Building ideas for off grid
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You always have a place!Dr. Jenner,
If you need a Nurse/Corpsman/Medic on staff if the SHTF or TEOTWAWKI, I would be there!!!
Best of luck with moving forward, looks amazing.
Erqueen75
This is what I have so far
Running through potential options.
most concerned about defensive positions we can take- will admit I’m ignorant on that.
Edited to add: the cow pasture wetlands area is the southern exposure so I wanted the greenhouse with the best exposure possible. Also trying to utilize passive solar with windows on the south facing exterior of the home
Running through potential options.
most concerned about defensive positions we can take- will admit I’m ignorant on that.
Edited to add: the cow pasture wetlands area is the southern exposure so I wanted the greenhouse with the best exposure possible. Also trying to utilize passive solar with windows on the south facing exterior of the home
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Why there is so many snow bunnies that want to move to Florida and even see them here in Texas.
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Tonight was the first time I actually got to see the link you provided. I love the long dining room and book shelf storage area. I would probably be showcasing home canned goods instead of books though.
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You have a spacious kitchen from what I can see, but if you plan on growing your own to preserve, it probably wont be enough.
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Garden probably should be a lot bigger if you are trying to live off grid as in live off what you can grow and raise. And where is your milking area/parlor? I have seen very rustic to very sophisticated.
Oh thanks for that idea!
The cow pasture belongs to our neighbor to the south, has a ranch. Hoping to meet up with him and work out trades as the wetlands area we own- he grows hay in for the cows.
I assume south is toward the paper holes.
I think your Generator/battery shed should be where the green house Is. You want it far enough so you don’t hear the Gen kick on at night. But close enough to not to incur extra costs.
JMHO.
I think your Generator/battery shed should be where the green house Is. You want it far enough so you don’t hear the Gen kick on at night. But close enough to not to incur extra costs.
JMHO.
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With you having 45 acres, your neighbor is a great backup for hay and as a cow pasture. If you are wanting to have your own cow, you will need to put up fencing on your own property. I would never "trust" a neighbor unless I have personalty known them for years.
I would move the Solar Panels closer to the battery storage, shorter cable runs = less electrial resisitance
Just one note... for the best solar off grid chargers and inverters... use Victron. You have to build a proper insulated room and use LiFePo4 prismatic cell batteries... currently they last the longest at upto 6000+ cycles. Dont put solar panels on the/a roof...
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I have been running AGMs in cars and in a battery bank for a number of years. In cars, they can definitely get hot and dry out. I had one that lasted less than a year in my truck. But inside in a controlled temperature environment, with the proper charger/maintainer, they don't ever get hot, or even warm. I haven't lost one yet in my indoor battery bank, and they all are waaaaaaay past their "expiration dates." They are never run or charged at more than a small fraction of their maximum output, or charging rate, and maintained on their optimum float voltage when not in use.
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Do you get much snow at your new location? If you do you should take in to account that every building will need to be cleared of snow. By plowing, snow blowing and by shovel. I'd recommend moving your electrical building (battery bank, inverter etc) closer to the house. At least no more than 200-300 feet away. I have 2 mufflers on my Perkins 12 kw diesel generator and I can't hear it running from inside the house.
On Thanksgiving night we were all sitting around the table playing games when the power went out. I went up to the generator shed to check on it and found that the generator battery was dead. I jump started the generator with the truck. Saturday morning my son went to town and bought a new battery, everything works fine again. I love our solar system, just be aware that there will be challenges to keep everything running.
In snow country the closer the buildings are, the easier it is to clear the snow. With that in mind I still have 3+ miles of road to plow. Not only is there roads and trails to plow but you need to have places to put the snow when it gets to 3 feet or more deep.
I keep a trickle charger on my big generator always. The small generator is rarely used and will at least keep the heat tape on if it gets way below zero F
.Yes I live on the grid, But will not suffer if the power goes off. I think propane is a good choice. Larger tanks are better. (I don't sell them) But if you have high draw The lower part of the tank may cool so much that you have a serious pressure problem. At least in Montana. As ACdude says it is important to be able to get to your out buildings. Warm weather preppers may not understand this but the cold is actually a shield.
.Yes I live on the grid, But will not suffer if the power goes off. I think propane is a good choice. Larger tanks are better. (I don't sell them) But if you have high draw The lower part of the tank may cool so much that you have a serious pressure problem. At least in Montana. As ACdude says it is important to be able to get to your out buildings. Warm weather preppers may not understand this but the cold is actually a shield.
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That looks like a nice kit, and about the same output as mine. I'm not familiar with the brand though. I'd recommend getting a solar tracker too. It should increase your solar collection by about 30%. My system is inadequate during winter and so my generator runs more than I'd like it to. On a 12 month average the generator runs just under 4 hours per day. I plan to add a wind generator and another 4 or 5 solar panels.
