its flavor; more than one or two spoonfuls, at most, at any one time or at one meal is dangerous; for it is apt to swell in the stomach or bowels, as when heated over a fire.


“History, Manners and Customs of the Indian Nations” By John Gottlieb Ernestus Heckewelder. Published in the early 19th century.