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You know your addicted to Renewable Energy When . . .
By wooferhound, Section Homebrewed Electricity Posted on Fri Apr 25th, 2008 at 10:34:41 PM MST
Do you have the disease ?

You know your addicted to Renewable Energy When
The weather forecast is for 30-40 mph winds and you think
Hmmmm , Nice day
You are driving down the road and almost have a wreck when you notice someones Wind Turbine

You know your addicted to Renewable Energy When . . . | 30 comments (30 topical, 0 editorial)

You know your addicted to Renewable Energy When (3.00 / 0) (#1)
by RogerAS (theropod at yahoo dot com) on Fri Apr 25th, 2008 at 05:07:45 PM MST
(User Info)

When you see a remote sensing station with a small PV panel and wonder how many volts it cranks.

When you see a small steam cascading off a mountain side and wonder how many watts it would generate.

When you go to the recycling center and wish they would let you rip all the microwaves apart for the magnets and transformers. Or, when you go there and see a stack of old computers and wish you could get the HD magnets out.

When sitting at a rail crossing and watch a tanker load of veggie oil pass and you drool.

When you wonder about a rain turbine when it's pouring outside, like now.

When you see a brush pile burning and think about a gasifier or a steam engine.

When you can't walk for the acorns littering the ground and think about bio diesel.
Roger AS
8 Years off-grid & counting

Re: You know your addicted (3.00 / 0) (#2)
by Old F on Fri Apr 25th, 2008 at 05:57:18 PM MST
(User Info) http://www.oldf.homestead.com

When your magnet collection on the refrigerator weighs more than the refrigerator.

Electric motor re builders are coming to you for spare parts and wire.

Old F

[ Parent ]

Re: You know your addicted (3.00 / 0) (#13)
by wildbill hickup (wildbill_hickup at yahoo.com) on Sat Apr 26th, 2008 at 03:43:26 AM MST
(User Info)

Hey Old F remember when you started this. Wonder if Woof can beat the 50 responces you got. Boy that was some good readin'.
Wildbill

[ Parent ]

Re: You know your addicted (3.00 / 0) (#21)
by wooferhound (tim((NoSpamAt))wooferhound.com) on Sat Apr 26th, 2008 at 11:58:44 AM MST
(User Info) http://wooferhound.com

I could'nt remember who did it the first time, but it's been 3 years since the last one. Here are the first 2 with 50 or 75 comments each.
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2004/1/18/63419/3803
http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2005/12/4/245/16537

W o o f -={(

[ Parent ]

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy Whe (3.00 / 0) (#3)
by MattB on Fri Apr 25th, 2008 at 05:58:23 PM MST
(User Info)

The weather forecast is for 30-40 mph winds and no sun until Tuesday and snow and rain all weekend... and you think 'Dammit it's too windy to run let the turbine run unattended, and no solar. I'm over this friggin' weather. Gonna have to dry out the generator carburettor yet again and run it to watch a movie today since the weather sucks too much play golf or do anything productive outside.'

It's spring... lets get on with it!

Cheers :-)

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy Whe (3.00 / 0) (#4)
by TheCasualTraveler (a.miklos@yahoo.com) on Fri Apr 25th, 2008 at 06:22:55 PM MST
(User Info) http://thecasualtraveler.com/wind.htm

You'd rather sit and watch the ammeter from your wind generator than watch TV.

When your sitting outside in a lawn chair, drinking a beer and watching your blades go round and round and your wife yells, "are you coming in soon?" you say, be right there, but your not.
Andy

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy (3.00 / 0) (#5)
by CmeBREW (smke833f@hotmail.com) on Fri Apr 25th, 2008 at 07:07:08 PM MST
(User Info)

When you can't help but check the rpm, volts, and AMP ratings on every single motor that you see.

When you take a zillion pennies to the bank to get the cash for just one more battery.

When you put a Watthour meter in each kid's room and make them pay a fixed rate.

When wife gives you a final ultimatum between choosing either Her and her love, or your Re-system,,, and you choose RE!!!
(I'm not married, but I can imagine this would happen to me if i were!)

