1.5 Story In Kentucky

[bobtheengineer]

You might want to look into venting requirements.  The way you have that set up, when you flush the toilet, it'll pull the trap for sink, laundry tray, and tub, which wouldn't be good.  You are usually allowed 1 wet vent, meaning you could drain the bathroom lav down the vent stack to the toilet, but that is it.  Everything else has to be vented seperately to above where the lav ties in.  Just an observation.  I've tried to do takeoffs with an iso, but it never seems to work out exactly.  You are always short some fittings, and usually have leftovers too, keep all your receipts, and don't be afraid to busy extra!

[Micky]

You might want to look into venting requirements.  The way you have that set up, when you flush the toilet, it'll pull the trap for sink, laundry tray, and tub, which wouldn't be good.  You are usually allowed 1 wet vent, meaning you could drain the bathroom lav down the vent stack to the toilet, but that is it.

I can't guarantee that it is right, but it was my understanding that you can wet vent multiple fixtures as long as they are on the same level.  I know codes change all the time and it depends on the local regs.  So, I could be all wet.

The inspector was OK with it.  He actually had me add an additional drain to the stack for a water softener (that I will never need, but was required by State Code).  Most importantly I haven't had any problems.

Here is a link for more info.
http://www.psdmagazine.com/pdf/May_Jun_03/32-33.pdf

[bobtheengineer]

Well, I know it wouldn't pass muster here, but all jurisdictions have some differences.  Is the inspector a plumbing inspector? Or a building inspector?  From what I've seen, at one level means just that, meaning the drains have to come into the exact same fitting, like a sanitary cross, or something like that.  One thing you don't want to have is problems down the road, once you close up the walls, its kinda tough to vent fixtures.  I just helped a guy re-plumb his house last year, that was plumbed with just the common wet vent.  When he flushed the toilet, the bathrub and bathroom lav traps pulled out. 

[ScottA]

I'd tie all the bathroom vents together into one and run the kitchen out seperate. Depends what code you are under as to weather you need a 3" vent or not. A 1 1/2" is fine for the kitchen and a 2" will do the bath unless your code requires a 3". The UPC requires the 3" vent but boca and international don't. These have been changed in recent years.

[ScottA]

RE: the iso drawing above looks fine. You can tie a tub and toilet into the same tee so long as you use the right kind of tee. It's ok to wet vent a toilet with a fixture on the same floor so long as the vent is full size.

[prohomesteader]

thanks all for the plumbing advice, I will make a phone call to the epa lady for the proper codes (we don't have inspection here except septic and water by the epa dept), review the advice and read up in the book

I will also document what I do good so the next one to do the venting can see it.

here's a real short video I found from a couple months ago up on the roof. 

If you come along later reading this thread and wonder about the view from the roof this is it, it's REAL high up there, and you aren't just up there for a visit, you are working

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSqcJfTKG3g

[phalynx]

Looking good.  Keep the videos coming.  Check your PM.

[pickngrin]

Thanks for posting the video - Helps those of us who haven't started yet get a better perspective on what the 20x30 1.5 story feels like in terms of space. 

[prohomesteader]

glad ya'll liked the video

put the solar panels inside temporarily and added the window to the right side of the door now (add another $205) and framed the deck railing (that material cost $175 for the corner posts and wood, not all installed yet)

gonna be cold and sloppy here so not sure how much I'll get done over the next few weeks

[glenn kangiser]

Hey, Pro, I saw your Ametek motor video too - it popped up after the house vid. Are you building a wind generator?

I have two treadmills I want to make generators out of.  Looks like I may have to gear them motor up to get the necessary speed.  I may use Bike chain.  The bearings don't look heavy enough in the first one I have to support a blade so a jack shaft will be good anyway.... or I may use the multi-V belt that came with the treadmill - probably better anyway.

