1232 The Centre For Alternative Technology - Machynlleth, North Wales
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ส.ค. 2021
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The website for the centre is at cat.org.uk/ - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
There is a neat paradox I can't help but notice on the topic of "self-sufficiency", and that's how it really seems to bring people together to cooperate. Whether it's the sharing ideas or helping each other out to set up resources, it really builds "community". By comparison, the more "dependent" world that we've been living in seems to lead to isolation and division. I think the confidence people gain from self-sufficiency makes us more generous and helpful, whereas we feel threatened and protective when we're dependent on others.
By the way, I loved this tour!! But, then, I'm going to love ANY place named "CAT". 😋
You are so right about community versus dependency. It's not even that we no longer face challenges (things have become more difficult for a many people since the financial crises - and for a couple of years prior, for some demographics and localities) but we go out of our communities away to work for some far away owner, then buy in solutions and products from some other equally distant provider. Or the arm of government steps in to "solve" problems the other arm created. Working for wages, making purchasing decisions, that's all they want for us. Even new communities e.g. on Facebook and NextDoor are tightly controlled for the benefit of advertisers and "influencers" of various persuasions; they are not *ours* and they don't really encourage cooperation. (Twitter's algorithm is known to intentionally stir up conflicts and useless arguments: it "boosts engagement;" it keeps people coming back. I wouldn't be surprised if NextDoor does something similar, or even rewards a few chosen "thought leaders.") Fear sells: fear of each other especially. If we all had a bit more time and there were a few less opportunists trying to capitalise on, well, everything, there might be a chance for self reliance to develop again.
Thank for this video. Makes me dream back to 1996, when I stayed a couple of months as trainee at the Danish Folkecenter for Renewable Energy. I went there to study about small wind turbines and came back with loads of other stuff in other energy fields. For sure another magical place on this planet!
Self sufficiency... The Good Life theme plays in my head.
a thing of it's time mate
I went to CAT soon after it first opened, when I was about 14, and again about 25 years later when I was about 39.
Well worth a visit both times. Time for a revisit, I think.
Ooh, arithmetic; well done you. ;-)
I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that your 'about' estimates are accurate.
Fyi, 'sarcasm'.
Peace.
I was thinking about this just a few hours ago! I live near Caernarfon now, and I hoped to revisit the place soon. It looks quite different to the last time I saw it!
You should certainly go again mate
Nice to see you a vid from the CAT. It's a great place which I've been to a few times and used to be in my back yard.
Definitely a synergy between their and your ways of thinking.
for sure mate
I went there about 15 years ago, I was surprised at how well a primitive solar collector worked, just a radiator painted black under a glass sheet. Ah, you showed it at the end, so it’s still there, lol
Yeh, really easy to make, and great results, I think Passive Solar energy collection is way undervalued.
@@Kiyarose3999 yes that is a bit odd, solar panels are everywhere, geothermal is the new thing, but solar collectors are unheard of?
it really is astonishingly easy if we try
In nearly every technical museum you can find some brilliant ideas or possibilities. I belive the art is to link old tecnology with modern materials / and or electronicals as well.
I been myself in Munich tec. Museum and was impressed what engineers did 70 years ago... Some of that coud be very useful in todays world...
absolutely agree mate - I find museums inspiring
'was', 'then', ffs think it through. 'it was good enough then' doesn't apply to the present/future, it just presents examples of exploitation, missed opportunities and failures and shortsightedness. Such is 'human nature'.
Another great video. Showing how North Wales is demonstrating the ability that we can use alternative means of living was super. I do enjoy watching you do such videos away from your workshop and giving history and incite in your area (UK) Peace DVD :)
cheers mate
Thank you so much for the great upload!!
This is a great place, I am hoping that this will be how people will be thinking about things more and more.
This is a great way to improve our environment!!
I'm going to have to visit this place, I'd love to be able to build a few of these houses on a plot of land, although cash is a bit too tight at the moment...
A very interesting place, thank you again!!
Andrea, Jasper and George the Pigeon. XxX. 🙂
I am glad you liked it - it is a good place to visit for sure
Hi, nice to see you ‘on location’ 🤓 its always nice to see what’s going on with other disciplines, cross pollination is a real thing 😁.
