COMMUNITY

Off Grid LPG (propane) Powered Battery Charger

If you live off grid, sooner or later you will have a problem with the house batteries going flat. Maybe the solar panels cant keep up because it been cloudy for a few days, or its the middle of winter and you don't have enough daylight hours. Or someone left the TV on all night, what ever the reason, chances are you will have to charge your batteries with a petrol (gasoline) generator at some stage.

Solar Powered Ceiling Fan (Chirstmas Gift)

I made this project for a friend who is a bit down on his luck and living in a small community with no power, water, toilet or pretty much anything else you would expect in a western country. There are a number of permanent residents living in illegal shacks, caravans, buses, shipping containers or camper-vans and a number of others who stay for a few weeks or months of the year but usually leave before the hot weather as it can get to 45 degrees C (113 F) for days at a time. The area is known locally as foot rot flats and is not unlike a small version of slab city in the US.

Braille Rubik's Cube

I have a friend who lost his sight a few years ago, and it got me thinking about how much that must really suck. I use my eyes all the time, I don't know what I would do without them, he must miss out on so much. I sure would like to make his life easier some how.....

We were taking and for what every reason the subject of rubik's cube came up. Not only had he never seen one, when he did have his sight, but he didn't know what a rubiks cube is. You try and explain a rubik's cube to a blind man.

Solar Powered Air Conditioner

I was given a design challenge by the residents of foot rot flats*, build an air conditioner that requires no mains power and no piped water. After a bit of thinking I decide to have a go at a solar powered evaporative cooler and it worked so well I thought I would make another one, and make it a bit different to make it even easier to build. The first cooler was not photographed during the build so the second cooler is better documented for instructables.

Solar Powered Ceiling Fan, Circular Saw Conversion

Ok I know what your thinking, it's a bit early for April fools day, or Ive come down with a bad case of redneck.

I made this for my own amusement, as I was asked if I could make a 24 volt ceiling fan for a resident of footrot flats. I said I was having trouble finding a treadmill motor and jokingly said I could make one out of a circular saw... he ran off and came back with a saw, me and my big mouth. If you want to make a solar fan I suggest you have a look at my other instructable , it will show you how to make a ceiling fan with a treadmill motor which is quiet and very efficient.