One Year Off Grid Solar Power System Update
Vložit
- čas přidán 29. 08. 2024
- We have been running our Off Grid Cabin off of solar power for one year now! How is it doing ? Time for an update!
Buying land has never been easier! Head over to bit.ly/3JqKmsK and use code DLJAYJEN10
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @offgridwithjayandjen
Gas money support streamlabs.com...
Hand hammered Copper Sink: amzn.to/3KBFZKX
Renogy Solar Panels amzn.to/3IkaDah
Go pro Hero 9 - amzn.to/3KDx4bY
Renogy Deep Cycle AGM battery amzn.to/3pZoOLk
Bluetti EB70 -amzn.to/3tTKAS0
Online shopping ? Use this link ! amzn.to/2XkTVlO
Merchandise Store!
www.bonfire.co...
(These are affiliate links. Any purchase made through these links will help support this channel- Thank you!)
Follow Us on Instagram at offgridwithjayandjen
Follow Us on facebook at / offgridwithjayandjenmi
Many have asked for a P.O box
here it is P.O Box 1642
Clarkston, MI 48347
Amazon Wish List
www.amazon.com...
Check out our 2 year update on our solar system here czcams.com/video/AbWNuEI2dx8/video.html
Thanks for sharing your update! The Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series looks like a great option for off-grid power. I love that it has a massive capacity, fast recharging, and is waterproof. It seems like a reliable choice for outdoor adventures or home backup power.
We have a very similar system and have lived totally off-grid for nearly 9 years. With only a little more panel capacity we run a normal front-loader washing machine as well as two large fridges and an electric kettle during the day. A lot has to do with when you do things . On a sunny day, once the batteries are charged, the panels are idling, might as well use that power for washing, kettle, slow cooker and so on. One can do a lot with little just by adjusting one's life style a little.
.Awesome......very cool. I too think we could run more stuff but still working on adding comforts. Lol. People suggest wind turbines often to us, but our battery bank is often fully charged mid day, so no need for it. Glad to hear your system is treating you well for all them years.
@@OffgridwithJayandJen build a custom water tank with a ton of insulation get around r50-60. Make the tank 500 gallons and put a single or double water heater coil inside it. Once that things heated itll stay hot for a very long time. Like a few days. And you can shower or bath from it for a long time.
@@fajile5109 I like the rock wool not mineral wool for insulation as its great insulation, fire proof and sound proof and
easy to work with. You could wrap that around the tank and then get the water heater covers to put over it to hold
the insulation in place
yes excatly why letting good power go to waste
@@OffgridwithJayandJen a wind turbine is mainly usefull if you live a place where you get periods with very little solar , like here in Denmark in certain periods of winter , then one can charge the batteries with a vindturbine but i have learned a few lessons if you are gonna do the work of raising a tower or mounting it on a buliding make sure to get a model that actually produces power so its worth putting in the work of raising it, the most costeffetive turbines about 4-500$ i have found that actually produces the power they are rated for is the istabreeze series 1500w and 2000w models they have a very good pma good blades strong hub and housing but they have a few problems that can be fixed ( tendency to collect water in the pma housing over time ) drill a hole in the bottom and use a good sealent on the ends of housing, ,, so if you know somone that wants a turbine warn them about the 500w 1000w china turbines at the 200$ prizerange they are utter nonsence,, there are a 400w one that is good but there are so many low output copys
I would insulate the battery shed with like 3 inches of foam, the inverter and the solar charge controllers should generate enough heat to keep it below freezing, if not add a DC heater ,the dc heater will dry up the moisture and keep the battery relatively warm. Good job on your set up
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jay! First for being realistic! Second for calling out the BS that so many people buy into with unrealistic, unattainable off grid homesteads. 90% of us are everyday folks like you and Jen and we are striving for simplicity, sustainability and tranquility. So many people are bamboozled by the glitz and glam of unrealistic off grid channels on YT. I don't get it. I appreciate channels like you and Jen because I can learn and apply it to what's realistic for me. Thank you! Love y'all! ❤️🇺🇸❤️ Side note: have you two though about burying one of those caged IBC totes to act as a cistern? I saw a guy in Ohio bury something similar, utilizing a small 12 volt pump. Of course the lines above ground would still need winterized and insulated. Just a thought. Y'all take care! 😊
Love it my friend......appreciate you being here and GETTING it, lol. Nothing wrong with fancy if that's what you want.....but in most eyes simple is what we are looking for like you said. We do have a few of the IBC totes we are using around the property for water. would love to bury one close to the cabin. Check out our video about rain catchment we put out a few weeks ago. the setup we did is just temporary but part of the long term water plan. Best wishes
@@OffgridwithJayandJen Amen sista friend. I saw the rain catchment vid. You guys did an awesome job on that too....as per usual! 😀 Often times in my life I find primitive and rudimentary are the shortest and least resistant routes from point A to B....also less headaches. 😀 BTW the solar set up is amazing IMO...practical and AFFORDABLE! Y'all take care! ❤️🇺🇸❤️
@@silvursprings woot woot 😊😊😊
Couldn’t have said it better. Right to the point. Jay and Jen are doing a great job. Simplicity at its best.
