Michigan Countrysiders, I would be interested in communicating with folks who will be "close" to me. My homestead is in Lake County, Michigan. I'm just starting up, so would appreciate advice from those who live in that area. I am between Cadillac and Reed City off of 131. BIG QUESTION: I won't have electricity when I move to the woods, but I don't want to give up my computer. Can I use a battery? Car? Marine? How? Blessings,

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 14, 2002

Answers

Response to Homesteading in zone 4 - Computer with Battery?

Susan, the easy way to use your computer with a battery supply is to buy an 'inverter' this takes power from a battery and converts it to the flavour of electricty that you get from a regular wall socket. Snags are that they are expensive and even a quite big one wont drive much.

If I wanted to run a desktop in a serious way from battery power I would look at http://www.arisecomputer.com/ps/ps2series.asp and select a battery power supply, refer to your local computer guru if you are unsure. However that would not run my monitor so I would be looking for a LCD type monitor these are those modern very slim ones you might see appearing in banks and other places with capital expenditure does not appear to be an issue, yep they are expensive but use very little power and but I could probably find one that will run directly from a battery supply.

A laptop of course you can just get a car adapter and away you go.

-- john hill (john@cnd.co.nz), January 14, 2002.

Response to Homesteading in zone 4 - Computer with Battery?

Thanks John Hill in NZ. Good info. Guess it's time to trade in the desk top for laptop. That's a great idea too as they take up so much less space. My "cottage" will only be about 12 X 20. Thanks again for the input!

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 14, 2002.

Response to Homesteading in zone 4 - Computer with Battery?

FYI,,Lake county is in zone 5 :)

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), January 14, 2002.

Response to Homesteading in zone 4 - Computer with Battery?

You can also buy a little solar power pack, if you want you could get a kit that goes right on top of the "cabin". I know I looked into one for the top of my camper. Any of the camper catalogs would carry small ones. A little fuel for thought?

-- Sandie in Maine (peqbear@maine.rr.com), January 14, 2002.

Response to Homesteading in zone 4 - Computer with Battery?

susan my wife and i live in the up we run on solar an inverter is the best way to go, there is many different batteries to chose from all depends on avaliable funds and also the inverter email me and ill tell you what we have

-- Bob vadnais (robertvadnais@aol.com), January 14, 2002.

Response to Homesteading in zone 4 - Computer with Battery?

Nice area Susan.......used to have family property a few miles outside of Bellaire. Hubby's folks live in Buckley. I have always said that the computer would be the one thing I would want to figure out how to do without electricity. I am wondering about a bank of batteries, charged occasionally by the generator. Does anyone know if that would work???

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 14, 2002.

Response to Homesteading in zone 4 - Computer with Battery?

Hey Stan, which zone depends on what zone map you look at. Hard to tell sometimes which zone I'm supposed to be in. FEELS like 4 LOL. Looks like 4 in seed catalogs. Anyway, my spot of heaven is surrounded by high old dunes (hills), so I figure I better plan for colder rather than warmer. Thanks,

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 14, 2002.

Response to Homesteading in zone 4 - Computer with Battery?

Yes Diane, that would work but I think you'd be better off using the generator to charge batteries then run the puter thru an inverter off the batteries. Seems to me the power would be alot cleaner and less prone to surges.

As far as inverters are concerned some you can get for not much money and others cost alot more. I've heard of folks running the puters on square wave inverters which are alot less expensive than the modified sinewave type.

-- john (natlivent@pcpros.net), January 14, 2002.

Response to Homesteading in zone 4 - Computer with Battery?

Susan - YES you can use batteries to run your computer. We are living "off the grid", and run our whole house and "4"! Computers with a system consisting of basically batteries (T105's) an inverter, and generator/solar panels/wind generator. We have slowly added components as $ allowed. You could run JUST your computer with a MUCH smaller system (Inverter, Batteries, and a means to charge them). At the beginning of our off grid life, we had two deep cycle (marine) batteries, used one at a time. We had one charging in town and used the other, then swaped when one went dead. I don't blame you for not wanting to give up your computer! If you have any questions e-mail me, and good luck on your search. Oh, www.backwoodssolar.com is a company that could answer your questions, we purchased some of our equip from them and they are very helpful.

-- Trina in WA (Ender@starband.net), January 15, 2002.

Susan! I spent 2 years in my 12 by 20 cabin in North Carolina off the grid. I used a laptop. You don't have to start converting and inverting power, they use less power than a desktop and (in your case!) They take up less room. I ran the lap top on a very small solar system. One panel and a battery. I always had enough power to surf the web by my trusty Aladdin lamp. Good luck. By the way you'll find you do have enough room for everything you need. You'll get very creative.

-- David Constantin (cajundavid@hotmail.com), January 15, 2002.

Susan, I'm in Antrim Co. I design install systems. I can help you out. email me?

-- Jim-mi (hartalteng@voyager.net), January 15, 2002.

I want to thank everyone for their answers to my query. Lots and lots of good ideas. I KNEW I could count on Countrysiders to come up with ideas. This is such a great forum. Blessings to all!

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 17, 2002.