Off Grid Living News

How I Built a Solar Battery Box for less than $50

off grid power solar energy Dec 15, 2020

Solar battery enclosures can range in price from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. The price depends mostly on the size of the enclosure and the manufacturer. But, if you are a DIY kind of person, you can save yourself a considerable amount of money. This is what I did. I used some spare lumber and other materials I had on the homestead and I built a solar battery enclosure for less than $50.

First, I leveled out an area under the eave on the North side of the cabin. Then I place some left over landscaping brick on the ground for the battery enclosure to sit on. At this point, the solar panels have been mounted but of course none of the electrical work has been connected. You can see the AC loads panel for the cabin in the upper left of this photo.

The next step was to build the base and make sure that was level. For this part, i used some heavy duty rough cut timber that was left over from re-surfacing a bridge.

Then I framed in the back, then the top and side panels. A...

Simple Solar Project Part II

off grid power solar energy Nov 22, 2020

If you read my last post on off grid power and viewed the video on simple solar projects, you now know that some of these projects are in fact very easy to put together and require only some very basic knowledge of solar energy, wiring, and appropriate safety precautions.

After I put together that post, it occurred to me some people might be wondering about simple off grid power systems that come pre-packaged and ready to go. In the that post, I built a 200 watt solar array from scratch. However, there are many basic systems on the market that are “plug and play”. This simply means that you order a complete system, unpack it from the shipping boxes, follow the simple directions on how to plug things together, and you have a ready made source of off grid power.

While these simple off grid power systems are readily available, they are more geared toward mobility. This means that these systems are easy to pack up and relocate. Obviously this is advantageous if you are on a road t...

Simple Solar Project Part I

off grid power solar energy Nov 21, 2020

Renewable energy is key to being self sufficient on the homestead. Having an alternative source of energy, such as solar, makes you a little bit more self reliant. Despite the importance of this, many people are intimidated by this topic and never realize that quite often a simple solar project is easily within their reach.

In this video post, I demonstrate how I solved a particular problem with my green house. The green house sits a 10,000 feet elevation and has been in place for about 3 years. I assumed that my biggest problem would be keeping it warm enough. However, due to the intense mid-day sun at that elevation, my biggest problem is keeping it cool enough. I tried putting in roof vents, side vents, leaving the door open, and using small 12 volt fans to circulate air. But nothing was working the way I wanted it to. What I needed was a large electric fan to force hot air out through the roof vents. But in order to run a fan, I needed electricity. The utility lines are 1/2 mile...

What Can You Power With a 100 Watt Solar Panel?

off grid power self sufficiency solar energy Nov 10, 2020

When it comes to living off the grid and being self sufficient, having a strong understanding of your renewable energy options is very important. It is possible to live without electricity. I did it for over 15 years. However, having a source of electricity was a game changer for me. I now power two cabins, a chicken barn and a 600 square foot green house all from solar energy. But I started out simple and first discovered just what I could power with a 100 watt solar panel.

But in order to go big, you must start with the basics. Since some of my most recent projects have involved a 100 watt solar panel, that is why I’ve chosen this as an example. Then you can build on the basics. So, let’s first develop an understanding of what you can power with a 100 watt solar panel.

A 100 watt solar panel is inexpensive, easily available, and best of all it is portable. It has become a popular choice for RVs, camping, recharging portable devices, as well as other things. Despite this gro...

Introduction to Renewable Energy Systems

off grid power Nov 10, 2020

Before jumping into this post on renewable energy systems, first read a related post on 35 Ways to Save Electricity . Most importantly this previous post will help you to first learn about saving energy. Because that concept is vital in your quest to produce your own electricity. That post emphasizes a very important concept.

It is far easier to save energy than it is to produce it.

After you read that post, it is time to move on to the topic of renewable energy systems. Realize that this post is simply a very basic introduction. This is a very in depth topic. However, I hope this will get your creative mind moving. There are several ways to produce your own electricity. Hence, if you decide to do so, you will take one more step toward being self reliance. But first, let’s discuss the topic of fossil fuels.

Are Fossil Fuels a Sustainable Source of Energy?

Big business and governments are uneasy about the concept of transitioning away from the use of fossil fuels. This is beca...