@@silvursprings as soon as you put an expensive "off-grid" system you are no longer off-grid because the idea is also for the stuff to be easy to disassemble and moved to a new location if need be not to require a dozen of professional tradesmen to put everything back on. I think a lot of tradesmen on YT who already have workshops with expensive kit have switched to off-grid theme to attract more audience but their DIY is not really DIY. It's more to make you jealous and add tools you can get around. Once everyone has corded electric tools then they came up with cordless and people keep updating.
22 years off the grid in Hawaii. Simple system, simple needs. Propane for most appliances. Water from the roof.
Yes...yes....and yes. Totally agree
I loved the simplicity of your approach.
Congratulations
Hey Everyone....Thanks for all the Support and comments here on this Video. I'm sure it has helped someone in some way. If you want to see how we have started our journey and built this Off Grid Cabin check out our Timelapse videos to catch you up. Here is a couple of our more popular videos.....czcams.com/video/ssRh3qPgRQU/video.html or czcams.com/video/VvnUkWU7mMw/video.html
I will be checking all of them out. We are seniors now, but followed "Mother Earth News" many years ago and intended to build an underground house, however off grid was not practical back then, remote work didn't exist, and kids came along, and... and, we are seniors now. 🙄
@Kenneth G. Jr thank you my friend.....life sneaks up on us all.....crazy fun stuff, lol
All that water is a heat load mass. You should put it inside. Then you can help normalize your interior temps AND have water that's not frozen.
Afterthought, you can add a tiny 12V fan to blow air around your interior tanks to ensure the air inside and the water containers are exchanging heat. That would keep the entire interior equalized.
I love the honesty and care you put into what you do. So happy you guys keep doing CZcams.
Thank You Corey......Sharing Real life, Hoping it helps and encourages others. Best wishes
I like how Jay get straight into the Costing of building the system unlike other, making the costing a mystery. it pisses me off for someone who wanted to build the system to save money, as it is an important information. Thank You for not shy of revealing the costing for the system. Supporting your work.
I hate that too Lawrence.....makes no sense to not talk about price.
Thanks for the info Jason, It gives us on-grid peeps hope that we can do this if we put our effort and dollars toward it.
Thanks Trudee..... you might even be able to get away with less if you wanted. Just depends on your needs. Best wishes my friend
Hi Jay & Jen I think you are both the most honest people regarding the ups and downs of achieving your Off Grid Dreams. Keep up the great work.😀👍
Thanks Liam....hope some can learn from our journey and sharing it. 😊
Nice system guys. Your absolutely right about some of the big expensive systems. We have a 2 kw system at our off grid cabin and it runs our well, fridge, freezer, lights fans and even and ac unit for 4-5 hours. Over the last 3 years I think it has come close to paying for itself. Keep up the great work!
Very cool.....I sit with my jaw dropped to the floor when I see some of these systems.
So it runs for 4-5 hours, then what? Everything off for hours until your batteries charge?
@@ghosthunter152 usually 4-5 hours is good enough to keep my cabin cool enough. But I can also run the ac a little longer with generator and charge the batteries at the same time.
Having enuff battery till the sun comes back around is key l think. Beautiful, simple instalation. Very nice!
Jay and Jen, Simple and efficient =effective. Your approach to this whole effort has been a fun thing to watch and very informative. Some of the “architectural digest” off grid properties are amazing but have to be outlandishly expensive. Yours is what most people would aspire to. Great job.
Thank you......fancy is nice if the pay check is there.....but the average person has limitations. thank you for your kindness
Jay, we watched this at our off grid cabin while eating dinner.
