Tiny House Nation

[mobile_bob]

it is a new show on the "FYI" channel, we get it on dish network

i say new, they have wrapped up the first season and i for one really enjoyed watching the projects

the whole idea or premise behind the "tiny house nation" is of course the "tiny" house.

most of those houses that they built this first season were ~250sq/ft of floor space, plus sleeping lofts
they for the most part were built on two axle trailer chassis's so that the owners could tow them whereever they
want to set up house.

while watching the season it sure was not lost on me how this fits with the offgrid thing we all are at least interested
in to some extent or another.  what also was clear is how easily one could heat and cool such a small space with a
micro cogenerator...  in most of these cases even a 6/1 would be overkill.

in most climates, or at least those more temperate, a cogenerator built on a HF 2 stroke 800 watt generator might well provide
all the needed power, and maybe enough heat!  (ok maybe i exaggerate a bit), however 3hp might well do a really good job of providing heat and power for a tiny house.  especially if coupled with a small battery bank and a modest solar array.

got to be honest it has been along time since i got excited about such a project.

i am considering a structure similar to a lighthouse, round tower affair, where i can put my water tank up in the roof, and build the place out of rock found in the property.  maybe two floors with a 3rd which would be a view deck area with windows all around.  somehow building such a structure and keeping it under maybe 400sq/ft would be pretty cool and quite livable if not full time, certainly as a getaway cabin. 

we still have a minipetter 3.5hp engine, water cooled... i am thinking it might do an adequate job of making all the electric power necessary, especially given i have more than enough pv panels to do the job. 

whatever the case, if this project is to happen, i will have to get busy... none of us is gettin any younger!

bob g

[veggie]

Hi Bob,

I was watching a documentary on Netflix the other night called "Tiny". Same subject.
They followed the process as a fellow and his girlfriend built a tiny 200 sq.ft. house.
They also interviewed many other tiny home owners.
It took the fellow about 3 months to build the house and it looked quite nice when completed.
They used a few solar panels, 2 batteries, and an inverter to power the 3 lights an 2 outlets in the home.
Cooking heat was via propane.
These homes are so small that many Marine Cabin products on the market become applicable.
One in particular is the vented micro-wood stoves made for boats. Many Tiny home owners use these to heat the whole home.
For micro-cogen I suggest a hybrid battery/generator system so that the engine is not running constantly. (NOISE)
Have the engine auto-start/stop whenever the batteries drop below a voltage threshold.
Gather the coolant heat by exchanging it into the domestic hot water tank.
If the DHW tank is already hot, dump the heat into a small fan coil or wall radiator until the batteries are charged and the engine shuts itself off.

The nice thing about these tiny homes is that one can wrap their head around the whole project.
Nowhere near as overwhelming as building a full sized home with foundation.
Incidentally, the documentary noted that the majority of owners build them on a flatdeck double axle trailer.
This classified the house as a portable non-permanent dwelling and skirts the need for permits and code compliance.
(Of course for safety it is usually best to follow good code practice)

keep us posted of your project ideas,
veggie

[LowGear]

I find these TV articles pretty fascinating too.  But I usually end up shopping "Airstream" - low price first on CL.  Once I looked at the actual cost of time and dollars I just couldn't-can't figure the tiny house movement.  Whether your ship plows through the sea or parking lots or a lot in the middle of nowhere Space is the constraint.  I live in 384 square feel, less spacious bath (5X5.5) and kitchen (4x10), three months a year.  I've learned so very much about real "needs" and when not to fart.

Oh, the ceiling is 6'-2"s.  Of course I painted it black - walls and ceiling.  It sounds neat until you can't find the paint tray to finish painting.  Back at the real house I've noticed that I don't really use that much more space. 

Be careful what you wish for.

Casey

[quinnf]

Speaking of small houses and code, and such, how does the treehouse Dude get past the bureaucrats to build treehouses with all the amenities?  Seems the concept of putting a (small) house in a tree, even if it wasn't for habitation, would generate a red tag in a New York minute.

[vdubnut62]

He's probably down here in God's own country, the South. He's also probably 'way out in the deep weeds.
Sorry guys, I do in fact, have a Confederate flag covering the back seat of my 4x4 Dodge. It's proudly been there since 2001.
Hello, my name is Ron, and I'm a Redneck.
Ron

[quinnf]

A friend helped his friend deliver his new "tiny house" to Herron Island in Puget Sound.  Somehow he located someone with a construction barge to take the house on a flatbed trailer and 4x4 pickup to the island.  Because of the 12' tidal range and the geometry of the landing site, it was important that they got there pretty close to high tide.  When they got to the island, my friend realized to his horror that he had left the keys to the truck in his car back in Tacoma.  So he was marooned with the tiny house/trailer/pickup on a construction barge on a falling tide. 

It turned out that a (ridiculously wealthy, as it turned out) Herron Island resident who was watching the landing had a really fast boat and the two of them made a relatively quick 35 mile (one way) trip to Tacoma and back.  They managed to get the tiny house/ trailer off the barge, but just barely.  Something about a big maple tree and the 4x4's winch was mentioned, but I didn't get the details. 

Quinn

[LowGear]

he had left the keys to the truck in his car back in Tacoma.

Where is Sigmund when you need him?  These are the sort of things that happen when you're doing something you really don't want to do.

So how is he going to power his tiny house especially on those almost 29 degree winter days?  Or as they say in Maine "An early spring, Ah."

Casey

[quinnf]

Solar panels and lead/acid batteries.  Friend's friend isn't going to live there full time.  It's a retreat for him to get away to on weekends.  He owns a small manufacturing business and has no family, so it's just him and a Maine Coon cat. 

[Ronmar]

In many municipalities, there is a low limit for the need for a building permit... 

[LowGear]

I just have to ask after escaping Pacific Northwest Winter weather with 55 years tenure - How is he going to power his solar panels?

Casey

I belonged to a small group that referred to November through March as Pathetic Northwest weather.

[vdubnut62]

To All,
   It has been brought to my attention that one of my previous posts was crass and ill-conceived.
I did return to that post with the intention of editing the offending portion, but was unable to do so.
   Here, where I live, we have a terrible drug and crime problem resulting from widely manufactured and available Methamphetamine. I have spent some time and money to ameliorate
this condition, to the level of purchase and destruction of property and a home in close proximity to my residence. (I was here first and I ain't leaving!)
I have cultivated the perception of a crazy violent redneck. It seems to help keep the nuts, certifiably crazy and thieves(read that as meth addicts)away. I do forget myself from time to time and that persona does carry over to things where it is not welcome.
I do sincerely apologize for my comments.
Ron.