Power and Water at Noldorath .
Suburbanites going rural for the back-to-Nature lifestyle are faced with no town water on tap and no grid electricity; the essentials of the modern home. There is a wealth of info about what to do about this, in books magazines and websites. What do I suggest for people at Noldorath ?
Sites Available. There are several sites here you can use to set up your shelter. Some are 2-WD accessible. All are quite private, and none are visible from the nearest other sites.
Sites Available. There are several sites here you can use to set up your shelter. Some are 2-WD accessible. All are quite private, and none are visible from the nearest other sites.
Tank Water.
We are on tank water here. One tank of dam water, filled from the dam in summer while the water is fresh, for washing. Another tank of rain water, filled from new zincalume roofing, with guttering carefully kept clean, for drinking.
Water Conservation
This is practiced at Noldorath, partly out of need, and party to engender appreciation for something as valuable as good water. The trick is to adjust water consumption to what is actually needed, instead of what is habitual in suburbia.
The simplest bathing method is bucket and dipper. Once you’re practiced in it, you can have a wash anywhere in your travels – a caravan park’s shower is no longer needed. I find 3 liters is sufficient for a whole body wash.
When the nights are cool, I collect a few liters at lunchtime, while the water is warm in the pipes, and store it in an insulated ice chest for the evening bath.
Electricity.
My place is not connected to the electricity grid; i have limited solar power, which is very expensive. This powers my fridge, but there will be some surplus in cooler weather for lap top use, but not summer. But I can always offer to charge your mobile phone. There is no power here for TV nor DVD players.
Power for Your Computer.
If your computer is a tower computer, then there is no power here to drive it, and it will need to be kept in storage. The only public computer available in Gin Gin is at the library. On Saturdays (my shopping day), the library is open only for 2 hours and its computers are heavily booked at that time.
If you have a lap top computer and a car with operational generator, then perhaps a second hand car battery and a 12 volt to 240 volt inverter ($90) could be your power source. Using the existing car’s starter battery will quickly destroy it. I can show you correct attachment and wiring to prevent explosions and other likely injuries.
If you have no car, then I have enough solar power for about 30 minutes each day of use of my internet. This is satellite internet, and uses much solar power to run.
If you need more internet use, then charge your lap top on my system, and use the mobile reception on the hilltop, for this uses no extra power. We can set up a tarp there, for you to work under. In cooler weather, my system could provide you maybe 1 ½ hours each day of laptop use. But none in summer.
Phone
There is no mobile phone reception in the valley at Noldorath, only on the nearby hill top..
So I installed a land line phone, which often works quite well.
Use and Cost of My Phone and Internet.
I am willing to share my landline phone and satellite internet, if people are willing to be responsible for paying for their phone calls. This is $2 per phone call, which must be under 20 mins. If you need to speak longer, then hang up and redial to continue your conversation. International calls are barred from my account.
You also need to pay for the line connection rental – this is $2 for each day that you use my phone or internet.
The total internet download allowance is only one gigabyte for the entire month. So downloading games, video or music or using skype is not available here.
I don’t want my system to be used for computer games nor video. Could you please wait until you are back in suburbia? I hope people will use this opportunity to reduce their screen dependency.
Bushfire Shelter. There were no buildings here that would provide real shelter from a forest fire, even a mild one. So I had a forest fire shelter built at my place, of cement blocks, sufficient to protect my van with me and any one else here, and our possessions, inside it.