Homesteader News

We need your articles and pics on homesteader tools. How to use them, what they are and how to care for them. Well drilling, cabin building, water witching etc.

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A free guide to choosing a solar water pump has been published by scientists from Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

Agricultural engineer Brian Vick drew on the ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory’s 31 years of testing stand-alone water pumps.

Vick found that for pumps with motors rated less than 1,500 watts, solar is usually the best choice. With current technology and costs, wind power or a hybrid wind/solar pump is usually best for power needs of 1,500 watts or more.

Vick and colleagues at a laboratory near Bushland, Texas. tested three major pump types: diaphragm, helical and centrifugal. Diaphragm and helical pumps can maintain almost the same maximum flow rate over a large range of pumping depths. Because maximum flow rate increases with increasing power, centrifugal pumps can pump more water than diaphragm or helical pumps, although a photovoltaic (PV) array rated at a higher power may be required, especially at deeper pumping depths.

Powered with a 160-watt PV array, most diaphragm pumps sold today can draw sufficient water from wells 100 feet deep or less to supply 75 head of cattle. Some recently designed diaphragm pumps can draw from as deep as 230 feet, but can only supply sufficient quantities of water for 30 head of cattle.

ARS research indicates that if more water is needed or a deeper well is required, a pump type other than a diaphragm–and a PV array of more than 160 watts–is recommended.

The researchers also recommend using a controller on all pumps. For irrigation, they recommend the centrifugal pump with a hybrid wind/solar power system.

Their guide offers case studies in the Bushland area, where wells are more than 230 feet deep. One example is a four-person household, for which they recommend a helical pump powered by a 500-watt PV array. To supply water to 150 head of beef cattle, they would use a helical pump powered by a 640 watt PV array.

The guide, published by the American Solar Energy Society in 2009, is available online at http://www.cprl.ars.usda.gov/REMM_Publications.htm

ARS is the principal intramural scientific research agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

One of the keys to composting is aeration. The bacteria need oxygen to carry out the aerobic respiration that creates rich compost. One way to aerate your compost is with a pitchfork or a compost turning tool. If you keep your compost in a tumbler, however, all you have to do is turn the container. Since most compost barrels can be expensive, you may be interested in building your own for much less money and an hour of your time.

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 This is a free PDF for installing a septic and drain field that should work for most homesteads:

 http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/fod/liquidwaste/homeowner%20notebook%20final%202006.pdf

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What is an On Demand Water Heater ?

Conventional tank water heaters keep a large quantity of water hot all the time just in case you need to wash your hands at 3AM.

 On Demand tankless water heaters heat water instantly and have no pilot or use no electricity until you turn on a faucet.

 They save huge amounts on your power or fuel bill and with the new Energy Star models available you can get a 30% federal tax rebate to help pay for it!

These are excellent for new construction, off-grid living, or to replace an old worn out  inefficient tank water heater. Plumbing is all very straight forward and could be installed by most homesteaders without a problem.

What to look for ?

These OD water heaters come in Natural Gas, Propane, an Electric models.

For propane and natural gas look for an energy star rated model that has an ODS Oxygen Depletion Sensor. They can be direct vent or ventless. Get one with enough gallons per minute flow to handle your needs.

Every homestead needs a shed and I recently built an 8x8 shed/workshop to hold my tools and give me a place to work out of the cold in winter.

There are many free shed designs available and a good program for designing a simple shed is this free 3d shed and shop designer:

https://www.upperspace.com/downloads/trial/?pn=7008

Google also has an excellent free program called sketchup

http://sketchup.google.com/product/gsu.html

I can sit for hours designing sheds and homes in 3d and dreaming of buiding them and my own cabin is really just a big shed and houses are just big expensive sheds for our stuff!

Here are a few shed/homes I designed using 3d shed builder:

Here are a few homes I have designed using sketchup:

One of the most useful tools a homesteader can have is a generator.  They can be used for running tools to build your homestead and for powering your homestead in emergencies.

Generators can be run on gas, propane, and natural gas. They come in various sizes and out put and manual start and automatic start models.

For just general use to run power tools and as an emergency backup to runa few lights, tv, fridge and freezer the 3500 watt and larger models are excelllent!

Get one with both 110 and 220 volt outlets for running a washing machine if necessary.

If you have more energy need say for a water pump or electric furnaces go with a larger generator output and get one with wheels for easier moving and electric start.

Entire houses can be run off a generator but for that purpose I recommend dual fuel or propane and Natural gas generators like this one :

To keep your generators running longer keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. You can make your own insulating cover or there are commercial covers available.

Here are some of my picks for good generators at a good price:

Every homestead needs water and there are various ways of getting it. I hauled water in for the first year and this could be done for limited uses or you could have cistern refilled by a water delivery service. Cisterns can alsop be used for storing rain water or hooked inline with your water well.

I have a 25 gallon water tank under my sink and use a shureflo 12 volt dc pump to send water to my shower and sinks similar to these:

Larger water storage tanks are available and can be used for having water delivered or to store water from your well.

Rain water can be harvested and stored in a cistern like above or use a rain barrel like this one:

If you have a high water table you can drill your own water well like I did with a sand point pipe attachment and a post pounder. Instructions are in my book Simple Solar Homesteading.

Recommended books and products: