I’m a 32 year old male living in Portland, OR. If you have any questions, have something to offer or would like to collaborate on a project. I can be reached at: 100yearfridge@gmail.com
This is my LinkedIn Profile ( It’s not something I fool around with much )
In 2014, my wife and I purchased a used motorhome for permanent habitation. The plan is to make improvements to the rig in solar power, wind power, storage, aesthetic mods, adding a composting toilet, some sort of solar greywater heat recovery, solar dehumidification and ventilation. We are also looking to make modifications to our own behavior so that our lifestyles mesh well with the available technology, with conservation being priority one.
We’ll be returning to a rural setting, where we’ll resume gardening, food preservation, composting, and the like. I will be making efforts to reduce my need for electricity and the frivolous things that need it. The main focus of that attention is on building a passive refrigerator, and a low exergy freezer system.
Progress is just a myth. Technology can improve your life, until you can’t remember living with out it. Then you serve it. Think.
-M.C. Pletcher
musings on entropy 
mr praxis,
Hi,
This is bharat from India,
lately, I was seriously wondering whether it is possible to create a pedal powered refrigerator.
I searched the net, but all of them are misleading,
My idea is that pedal powere be Directly used to rotate the vapor compressor,
instead of first creating electricity and then using it to run the motor.
i was surprised to discover on wiki that early refrigerators were asembled on banks of rivers.
the river rotated the compressor.
later on, electric motor was intorduced.
So, what the river was doing, why cant we.
——
thanks and regards
bharat
India ( the country beside china)
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You are absolutely right, Bharat! Although many people would probably not want to pedal their refrigerator, some very well may. The only necessity as I see it, is to make a refrigerator that can be cooled down in a reasonable time through pedaling, and then hold that temperature for a day or so. Anything else would be useless, except for educational purposes.
-Mike
USA ( The country where people are geographically illiterate )
Though there are several core perspectives you’ve shared that are polar opposite to my own, I did want to share a couple new thermodynamic concepts that I’ve toyed with and see what you thought. Although my ideas are not original I have not found anything as of yet out there utilizing them to any degree of practicality.
Regarding my idea, keep in mind the question that any input or direction you can offer would be greatly appreciated. Although Ive been a commercial refrigeration contractor for near 20 years and my grasp of thermodynamic theory is fairly strong, I tend to be more a concept oriented person rather than technical. So what that means is that I would be more likely to build a system through trial and error rather than sitting at a drawing board and working through formulas.
Designing a system that utilizes a specific refrigerant within a closed loop absorption system to maintain the required volume and pressure drop needed to operate a small scale Turbo-Expander which would be able to generate on sight electricity. Its not to difficult to find conditions within specific climates with decent size temperature heat sources and difference.
Hey! I’d love to hear any advice you have for me in regards to appliances for my tiny house!
Hi my name is Soban I’m a student. I want to create an air conditioner which could work on 12 volts. I’ve searched for a 12 volt compressor for ac on Internet but I’m confused wich compressor is able to do the job can you please help me.
Thank you
Hi Soban. 12 volt DC compressors are certainly available, but are not yet common. You can try alibaba.com
If you can find a DC compressor rated at similar wattage to the AC compressor you are replacing, you should be close to getting the right one. One issues you may find, is that the current you need to supply to it at 12 VDC is excessive. You may find it better to try a 24 VDC or 48 VDC compressor. They may be easier to find in larger capacities.
Let me know if that helps or if you have more questions.
-Mike
Hey Mike!
It seems I’m very late to the party here, hope you’re still around.
I’ve been dabbling in cooling systems for months now and I finally ran into your youtube videos, great stuff!