Mr. XXXX,
Thank you for a great blog
site. I'd like to share some techniques we use every day at our off-grid homestead
that would be applicable for grid-down living
With 280 watts of solar panels in the
southern plains, a good Xantrex controller, three marine deep-cycle batteries
and an inverter we power a 9 cubic foot freezer-turned-refrigerator fitted with
an analog temperature controller, a portable dvd player used nightly for movies
and documentaries, 1 to 3 small fans in summer, a netbook computer, and a
couple of compact fluorescent lights along with charging cell phones and
cordless tools and even running a sewing machine on sunny days.
In our experience a homemade
composting bucket is the best choice for human waste disposal and if properly
constructed and maintained can even be kept and used in the house. An
outhouse works but I have yet to visit one that was particularly pleasant (read
– I usually come out blue in the face or gagging.) Chemical toilets are
just plain gross as well. Separately-collected urine makes a great garden
fertilizer. [JWR Adds: Readers are warned that the risks of using
composted human feces for garden fertilizing far outweigh the benefits.]
We have used a bio-sand or slow sand
filter for water filtration exclusively for several years. They are used
the world over and work well for biological contaminants. One can be
constructed for $100 or less. Ours is housed in a plastic 55-gallon drum.
Plans and information are available on line. Google “bio-sand filter”
Off-grid clothes washing is much
facilitated by pre-soaking clothes for an hour or so up to overnight with 1/2
cup ammonia added to the water (if adequate water supplies are
available.) Ammonia is a great clothes cleaner and really cuts grease
plus it takes much less water to rinse out. Gray water containing ammonia
seems to cause no harm to garden plants. Borax, on the other hand, can
kill or damage plants. The little pressure washers, plungers and other
gimmicky laundry aids have been a waste of money for us. A washboard, a
scrub brush (for jeans) and elbow grease will get clothes clean just as easily.
In a long-term grid-down situation lye leached from wood ashes will clean
clothes. One thing to remember in considering SHTF clothes washing strategies
is that without adequate rinsing clothes both stay dirty and attract even more
dirt from the soap trapped in the fibers. It may be that an ammonia/water
or lye water soak and one quick rinse is the best option. Bedding can be
freshened between infrequent washings by hanging it in the sun and the breeze.
Five gallons of water is easily
enough for a bath even for a woman who wants to shave, condition hair, etc. For
example: wet down a little, wash hair without overdoing the shampoo, wash body,
rinse. Apply conditioner (again, don't overdo it), shave and scrub feet
and nails with the water that's accumulated in the bottom of the tub, rinse
again. You're done in 5 gallons and most likely will have a little water
left for a final rinse of the rag. An oval, shallow black poly stock
watering tank makes a great bathtub that even a child can move and empty. -
Judy B.
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