Where I live, the HARD water comes from 2 park owned wells in the park, and sewage is via 2 septic systems(The B side has a larger and newer system, than the older A side system), both of which are owned by the park and the latter is pumped when needed, the nat gas comes from SW Gas, Electricity comes from SCE and the DWR, Trash is handled by Burrtec who bills the Park(like the Elec and Gas do also). The Park started sometime in the 1950's or maybe the 1960's, so the place is old and is being updated and lots of delayed repairs are being made(delayed by a former owner who would not spend more than $100 per unit to do any rehab). Relocating this mobile home would have to be to a lot on its own land in Adelanto CA near My Nephew that's zoned for a mobile home, since I couldn't afford the space rent elsewhere, if the park had to close and this would be at the parks expense under CA law, so far everything is going ok here.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Older mobile home parks are unique. I own one in Palmdale. The water is from a well on site and we had septic, but connected to the public waste water system a couple of years ago. It's operated as a non-profit. Every penny paid as rent goes right back into it. Even it's administrative expenses are absorbed by other market rate rentals. Tenants pay rent and water to the park. Everything else is paid to the provider.

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This park is 8 acres in size(which technically has 88 spaces and is accepting privately owned mobile homes($215 space rent a month for privately owned mobile homes only, higher for parked owned mobile homes) and is renting out empty mobile homes) and is close to the i15 and the i40 fwys, but is 12 miles from real shopping and such, here it's fast food(Jack in the Box, Dairy Queen and Subway), gas/truck stop, 2 diners(Pennys & Peggy Sues), a motel, a bar, some shopping, an auto repair place(just started up in the last year, that's rare in Yermo, a new business), the Post Office, a small grocery store, 2 military bases and a used furniture store.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

This park is 8 acres in size(which technically has 88 spaces and is accepting privately owned mobile homes($215 space rent a month for privately owned mobile homes only, higher for parked owned mobile homes) and is renting out empty mobile homes) and is close to the i15 and the i40 fwys, but is 12 miles from real shopping and such, here it's fast food(Jack in the Box, Dairy Queen and Subway), gas/truck stop, 2 diners(Pennys & Peggy Sues), a motel, a bar, some shopping, an auto repair place(just started up in the last year, that's rare in Yermo, a new business), the Post Office, a small grocery store, 2 military bases and a used furniture store.

Almost identical to the one I have. The one I have is full and rent is a little higher. When I got it there was nothing for miles. Now there are homes all around it. It was actually given to me on the condition that I keep operating it as a non-profit for at least 10 years. The 10 are up but it's still a non-profit.

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This park is 8 acres in size(which technically has 88 spaces and is accepting privately owned mobile homes($215 space rent a month for privately owned mobile homes only, higher for parked owned mobile homes) and is renting out empty mobile homes) and is close to the i15 and the i40 fwys, but is 12 miles from real shopping and such, here it's fast food(Jack in the Box, Dairy Queen and Subway), gas/truck stop, 2 diners(Pennys & Peggy Sues), a motel, a bar, some shopping, an auto repair place(just started up in the last year, that's rare in Yermo, a new business), the Post Office, a small grocery store, 2 military bases and a used furniture store.

Almost identical to the one I have. The one I have is full and rent is a little higher. When I got it there was nothing for miles. Now there are homes all around it. It was actually given to me on the condition that I keep operating it as a non-profit for at least 10 years. The 10 are up but it's still a non-profit.

Being in a hot desert 12 miles from the closest outpost of civilization has limited any real build out here, opportunity is pretty limited out here and finding employable people seems to be very difficult too, the next closest city is Victorville CA some 30 miles beyond Barstow, in between is a lot of empty desert, no towns, no visible water and no electrical power.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

Tell me about it. I thought those eggbeaters where neat, then I found out about the cost to wildlife.

I should think that some of the attrition of birds due to wind power generation would be somewhat offset by the benefits of reducing the coal powered electricity generation that they replace. Better air quality has to be better for birds too.

And as usual, those who are making an issue of it do not take into account the benefit side of the equation.

There are costs to everything. The solar panels we put on our house this spring will eventually end up in the landfill when their life expectancy runs out. Energy was expended in their creation as well.

When a common bird, such as a starling, dies in a wind farm accident, the cost, sadly, is not just "one bird". The rotting carcass underneath is an invitation to scavengers, like rats. Rats then attract raptors, who are far less common than starlings. The raptor then dies, the rat population flourishes and the vicious cycle continues.