We liked :1) your sponsor is relevant to the channel-kudos for that. We will check out the site 2) You relating your solar to what you use. Amazing to see you run a fridge on it with no issue or generator help. 3) your haircut 4) that you did that wiring project all for the dogs.
We did not like/ no Jen(we miss Jen). But another great video.
Thank you so much Guys......you are too funny. Jen was teaching classes while I filmed this....otherwise my price is right girl would have been there to point and wave at each piece of equipment, giggle giggle
New subscriber here and I just wanted to thank you for sharing this solar experience as well as being so real about what it's capable of. Looking forward to more of your content.
Awesome....welcome Lisa. We try and keep things real here so hope you enjoy our channel and find some videos you are interested in. Lots of playlists if you want to narrow it down a bit. Thank you for watching and subbing.
Another Awesome video y'all. We appreciate the breakdown and realistic view on the system. Just like you said, some other channels almost make you feel bad if you don't have the latest greatest 20K system. Keep going and sharing. Thanx again... Be Safe!!
Thanks guys.....you keep it up too. Hope you are finding the time to work on the cabin...Best wishes
That’s fantastic love your setup, just got done setting up an off grid garage with 6 solar panels producing 1,200 watts of power and love it.
I’m vicariously excited for you!!!!! One day I’ll be on board myself!
It is exciting to know you have built something that is self sustaining in a way. Very satisfying
😊👍
Very good information. Myself being a electrician I have a good understanding of this system but folks who don't have the training I have. This is excellent
Thanks Bryan.....glad you enjoyed the video. I have a little.bit of electrical knowledge with my day to day, but primarily just tracking down shorts and replacing the part.....not a licensed electrician by far. Thanks for watching
Thanks for great video! 👍 When building next expanse for the Solar system, after the batteries, use a ground mount system to east- west with 30-40 degree angle both sides. (Will generate mid day production and also will help with snow sliding down during winter)
P.S. You can buy solar clamp mid and end clamp tops and then use screws to fix them to the wood frame that you can make yourself according to the PV panels. 😉
Nice....sounds awesome
Absolutely love the dual use of your solar stand for storing wood and your great attitude in general. There's so much nonsense talked about solar. Imagine how much you can actually do with just one panel and one battery. Lights, radio, phone, tablet, laptop, portable dvd player etc etc etc. It's probably even good to start with a little and work your way up as you learn more. Too much nonsense said about the whole thing. I love that you have started out with just 1kw. You may find it just does what you need.
Thank you Freya.....really appreciate the kind words. I totally agree with ya on the working your way up. We used and still use a single panel and battery to run our shower house down by camp and it works perfect for running the shower pump and lights year around. It was my first adventure into solar....great way to learn. Best wishes
Your doing an amazing job, Jay. Keep up the good work. We look forward to watching each week.
Thanks for keeping me going......appreciate ya
Thank you for sharing, you are true people in true life and you have accomplished so much by you own.
Thank you for your kindness my friend.
This is such a great informative video. This helps me out a lot. We’re considering building our own off grid cabin to live in full time and I have been looking into solar. I like your thoughts on using propane because I feel the same way. You still have to buy the propane. What if you can’t buy propane?
Thanks Jeff, I completely agree. Sure no system is flawless, but to buy an appliance where the initial investment is high only to buy fuel to run it doesn't make much sense
Look into wood gasification. This is how we'll need to create combustable gas if Nat/Propane is not available. Its inefficient and dirty, but its gas that will burn similar to propane when the Sun drops a nut directly at us, or these communists/luciferians in control of the big toys flip the switch.
Same goes for BITCOIN FYI. How are you or anyone gonna do anything with bitcoin when there is no electricity as even solar systems will fry in an EMP, regardless of who its from, Man or the Sun or 'the aliens' as they sure want you to buy into that myth.
So what is the contingency if you can’t buy gasoline either?
@@campcreekhill8933 I think about that more and more these days. I mean we use a lot of gas around here for building tasks and putting up firewood. If I were to cut back and only use what I have in reserve I think I could cut firewood for a year or two. But only run the chainsaw. No more luxury of riding the side by side around the property. Would like to slowly upgrade all my tools to battery power, but they are not in the budget at the moment. Like I mentioned in the video I have not had to use the generator to charge my solar but once, and they was just as a precautionary
@@OffgridwithJayandJen I think if we ever get to the stage where we can’t buy propane or gasoline then we have got a few more issues to worry about than just that!
I know the video is 2 years old but I appreciate it nonetheless. I enjoyed your sheer honesty and expressing your views on simple way of living without having to break the bank.