Have you checked out Kris Harbours channel, i really enjoyed his series of videos showing him developing his pelton generator as part of his electrical power system and following along as it has evolved.
I haven't mate - I will have to have a look
Great to see you out and about especially at this centre giving it an honest appraisal. I went there years ago with the kids and we had a wonderful time. The brilliant lift has to be experienced to be believed and living in Manchester we really should see more use of pelton wheels to power the home with our climate shouldn’t we?
Thanks again for highlighting the CAT for everyone
cheers mate and yes we should - it could be fitted to downspouts easily enough
@@ThinkingandTinkering now there’s an idea given an everyday practical application and maybe some future material for the channel. Think of the amount of terraced housing we have where this tech could be applied at minimal cost with huge benefits for the home and community.
Speaking of air conditioning through the specific heat of adsorption and desorption, have you seen the video on the subject by the 'Tech ingredients' channel?
yes I have mate
It is so nice to see a FWG on location video, I have been to CAT quite a number of times, the small things impress me, and I first went to CAT when it was probably not quite so advanced, and 3 things stuck out at me, one was the hydraulic ram pump, another was a circuit with two large capacitors which charged from a small solar panel and discharged once full to power a pump. And best of all was a kind of homemade insulated waterbutt which had a coil of pipe inside and reclaimed the heat from bath or shower waste water. CAT today has become more of an education centre with a wonderful bookshop I went about 5 years ago. It probably suffered a bit when some of the original engineers left.
oh - I think it is the little things that matter
Fantastic rob, I know I’ve want to do something similar myself. down along the south coast where I live. I’ve been dreaming of making an ecoCenter much like many a culture or heritage site you might ride on your travel. ever since 2014 I’ve dreamt doing something like this. Where I had a load of time on my hands.
I never knew this place even existed, so can I say thank you!! 🙏 hope may still remain if place like these survive. A wonderful ethos. Might I add? A fantastic educational Center. For children of all ages even veterans of time past. Certain has the right kind of vibes. Just a shame not everything was working when you arrived as I would have love to see it all working. I wonder what you next adventure will be? My bets on something fantastic and simple to make. Great stuff I hope you enjoyed it?
places like this are alight mate -if you ever get round to it - I would be in full support - oh yeah and you are spot on for my next vid lol
Zeolite for cooling and heating - Interesting!
I haven't been there since about 1998 and from the little i could see from from your video it hasn't changed. At the time i thought the water lift was brilliant. By the sounds of things they need some new blood.
some of it has been improved - this is a whistle stop tour mate - but yes they could do with the energy side 'beefing up' well in my opinion - but the rest I thought was pretty good
When I visited there a few years ago I also found that the displays were sort of a branch that was left to whither. It seemed their main thrust was on the education courses they run. Still well worth the visit but I wish that they would put more effort into maintaining their displays. That is what will get more people entheusiastic for alternative technology.
Why do they call it 'alternative' technology? Fire/steam/electric/internal-combustion/nuclear/solar-panels etc are all alternatives to scratching in the mud or wearing skins, throwing sticks etc. Just how 'alternative' do you need to get to sustain a viable population that doesn't choke on its own wastes/offspring and/or destroy its own systemic foundation?
@@IC86688 I have visted the site twice over many years. The first time was great everything was relatively new the first time and the displays all worked. The second time as I said before was that the focus seemed to be on education rather than the displays. I would have loved to have done that job myself. I don't say it is one persons job to make sure the displays are kept up and running but a good look at what the site is trying to achieve and plan accordingly. While education is an important part of the site the fine detail needs to be looked at...the vision that was there intially, when the site was first concieved.
@@bikerfirefarter7280 While that may appear to be the case it is an attempt to change things, hopefully for the better. There are many holes we can all fall into but it is the people with vision and determination that will change things. Maybe not for the better but it is better than sitting back and waiting for judgement day when people will say why didn't we try this or that. Hindsight is a killer.
