Off grid costs ?

So I got this acerage I hunt on now and have a cabin. All good, but. Now I find myself more and more wanting the solitude of living back there. It's 700 metres off the main road. H1 would brutilize me going through swamp and bedrock. Therefore I think the only option is off the grid. I get how I got to run a genny to do welding etc, and things like solar, wind, battery gets you through day to day life, but lets just say as part of "day to day" You were not able to get water at under 100' . You have to go submersable 220V pump. It's not practical to try to figure out exactly when your pressure switch will call for water so the genny will come on. Like I said ,if I have big 220 stuff to fire up I get the whole fire up the genny thing, but. What about the day to day 220 stuff ie water ? Or does one build some kind of a heated sistern he fills when the gennys going. That's a pain. Ideally I'd like someone who lives truly "off grid" or a systems installer if we have any of either on board

A buddy of mine installs turbines and solar panels. He told me it would be at least 60,000 to go completely off grid with solar and wind generation. This was a couple years ago.

Ya I was afraid that a FULLY functional "off grid" system would rival "on line" in price

The water part can be done reliably with a DC submersible that can run directly off of your battery voltage (anywhere from 12-300VDC). This can be set up the exact same way as a conventional 220VAC system with a pressure tank and switch or a cistern and float. Cost is more of course but not outrageous - probably 3-5k.

This is a solar powered camel watering centre I built in the Danakil desert. It pumps 15,000 litres per day into a cistern that gravity feeds troughs.

View of entire site:

http://images.summitpost.org/original/846101.jpg


Setting the DC pump:

http://images.summitpost.org/original/846104.jpg

Happy customers:

http://images.summitpost.org/original/846102.jpg

Moving and heating water are the two largest electrical draws we have in most homes. Both take an incredible amount of energy for the resulting payoff.

For cutting costs, many people devise a system that uses a DC pump hooked to a single solar panel and pump their water into an elevated holding tank during the day/sunlit hours. They feed that holding tank into cold water piping and also their heating system. The coolest system I've seen is by Cam Mathers. Google him, he's likely hosting an off grid seminar any day now.

The first thing you have to do when going off the grid is to realize that your usage cannot be what it is on the grid. We had a full off grid system at the hunt camp, it was brilliant, we could go up with a group of 12 guys and last for 9 days on the battery system from the solar. The issue is how often you use it, if you live where you are off the grid then you must plan down to the watt what your usage is and stick to that usage. You can run a propane water heater, propane stove and propane fridge, install a propane furnace and a wood stove and have your heat covered.

Good luck

Get in touch with Woody 1948, his place on White Lake is completely off the grid and he'll be able to steer you in the right direction, I was able to give him some batteries we got out of an old ( BIG ) ups system that helped him out but the bigger your battery bank the more you can use.

Good Luck and hope it works out, think most of us on here would love to be able to move to the bush.

Well... you could go with a deep well hand pump, some work up to 200ft, now there's off the grid for you!

I Posted this last year.

– Paid installations of Solar based system have a ROI of 14-18 yrs, before they turn a profit to home owners with current incentives. I have done lots of base work for solar fields (sona tubes, trenching and guy base anchor points) with my company. In the last 3 years I have been contracted by home owners to do this type work (DYI’ers) the ROI for them is 8-9 years. You battery statement is a bit off in life span unless you are budgeted under power for daily draw needs. Normal battery scaling for home based systems is valued at 100% of actual needs each day. Without listed a bunch of numbers, you plan your need (KW per day) X that 10 and size your battery pack to operate within the top 10% of needs. A battery system that goes below 12volts is already dead with life span. Moderate discharging of batteries ½’s the life of batteries each time (technically) Equalization procedures restores life and is done monthly using genny time, and usually at the same time a big power use is needed too. i.e. welding or lots of people over. Overall, if properly managed current batteries should last 20yrs.

My first solar based system batteries were heavy duty mil spec truck batteries I bought of Gov surplus site, after 7 years, still were like new when I sold the system. It ran the all basement needs on a second circuit; I installed, plus, comp, phone, fax and had a back up to freezer.

Agreed with reduction in personal use and changing every energy using appliance to most efficient is still better than installing off the grid system. This is proven over and over again. That is the first step, before going off grid. Some land is cheaper on lakes with hydro service, or roads without installed hydro on them. People look for deals like this when planning off grid home, more bang for the buck. Some do it for the simple cost factor of installing hydro poles, and the first time you turn on the lights you make your money back. I would have only solar and micro turbine (if possible) with solar evacuated tubes to produce warm water (for in floor radiant heat) and a 5-10K diesel generator as back up also to use during high demand. The idea is never to have a bill, except for what you use; you still pay, but not subject to the whims of governments, HST yada, yada. Bonus is ready for the zombie apocalypse.

This is the book I started with. Before you plan anything read this book twice. Most people dream of being off grid free from Hydro companies. The reality is you have to reduce down to lowest KW cost and use, before you ever plan to go off grid. In my quest to find efficiency one company makes the best fridges/freezers SunFrost. Look them up. Back up propane furnace is a good idea, but not required unless you will spend time away from property. Research (youtube) Rocket Stove Mass Heater and rocket stoves for cooking. I would not do wind, but prefer to rely on a 5-10K Diesel back up genny. Solar evacuated tubes work very, but I would install a 1000 gallon plastic water tank and heat the mass with wood. Run in floor radiant heat systems and use heat sink mass for other hot water needs.

Why I am not off the grid…kids…wife. Nuff said, it is a pipe dream for me and the best I will do is off the grid cabin at some point.


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