Micro Hydro Power

off grid power Nov 10, 2020

If you have the desire to live off the grid, one of the first considerations should be how you plan on powering your life. Even if you have no desire to live off the grid, you should still consider having an alternative source of power. When it comes to homesteaders and off grid folks, most settle on some sort of renewable energy system. As you probably already know, there are several potential options for powering your home. The most common options are solar, wind, and micro hydro.

At first the concept of renewable energy my seem very simple. After all, how difficult can it be to put up a few solar panels and charge some batteries? Right? The truth of the matter is that it depends. If you want to power a few lights, then the whole process is very simple. However, if you want to power an entire home, that is a different story altogether.

I use to think along these same lines until I took some advanced classes on renewable energy. As a result, I then returned home to design and i...

Wind Energy Systems: the Pros and Cons

off grid power self sufficiency Nov 09, 2020

Renewable energy systems have many advantages and disadvantages. There are substantial differences between solar, wind, and micro-hydro. Therefore, this is something worth investigating before you make a substantial financial investment. Then you can decide on which system is right for your situation. Consequently, educating yourself is imperative. This particular post will cover the pros and cons of wind energy systems.

Pros of Wind Energy Systems

1. Clean renewable energy source

Global warming emissions trap heat and are steadily driving up Earth’s atmospheric temperature. Electricity production in the United States accounts for about one-third of the country’s emissions. In contrast, renewable energy sources generate little to no global warming emissions.

Wind energy systems are clean. Harnessing this type of energy does not produce any harmful by products.

2. Inexhaustible energy supply

If designed and used correctly, renewable energy systems can provide unlimited...

Is Wind Energy Right for You?

off grid power self sufficiency Nov 09, 2020

More and more people are realizing that renewable energy is the way of the future. But few people clearly understand what its all about and how to make the right choice for their personal situation. If you are considering wind energy as part of your strategy, there are a few important things you need to consider in order to determine if wind energy is right for you.

What is Wind Energy and How Does It Work?

When wind currents blow past a turbine, the blades capture this “kinetic” energy and begin to turn or rotate. This rotation drives an internal shaft that is connected to a gear box. The gear box increases the speed of rotation about 100 times. This increase in rotation spins a generator that produces electricity.

Three Major Types of Wind Energy

-Utility scale: These wind turbines generate greater than 100 kilowatts of electricity. The energy is delivered to the power grid and distributed by utility companies and eventually to the consumer.

-Off shore wind energy:...

What Makes a Good Solar Site

off grid living off grid power solar energy Nov 09, 2020

Despite the many advantages of solar energy, first and foremost, the initial question to be answered is whether solar is truly practical for your particular situation. If you decide it is a practical choice, the second question is whether or not your site is suitable for solar energy production. Consequently, you need to know what makes a good solar site.

Solar energy is quite versatile. Panels can in fact be installed practically anywhere. However, the simple fact is that some situations are more practical than others and some sites are more suitable than others. Consequently, before deciding to invest in this type of renewable energy, these two questions must be answered.

Why Location Makes a Difference

The location of the installation directly affects the total sun hours. This is the amount of time the panels are exposed to sun light. Total sun hours directly affects energy production. The amount of energy production directly effects cost savings and return on investment...

23 Reasons to Choose Solar Power

off grid living off grid power solar energy Nov 09, 2020

Deciding whether or not to invest in renewable energy can be challenging and even overwhelming. Often the up-front capital investment is intimidating. Additionally, most organizations are just interested in selling you an expensive package. It can also be challenging to find someone willing to simply give you the straight facts. But as you will see, there are numerous reasons to choose solar power.

Solar power and the related technologies have proven efficiencies. Using solar power also has tremendous environmental benefits. You will often see a return on your investment in a short period of time.

This informational article will explain some of the tremendous benefits of renewable energy. In particular I will discuss the 23 reasons to choose solar power.

Perhaps I will even convince you to take the next step and go solar.

DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT SOLAR POWER?

-Covering only 4% of the world’s desert areas with photovoltaic could supply enough electricity for the entire p...

Patrick

Sustainable Living Expert

Author

Having grown up with 2 working farms in the family, I was active outside from a young age. I have lived off the grid for over 20 years and still going strong. I would love to teach you the skills of sustainable living and all else that is needed for you to be secure in managing your own resources.

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