I believe I am guilty of promoting free energy on the off grid homestead, and during the summer months it appears that way. However, during the winter months cloudy skies make solar energy creation improbable, and it's the battery bank that keeps the home's electricity going from day to day. When the fog and inversion … Continue reading Off Grid electricity is NOT free.
Solar
Bucking Challenge: Electric v. Gas
I have wanted an electric chainsaw for a few years now, and when I was asked by my wife and son what I wanted for Father’s Day, I went with the Oregon CS1500. The Oregon electric plugin chainsaw was one of the few chainsaws left out there that doesn’t use batteries. I did not want … Continue reading Bucking Challenge: Electric v. Gas
Tractor + Generator = Power
Before we even bought our land and were planning our off grid homestead, we wanted a diesel generator as our backup power system for those endless cloudy days. Why? Because, the cost of dyed diesel is cheaper, and, most importantly, I don't have to worry about the fuel going bad after a few months of … Continue reading Tractor + Generator = Power
Snow Storm Hits and the Solar Panels Quit
During the winter gray skies and snow defeat our solar panels' power production. This is the time of year we rely heavily upon our backup generator once the battery bank is spent. Removing snow from the panels, isn’t too bad, but if left undone it can become a real problem if the snow melts into … Continue reading Snow Storm Hits and the Solar Panels Quit
Determining Off Grid Power Needs
When we started planning our off grid solar system for our home, we began planning what electrical appliances we wanted and weighing that against what we could afford. The following video are our non-negotiables. We determined what we wanted for our home and planned the size or our solar system and battery bank accordingly. My … Continue reading Determining Off Grid Power Needs
Why Live Off the Grid?
The two main reasons we began to consider living off the grid were the constant rise in the cost of electricity and the storms that seemed to knock out our service each year. Living off grid didn't start to become an option until we lived on the Oregon Coast and lived through the Great Coastal … Continue reading Why Live Off the Grid?
Tankless Water Heater Install & Northwest Fires are Affecting our Solar Panels
It seems this summer, that firewood and the tankless water heater were the majority of my progress. The weeks have passed by rapidly. Family has come to visit and days have been filled with which project to do next. Having the tankless water heater working has been a blessing. After a long day working in … Continue reading Tankless Water Heater Install & Northwest Fires are Affecting our Solar Panels