What kind of generator will you be using? Are you going to add an auto start? I'm using a 12kw Perkins diesel. Its plumbed to a 55 gallon "day" tank, which I can fill from a 350 bulk tank that sits just outside the building.
Are wind generators/turbines still commonly used? I was talking to a Marine buddy and he said they're too expensive for what they generate, at least as far as home or residential use. He recommended 100% solar, but I know the tech is constantly changing and it's possible he's out of the loop on latest wind turbine tech.
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I'm looking at a 1500 watt unit for about $1200 and another $1500 for the tower. We're on solar 100% right now but during winter the sun alone isn't enough to provide all of our electrical needs. We dont get near enough wind to replace solar, but In the fall, winter and spring we get enough wind to supplement the solar. My goal is to cut the generator run time by 2/3's.
I’m not sure exactly what kind , will have to ask my husband. We have a few generators and he recently picked up a dual fuel one similar to this from Home Depot.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/DUROMAX...ario1jv8hpuEj-ThzP4aAi8WEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
Note that Duromax generators are listed at having 12% harmonic distortion. Although it could be a little worse. I'd use 15% as a guide.
For most things, all this means is they will run less efficiently than when using grid power. But for sensitive items (which some electronics are considered), you should charge a battery and then operate the item from the battery (via an inverter). Many UPS units can be used for this, although I've seen some manuals from UPS makers which state a requirement for less than 5% harmonic distortion on the incoming power.
With that said, if it's power for occasional outages, you can usually ignore distortion. However, if it's long term it will take its toll on items which need cleaner power.
For most things, all this means is they will run less efficiently than when using grid power. But for sensitive items (which some electronics are considered), you should charge a battery and then operate the item from the battery (via an inverter). Many UPS units can be used for this, although I've seen some manuals from UPS makers which state a requirement for less than 5% harmonic distortion on the incoming power.
With that said, if it's power for occasional outages, you can usually ignore distortion. However, if it's long term it will take its toll on items which need cleaner power.
The water doesn't boil, electrolysis breaks down the water contained in the acid solution into hydrogen and oxygen gas. With the ratio those gasses are produced, they can detonate from the smallest spark (like disconnecting a charger cable), and that shock front will follow the venting gasses into the battery and cause the battery itself to explode. When the gas does not find an ignition source, the water loss caused by electrolysis slowly lowers the electrolyte level exposing the top of the plates which causes uneven plate wear during charging. If you properly maintain them and don't over charge them, they can last over a decade.
I mentioned tips for lead-acid battery maintenance before, but I'll mention some of it here. #1-Sulfation happens when storing batteries with less than a full charge as lead sulfate (what the sulfuric acid becomes during discharge) is less soluble in water than it is in 35% acid solution, which leads to crystals forming on the plates reducing their effective surface area. #2-even proper charging leads to water loss through electrolysis, but most people make the mistake of adding water to a dead battery or adding acid. The acid does not go anywhere, but when the battery charges, the solution expands. Therefore, when adding distilled water, a partial charge on low is recommended before adding the water. Otherwise, if you top off a dead battery then charge it, electrolyte will be forced out of the vents and you will lose acid (the only way you lose acid, so normally never add anything but distilled water). I stress the distilled part too because the minerals in tap water will screw up the plates. #3-concrete floors. Never charge/discharge a battery sitting on a concrete floor. The floor keeps the bottom half cooler and the temperature gradient will also cause uneven plate wear. In summary: never let them sit partially discharged, never over charge them, keep an eye on the electrolyte levels in the proper way, and keep them away from temperature gradients. My caterpillar 153-5720 12v battery is 8 years old and in perfect condition.
Titan solar powered generators are awesome, and they are having a sale until the 26th. Buy a kit, and get 5 free panels using the code "solarforchristmas". Citing that from memory. Let me know if that is wrong and I will recheck my email.
Gas can run out. If the sun runs out, we all have bigger problems.. Solar is also silent, and gasless, so you can bring it in the house
Also, I would build a few hidden rooms. In the house, underground, away from the house, whatever.
Gas can run out. If the sun runs out, we all have bigger problems.. Solar is also silent, and gasless, so you can bring it in the house
Also, I would build a few hidden rooms. In the house, underground, away from the house, whatever.
Where are you finding this available? All I've seen for Titan is backordered at least until next May.
I don’t think it’s a duromax as it’s a different color than this one. I can go out in the shop to take a picture just being lazy today
Plus the wind is really howling. Blew off all the snow. Not super cold but still nasty outside
I’ll see if I can find the actual one we got.
At their site, yes, I think most everything is backordered, but the discount is about $900. Worth the wait. Besides, she has some time.. Almost covers another battery.
Yeah May would be fine. Probably won’t be done building for at least a year anyway unless we get one of those Amish built cabin kits out of Libby MT.