I am relatively new to solar and still learning about controllers, wiring setups, inverters, amps, watt, direction, roof or no roof, and lifepo4 vs acid.
I took the beginner's and more expensive route due to my lack of experience so I bought some solar generators like bluetti and just hooked up a few solar panels for now.
I'm still learning but I have about 1200w of solar panels, 3000w bluetti solar generator and 1500w vtoman solar generator. I also bought a prefabricated mini 200w, 40ah, inverter and control kit just to get the hang of wiring and setup for future expansion. Power is good from mid March until late September for normal consumption but I don't have enough power during the other months. The system barely charges during November until February. Like basically 10-20w/hr.
If anyone is reading this, I'm open for suggestions and recommendations. I live on Gulf islands in BC.
Stay free and be healthy!
Thats a sweet set up, Maybe you should build a root celler on the side of the hill for food storage and or do something similar for your water situation, maybe an underground tank(s) so the water doesn't freeze.
Thanks for the good thorough review of your affordable system.
My pleasure!
Frugal and functional is exactly how I'd have done it kudos👍✌
Why complicate it. Right???
Thanks for all the great info.
Money well spent, like your t-shirt 😁😁
😁😁😁
I want to thank you for this encouraging video report on your solar system. I am also put off by the high ticket systems featured by some CZcamsrs. They are out of our price range. I live in western Pennsylvania and am installing a solar system similar to yours. I am putting in 1200 watts of solar panels on the roof of our woodshed, which is about 2 feet from the corner of our house where the electric service panel is located. I have a 60 A MPPT solar charge controller, 200 AH of 24 V LiFePo4 batteries, and a 2500 W inverter, hardwired to an interlocked breaker in our service panel. I intend to use this system for backup power for our water pump, refrigerator, cell phones, router, radios and a few lights. I hope to double the size of our battery bank later this year. Thanks again.
I think this is the best comment I have read in a good while.....im happy to see others going for it. If you have good sun exposure you will be very happy and impressed with what you can power with that simple set up. Let us know how it goes. 👍
There are floating electric water heaters. Pit one in a tank or barrel and keep it full of snow for winter water. If it is outside just wrap your container with insulation. In Canada that is how we kept the cattle trough clear in the winter in my younger years.
Smart....will look into that. Thanks 😊
Cool just got home from having an Indian meal in the city. And a new video! Got my "fat pants" on! 😉 (Elasitc waisted gym shorts.) Have a great weekend y’all. Be well and stay safe. 🙏 Sending luv from NOLA.
Ha, we may have been pigging out and splitting a pizza last night too, lol. Gym shorts are my go to for relaxing too, lol
I have a solar installation company in Jamaica, your system is good as long as it covers your needs, that's a good build and I like it
Very nice, cool to hear it from someone who works in the business. Thanks for watching and best wishes
Thanks Jay!!! That was awesome!!! You did a great service to all that think they can't... you both are so inspiring. Love you both... I'm so so so happy for your new bedroom you have... I bet your bodies feel so much better now with sleeping in a real bed!! Keep up the good work you two favorite people!
lots of Love my friend......thank you for sticking with us and all your support along the way.
That bed is so cozy I missed getting a video out last week....I snoozed right through it, lol
Great to see what you are doing! I was using 6 Trojan AGM deep cycle 305AH batteries with 2 BZ 500 watt mppt charge controllers and a Xantrex 1800 watt pure sine inverter. Batteries lasted about 6 years. Now doing EcoFlow delta pros. Love being off grid! Glad you are enjoying it too!
Awesome, glad to hear your old system took care of for 6 years. Hope the eco flow systems last a long time for you.
Hi Jay & Jen! How are you guys? So Happy to see your video today!Thank you for the Solar System info. I really appreciate you giving us the information about how to find and buy land. Thank you Jay!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Blessings, Laura
Hey Laura......we are doing great. 😊 hope you are doing the same.
Thanks for the video. It's great to learn about these systems in a practical realistic way. Beautiful homestead.
Thanks for watching and commenting my friend
Thank you so much for making this video! My family and I are looking into solar for our future off grid cabins, we’ll be living in tiny cabins together on the same property and I think this type of set up would be close to what we want to do! Super informative, appreciate it!
So glad I Could Help. I'm working on doing another update for our system soon and will try to show it again in even more detail with a two year update. Thanks for watching.
