An experiment just to see.....

grandma12703 · #21 02/14/13, 09:25 AM

It seemed simple but I have to admit my DH did it. We bought our first two panels as a kit with the two panels, 30 amp charge controller, 2000 watt inverter that I bought off of ebay for $30.00, and 3 car batteries. I know folks say that those are the wrong batteries and if we could afford it I would buy the other kind, however with that said we have used these for 2 years with one more added when we got our third panel. We also added our wind generator (which I also bought off of ebay for around $70.00). It is only a 400 watt but we think it keeps adding to our battery bank when the sun is not out all day but the wind is blowing.

Our panels are on our roof. DH built a battery box that sits outside our back door.

I will talk to him and see if he can give me more info. I just write the checks and he does the work. With all that said we are also careful. We power our lights, an energy star 24 " television (that we only watch a few hours in the evening), our small energy star refrigerator which does not have a seperate freezer. We also have a propane refrigerator and freezer which we only use at special need-be times(like when we have beef, lamb, or deer that needs frozen) or big family holidays.

We have a water catchment system for livestock watering, bathing, and garden watering. We put a little clorox in our home water system each week just to be safe but very little.

I have not gotten it yet but was very excited to find info on gas powered washing machines. If I do this I will have my DH add on a screen porch with so that the fumes have somewhere to go.

Anyway, been here almost 2 years so we are definately a work in progress. We are still learning a lot but enjoying it. Honestly haven't missed anything especially the elec, gas (which we still buy some propane-about $40.00 mo.), satellite tv, water, sewer, trash bills.

ronbre · #22 02/14/13, 09:45 AM

we often have our power go off for several days at a time..last time was our first with a propane generator, before that we had none.

I loved the generator, it was such a blessing to be able to top off the elec to the freezer and frig and run a few elec heaters and fans..we do have wood boiler and a fireplace which we can run with generator but our wood boiler died when the elec died last time and we had to have it replaced..this one won't do that

motdaugrnds · #23 02/14/13, 01:23 PM

Thanks Grandma. I'll relay that information to David.

GrammaBarb · #24 02/14/13, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grandma12703

It seemed simple but I have to admit my DH did it. We bought our first two panels as a kit with the two panels, 30 amp charge controller, 2000 watt inverter that I bought off of ebay for $30.00, and 3 car batteries. I know folks say that those are the wrong batteries and if we could afford it I would buy the other kind, however with that said we have used these for 2 years with one more added when we got our third panel. We also added our wind generator (which I also bought off of ebay for around $70.00). It is only a 400 watt but we think it keeps adding to our battery bank when the sun is not out all day but the wind is blowing.

Our panels are on our roof. DH built a battery box that sits outside our back door.

I will talk to him and see if he can give me more info. I just write the checks and he does the work. With all that said we are also careful. We power our lights, an energy star 24 " television (that we only watch a few hours in the evening), our small energy star refrigerator which does not have a seperate freezer. We also have a propane refrigerator and freezer which we only use at special need-be times(like when we have beef, lamb, or deer that needs frozen) or big family holidays.

We have a water catchment system for livestock watering, bathing, and garden watering. We put a little clorox in our home water system each week just to be safe but very little.

I have not gotten it yet but was very excited to find info on gas powered washing machines. If I do this I will have my DH add on a screen porch with so that the fumes have somewhere to go.

Anyway, been here almost 2 years so we are definately a work in progress. We are still learning a lot but enjoying it. Honestly haven't missed anything especially the elec, gas (which we still buy some propane-about $40.00 mo.), satellite tv, water, sewer, trash bills.

This is very helpful! Thanks! I have no water bill, no garbage bill, no sewer, and I've gotten the electrical down to about $80.00 a month, but I hate the idea of being tied to the grid. I thought solar would be way more expensive....good to know.

Really, though, even with all the *very* neat ideas and stories, the main thing I can take away with me is the fact that I'm not the only weirdo who isn't exactly overjoyed at paying for all the modern "conveniences". Every time I leaf through one of the Firefox books, I think, "Jeez, I'm such a wuss..." and now I realize I'm simply a work in progress! I like that.....