Power (Score: 1) by zocalo@pipedot.org on 2014-09-29 12:04 (#2T0D) I see a few suggestions for solar, and this is good; you are at high altitude so the increased efficiency might offset some of the days where the weather is bad, but I can't help but feel that suitably efficient panels are bulky, fragile and expensive. I've not idea if this will work in your specific region, but it might be worth considering other forms of natural energy, specifically wind and water, as a power source. You ought to be able to construct a windmill and/or watermill using locally sourced materials - wood, mostly - so all you would need to take would be some power sockets, wire and a small motor/transformer to generate the power. A quick Google turns up a bunch of links, but this one should give you an idea of what might be possible, and it's also the kind of project that could get the locals involved and take on a life of its own over the course of the stay. Re: Power (Score: 1) by evilviper@pipedot.org on 2014-09-30 01:35 (#2T0M) it might be worth considering other forms of natural energy, specifically wind and water, as a power source.Looking at Google Maps, Laya, Bhutan definitely doesn't have a river nearby. There seems to be a wash some distance away, but it must not flow very regularly. Being up in the freezing mountains might have something to do with that. Even if it did flow regularly, it would be a huge project for one person to undertake, building their own power house to get usable amounts of power out of it, and running power lines for miles to where they need it... In a more general sense, you can't depend on having flowing water wherever you end up. Wind, similarly, isn't consistently available. Even if you're in a windy area, you may have to unpredictably deal with many weeks with no appreciable wind, with no notice. Plus I checked prices on small wind turbines, and they're little or no cheaper than PV panels per the capacity, very bulky in their own right, and similarly will require taking large and heavy segments of steel poles with you for mounting. And like water power, designing and constructing one locally would be a big project for an individual, would not allow you to hit the ground running and have power right away like PV solar panels, etc. And that's the BEST CASE. Worst case, you'll find yourself in an area where there is zero wind, except for the occasional storms, year-round, no available location to install it, complaints from neighbors about the noise, and lots of dead birds around it.That said, it can be a vastly cheaper way to go. You can pickup a refurbished alternator for $43:* http://www.amazon.com/Quality-Built-7127103-Premium-Domestic-Alternator/dp/B000EZW5QS/Given enough input energy in whatever form, that should output 50 amps steady, while 700 watts of solar panels would cost $1,000, would be far too large to pack, and would honestly only provide maybe 1/4 the rated power due to low light levels, and low duty cycle due to no power at night. That's the way I'd go if I wanted to build electrical infrastructure for an entire village, but certainly not for my own modest energy needs while traveling. And given a lack of flowing water sources, and insufficient wind, you might need to hand-crank the thing for all your energy needs, which would be quite a feat. At that point, you'd be better off with something designed for such use:* http://www.amazon.com/Generator-Emergency-Portable-Lightweight-Polycarbonate/dp/B00EZS8VQS
Re: Power (Score: 1) by evilviper@pipedot.org on 2014-09-30 01:35 (#2T0M) it might be worth considering other forms of natural energy, specifically wind and water, as a power source.Looking at Google Maps, Laya, Bhutan definitely doesn't have a river nearby. There seems to be a wash some distance away, but it must not flow very regularly. Being up in the freezing mountains might have something to do with that. Even if it did flow regularly, it would be a huge project for one person to undertake, building their own power house to get usable amounts of power out of it, and running power lines for miles to where they need it... In a more general sense, you can't depend on having flowing water wherever you end up. Wind, similarly, isn't consistently available. Even if you're in a windy area, you may have to unpredictably deal with many weeks with no appreciable wind, with no notice. Plus I checked prices on small wind turbines, and they're little or no cheaper than PV panels per the capacity, very bulky in their own right, and similarly will require taking large and heavy segments of steel poles with you for mounting. And like water power, designing and constructing one locally would be a big project for an individual, would not allow you to hit the ground running and have power right away like PV solar panels, etc. And that's the BEST CASE. Worst case, you'll find yourself in an area where there is zero wind, except for the occasional storms, year-round, no available location to install it, complaints from neighbors about the noise, and lots of dead birds around it.That said, it can be a vastly cheaper way to go. You can pickup a refurbished alternator for $43:* http://www.amazon.com/Quality-Built-7127103-Premium-Domestic-Alternator/dp/B000EZW5QS/Given enough input energy in whatever form, that should output 50 amps steady, while 700 watts of solar panels would cost $1,000, would be far too large to pack, and would honestly only provide maybe 1/4 the rated power due to low light levels, and low duty cycle due to no power at night. That's the way I'd go if I wanted to build electrical infrastructure for an entire village, but certainly not for my own modest energy needs while traveling. And given a lack of flowing water sources, and insufficient wind, you might need to hand-crank the thing for all your energy needs, which would be quite a feat. At that point, you'd be better off with something designed for such use:* http://www.amazon.com/Generator-Emergency-Portable-Lightweight-Polycarbonate/dp/B00EZS8VQS