Comment by usrusr

7 hours ago

Needs "2011" in the title. For example the section about friction drive hasn't been true for about a decade now

Not to mention they’re talking about lead-acid batteries, which have been replaced for pretty much every application, except (for now) starter motor batteries for combustion vehicles, by the various lithium batteries.

  • To be fair (as a joke), it's from Low Tech Magazine. Lithium batteries are too high-tech for them. They want you to power your mechanical blender, mixer, and other machines with a drive belt. Turn the drum of your washing machine with a wood fire heating the water.

    • Solar panels I think are too high tech for them.

      I remember reading about low tech efficient cook stoves for poor countries and thinking the misses would rather have an induction burner, microwave, and an ice chest running off a solar panel.

      4 replies →

Nobody would (or should, at least) be using a lead-acid battery for this in 2026, either.

Full-cycle efficiency should be higher now. And the inverter. And the generator.