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Your vehicle probably already has an AC system - and most van ACs include back cooling. You can replace your engine belt-powered AC compressor with a 12v version like in EVs. The power to the compressor and fans can be attached to a switch to select running from the alternator when driving or...

Powdered milk has been around for a long long time. It is fine for recipes and cooking, but it tastes different from fresh milk.

Modern lithium batteries have robust safeguards, and the LiFePO4 versions are very safe. Even better are the new Sodium-Ion batteries which don't catch fire and last longer, but they are (currently) less energy-dense than Lithium batteries and would therefore require heavier battery banks. Very...

If you are starting from scratch, you may want to consider a hybrid van. The climate control systems will be electric and built-in. Right now in the US that pretty much limits you to the Chrysler Pacifica and the Toyota Sienna. Ford has hybrid Transit vans in Europe, but they don't seem to be...

As Happy Camper said - a direct connection to the vehicle's 12 volt system is a good idea for charging up a larger power station, and you might want to look at an upgraded alternator for faster charging/capacity. A 1000-watt Jackery might be able to run an induction burner on LOW settings...

"Sweet William's Organic Fertilizer - Aged to perfection"

I bought this a couple of years ago, works good, and it also clamps onto my power station handle to make it portable - useful for sleeping during hot power failures, or camping. Not super powerful, but good for a single nearby person. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078YLS839/

I am not Quilting, but I have a small power station (400 watt) that I keep in my vehicle plugged into the cigarette lighter to keep charged up whenever I drive. I can bring it into the house during a power outage (it has enough capacity to run my CPAP overnight if power is out). When I am on a...

Ideal is to get a plug-in hybrid that has "camper mode", like a Prius, Sienna, or Pacifica (with an easy mod). But if you are staying with an ICE vehicle, you can install an upgraded alternator (or a second one) to connect to a power bank (Jackery et al), that will be kept charged when driving...

I did not know about the inverter microwaves - that could be very useful for cooking with a power station. I can't prove it, but I suspect microwave cooking is about the most energy efficient method of electric cooking. Crock pots use low power, but end up using a lot of power because of the...

Interesting. Tesla just paid Musk the biggest CEO compensation in the history of Planet Earth, so I guess they must be pleased with the situation. But seriously, if they can afford to hold onto unsold inventory that insulates them from things like the chip shortage that idled most of the...

Social Security’s ‘biggest myth’ leads people to claim early, expert says. Even a slight delay can boost retirement income https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/19/delaying-social-security-even-by-months-can-boost-retirement-security.html?utm_source=pocket-newtab-en-us

That is not insolvency. The current version of the SS Trust fund was created in the 1980s in order to invest excess FICA taxes to get SS through the "Baby Boomer Bulge". It is now expected to last until 2035 before being depleted - which is longer than originally expected. For the 1st 5...

Bingo I lost a fight between a motorbike and a pickup truck a decade back (A Silverado ran over me at a red light). After a bunch of operations, growing new bones over titanium, and a lot of PT I was able to walk again, but never very far. My new eBike's assist lets me rebuild leg muscles...

EV fires are rare compared to gas cars. https://www.motortrend.com/features/you-are-wrong-about-ev-fires/

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A strategy I'm considering since I didn't have the $1400 to replace my AC system before summer is to paint the roof with gloss white tractor paint - for an FJ Cruiser style roof. A quart and rollers costs under $30 - a bit more in the unlikely case I need 2 quarts. I don't feel the need to spray...

That's far from the first Chinese EV cheaper than a Tesla, there are loads of them. But you can't buy them here. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-22/why-can-t-americans-buy-cheap-chinese-evs

Out there, but a fun idea. This guy on YouTube put a lawn mower carb on his V8 as a goof, and it resulted in 40mpg. Note that it wasn't simply a carb swap, he also devised a clever electronic control mechanism to keep the mix ratio close to stoichiometric. Not sure if this experiment would work...

Post-consumer plastic recycling is mostly green-theater, cleaning and sorting post-consumer plastic is just almost never done, even when 'collected for recycling' - most just ends up in a landfill. Yes unsorted plastic can be retorted and burned, but that is just as bad as burning petroleum...