We just got a fridge for 1,000. We run it off our solar it is DC. Our RV Fridge second hand just crapped out on us. Hindsight I would have bought it 6 months ago and bought more batteries and more solar. We built an insulated doghouse for our water tanks. Using the 2 inch styrofoam board.works for us .
Love hearing real life info.....in theory we all want things to be perfect. Just not sure if simple will work for that. Let us know how how the DC fridge works out Cheryl
@@OffgridwithJayandJen we will let you know. On the boat we had a cold plate system. Only because we were limited on how many panels we could hold. And batteries. It was only 32 foot. But our golf cart type flooded lasted about 6 years and so did our AGM BATTERIES.
It is amazing how two of you did so much. The saw mill is expensive, but saved you a lot in the long run. There are now lithium batteries with built in heaters, or you could insulate the shed well and put a heater in it, or as you said in the house itself with the wood heat. I use the self heating batteries on my camper, but rarely camp in weather below 20° F. My brother could not get power for a couple years to a house they built in the Oxarks, and they ran an old wash machine off a fairly small generator and and used a solar hot box to provide heat to a small clothes dryer to tumble the clothes. Snow melts on a wood stove for water. When no snow, I have no idea other than bigger tanks to store more water.
Thanks kenneth.....ya the sawmill was a good investment, I have a video about it coming out soon so keep an eye out for that. Best wishes
We have been on sloar power only(48v system) for 1 1/2 yrs now. Had some issues in the beginning, but all in all, are happy with it now. We do have quite a bit more $ in our system but with our requirements that's ok. Without any more issues it will pay for itself in 3 1/2 more yrs. Power goes out pretty often out here in the Big Bend area, again last night, but not for us. Good video you have done, informative and straight forward. Well done.
Very nice BE.....good to hear others having good success too with solar. Nothing wrong with building a system to your needs.....it is actually the best way lol.
Very interesting and educational, really helps with understanding how solar system works and costs.
Thanks David
SPOT ON! I've thought the same with all those expensive oversized solar deployments. I'm building my off-grid home with just 200W solar, two Renogy Lithium 100Ah 12V batteries, one MPPT charge controller, one 2000W Inverter, and with that I haven't used once the generator while using my 1800W miter saw, circular saw, drillers, battery chargers, vacuum, etc. during this whole warm season. I think that with 1600Watts in Solar energy in Ottawa area is enough for a small home, specially because in Summer will heat water with the excess energy comming from the PV solar panels, and in winter time with an heat exchanger from the stove, and some propane backup...
Thanks guys for that recap on your solar !! Very informative for sure , have a great weekend
Thanks buddy....not a super exciting video I guess, lots of yaking, but lots of people ask about this stuff 😀
I swear, Will Prowse has turned out to be a multitudes' inspiration to get into solar... Well, that and the coming uncertainty in the energy production market... I went the lithium direction. I see you have the same controller I do and you have 1000W of panels on it, makes the decision to add 400W more to the 600 I have on it now a bit easier. I plan on a secondary system in the coming months to power the uber power hungry items (A/C, what else?). Great set-up you have, keep going!
Thanks VV, his direct straight forward videos have helped Me understand solar better. I still have tons to learn, but at least a guy like Me who takes 3-4 rounds to learn it can figure it out in less time. I'm sure we will be experimenting with lithium batteries sooner than later...but the Temps here make it complicated
Thank you, great video! I'm disabled and trying to fullfill a dream I've had for many years of starting a homestead, and have been trying to see what my options are... I really appreciate your realism, I don't expect to live a life of on grid luxury but some say that a refrigerator is too much for a solar panel array... It's nice to know that not every naysayer is true
Hey my friend.....don't let the dream killers stop ya. I had a master electrician and generator business owner both tell me solar was a waste of time and I would never be able to run a cabin on it.....well my system has taken very good care of us. I'm sure at some point we will have 10 days of poor weather and I will have to charge the batteries with the generator but not daily like I was told. So far so good.
Dude, your doing great!!! I'm one of the guys that went all out on solar, everybody has their personal usage and needs. You've done well for you. I'm a new subscriber.
Awesome buddy, thanks. I didn't want to come off as bashing the big systems.....just wanted everyone to know they didn't need to go that route if not needed...like you you said, all about the needs. Best wishes and thanks for subbing
Thanks Jay. This off grid solar system is perfectly matched with HICOOLER technology which provide almost free air cooling. That is good for hot and sunny location.
