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
solar panels
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
The Northwest seems to be on fire
For weeks now, we haven't seen much blue sky, but a smokey haze from horizon to horizon from the forest fires in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The sunlight these past few weeks have been impeded by the firestorms around us. The ground everywhere is dry and dusty. The lush greenery covering the forest floor is … Continue reading The Northwest seems to be on fire
Cut “it” till it hurts is power conservation
I have spoken about our battery bank, appliances, solar panels, and backup generator, but I haven't put it altogether to explain the efficiency of our system. When designing an off grid power system, the first thing to do is know your current use of power and cut it till it hurts either because you can … Continue reading Cut “it” till it hurts is power conservation
Electricity, making the choice to be off grid.
For us the choice was purely economical and a desire to be self-sufficient. The choice to live off grid is not a desire of most people, and I am not trying to convert anyone to the idea. However, if you like to save money, which most of us do, many of our off grid tips … Continue reading Electricity, making the choice to be off grid.
