Off Grid

[Áine]

We are planning on building a small off grid cabin next year. Has anyone experience of this ?? Do you think wind power or solar ? Or a combination of both ?? We will be using a rain water system as water will be a big problem for us more so than power, digging a well is the accepted thing here but it requires a lot of power to get the water out of the ground.

[Alexa]

3 minutes ago, anniebea said:

We are planning on building a small off grid cabin next year. Has anyone experience of this ?? Do you think wind power or solar ? Or a combination of both ?? We will be using a rain water system as water will be a big problem for us more so than power, digging a well is the accepted thing here but it requires a lot of power to get the water out of the ground.

I like solar power but the price regarding to its popularity hasn't got very cheap sis anniebea  I dont know about wind power and water out of the ground 

[Miss Bea]

We lived for years making our electrical power. In the summer it was solar, in the winter water, (pelton wheel) and a generator to back things up. The generator was also for high wattage items. (Iron, hair dryer) Also, in the time between viable water energy, the generator would charge the batterys. (The creek was seasonal) 

Now we have, "real electricity". The bill is not too big as the house has built  to use as little power as possible. 

The cost is one thing. But, unless you are able to maintain it yourself...that is an ongoing expense. And not inconsequential.

We used golf cart batteries. There are bigger ones out there, and more expensive. And the batteries are fussy. They need regular  care. 

So, a couple of years just paying that bill..Guess what? Back to the blackboard. My husband decided he wants us to be not totally dependent on the power company. He plans to sell power back to the company. Plus, we will be a little independent. Off grid, but not. It is a fun adventure. And, can be done. 

We were off the grid, and had it all, power wise. Our house went from being clean, electro-magnetically, to being like the rest. Three TV's, computer, router, cell phone. 

The cell phone had its own problems. We took a weak signal, and boosted it. Walked around the property, with a program from the phone, found the strongest signal, (one bar) and put an antennae there. Even with that, we had to stand on a chair in front of the inside anrenmae to talk on that phone. Today, we use the router, and have 4 bars throughout the house. Even that is sketchy sometimes. If I'm right, we can use the internet because the use we have is unlimited hours. 

Then, when the internet goes down, (it is run by a generator, running all the time) we plug in the antennae, and back to standing on the chair.  In front of the antennae. 

We sold the old panels, will sell the peloton wheel, and are buying new panels. They are vastly cheaper today. We can't sell water power back to the electrical company. That does not hurt my feelings. We had to clean that creek out at real inconvenient time. The water has to move down a hill at a certain degree. All just complicated. 

You are in for an adventure, sister. But, a challenging fun one. 

[Áine]

We are going to build in the field behind the house we rent at the moment, our water here comes from a spring on the mountain behind us, it pools in a little resevoir and then is gravity fed to the house. No electricity involved ;-) so we are looking into trying to keep that arrangement going. There is a spring/stream going down the side of the plot but it's very dependant on the weather, sometimes it roars and other times just a trickle ! I'm not sure about electricity yet.. but I'll certainly look into what you said Bea. This will be a small 4 roomed cabin. The prices for rental here are just crazy now and we have no chance of buying anything... This will be a Armageddon house !! hopefully I will still be in it when the GT starts :-) 

 

Our heating now is mostly from a wood burning stove supplemented by oil, but this new place will be all from the stove.  There is lots of information out there but it's a;ways great to hear from others who have done the same .