Homebrewed Electricity > Other
Ever built a steam engine?
Astro:
See what happened is they pissed me off. Long story, but in the end they did. Yeah I want to save the planet and all that. But they pissed off the wrong smart person and now I am going to share ideas and get as many people off the grid as I can. Because I figured out the best way to fight back is to take as many dollars out of their pockets as I can. They have kept me broke so long, it does not matter anymore if those dollars go into my pocket, only that they get less in theirs.
Astro:
Oh and for anyone thinking about a steam engine, or ..... whatever, 100lb propane tanks can be had for pretty much free when they are old. Most propane tanks are 1/4in thick metal, but some are more. You can tell by the weight of an empty tank.
Just make sure if you are going to put heat of any kind to it, you wash it out really well and let it sit for a long time with no valve in it. Then wash it out some more. Maybe throw dry ice in it and wash it out again.
You can also take them in and have them recertified (pressure checked) for around $50, before you do anything. Which gives you 100 to 200 pounds pressure tank.
Or you can be brave and just hook your air compressor up to it and let it buck. Most newer air compressors have thinner wall tanks then the propane tank and run up to and past 100 pounds. My old compressor runs up to 140 psi. and then some. But it weighs a metric ton and is not very big either, so it is stout.
Who knows what uses one could have for a 100 plus pound pressure tank in the quest for off grid living.
Mary B:
Co-op never checks the dates on my tanks when I refill them LOL I am sure they are way out of date being 20 years old. But they lived indoors out of the rain and snow so zero rust. And they actually put 20 pounds of propane in a 20 pound tank, those tank exchange places often are 16 pounds or less! And you get back whatever crappy looking rusty tank joe blow swapped in the hopes of getting a new tank...
I have some old tanks with the old valve that I have made into portable air tanks. One has a cheater for getting tires on the bead(was handy when I had a 4wd van and 33 inch mud tires... they would never seat the normal way), other is just a plain air tank with a cheesy coil hose off a cheap compressor I use for air brushing, comes in handy if the mower gets a flat out in the yard... I can dump enough air in to get back to the garage and take the tire off to fix it.
hiker:
Mary,,those brass bleed off screws on propane tanks,,Dang workers that refill the tanks alway manage over time to round out the screw head slots ,,,ive always had to throw out a hint,,Hey careful now don’t round off that screw head Slot,,35-40 bucks for a new valve,, Why they can’t just change out the air bleed screw I asked ,,we don’t do that Here,,💕🙏🇺🇸
Astro:
--- Quote from: Mary B on October 04, 2021, 12:44:49 PM ---Co-op never checks the dates on my tanks when I refill them LOL I am sure they are way out of date being 20 years old. But they lived indoors out of the rain and snow so zero rust. And they actually put 20 pounds of propane in a 20 pound tank, those tank exchange places often are 16 pounds or less! And you get back whatever crappy looking rusty tank joe blow swapped in the hopes of getting a new tank...
I have some old tanks with the old valve that I have made into portable air tanks. One has a cheater for getting tires on the bead(was handy when I had a 4wd van and 33 inch mud tires... they would never seat the normal way), other is just a plain air tank with a cheesy coil hose off a cheap compressor I use for air brushing, comes in handy if the mower gets a flat out in the yard... I can dump enough air in to get back to the garage and take the tire off to fix it.
--- End quote ---
I have one for air storage/capacity as well. I was thinking about cutting one up and making and outdoor oil burner out of it. I have a diesel truck, so when I change the oil, it is 3 gallons at a time. Plus I know where I can get used oil. Just from family and friends I would have more then I needed.
My plan was....... if you read my ta da air conditioning post, I figured I could wrap the old propane tank turned into an oil burner with copper tubing and in the winter instead of piping my glycol water mix down through the cold cistern water to cool it, I could pipe it thru the copper coils for heat. Being outside my shop would not stink like an oil burner either. I am pretty good with figuring out how to automate and control things, so that I am not worried about. Might have to mix a little diesel in with the used oil to thin it out, but that is no big deal.
BUT idk, then I keep thinking and that project turns into an idea for a bigger better project and so on. LOL.
I finally arrived at what I want to build, but it is not cheap. Not cheap at all.
Told my wife there is nothing worse then a painter without paint or brushes and there is nothing worse then a inventor with out funds. Just think if Michelangelo did not have paint or brushes the Sistine chapel would not look like it does.
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