Cass Tippit

I just started a new thread about this exact topic. Not the OP's topic, but the absorption fridge by solar trough idea. Would love to see this convo get up and going again.

I've looked high and low, and I can't seem to find any examples of this on a small scale, home use type of setup. Industrial applications of solar powered absorption cooling have been around for years. Does anyone have any experience, or know of anyone who has tried to scale it down? My very general idea would be to place an evacuated tube in a parabolic trough, with the collector end heating the area that would normally be heated by the propane flame. Then at night, switch to a bio-gas flame if it is a refrigerator, or just let it sit with  nothing happening if it is a freezer and gets cold enough during the day to maintain freezing temps over night. I'm not an engineer, just a hobbyist, so be gentle. Lol

As long as you let them cure (dry out) first, you should be fine. Proper drainage behind the wall is more of an issue when it comes to moisture, then the bags themselves. I've seen several people build these is Canada, so 8 really don't think the cold is going to be am issue so long as you berm it well, drain it well, and use a thermal break. But I'm ko expert, just obsessive. Lol

Gilbert Fritz wrote:I'm no expert, but I've heard that heavy mass designs are more suitable for warmer climates, and that in very cold places insulating designs are better.

If he was planning a freestanding structure, I would agree with you. But if he is going to berm it, like an earthship, it will have plenty of insulation. Winters in the high desert are frigid, and the original earthships of Taos do just fine. I think you'll be ok.

All this talk about how strong the bags are....The bags only purpose is to hold the adobe in form until it cures. After that the bags can rot away and it won't matter. The bags themselves serve no structural purpose.

Awesome, thanks for the reply. Can't wait to see more pics. Subbed your Youtube channel.

Hey, really love what you're doing. I'm curious, is the berm actually up against the back wall? I only ask because I want to do an earthbag earthship, but the only one i've seen attempted had issues with the weight of the earth warping, and eventually collapsing , the bermed wall. I would imagine your's isn't truly bermed, otherwise why bother putting windows back there. lol