scoutmum
Senior Member
North Queensland
Posts: 189 
Likes: 344
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Post by scoutmum on Nov 11, 2014 6:22:29 GMT 10
In 1719 log records how Australia was locked in the grip of a drought in which masses of flying foxes and birds were recorded falling dead from the trees due to the searing heat. "Up to 20,000 of them were seen in the space of a mile."
How do you handle the heat if you don't even have fans, let alone air cons?
I quite often run a cold bath and put the kids and myself in it, but that's not going to work much longer this year... It's now hot enough outside that my hot water tap has become pretty much redundant. I know also, that many of the early settlers found their water tanks became too hot for bathing in the summer.
The best way to keep cool I know of is the Coober Pedy solution: go underground. Here in NQ, though, that can be highly dangerous -- people in basements get killed in flash flooding.
So how would you stay cool and survive?
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Post by You Must Enter A Name on Nov 11, 2014 6:45:27 GMT 10
In 1719 log records how Australia was locked in the grip of a drought in which masses of flying foxes and birds were recorded falling dead from the trees due to the searing heat. "Up to 20,000 of them were seen in the space of a mile." How do you handle the heat if you don't even have fans, let alone air cons? I quite often run a cold bath and put the kids and myself in it, but that's not going to work much longer this year... It's now hot enough outside that my hot water tap has become pretty much redundant. I know also, that many of the early settlers found their water tanks became too hot for bathing in the summer. The best way to keep cool I know of is the Coober Pedy solution: go underground. Here in NQ, though, that can be highly dangerous -- people in basements get killed in flash flooding. So how would you stay cool and survive? Depending on humidity, a swamp cooler. You can utilise a draft rather than running a fan through it. |
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remnantprep
Senior Member
People do not exist for the sake of governments!
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Email: remnant@ausprep.org
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Post by remnantprep on Nov 11, 2014 8:01:54 GMT 10
I am getting cooling mats! Something like below. ww.innovations.com.au/p/electronics/craft-games/cooling-mat-pillow-pad or cooling clothing. www.coolweave.com.au/ |
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krull68
VIP Member
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Post by krull68 on Nov 11, 2014 8:20:34 GMT 10
Cotton poncho soaked in water. I have one made from calico. the colour doesn't matter, just make it big enough to reach your knees back and front.
If you put it in the water, let it soak, then wring it out so it is just damp, that works for a few hours.
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Frank
VIP Member
APF Life Member
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Post by Frank on Nov 11, 2014 10:20:44 GMT 10
Shade, water and airflow, gotta have airflow
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Post by graynomad on Nov 13, 2014 21:28:18 GMT 10
Airflow and wet clothes. No breeze, manual fans I guess.
But I gotta ask, why would you not have power and therefore fans.
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Post by Peter on Nov 14, 2014 8:12:58 GMT 10
Drink hot black coffee or tea. Avoid cold drinks. Seems weird, huh?
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Post by SA Hunter on Nov 15, 2014 0:34:28 GMT 10
Me? Well, now I would walk 100m to the beach and lay in the water!!!
I guess i could also lay on the concrete floor in the shed!!!!
Also got a few small battery operated fans - seems to just blow hot air at you, but any breeze is better than no breeze!
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Post by thereth on Nov 15, 2014 3:45:50 GMT 10
Swim in a dam or rain water tank. I used to love diving into the old tanks when i was a little tacker. Aside from that get some decent air movement through the house (open back and frot door while everything else is closed) with a mist setup at the entry to help cool the air. The mist setup are cheap enough to make yourself, can run straight off water pressure if done right (no power required), use a reasonable small amount of water and can really help you cool down.
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Post by SA Hunter on Nov 15, 2014 11:59:54 GMT 10
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Post by SA Hunter on Nov 15, 2014 12:03:37 GMT 10
I also added a thread in the DIY section on home made coolers/air conditioners.
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remnantprep
Senior Member
People do not exist for the sake of governments!
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Email: remnant@ausprep.org
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Post by remnantprep on Nov 15, 2014 17:14:27 GMT 10
Thanks Jay!
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Post by thereth on Nov 15, 2014 19:02:42 GMT 10
That looks pretty good jay, but I would like to see some numbers (I have emailed them) about the price of the unit v the efficiency, as you may be better off just adding a larger capacity solar system to your house and powering a standard aircon normally through the house solar. This would allow you to use the excess power the panels make for whatever you want if you dont need the aircon. Whereas he was saying that the solar panels are directly hooked into the aircon which to me means wasted energy when you arent using it. When they get back to me with the figures ill crunch some numbers and see what they say. |
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Post by thereth on Nov 15, 2014 19:18:16 GMT 10
personally i would prefer one of these www.bonaire.com.au/cooling/EvaporativeCooling/BonaireDurango.aspxAccording to them, this unit will cost 25c to run if run over 8 hours at a per unit cost of 14c. So using that to find out how many units it uses over 8 hours would be 25 / 14 = 1.786 divide that by the 8 hours and you have an average consumption of 223.25 watts per hour. Also taking into account this unit is designed to cool 75m2 instead of 30m2 as per the solar unit means you would need less of them to cool a house. Finally the motor is basically a glorified pond pump and fan, compared to the traditional compressor style of the solar aircon which, unless it is an inverter style system, has a large draw upon starting. Using a unit like this in conjunction with a solar system would again mean you could use the excess power to either use other appliances or charge your batteries during the times the aircon isnt needed, which to me is the biggest advantage over the solar AC. Just my 2c anyway, hopefully it gives you some more info to chew over |
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Post by SA Hunter on Nov 15, 2014 19:26:23 GMT 10
Mate, the info you gave us is really useful. Thanks.
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Post by spinifex on Oct 25, 2017 19:30:01 GMT 10
Last winter I dug myself a small cellar in a well shaded part of the home block. Not so great for keeping people cool, but works really well for keeping wine and food (mostly root vegetables) at 12-17 degrees C even during the hottest summer weather. Dug the thing by hand so the health benefits of the exercise was a bonus.
For people cooling: the farm where I grew up had a 4m X 5m X 2m(high) cubic trellis placed over a septic tank soakage pit. The trellis was covered in luxuriant grape vine growth that fed from the sewerage water. On a 40 degree day it was always about 8 to 10 degrees cooler inside the 'grape room'.
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Beno
Senior Member
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Location: Northern Rivers
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Post by Beno on Oct 25, 2017 19:45:43 GMT 10
i was reading a plaque at bullita homestead where the Durak family settled back in the real old days in the victoria river distric NT. the wife and kids would dig a hole in the shade and settle there on the extreme heat days. if it was dangerous heat i'd do similar. my dog does the same type of thing in Broken hill so there is some sense it it all. apart from that its shade, water and electrolytes if im working.
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Post by Joey on Oct 26, 2017 19:03:29 GMT 10
Regular shade cloth works wonder with reducing the heat. I used to make roll up blinds for a company and standing in the summer arvo sun installing a blind on a veranda was sweaty work, as soon as you drop that blind, the temp change feels like at least 10deg
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Post by spinifex on Oct 26, 2017 19:28:37 GMT 10
Nice one FB. I have one of those a 10 minute walk away as well. Proper cold Southern Ocean water. Rich in sharkey goodness. Also rich in Rock Lobster ... so it cools and nourishes. More good reasons to 'dig in' at a coastal location.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Oct 27, 2017 23:35:33 GMT 10
I would like to know who was keeping a log on Australian weather conditions in 1719
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? Not sure if it is totally electricity free, but looks good. More homework to be done.