@@IC86688 That is sad to hear. The place has promise and potential. I wish I did not live so far away or I would certainly like to help but it is a good half days travel to get there. While not an engineer I have a good mechanical feel for things and my background is electronics. (I started out as an electrical apprentice for the NCB but moved on to electronics). Basically it was my first love since my early teens
@@IC86688 Agreed. Another problem is the vast majority of people have no clue of the principles underlying the 'technology' or origin/consequences/fate of everyday things, all they know is, 'it does something, is it available, I neither understand nor care how it does it'. AND they actively avoid learning/understanding as it bruises their ego to realise/admit they are ignorant. Added that is so many items today are irreparable even if you know the underlying principles, and there you have no incentive or reason to know/learn.
Because so many don't have a clue what 'technology' means, they cannot hope to grasp what 'alternative technology' means, or have any incentive to even look. Its like trying to explain/interest flying as an 'alternative' to swimming is to a goldfish.
Enjoyed this tour, thanks. Problem here in Alberta Canada is that there is no place you can buy land and build these alternative housing constructs and legally occupy them. Practically impossible to get an occupancy permit for alternate building methods. Short of going through a rigorous rezoning effort we are effectively constrained in almost all respects. Downright depressing if I think about it too long. All in an over inflated sense of keeping us safe.
That is awful. What is wrong with the 'authorities'? Move somewhere else. Your life is not a rehearsal.
Peace.
that's crazy
I liked the spiral wave turbine, was interesting to see it working considering the back and forth motion of waves. Another big thing is reusing old materials like timber rather than simply buying new. I have a lot of really thick red gum planks that are close to 100 years old from an old shed that was torn down. They used square nails (hand forged) putting it together and they have a 35 degree edge where they were butted together. They even have the old mill marks on the flat edges. Very beautiful timber that is very nice to work with.
yes - I liked that too!
@@IC86688 Very nice work indeed, it has given me a few ideas. Thank you for your contribution.
I'm guessing that you had to pick your paint well to ensure that the copper doesn't corrode over time. I was thinking it would have been made from cast iron before painting to help shield against corrosion.
I have both sheet copper and aluminium but not enough to make a screw.
I bet you offered to help get some of those things running again, we know how you like tinkering with those machines
lol - I was so sorely tempted mate lol
@@ThinkingandTinkering You should have done! You could make a real difference!! If you haven't all ready...
The water powered impeller reminds me of the Powerspout out of NZ, just need to strap on the base of a fisher & paykel washing machine for some impressive power generation
Noticed Rob only dared to say ‘Machynlleth’ once.
oh yeah lol
This is excellent! Thanks Robert.
Glad you liked it!
For their energy display they need to watch your channel and make some of the last build you have done
I am so tempted to write to them lol
Please share more about the Zeolite heating/cooling concept and how we might be able to leverage that. I have a somewhat large heating and cooling project coming soon for a very large square footage and have been planning to work with earthtubes in order to equalize the air for heating in the winter and of course it could "just work" in the summer. I am more than open to other options and need to figure something out because electricity costs are murdering us.
I want to visit this place this year, what they are doing there, will benefit my Congolese people tremendously. Looking forward to learn from a place like this.👍
it is well worth the visit mate
What area specifically interests you, or you need?
You can 'visit' on the Internet, and visit/learn plenty other stuff that you can use. Get your brain in gear and do some tried/proven designs, then adapt and experiment.
Good luck.
@@bikerfirefarter7280 hi, I am specifically interested in learning hydroelectric , other area will also benefit us. In DR Congo where I am from many we are surrounded by water but many areas specially rural areas people are in the dark. Yes I am, learning on line but I am the type of person who understand things better when present with an instructor. Electricity is a new field for me😂. I have also bought some books.
@@nanouekonzo5581 Plenty of how-to instructions on-line.
Study Om's Law, Kirchhoff's Current and Voltage Laws will help too.
Long time since I was there (80's)
The thing that struck me (other than the same funicular entrance) was the use of different material in their builds!
I seem to remember it was my first encounter of Hay Bale as a wall structure. The vacuum tube water heater seemed a tad expensive for what it was.... but it did work well ;o).
The other thing that I remember was the "Wind Harps", basically a series of small harps that used the wind to both vibrate the strings and to generate power for the small amp and speaker. It was ethereal!
My point (other than reminiscing old memories, is that the "Eco movement" is ecliptic and until you see, hear and feel something you do not really understand it and the place in our world it can occupy!
