Living off grid often correlates with poorly accessible locations - because that’s where the infrastructure is not.

On certain latitudes, especially near bodies of water, especially in remote locations - do not ask who the snow comes for - it always comes for you (and with a grudge). So, what ya gonna do?

Over here, a tractor being incomplete (it is great folly to go into winter with an incomplete tractor), snow is handled by an electric microcar. Since the microcar is made of thin sheet metal and plastic, it cannot carry a plow… but the rear axle being solid steel, it can pull one.

The plow is one year old, and was previously pulled by a gasoline car. It is made of construction steel: 8 mm L-profiles shaped like a letter A with double horizontal bars. The point of connection on top ensures it doesn’t lift too much while plowing. It’s currently fixed with an unprofessional and temporary C-clamp (there will be an U-bolt soon). It is pulled with a chain.

If snow is heavy, the L-profiles lift the plow on top of snow, and you have to plow the same road many times. Sometimes it veers off sideways. Generally, you have to catch the snow early with this system - if you’re late, you’re stuck. :)

Not many advantages, but dirt cheap. Don’t go plowing public roads with such devices - it is nearly invisible to fellow drivers, and cops would get a seizure.

    • perestroika@slrpnk.netOPM
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      1 year ago

      Yep. The three networks I don’t have here are:

      • public roads (I’m plowing a no mans land which belongs to some folks, but nobody uses their land)
      • electrical and fuel networks
      • water and wastewater grid