[prohomesteader]

yeah I'd like to build a windmill, but we'll probably start by adding more solar panels right when we get in. they are the easiest, just literally plug them in

the ametek will probably need to be geared also at a 2to1, I can get 8 volts with hand spinning but you need to really get it flying fast with blades to get 8 volts (I want it to produce >12), here's a video of someone using my motor and geared theirs with basic parts and it looks good

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oI0N21QqwA

I also bought some magnets and wire for making coils to do my own alternator,  not sure if this will be a wind generator or something creative I think up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5IUHf0Bh5A

I'm a noobie with the stuff, just teaching myself basic electricity and when I get some time I'll play some more.

Spent too much time here lately, great site

http://www.otherpower.com/ (scroll down to the bottom for projects and discussion board)

[glenn kangiser]

Yup - the solar panels are easy and dependable for whatever they do.  The wind generator is great in storms and wind where the panels may not put out.

[Bishopknight]

Hey pro,

looking great. I think you should seriously consider Jens mailbox stove. I'm thinking about putting a double mailbox stove in my house, I dont think 1 would be enough 

Panel system looks good, I almost bought one of those marine batteries from costco initially but then found a great deal on craigslist for some AGM's at $40 a piece. Haven't found anything close to them since

[glenn kangiser]

The Costco Marine batteries don't hold up well.  For a smaller system, golf cart batteries would be best - then next step is L16's of which we bought 8 today.

[MountainDon]

The so called Marine Deep Cycle batteries are a waste of money for a home/cabin alternative power system. Golf cart GC2 size are the minimum, IMO. L16's are a better choice, but a tad heavy at about 125 lbs. each. AGM's have their advantages as far as watering goes (none required). It all depends on how much storage capacity one needs.

Glenn, are the new ones additions or replacements?

[glenn kangiser]

What I am going to do is separate the old batteries from the new ones - maybe weed out the 4 worst from the 12 existing unless I can recover all of them -- I have a couple bad cells that don't want to come up.

I will run the 8 new ones in a group on the main inverter with the new MPPT controller and run the others on the older PWM 45 amp trace.  That will leave me some to power to balance the batteries back and forth I think or maybe an equalizer switch -- looking for the best way for these but the old ones are 4 and 5 years old and not totally done with yet.

I already have two sets of feeder cables - will have to play with this to balance it out.

[Bishopknight]

Nice glenn,

I'm interested to hear how that works out.  My panels keep getting snow on them and my bank is very low because of it. Thankfully AGMs can go down very low without harm.

[prohomesteader]

i'll have to reread the past posts when I upgrade my battery bank, right now i've just got 1 generic marine deep cycle from wal mart that does all I need

here's me rambling and asking questions about homesteading, my house, and the land, I go in the house and on the deck for a few at about halfway through the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnycjIDkQvI

[Redoverfarm]

 prohomesteader

Just took a quick glimps at your video.  Real Golden Globe performance. Here are a couple of suggestions in reference to your plans.

1. Strip grazing has one major disadvantage and that being "water" . Livestock will need to be in contact with a water source.  With Strip grazing the water source will either have to be portable or designed to allow the livestock to reach a permanent water source from any location they are moved to.  You could do a circular plot with the water source in the center and the grazing divided into pie sections.  I think another key to your grazing would be freqent rotation as goats are like sheep in that they will eat the grasses down to and including the roots.  I am sure that cost is on your mind but if you go with strip grazing I would consider fencing the areas rather than a teather as it will make it so much easier to maintain entrance to a water source and allow better animal rotation.

2. Root cellars to work properly need to be buried or at least partially.  So with that in mind you sould find a steep embankment in which to embed the back portion allowing the front to be open for the door.  It doesn't appear that there is a steep embankment so you can go with what you have and then build up the soil around it to form your own embankment.

3. If you are building a barn then try to situate it some distance from the house and if possible not up hill from your well.  I am sure you are considering the wind as you mentioned a windmill.  Situate the barn as the doors are not facing the most previlant wind source.  It is possible to incorporate your root cellar in the foundation of your barn and not have the need for two individual structure.

4.  Barrier to the hill between your house and the barn.  Look like an ideal spot for an orchard.  Try not to incorporate your orchard near the grazing area as grazing animals and leaves usually don't mix.

