Homestead mailing list

[sjc <indexer AT fairpoint.net>]

On 2/3/2010 9:29 PM, Robert Walton wrote:
> Is anyone off grid here or partially off grid? I'm really kind of lost
> as to where to start.
>    

I was before the fire, had solar but haven't replaced it.  I was rigged 
for either my own or grid power and could switch between them at will if 
needed.  I had a state client living here at the time and the very idea 
that there would be no grid power had them threatening to pull my 
license within about 10 minutes.  Of course when an ice storm decimated 
92% of the state's grid, they never said a word about my having what 
they called 'a backup system'....Uhhh, guys: the grid was my backup 
system; you know, the one that didn't deliver power for 23 days?

Figure first what you really want/'need' to use on a system, figuring 
both the minimum you need, then what you'd really like, max. Figure your 
best usage and whether or not to replace appliances, etc, for power 
savings/less usage.  For instance, I decided to replace my elderly 
fridge with one that takes very low power (used to be VestFrost, they 
are still marketed but under a different name now.  Danish-made.).  
Don't forget to add in ghost loads; they can really add up depending on 
what you use for various tasks.  I only use one thing that draws a 
ghost, so not a problem for me, but I know a couple of people who had so 
much junk going with ghosts that they underestimated their systems.   
Then figure the size/materials, etc, for your system.

I never did try to put the deep well pump on the solar; it stayed on the 
grid.   I had to pay a minimum of $13/month anyhow so I just left it 
there.  I have 2 other ways to get water: my well is artesian and the 
outlet for the house is well below the static water level (runs over at 
all times, actually), but comes into the house 12' below where it exits 
the well tube, so I can just open the valve and get good water.  I also 
have a hand pump that draws from a shallow (24') well down by the 
garden, just in case.  I had that setup before I put in the deep well, 
and it was easy to set up another after the fire, so I did.

There was a toilet (state regs again) but I also have a perfectly 
adequate composting outhouse, so no water necessary to pump for toilet.  
You can easily find or have already done a number of things that will 
seriously reduce your need for a big unwieldy system---your wood 
cookstove, etc.

I decided against wind because the only units recommended for my system 
screamed like banshees....no way.

So that left solar, but this is a good state/area for solar.  That came 
to too much for my wallet (I don't do loans, period), so I put in a 
couple of panels, and a couple of big batteries (unused but elderly 
batteries that the Air Force let go verrry cheap when they abandoned a 
base up here), an inverter, and a dandy good metering system so I could 
tell what was going on.  Everywhere I worked I left room (physical 
space) for additional panels, batteries, etc.  I had about half my total 
system in at that point and added the second half a couple of years 
later.  I was within 2 months of payback (7 years after the first part 
went in) when the house burned so didn't really quite make it, but 
certainly is the way to go; if I ever live long enough now to get the 
rest of the house done I'll do it again, same way.

A lot of people here now seem to have been sold on setting up their 
system to run the meter backward with their excess, but the idea of 
buying extra capacity to sell (at wholesale) to the power boys, and then 
not have power when the grid goes down, leaves me a bit chilly.....

SJ