Thanks Jason you explained the workings and price better than anyone I have watched. So thanks .
Thanks Shirley for being here. Best wishes
Gooood Morning ! ! It’s great the solar is doing good for you . Your cabin is looking so nice with the addition. In the future are you going to add the bathroom to the cabin ? Enjoy the weekend. Get some fishing in. 👍👍😊
Good evening my dear Sue....thank you for your support here. We were hoping to include a bathroom in the bedroom addition.....but think we are yet again going to be adding on. Lol. Maybe sooner than later
Very good video, thanks for explaining the solar system it is very helpful. Also the price for the whole system. I watch others and you are right about the $40-50,000 costs. They live year round and have over a million subscribers so we the viewers are paying for it indirectly. Really like your channel, Thanks for everything!!!
Thanks Tom......you are right about that. There is no harm in having those huge systems if you can pay for them....but I'm not sure the average person can, so this is how little old me made it work, lol
I bought 8320 watts solar panel sym .I july it only produced $12.59 solar credits for that mo.with @213.light bill $129.99 loanpayment for that money. Of 25y loan?loan wit interest $48000?does this sound worth it with reliant elec co.?
@@benlopez8086 thats rough buddy. Those production Levels have to be off somehow.....but having solar installed and having a loan on it is a huge scam. Sorry your setup isn't working out.
Brother the biggest advantage I have found with the hybrid all-in-one systems are that when charging batteries any surplus power being created by the panels can be transferred directly to the inverter therefore during the day you are only charging batteries regardless of your power use the batteries do not get tapped until sundown this bypass mode is extremely efficient and extends battery life substantially in lead acid batteries due to their cycle life
Nice set up! I have a basement apartment for my son all the lighting is 12v dc I just bought led camper lights. Using 400w of panels with 200 AH battery bank. Its been going for almost 5 years and it literally trickle charges all day. He forgets and leaves lights on still no strain on the batteries.Problem with most people using solar is they try to power too much efficient appliances is the key. If you start a system with a stressful load on your bank it will be an uphill battle and the batteries will not last as long. Great honest info in this video!
That is great to hear, I totally agree with you in all regards. Led lights and energy efficient appliances are key.
Saw an off grid house in Portugal where they had the driveway cemented and it angled to feed a cistern underground. It increase how much water they caught. I would also run some drains to catch the water out gf the shed and panels. Feed it too to the cisterns.
Impressed, you did the research, made the purchases, and installed the system. I've researched for the last couple of months trying to figure the best route to implement a solar sys at my cabin. I've priced every option from kits to individual device purchase. You did great, and had the guts to move forward. Loved the informative video.
Thanks LL....really appreciate it. These all in one systems you ee often make solar easier for newbies like us. If I didn't want to force myself to learn they make a lot of sense and hook up easier. Will prowse reviews them often.
I'm looking at land in the U.P. right now and most of it will require me to put together something like this for power.
Even with more panels and a larger system it's still way cheaper than having power poles and lines ran.
For sure it will be. Even getting a cabin or power pole hooked up in a neighborhood can cost you more than this system.....add half a mile or more to that power line run and you are saving big time.
I love your Solar Power System Update and thank you very much sharing your CZcams!!!❤❤❤👍👍👍
Thank-you.....glad you like it and appreciate your support
Thanks for telling it like it is - the good, bad, and the ugly. I like your frugal ways.
Thanks Philip, making it work.....and on a budget
Im in the southern US.
Off grid 5 years .similar set up.
800 aph panels. Two got destroyed in shipment or I'd have 1000 amh.
I use 2- 200amh renogy batteries.
Will definitely add asp.
Good job.
Solar works.
Awesome.....glad to hear your system is taking good care of you. We bought our batteries from Amazon on prime day and they were discounted quite a bit, keep an eye out for it. Best wishes
Jay I like how you did your solar system it shows that you can do it cheeper even if it is a temporary fix that it dosent have to ne out of this world expensive. thanks bud.
Just trying to make it work.....on a budget, lol
Where your batteries live is important. In Michigan it gets very cold. You might think going down. Below 3 feet should be above freezing. Cover the hole with foam and keep the shed as is.
I like that you have kept your project very simple and practical.
Thanks Roger
😀👍
Love the simple setup. Do yourself a favor and get a low voltage disconnect. Will save your batteries if you aren’t around for an extended cloudy period.
Great idea.....thanks BFG
Thank you for this informative and realistic video. I have a similar system with a similar price range and it works perfectly for us.