5.  Chickens. Yeah they need water also.  Again trying to incorporate all that you have into one central area would be a plus.  Consider adding a portion of the barn for the chicken pen.

You might trying to sketch out all the areas that you are wanting to incorporate into the space you have.  You might even think about a centralized barn that serves as a "hub" for everything else. 

I am sure you have your own ideas but these are just a couple to help with your decisions.  This is just off the top of my head.  If I think of anything else I will get back to you. 

[soomb]

I have not watched the video but in seeing ProHome's responses it triggered a thought from something I saw on "Renovation Nation"  on the Green channel, "chicken trucks"? I think that is what they were called.  Should be able to find it on iTunes.  Anyway, they are small chicken coops that are built with frame lumber in a triangular frame (think A frame house) and the walls and floor are chicken wire (who would have guessed).  They are designed with an extended ridge beam (both ends) so a person can move them, either in a circle or move both ends and work your way across a grass section.  The chickens peck the soil, eat the bugs, and poop.  They provide great fertilizer.  So in theory, you could have the chickens work the soil in one section and the goat could reap the benefits by grazing on the grass in a section the chickens have already set up for growth.  Just a thought.

[prohomesteader]

@soomb - yeah, they are chicken "tractors"   pretty neat

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chicken+tractor

@redover - thanks for the responses they really got me thinking

the grazing and getting a few goats water is no big deal, but I was thinking about if I had to pack water to 15 different places it might get old really quick, same thing with going 20 places to feed things.

will for sure try the mapping things out and using a barn as a "hub" so to limit the running around

thanks

[phalynx]

Hey, I almost saw a snow flurry!!!!    I feel special...  I am going to study your video for a bit and then formulate a response.  We have done some of the stuff you are wanting to do. 

We really like the book The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It There is so much knowledge in it. 

First thing is, I hope you are used to planting......  It's going to be tough work until you know what you are doing.  We had upwards of 1.5 acres planted and we would have never done it without the tractor.  You need to be concerned about wildlife eating your gardens.  You will want some high fences.  I am not sure about strip grazing.  I would definately try rotation grazing in small crossfenced areas.  rotate the animals throughout.

[ScottA]

I agree with redoverfarm on the orchard. I was going to suggest the same thing. From experience I'd put the cellar and the barn pretty close to the house 30-40' or so away at most 50'. Think also about down wind if you plan to keep animals in the barn in winter. You'll be walking there alot and a long walk will get old quick. Same for the veggie garden. Keep it close by. For livestock water is the trick (redoverfarm is right again on this one). As for crops you'll have to fertilize after a year or two depending on your soil. Unless you make your own this is a big expense. Might want to reconsider that depending on how committed you are. From looking at the size of you place I'd say 1-2 dairy goats 25 or so chickens and maybe a couple of hogs if you can get away with them in your area. A cow would need alot of feed and tear up alot of ground.

[phalynx]

I can tell you that 25 chickens will dump about 15-20 eggs a day on average... Egg salad can get old quick   However, fresh eggs are always wanted by neighbors. We build a mobile chicken coop and then never moved it.  We let them free range for a long while until the coyotes and hawks started eating chicken before I did.  Now we have a 4' fence in a confined area and let them roam there.  Ours lay lots more eggs if they are allowed to roam over an area than in a smaller area.  For our next farm, we'll build a couple of chicken runs out of 6' high chicken wire with an electric line around it to keep both sides on their side.  I figure 2 runs and alternate them every other month.

I had also tried to come up with a way to build a moveable fence that would circle the coop like the hands of a clock.  This would allow you to have them in 1 area, maybe 3-4 spots in the winter, then plant something there afterward and cycle through the year, moving planting, etc..  I haven't figured out all the parts of that but I thought it might work.

[prohomesteader]

@phalynx - yeah we've got the book and love it!

@scotta - I want the barn closer to the house, my wife want's it farther away, she says it will stink, we'll see

probably map things out this weekend.  been in the teens here the last few days so no working for me