I am not against wind-farms. I just think that the wild-life costs need to be factored in in determining where and how many wind farms should be built.

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Tell me about it. I thought those eggbeaters where neat, then I found out about the cost to wildlife.

I should think that some of the attrition of birds due to wind power generation would be somewhat offset by the benefits of reducing the coal powered electricity generation that they replace. Better air quality has to be better for birds too.

And as usual, those who are making an issue of it do not take into account the benefit side of the equation.

There are costs to everything. The solar panels we put on our house this spring will eventually end up in the landfill when their life expectancy runs out. Energy was expended in their creation as well.

When a common bird, such as a starling, dies in a wind farm accident, the cost, sadly, is not just "one bird". The rotting carcass underneath is an invitation to scavengers, like rats. Rats then attract raptors, who are far less common than starlings. The raptor then dies, the rat population flourishes and the vicious cycle continues.

I am not against wind-farms. I just think that the wild-life costs need to be factored in in determining where and how many wind farms should be built.

Noooo, do not throw the pannels away. Almost everything in them can and should be recycled. Some pannels have some nasty suff in them too. The recycling should be included in your purchase agreement. Our pannels (First Solar) all have an 800 number to call and they will be picked up.

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Noooo, do not throw the pannels away. Almost everything in them can and should be recycled. Some pannels have some nasty suff in them too. The recycling should be included in your purchase agreement. Our pannels (First Solar) all have an 800 number to call and they will be picked up.

I will check our contract.

Frankly, by the time our panels need recylcing I imagine people will be mining our landfills for for all sorts of treasures.

Carlos, some day your grandchildren are going to look you in the eye and say "Grandpa, you BURNT petroleum???!!! You just stuck it in your "car" and burned it all up???!!! We really could have used that now for making plastics. Dang."

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Noooo, do not throw the pannels away. Almost everything in them can and should be recycled. Some pannels have some nasty suff in them too. The recycling should be included in your purchase agreement. Our pannels (First Solar) all have an 800 number to call and they will be picked up.

I will check our contract.

Frankly, by the time our panels need recylcing I imagine people will be mining our landfills for for all sorts of treasures.

Carlos, some day your grandchildren are going to look you in the eye and say "Grandpa, you BURNT petroleum???!!! You just stuck it in your "car" and burned it all up???!!! We really could have used that now for making plastics. Dang."

In B5 Garibaldi was restoreing a motorcycle. Lennier walks in and is incredious when he finds out that it burns petroleum. In the end Lennier completed the restoration with a clean Minbari power source. Yes the future is written on this issue. Even now there is legislation that has been proposed SB-350 that would require 50% of all Cars registered in CA to be electrict by 2030. Not sure if that will pass but keeping an eye on it.

Even now I drive a little TDI Audi. If i drive conservaatively it will give me over 60 mpg on a gallon of diesel.

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I am racking up my creds before Skynet figures out what I am doing.
One day soon, bolt is gonna be sent my way to take all the rigs out.

And this is not just conjecture, this is fact.

Skynet don't like any rouge networks in it's path.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

...Even now there is legislation that has been proposed that would require 50% of all Cars registered in CA to be electrict by 2020. Not sure if that will pass but keeping an eye on it.

Again, all power comes at a cost. I am not against electric cars. Eric and I both drive hybrids. But when you say "electric cars" I have to comment that not all electricity is created equal. Would it help to have an electric car, and plug it in all night, if the electricity in one's area was supplied by a coal burning plant??? Hydro-electric power certainly comes at an environmental cost. Nuclear energy comes with environmental risks.

Eric and I pride ourselves in being green. We recycle. We conserve. We eat lots of vegetarian meals. We support environmental causes. We drive hybirds. Our roof now has solar panels all over it. But the greenest thing we have ever done in our lives is not reproduce ourselves.

It is my hope that every measure we take to walk lightly on this earth is made in step with attempts to slow, control and ultimately reduce our species' over-population of planet Earth through efforts to eradicate poverty and educate women.

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Noooo, do not throw the pannels away. Almost everything in them can and should be recycled. Some pannels have some nasty suff in them too. The recycling should be included in your purchase agreement. Our pannels (First Solar) all have an 800 number to call and they will be picked up.

I will check our contract.