Good stuff
Dear sir I have my lead acid battery and have them for 8 year and they still working well so don't listern to negative people as long and you have what you want from South Africa
I love this William. Thank you for letting me know. I'm hoping for a similar experience. Best wishes my friend
Very cool setup, the nice thing about doing it this way is you can add more battery power as needed or if something goes wrong you can identify it and fix it on your own . All solar power systems have their pros and cons. Either build it yourself or plug n play . This is how i want to live my retirement years...off grid
I'm glad you get it MV......I could have easily bought a power station to do what we wanted....but I wanted to learn and have flexibility.....like you said buddy. 😊
there are many cheap ways to dig your own well and the vids are right here !
jay! i appreciate you're honesty and i embrace the simplicity in your way of using solar with its limitations and challenges , you really understand it.
you are not expert but you know your needs and you will grow with it..
best regards
Hey, thanks Joe. Learning and growing as needed like you said. Thanks for the kind words my friend
You are so right in what you said about other channels. Some of the system set ups are huge and so expensive they are out of the “normal people’s” price range. Keep the good work up , ❤️and respect from the uk as always 👍
Thanks Wil, there is no harm in having huge system I guess.....but shoot, it really makes you think using solar is unattainable for the common guy.
Yes. All for self-installed PV. Your battery temperatures can be managed. I think you should give the shed a little ventilation.
Think about some things I've found out from living in N. PA.
1 or 2 inch foil backed foam insulation is easy to cut and put up.
You mentioned using bubble foil. Check the manufacturers website. What's very cool is by providing just a 5/8" dead air space you can get up to a R22. So a sheet applied either side of a frame has worked very well up here. I did my farmhouse window frame in a bathroom that my dad added a couple of shelves. There was like 2" between the shelf outside wall. And it was cold in the winter. I cut the back out and put a layer of bubble foil. Made a 5/8" frame and staped another sheet to it. Then layered it with cedar closet tongue and groove. Now the back of the shelf is room temperature. Lost a very little bit of depth. With a little creative work you could vent the inverter into an insulated battery box to give them a bit of heat.
A 12 or 24 volt thermostat controlled pc fan could be used for a vent .
Nice install by the way!
Thanks, I'm a huge fan of the bubble foilas well. Like you said if you leave a dead air space between layers it really creates a clean and effective space. I'm wishing I had insulted the shed before installing everything, but like you said I didn't want it to get too hot in the summer.....so I left it very open air and planned to insulate the batteries. Thanks for watching
Nice!
I pondered building a solar outhouse like you've done but ended up with the entire thing sans the panels in my living room, hiding it all in a cupboard. However, I do definitely see a couple of advantages in doing it like you have.
Hey HH, appreciate the info and honesty. I completely agree there are pros and cons to both ways. If I had more room in the cabin and felt my solar abilities and knowledge was good enough at the time to safely install it indoors I too would have done so. Space, safety, and my desire to be flexible with my set up took me this route. Not knowing how I wanted to lay out my yard or originally where or how i wanted my solar array made this set up more flexible. I'd be happy to hear your advantages if you have any thing different to add. Thanks
@@OffgridwithJayandJen Hi there! My system is rather small, just 288 Ah LiPoFe3, (3 x 96Ah batteries in parallel), 520W panels and a 2000W inverter. Panels are quite a ways from the house, about 25 meters or 30-32 yards but since I got small panels (65W each) I can run 2 strings of 4 panels in series which brings the system to about 78 volts in full sunlight - thus I pretty much eliminate the loss over that distance as I feed the controller through 2x20mm2 (or 2x4 gauge).
I run a small extension from the inverter, IT insulated, which powers a hot plate, a micro, a toaster and my vacuum cleaner - but I never run more than about 1600W at the same time to be gentle on the inverter.
The rest is run by 12 volts. Fridge, water pump (20 liters under the sink, fill it up by hand when empty) and lights. 12 volts, all of them.
You got your house free of batteries, inverters, chargers and so on, which I think is really nice. What I got is automatic heating of the batteries during winter time as I heat up the house with firewood, and I can tinker with the system if necessary even on the coldest or wettest of days.
I really think your solution is neater, and makes more sense in a lot of ways. I just went with what I got out of ease of building the entire thing. I had the space, so it made sense to do it like I did. I can hide it all in a small cupboard in my living room, all but the inverter that is. The inverter is mounted on the wall so I can easily access the on/off switch as to when I need 230V.
