Efficient and effective clothes washing

Alternative energy sources
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The usual. As I have two large solar PV systems here, and my lab assistant just put one in, and others are interested in things like this, here's where that stuff goes. This is mostly for things that work now, not "gee someday a fusor will do this" -- we know that, but it's not someday yet.
The hope is to save anyone embarking on this sort of thing a lot of wasted time and money, as at least I have been off the grid since 1980 and have had a lot of practice (and made mistakes you won't have to).

Efficient and effective clothes washing

Postby Doug Coulter » Sun Apr 20, 2014 3:33 pm

Well, when I first started homesteading here, getting clothes clean meant "take a rock, some soap, down by the crik and get to work". At first I didn't have enough energy to even think of having a real washer. Then I finally got a backup generator that would run Sears tiniest backup "bachelor" model, and used that till it died, but it didn't feel right burning gasoline for clothing, and it died young anyway - and the laundromat was more interesting, as there were, you know, females there too.

At any rate, now that I've had plenty power for awhile, a good old neigbor donated the nice 30's-era Maytag to me, and I kind of restored it. It needed a weldup and re-mill on the plate that controls the gearbox for the wringer, and instead of the very old and very broken Briggs and Stratton (yup...) a real electric motor. The one I put on there has lasted about 10 years - even out in the weather, but burned out on this very load of clothing. Due to the nature of this good old stuff, I had it up and going again long before the smoke stopped rolling off the old motor. I got these motors as part of some "envelope folders" which is kind of code for "spam generator" back in the days when spam was delivered by the mailman. I think this is a better use of those.

Here is is in action...I powder coated this and that for fun (and learning how) and after a decade, some parts need that again. But you know, this thing is so well thought out, that even if left totqally full (say, rainwater) and it freezes - no damage at all. I'm amazed, personally. And yes, it does just as good a job as the most expensive thing you can buy at the white-box stores. Just with less power required. Dunno about water - it doesn't use much of that either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQnS6hr ... l009sYggjA
Posting as just me, not as the forum owner. Everything I say is "in my opinion" and YMMV -- which should go for everyone without saying.
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Doug Coulter
 
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Location: Floyd county, VA, USA

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