Posted on 09/05/2013 9:11:08 AM PDT by PrayAndVoteConservesInLibsOut
Alfredo Moser's invention is lighting up the world. In 2002, the Brazilian mechanic had a light-bulb moment and came up with a way of illuminating his house during the day without electricity - using nothing more than plastic bottles filled with water and a tiny bit of bleach.
In the last two years his innovation has spread throughout the world. It is expected to be in one million homes by early next year.
So how does it work? Simple refraction of sunlight, explains Moser, as he fills an empty two-litre plastic bottle.
"Add two capfuls of bleach to protect the water so it doesn't turn green [with algae]. The cleaner the bottle, the better," he adds.
Wrapping his face in a cloth he makes a hole in a roof tile with a drill. Then, from the bottom upwards, he pushes the bottle into the newly-made hole.
"You fix the bottle in with polyester resin. Even when it rains, the roof never leaks - not one drop."
The lamps work best with a black cap - a film case can also be used "An engineer came and measured the light," he says. "It depends on how strong the sun is but it's more or less 40 to 60 watts," he says.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Yeah - sorry about that! I keep reminding myself to read the entire thread before I post, but never do.
It is easy to forget how poor these folks are. A long time ago there was a thread on a smoker device that enabled the rat catchers in India to catch more rats. They smoke them out of their holes, and get to keep the rats for food, as well as any rice they find in the holes. AND they get a 25 cent bounty for each rat.
One guy said he catches twice as many rats, his wife cooks and sells the ones they don’t eat, and he will be able to afford to send his kids to school so they won’t have to be rat catchers!
“My brother bought a condo that has 2 solartubes installed.... It is amazing how much light they put out. We haven’t checked how but they also put out light at night, like a very bright nightlight.They actually are super cool but I checked and they are kind of expensive.”
That’s interesting that they put off a little light at night too.
Those who installed the Moser lamps would most assuredly rather have a solartube if they could afford it.
It was interesing to me how many people have installed these Moser lamps. The article says, “In the Philippines, where a quarter of the population lives below the poverty line, and electricity is unusually expensive, the idea has really taken off, with Moser lamps now fitted in 140,000 homes. The idea has also caught on in about 15 other countries, from India and Bangladesh, to Tanzania, Argentina and Fiji.”
Decent idea. Useless at night, but I give the guy credit.
It isn’t useless at night, put it in a windowless shed, and on most nights you will see enough light to get around.
Nighttime bedrooms are rarely pitch dark.
I read it. I just think some of the posters here are going goofy over this like they did over Christie and a bunch of other non-events.
These put out as much light as a 40+ watt bulb
Wrong. They don't put out any light. They simply allow light to pass through - same as a hole
These people can’t afford electricity much less window glass.
But apparently they can afford soda.
negative
Try realistic. Use your ability to reason and examine these in the "light" of reason. They're holes in the roof with a bottle in them. They cannot let in any more light than the hole (first law) and they have to let in LESS light than a simple hole (second law). The only advantage the confer is that they keep out the rain and the diffuse the light. A bigger hole with a piece of glass (which you claim they can't aford) would let in more light. A bigger hole with a flap to cover it in the rain would let in more light.
All is okay now FRiend!
Lighting idea for shtf.
But you never need to worry about whether you turned the light off before you left the attic...
My reply was to the statement in the article “they don’t leak, not even when it is raining”
They will leak, guaranteed
Ok but plastic becomes brittle in sunlight over time. So they do have to be replaced periodically and one hopes they are replaced before they drain onto the floor......
The houses using this type of light likely have dirt floors anyway..........
I thought they were legit concerns personally
I still would love to have these, but I do have an attic that would preclude this.
LOL.
Pilloried, whipped, flogged, scourged, drawn & quartered, crucified, hanged, shot, beheaded and burned.
I’ll live.
That’s a clever idea with materials at hand.
just sayin ;)
the crap people get upset about here amazes me sometimes
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.