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy (3.00 / 0) (#6)
by jmk on Fri Apr 25th, 2008 at 07:30:48 PM MST
(User Info)

When your on this site at least once every day!
jmk

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy (3.00 / 0) (#11)
by DamonHD (d@hd.org) on Sat Apr 26th, 2008 at 01:07:15 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.earth.org.uk/

Only once? B^>

Rgds

Damon

[ Parent ]

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy (3.00 / 0) (#28)
by briskwinds on Mon Apr 28th, 2008 at 09:29:26 AM MST
(User Info)

yes, as you have to shut down the computer at night.

[ Parent ]

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy (3.00 / 0) (#29)
by DamonHD (d@hd.org) on Mon Apr 28th, 2008 at 09:33:20 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.earth.org.uk/

Good answer! B^>

But you're not geeky enough if you give in to sleep of course...

Rgds

Damon

[ Parent ]

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy (3.00 / 0) (#30)
by wooferhound (tim((NoSpamAt))wooferhound.com) on Mon Apr 28th, 2008 at 12:45:47 PM MST
(User Info) http://wooferhound.com

You have been spying on me . . .

W o o f -={(

[ Parent ]

Re: You know your addicted . . . (3.00 / 0) (#7)
by kenl (kenn1962@hotmail.com) on Fri Apr 25th, 2008 at 07:48:48 PM MST
(User Info)

You skip work because there's going to be 20+ mph winds today.

Your 600 miles from home explaining to the wife on the phone how to switch the power back to the grid because the sun hasn't come out in 4 days.

You buy property in rural Kansas because it's in a class 3 wind zone.

You look at the 80 year old oak trees surrounding the house and wish the hurricanes had knocked them down so you could put solar on the roof.

Re: You know . . . (3.00 / 0) (#8)
by Norm (peppysue@suite224.net) on Fri Apr 25th, 2008 at 09:26:52 PM MST
(User Info)

When you look up at those nice tall light poles
in a parking lot and think what a waste just to
hang lights
( :>) Norm

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy Whe (3.00 / 0) (#9)
by dpshort218 on Fri Apr 25th, 2008 at 10:25:57 PM MST
(User Info)

When you drive your biodiesel truck to town on garbage night expecting to find that perfect piece of scrap metal on someone's curb to help you finish your zero-cost windmill tower.
David

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy Whe (3.00 / 0) (#10)
by dpshort218 on Fri Apr 25th, 2008 at 10:49:57 PM MST
(User Info)

When you start doing energy density tests on moonshine and have a rating system for you various neighbor's "rheumatism" medicines.

When you see lightning in the sky and start wondering how much copper kite string would set you back.

When you spit-polish your one 40 watt solar cell 3 times every day.

When you think 2" magnets work great. I bet 12" ones would be awesome.

When you start ordering your french fries extra-greasy!

When you install micro hydro systems on your downspouts.

I'm starting to sound like "You might be a redneck if.."
David

You know your addicted to Re When (3.00 / 0) (#12)
by Bobbyb on Sat Apr 26th, 2008 at 02:58:15 AM MST
(User Info)

When you take a d tour every day just to see if that builder's trash bin has any good blade material today.

When you're searching in a container with scrap motors and it's the most fun you've had in weeks.

Re: You know your addicted to Re When (3.00 / 0) (#14)
by wildbill hickup (wildbill_hickup at yahoo.com) on Sat Apr 26th, 2008 at 03:54:43 AM MST
(User Info)

When after totaling up all the diesel powered projects you you own, you realize the cold hard truth. Your not dependant on forign oil your dependant on .......... MCDONALDS!!!!!!!!!!!! OH no!!!!!!!!!! :->

[ Parent ]

Re: You know your addicted (3.00 / 0) (#15)
by bart (calderbart@yahoo.com) on Sat Apr 26th, 2008 at 05:30:16 AM MST
(User Info)

when the largest of your 3-phase motor collection, for possible conversions, is a 40 hp just because it was going to scrap and it spun so easy.
it sat in our shop for weeks while i vacillated over taking or not. the owner moved it out for the junk man and that's when i took it home. now what?

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy Whe (3.00 / 0) (#16)
by tecker on Sat Apr 26th, 2008 at 07:20:03 AM MST
(User Info)

When all your purchases have to have room for batteries.

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy Whe (3.00 / 0) (#17)
by zeusmorg on Sat Apr 26th, 2008 at 07:31:05 AM MST
(User Info)

If every time you drive down a hill, you think "I need to install regenerative braking"

You know your addicted When . . . (3.00 / 0) (#18)
by Jeff (ruralmcguyver at yahoo dot com) on Sat Apr 26th, 2008 at 10:10:44 AM MST
(User Info)

You browse the personals & dating sites, and your preferences and keyword search includes "Solar", and "Renewable Energy".