Frankly, by the time our panels need recylcing I imagine people will be mining our landfills for for all sorts of treasures.

Carlos, some day your grandchildren are going to look you in the eye and say "Grandpa, you BURNT petroleum???!!! You just stuck it in your "car" and burned it all up???!!! We really could have used that now for making plastics. Dang."

In B5 Garibaldi was restoreing a motorcycle. Lennier walks in and is incredious when he finds out that it burns petroleum. In the end Lennier completed the restoration with a clean Minbari power source. Yes the future is written on this issue. Even now there is legislation that has been proposed SB-350 that would require 50% of all Cars registered in CA to be electrict by 2030. Not sure if that will pass but keeping an eye on it.

Even now I drive a little TDI Audi. If i drive conservaatively it will give me over 60 mpg on a gallon of diesel.

I'd love a used, yet modern VW Bug TDI(47mpg I've heard, better than My 30mpg), just as long as the tranny is an automatic and there is no blasted sun roof, still I have a 16yr old car that passed smog today, as it has done since 2008, a Ford Escort zx2 Sport Hot Coupe, it just keeps on ticking...

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

I'd love a used, yet modern VW Bug TDI(47mpg I've heard, better than My 30mpg), just as long as the tranny is an automatic and there is no blasted sun roof, still I have a 16yr old car that passed smog today, as it has done since 2008, a Ford Escort zx2 Sport Hot Coupe, it just keeps on ticking...

What's wrong with a sun roof? I have one and it has never given me a problem. I hardly ever use it, but that's another matter.

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

I'd love a used, yet modern VW Bug TDI(47mpg I've heard, better than My 30mpg), just as long as the tranny is an automatic and there is no blasted sun roof, still I have a 16yr old car that passed smog today, as it has done since 2008, a Ford Escort zx2 Sport Hot Coupe, it just keeps on ticking...

What's wrong with a sun roof? I have one and it has never given me a problem. I hardly ever use it, but that's another matter.

I live in a hot, sunny desert, black seats get very hot in the sun here, that's why.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

I'd love a used, yet modern VW Bug TDI(47mpg I've heard, better than My 30mpg), just as long as the tranny is an automatic and there is no blasted sun roof, still I have a 16yr old car that passed smog today, as it has done since 2008, a Ford Escort zx2 Sport Hot Coupe, it just keeps on ticking...

What's wrong with a sun roof? I have one and it has never given me a problem. I hardly ever use it, but that's another matter.

I live in a hot, sunny desert, black seats get very hot in the sun here, that's why.

Isn't there an inside panel to block out the sun when it's closed?

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David
Sitting on my butt while others boldly go,
Waiting for a message from a small furry creature from Alpha Centauri.

...Even now there is legislation that has been proposed that would require 50% of all Cars registered in CA to be electrict by 2020. Not sure if that will pass but keeping an eye on it.

Again, all power comes at a cost. I am not against electric cars. Eric and I both drive hybrids. But when you say "electric cars" I have to comment that not all electricity is created equal. Would it help to have an electric car, and plug it in all night, if the electricity in one's area was supplied by a coal burning plant??? Hydro-electric power certainly comes at an environmental cost. Nuclear energy comes with environmental risks.

Eric and I pride ourselves in being green. We recycle. We conserve. We eat lots of vegetarian meals. We support environmental causes. We drive hybirds. Our roof now has solar panels all over it. But the greenest thing we have ever done in our lives is not reproduce ourselves.

It is my hope that every measure we take to walk lightly on this earth is made in step with attempts to slow, control and ultimately reduce our species' over-population of planet Earth through efforts to eradicate poverty and educate women.

Good point about clean vs dirty electricity. But the SB also requires greater renewables. Still the best estimates is a net reduction of only 1% in gloabal greenhouse gases.

On my Audi does have an inner cover for the sunroof. Very similar cars. The Audi just has less wind resitance, thus the better mileage from the same engine.

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Not only better aerodynamics but a slightly different tune and transmission.
Even visully small changes can have large changes in energy usage. Looking at my car (which is about as aerodynamic as a house brick) the change in the grill slats on newer models has improved both the cooling and energy consumption. And changes have a perverse effect- again looking at my car there are three states of tune, 145,160 & 190 bhp, the only changes being the fuelling map in the ECU, m8ne started with the 160 map, the previous owner had the 145 map installed in an attempt to improve the economy, but after a few months reverted to the 160 map as the economy was worse. I decided to try the 190 map, and was quite amazed at the improvement, up from 30mpg to 40mpg (not only on the dashborad but also on miles per tank which stepped from less than 400 to over 500 a saving of more than a fill up per month).

