20190114 - Heat is Important

    This morning isn't going to make it into the top ten of Arizona Desert Mornings. It's only 45 degrees with an expected high of 58.  Of course, back in Columbia Falls it is only 20 and they'll be lucky to hit freezing. It's all relative.  The big thing is the overcast. I went out early and aimed the portable solar panel at where I think the sun might be.
     Here's where you get in the discussion about tilting solar panels versus flat-mounted panels, aiming, etc.  Our roof top panels are flat-mounted.  Whether or not they are  tilted toward the sun is generally not an issue. The new photovoltic technology has made it so these panels will actually activate in a full moon. Nevertheless, basic logic will tell you that your panel is going to get more sun and therefore produce more energy when directly facing the sun. That means that the highly efficient photovoltic panels will be even more efficient when getting direct sunlight. This is why I add our portable on cloudy days or if we're actually under trees, like we are at Glacier. I can aim the portable directly at the sun.
     Our friend across the way had company by 0800.  It's another of our friends checking in on him.  He has a tear-drop trailer. That means that he has a bed inside the trailer and the back end opens up for a kitchen. He now has a tent that covers one side of the trailer giving him a dry place to stand when getting in and out, and a canopy with a windscreen to give him a place to sit. It also covers his cooking area. He says he has over 200 sq ft of living space. Just most of it is al fresco.
     This is really pleasant on nice days but we know that he experiences a lot of days like today and even worse.  Like everyone out here, this life-style is his choice, but we all know it can sometimes be harsh. Pamela and I are extremely aware that we are the spoiled ones. That is why there are so many times that we have as many as eight people in our little trailer.
     Heat is a big issue for full-timers, especially car and van dwellers. These folks must be very creative.  Battery isn't going to run a heater but open flames can be dangerous. There are some very nice catalytic heaters but they are still rather expensive. We have friends who live on as little as $600 a month. That's a pretty tight budget. The biggest issues are, however, space, safety and venting.  When you are living in a very small space every inch is important.  Even if you get a relatively small heater you need space for your fuel source. Whatever you get must fit in your rig and not be underfoot.  Even if you are in a rig as big as ours - 160 sq ft - safety is an issue. Where can the heater be placed that it isn't going to get knocked over or be too close to a combustible material?  Once you find such a place, which generally means some creative carpentry, you must be aware of venting. All of them require at least a cracked window and that creates other problems. 
     Most Americans rarely experience being uncomfortably cold without some way of getting warm. Those living on our city streets face it almost daily.  Those living in vans and cars who are on a limited budget may be out of the elements, which is good, but they still face being cold. Heat is a precious commodity.