Rural McG

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy Whe (3.00 / 0) (#19)
by luckeydog (bryan@coloradowindpower.com) on Sat Apr 26th, 2008 at 11:20:39 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.coloradowindpower.com

When you own a website dictated to RE.

When you tell all your kids to turn on all the lites because it's really windy
and you are happy about it.

.
wind gens are much funner to watch than solar panels. Broomfield,Colorado

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy Whe (3.00 / 0) (#20)
by spinningmagnets (velmis1450bc(at)aol(dot)com) on Sat Apr 26th, 2008 at 11:44:32 AM MST
(User Info)

You name your daughter "Wendy" (middle name: "day")

You also name your son "Max" (middle name: "output")

When shopping for a house, the first thing you do is use the internet to find an areas wind class zone, number of clear solar days per year, and check with the city council to find the wind-gen tower height restrictions...

"If it weren't for electricity, we'd all be watching TV by candlelight". -George Gobol.

[ Parent ]

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy Whe (3.00 / 0) (#22)
by terry5732 on Sat Apr 26th, 2008 at 04:05:57 PM MST
(User Info)

The wind is blowing 40MPH from the northwest pushing the windchill below zero, your nose feels like it's gonna fall off and you're wondering how many BTUs are in the breeze.

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy Whe (3.00 / 0) (#23)
by bob golding (photoman290 at yahoo dot com) on Sun Apr 27th, 2008 at 06:59:52 AM MST
(User Info)

when you are looking after a friends grid powered house and think gosh i can charge my mobile phone without having to check its windy enough outside first.

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy Whe (3.00 / 0) (#24)
by mikeyny on Sun Apr 27th, 2008 at 07:28:06 AM MST
(User Info)

when you go to the local scrap yard and you leave with more stuff than you brought in.
your local scrap yard sends you a monthly sales flier.
you keep a special jacket behind the seat of your truck to put over your good cloths for those spontaneous dumpster dives.
you have 3 or more tread mills in yur basement without motors

"I thought I made a mistake but I was wrong"
[ Parent ]

your addicted to DO-IT-YOURSELF RE when... (3.00 / 0) (#25)
by DanG on Sun Apr 27th, 2008 at 04:55:29 PM MST
(User Info)

You know your addicted to DO-IT-YOURSELF Renewable Energy When...

You have wild* herds herds of Neo Magnets in your home and workshop (not to be confused with the free-range herd browsing the refrigerator) that get great pleasure showing up in the oddest places.

You put your picture on your parents' refrigerator and they can't change or remove it because of the magnets you hung it with.

There is blue glitter in the basement, shop, sidewalks, gardens, driveway and trash bins from the experimental solar cells that gave their all when you tried to build your own panels.

People stop you from telling them about your latest eBay RE purchase.

You've stopped, then and ran back, on an ice-storm slick road to pick up cabling dropped from the out-of-state linesman trucks converging on the disaster scene.

You know your yards adjoining houses attics and crawl spaces from getting them to install more insulation.

You've spontaneously given crabby neighbors their own $10 HF decorative metal windmill as step one in desensitizing them to future larger windmills nearby.

Re: You know your addicted to Renewable Energy Whe (3.00 / 0) (#26)
by elvin1949 (elvin1949@yahoo.com) on Mon Apr 28th, 2008 at 12:22:55 AM MST
(User Info)

When you pick up more "trash than the trash truck does".And you have a RE use for all of it.
later
Elvin

You know your addicted to RE When . . . (3.00 / 0) (#27)
by SparWeb (sparweb at ANTISPAM_hotmail_com) on Mon Apr 28th, 2008 at 02:33:06 AM MST
(User Info)

(I am NOT making this up)

...When you drive the company forklift down a city street to recover a set of used batteries dumped in a back alley.

...When your wife asks you what you're thinking about, and gets an equation for an answer.

...Every time your son draws a picture of you, he draws a windmill behind you.

...Your wife notices the 25HP motor (which you scrounged weeks ago and thought you hid well) and just gives you that "look".
Steven Fahey

You know your addicted to Renewable Energy When . . . | 30 comments (30 topical, 0 editorial)

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