As a side note ..... wasn't it their sister company that was the only geothermal operator in the country on a commercial scale down south somewhere? You will have to excuse my "down south" comment .... I am in Manchester, the majority of the country is south of me ;o)
I agree absolutely mate - this really is stuff you need to see feel and touch in order to understand properly - I have no idea about the geothermal but it makes sense
@@ThinkingandTinkering Too many 'devil in the detail' for Geo-thermal to work globally. Nice idea in hypothesis, but, no. Local availability, maybe, but you're on a powder-keg or limited resource long term.
I believe they now have a pump as turbine which generates 4kw.
Great video.. interesting stuff about the zeolite for sure
It sure is
Really glad you did this vid about CAT, I have visited it a couple times, the last time I and my partner stayed for a weekend, as we got stuck after dark while hitchhiking just a few miles from CAT in the middle of winter. Luckily we were greeted at the door by a fellow traveller who let us stay, contrary to CAT rules. So on our last day there we tidied the communal space up and made a nice (Vegan) Sunday roast for everyone to say thanks for the stay. That was 25 years ago, the first time I visited was 10 years before in 85.
that was a real kindness - bless them
@@ThinkingandTinkering Yeh lovely folk, usually people have to book in advance and perhaps even pay/donate, it was such a lovely stay, being given a wooden cabin to sleep in, that was warm even in the middle of winter.
Nice tour, now I need to fine you Aluminium soldering vlog, I think you used zinc to do it. Have a nice day.
yes I did - unfortunately the videos were pre the number system
@@ThinkingandTinkering Oh no. Maybe I should start numbering my vlogs.
There was a weather report way back when that featured Machynlleth and the forecaster broke down in hysterics, Can anyone find it?
that would be worth seeing
The best of ideas are usually found surrounded by or amongst a clutter of random thoughts.
🤓
for sure mate
Electric mountain is good one Rob if you get up that way.
I think they have closed the visitor centre mate
@@ThinkingandTinkering really because of c ? fab day day out 30 min bus ride around the tunnels, black start !! diesel
The problem is those who rule the world will never allow a mere person to store untaxable energy. The revenue loss from taxes on fuel will collapse government thievery something they will hang onto.
Was there nearly 40 years ago!!
yep
John Seymour. My hero!!
for sure
@@ThinkingandTinkering Bring Me My Bow (1977) was one of my favourites. I've just looked at his wiki page and there is so much I haven't read...
It's easier than most people think.
yes it is
everything is easier when you know how. but then most people can't/wont think, which makes me despair sometimes. sigh.
@@bikerfirefarter7280 indeed. I feel the same way.
Hello, you are an amazing unique scientist and happily payd for the membership, only find myself not a member still, soo i payd again... 10€ so far and nothing, i am saddened, i would really like to watch all your secrets but i feel hopeless and scared to lose more money :/ i am most interested in the graphene plastic, could there be another way to see the videos? :)
Im sorry, there was some bug, attleast the money came back, i will try and resubscribe on my pc :)
I was wondering if you could make your own carbon nanotubes using household items? I was wondering if you could make some to take in heat and make power out of it.
dunno mate
Why did Tim Hunkin’s name spring to mind? 😂
secret life of machines?
@@ThinkingandTinkering
Indeed, a very clever and creative inventor.
@@locouk absolutely mate - cheers
I've never heard two people pronounce Machynlleth the same way!
lol - the locals avoid it by simply calling the place Mach
@@ThinkingandTinkering I visited CAT about 20 years ago....looks much the same.
Beautiful area .
Nice info
Glad you think so!
Road Trip! Excellent, very cool my friend.
