Low-tech Lab

Solar lamp with reused lithium cells

This tutorial allows you to make a solar lamp equipped with a USB charger. It uses lithium cells that are reused from a old or damaged laptop. This system, with a day of sunlight, can fully charge a smartphone and have 4 hours of light. This technology have been documented during a stopover of the " Nomade des Mers " expedition on the island of Luzong in the northern part of Philippines. The association Liter of Light has already installed this system since 6 years in remote villages which don't have access to electricity. They also organize training for the villagers in order to teach them how to fix the solar lamp ( already 500 000 lamps installed).

Easy
2 hour(s)

Black Soldier Fly breeding

This tutorial aims to facilitate the understanding of the life cycle of the black soldier fly and to learn how to grow it for domestic use. This technology was documented during the stopover of the Nomade des Mers expedition in Malaysia. The company EntoFood, which we visited, has been doing research on these flies for nearly 8 years and is preparing to launch its large-scale production unit. It will allow the treatment of 300 tonnes of organic waste per day!

Easy
1 day(s)

Solar water heater

Capturing solar energy for domestic hot water or high-efficiency heating

Hard
1 day(s)

Solar Oven (box-type oven)

Box or a parable shaped, the solar oven makes it possible to warm your food using the sun rays.

Easy
1 day(s)

Poelito - Mass stove, semi-dismountable

Semi-dismountable inertial mass stove.

A mass stove or accumulation stove is a household heating device. Its mass, composed of heavy materials (rock, brick or concrete), stores the energy of a daily unique and intense fire (1 to 3 hours). It spreads back the heat during 24 hours, once the fire is out. Its mass confers a thermic inertia, favourable to reduce inside temperature curve of a building (that's why these stoves can be called "inertial stoves"). All the wood necessary to heat the household is burnt in one time, which induces high temperatures in the fireplace and allows a complete, low-pollutive burning. The accumulator is conceived to absorb the majority of the energy issued from the burning and smokes. So when leaving the firpace, the smokes are considerably cooled down. The heat accumulated is mainly diffused by irradiation and a littlebit by convection. Irradiation heating implies the stove to be placed in the center of the household. Most of actual mass stoves are placed in the main room, opened on the living room, dining room and kitchen. With a yeld superior to 80% for most of them, these stoves are parts of the best performers of wood heating devices.

You can find here the tutorial video : [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO7M41Ud78A]