Anyway, back to alternative sources of local energy production, this autumn/winter I'm planning to fit a couple of solar panels to my boat. OK, I know it sounds strange to do it when it is cold and dull, but that is when many of the suppliers in the UK offer their biggest discounts. The energy reason is that I want to reduce the bill for keeping the boat batteries charged and the marina has just increased the cost of electricity by about 60% The boat has a total battery capacity of about 800Ahr of batteries in three banks with a central charging system which will take an input from a solar regulator.

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Wind vs Solar in the marine enviornment.

I had a wind generator on my boat.

Here is good review about choosing about which would work better for you.

As for wind, here is a good review of the top 5 wind generators.

I still think I would go with wind over solar. If money allowed I would have a mix of both.

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Chris - all the lighting on my boat is low voltage, indeed just about everything is apart from the power tool chargers, vacuum cleaner and microwave.
Carlos - wind is more popular over here on the big waterways and at sea, I'm based on the canal network where wind was, but folks are moving to solar because it is less of a problem when cruising (no worries about low bridges, branches or tunnels).

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Bob Smith
Member of Seti PIPPS (Pluto is a Planet Protest Society)
Somewhere in the (un)known Universe?

Sunday. September 6th. 2015 @4.43 PM. [GMT-0800]. Day of year = 249

Hi,
Just a few words for any thinking of going solar. We did it over the past few months and learned a lot!

First off, if you live in an area with a HOA, they will likely charge you a $500 "security deposit." We paid it in May when we applied for permission to have a large solar company do the install. The install was finished July 14th, and approved by our city building dept, but we did not get "permission to operate" (they call it PTO), from SDG&E, our local south of Los Angeles power company until the 2nd week in August. Our HOA refund is still "pending." We've been told they may "cut a check" after their board meeting in late September. The HOA has very strict rules on the number of panels given the "shape" of our roof. For one, there had to be a minimum of 3 ft clearance from the edge of a roof and clearance around rooftop exhaust vents. We wound up with 14 3 ft X 5 ft panels. We wanted 20, but, in view of what we found out the past week, we're GLAD we were limited to 14.

We learned a week ago that a person who had solar commercially installed went for the "max" his roof would hold, and the solar company did not warn him to "be careful." The person thought, as some of you reading this may think, that "the more the merrier." He put in about 25 panels so as to generate more than the power he actually needed, even with A/C running 24/7. The power company in the Los Angeles area would NOT allow him to connect to the grid. They said that with so many panels, generating more power than he used, he was now putting himself in the position of a "power provider" and in competition with the utility company. His only recourse was to remove maybe 1/2 his panels, OR spend another $2500 or so for a "battery backup." This backup would allow him to completely remove himself from the grid. He is LUCKY he is not in an HOA area.

If you buy a solar system from a commercial source, be CAREFUL. There are TWO different kinds now being sold. One is a "parallel" connection of panels, each with it own 280 watt inverter. You WANT this kind. The other, an older cheaper type is a "series connected" like "Christmas tree lights" type. You DON'T want this. :) You can monitor all your panels daily with the parallel type, but not with the series type, and like a Christmas tree, if one panel goes bad, your whole system shuts off.

So far we are VERY happy with our 14 panels. Our first monthly bill with solar was 62% LESS than the same time last year! Wow. Our solar company installed a monitor system that uses our home wi-fi and sends performance data 24/7 to themselves. In addition we can track the power generated in 15 minute increments during the day on-line. we get a reading of peak power generated in kW and total energy in kWh. Nice.

I purposely did not mention business names here as I don't think I should advertise using this forum. I don't think it would be right.

Solar is GREAT, but if you live in an HOA area, find out everything up front from your installer. Also, as noted above, if you live in the boonies be careful about becoming a "power provider" in competition with your power company.

We are now "tied in" with our power provider in what is called their "net metering" system. we're only required to pay our electric company once/year for the power they had to provide us that our solar can't. We are "grandfathered" in for 20 years. Those just starting a solar install now may not be as lucky.

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River Song (aka Linda Latte on planet Earth)
"Happy I-Phone girl on the GO GO GO"