Thanks 👍
People started to realise that their currencies may turn into worthless papers if hyper inflation hits due to depts of governments, printing and spending like no tomorrow while at the same time decreasing amount of products because of lockdowns, broken supply chains and bankrupted companies under heavy taxs. So people start to buy farmlands as an attempt to escape from coming mayhem without knowing how to live offgrid. The most important thing is no doubt a clean water source. Without water there is no life. But unfortunately water sources are extremely limited and massively owned by private coorparations. I tought building a huge rainwater collector may be sufficient to provide enough clean water for a litte family at least lasting a few weeks but they "the evil dudes" are constantly geoengineering the world. They are blocking the sun at the same time preventing occurance of natural rains by spraying their chemicals from planes. So even in spring months weather doesn't rain. if raining happens by little a chance those water droplets may contain chemicals left from planes that is harmful to health. Best thing in a farmland may be having a clean under ground water aquifer. On the other hand if anyone have offgrid electricity then that person may cool down metal plates (opening a working fridge doors also do the job) and have some water thorough cooling and condensation of humidity from air. So living in a high humid place with off grid electricity is the second best option if people don't have any clean under ground water source in their lands. Now we can assume producing electricity is the most important thing if people doesn't have a water source. Solar panels and wind turbines are clean but they are not reliable. I do remember that i wished to see blue sky for a day last year because sky was like covered with a white gray blanked about six months due to their global cooling agenda. Some days there is no wind. So knowing a building long lasting batteries is a must if anyone wants reliable offgrid electricity in their home. Ideally having a hybrid system. Some solar, wind and chemical electricity generators combined in a supporting way with one another is the ideal thing to have. So we all should thanks to Robert here cuz he shared many ways of producing offgrid electricity which is not only may save your and your family life by producing drinking water but also increase your living standards to a level other people may only dream about in a post financial catastropic world.
thank you for taking the time to post and write all of that mate - very interesting - cheers
I have visited CAT many times since it opened in the mid 1970's
They have lost their MOJO since a lot of their early innovators left to set up the 1st wind farm companies (for example).
Unfortunately few who work there even know the importance and history of the place!
It is very sad to hear of it's further decline. They have done next to nothing on the EV side for example. 40 years ago they would have been working flat out on it! They only have 1 slow charging port to recharge any EV's that visitors might arrive in! This is TOTALLY NUTS!
There should by now be at least 10 of them and 4 or 5 rapid charge points for not only visitora but the local population to use. But NOT FREE! We are long past expecting to get free power for our EV vehicles. CAT should be leading the way! I am sure that the original force of people. Those originators from the 1970's who may have died by now will be spinning their graves at it's loss of vision. Possible a source of zero energy worth tapping? Lol.
It needs some new blood! People with fire and determination!
It needs YOU ROBERT!
Please talk to them do a series of videos on fixing and improving their displays for a start. Send your apprentice up there for a few weeks as a volunteer if nothing else. ;)
INSTAVOLT will install rapid chargers FOR FREE if any business can make a good case for having one or more of them and they do a profit share that can be worth £30,000 a year per charger if regularly occupied and in the black hole for EV chargers that mid Wales is.. it would be heavily used!
P.S only someone from South of Watford Gap services would call CAT as in North Wales. Being only 3.2 miles North of the old capital of Wales, Machynlleth, which was chosen for its position in Central Wales. Lol.
I surely enjoyed it. Thanks 👍
Glad you enjoyed it
water and sound, piezo. ;)
for sure
lol you can tell your itching to show the cat people how to do it better & fix those broken bits ^_~
mate! it was such a temptation lol
Nice little trip out. I'm getting self sufficient on one particular thing if you managed to check my email lol maybe a fuel
Victory Gardens 2.0
for sure
look at Marty T WORK On making gen in New Zealand
it is awesome stuff for sure - but quite a lot of folks don't have that kind of water access
Stacked tyres. Beware!!
they make houses from them!
@@ThinkingandTinkering The problem is growing stuff in them.
@@yddraiggochaceman Yep, never more than thigh high. Been there. It's okay if properly interlocked, but single columns can be dodgy. Unfortunately not everyone is common-sense savvy and they can do stupendously ignorant things. I cross-tie 3-4 columns together with polypropylene rope to stop ejits pulling them onto themselves.
had a lovely day out here today, however the whole place is obsolete now, the solar doesnt work wind turbines dont work hydro barely works and half the modern buildings appear to be empty and close to derelect, the students looked happy, is this a cult?
Where do you stand on Extinction Rebellion?
hmmm - I am not sure right now
@@ThinkingandTinkering Rob, not sure!? gasp. I'll have to lie down for a bit. ;-)
You need a lesson of pronunciation