Small Cabin

Small Cabin Forum
 - Forums - Register/Sign Up - Reply - Search - Statistics -

Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / high tech or low for off grid
Author Message
creeky
Member
# Posted: 5 May 2016 11:47am - Edited by: creeky
Reply 


I'm a tech guy. Love my solar.

But recently I added a "securifi". I needed a range extender for my internet so I could surf from bed in the new winter bedroom. I know, I know.

However. it came with home automation "zigbee" control too. And IFTTT (if this then that).

This means I have added a door sensor to the studio. This turns on a light when I enter the building at night so i don't have to look for a light switch. And turns it off automatically 5 minutes later.

I have an occupation sensor in the washroom. Again. the lights stay on when I'm in the room.

I use CREE "connected" lights. So I can turn lights off and on from my phone.

My internet is on a remote switch so I can turn it off at night and save that 45/w/hr. Again, usually from my bed. Note that my internet box is 200 feet from my bed. So not getting up and hiking through a winter's night has a certain joy to it.

I love the simplicity, nature focused life and joy that off grid life brings. Yet, I find it odd, if wonderful, that I can use tech to further simplify that life. Weird ain't it?

What about you'ze? High or low tech?

groingo
Member
# Posted: 5 May 2016 02:28pm
Reply 


I guess it all depends on how big your place is, mine is 195 square feet with a power inverter master off / on switch on the night stand right next to my bed with a flash light on the floor just in case.

LDamm
Member
# Posted: 5 May 2016 03:55pm
Reply 


When I open the front door of my shed, I light an oil lamp. If I want to go high tech I use a Bic instead of a match.

(And I'm hooked up to grid electric)

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 5 May 2016 05:31pm - Edited by: MtnDon
Reply 


I like high tec / lower tech.

I love the Outback inverter because it has the ability to be programmed for a search mode that will detect the flipping of a switch to power up a light bulb. It sits there drawing milliamps until a demand is detected. However, using motion detector switches defeats the purpose of search/sleep mode as the motion detector requires constant power. So the cabin has no motion detectors but the grid tie house does.

To make navigation around a darkened cabin property, in lieu of motion detector lights I have LED flashlight running on a high(er) tec lithium cell, clipped to my belt. Actually I have several... a city light which is smaller and lighter and a larger much more powerful (2500 lumen) rural use light.

I soon will have a completed working old fashioned oil lantern with a sort of high power LED and Li-ion cell with built in charger. Low / high tec I guess.

We have cell phone but no sat/dsl/cable TV... But one phone is a dumbphone, one is a smartphone. The smart sees limited internet use, other than email. We manage on 500 MB or less a month on it. When we get close before the month end we don't browse at all. I could not do that full time, but don't mind when it is only the recreational time away from home that has limited internet.

Does that make me smart/dumb, high tec / low tec. I can't decide.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 5 May 2016 06:07pm
Reply 


I know!! It makes me selective tec. I select the tec I'm willing to pay for.

Julie2Oregon
Member
# Posted: 5 May 2016 07:45pm
Reply 


Selectech sounds about right.

Your reply
Bold Style  Italic Style  Underlined Style  Thumbnail Image Link  Large Image Link  URL Link           :) ;) :-( :confused: More smilies...

» Username  » Password 
Only registered users can post here. Please enter your login/password details before posting a message, or register here first.