Mounting the panels on the ground I have found is a real treat, just like you have done. I think people really ought not to have the panels on their roofs unless they really struggle with the aesthetics of a ground based system. It is so easy to get the snow off when you do not have to climb ladders, and you can add or repair all you want without having to resort to climbing up and down.
My place is a weekend place, not full time living. At least not yet. If I go full time I will get more panels, and a bigger battery bank. But for now, for long weekends and as a get away place, it works just fine.
@Hermod_Hermit I love when useful and helpful conversation happens. I completely agree the ground mount array is the way to go if snow is something you have to deal with. The ease and safety involved makes sense, also I actually like seeing the array as it is a constant reminder I'm using my own power supply. Sound like your system, like ours, serves you well. Best wishes.
Batteries to the house ! MPPT controller Looks good ! Some fridges use very little electric power ! Alpicool I knew some people that had 3 60 watt panel and a regular lead acid battery for storage. They raised a family with that much power ! Wood fire stove ! Use led lights ! Laptop ! Done ! Rich Solar has some nice stuff ! Keep telling people !
Heck ya buddy......it doesn't need to be huge and complicated. Thanks for commenting
We have an off grid cottage in the UP. I want to replace the propane refrigerator with electric to reduce the fire risk. Another cabin on the lake burned to the ground. It was thought it was started by the refrigerator. I am glad this video was up as it gives me some ideas of what we will need.
Very cool Tim, I went back and forth for a year trying to justify buying a propane fridge....but just couldn't do it. Glad we spent the money they way we did on our solar and bought a simple fridge. This way if the fridge craps out we just buy another one, lol. People have mentioned using little deep chest freezers too on a system this size, so that's good to know too for reserves. Best wishes
@@OffgridwithJayandJen We never use our place in winter so the solar does not need to be quite as big. What size/model refrigerator do you now have? I was thinking of an apartment size fridge.
10.4 cubic foot magic chef....bought it at home depot. 330 dollars. It has never drawn over 150 watts. Mostly runs at 70 watts on occasion to cool it off.
Just set up a 12 volt solar system today and testing it. Learning a lot. I like what u did with yr system!
Thanks Tom.....12 volt system works good, all depends on your needs and wants. Make sure your wires are rated for what you are drawing. Be safe
First, thanks for your videos. Brother add more roof collecting space. add a garage/ shop. Even a carport style structure to dry lumber with only 3 walls. Then go get a 800 gl. tank. with 3 or 4 800 gl tanks you will always have water . Have you thought about building a roof covering above your solar panels to protect from snow/rain. You could use clear plastic/ fiberglass. I mean you have enough tress to frame a 12,000sq ft house. Certain pine trees grow to 100 feet in 10 years, I would plant a few of those. Congrats ,Looks like you have a great piece of land . Trees are a great resource , they keep replacing themselves !
Lots of projects in the coming years my friend.....funding and time are what keeps us at a moderate pace. We have been at it for two years now and doing this part time until we can transition full time.....steady as it goes. 😊
So glad to hear you're happy with your system! I have already invested in a system just like yours (lead acid, 2x 12v banks in series). Will need the power to then start building the cabin.
I'm very happy......just make sure your solar panels are in the best spot to get the most sun and you will be good to go
Excellent. Well done! I'm a first time viewer. It's so good to see a system that works very well for your needs without selling all of your body parts to do it. My wife and I are retired. We have been living overseas in Portugal for almost a year. We are moving back to the states for the next part of our adventure. We are planning to do something similar to what you have done with an off-grid place of our own. 👍 I'll stay tuned. Thanks!
Awesome glad you enjoyed the video and set up. Sounds like you and the misses living the life and got a plan. Enjoy and appreciate the support, we have our whole journey here at our property for the past few years on a Playlist if you are interested check it out. Thanks guys and best wishes
thank you, i've had a single used panel, 230 watts, on my trailer for a couple of years, with a PMC controller. i upgraded to a MPPT and now it is fully charged by 0930 in the morning. as you indicated, refrigeration is our biggest concern, but we now have no concerns regarding our lights (LED) and powered vent (MaxxAir) and the fridge keeps things cold. in our case, the cost was about $350 Canadian.
That's awesome, glad to hear you can get away with less even. I'm not an expert so I'm not sure if we could have gotten away with half the batteries and half the panels, but so far so good. Glad yours is working good as well. Thanks for watching
The solar system is AWESOME, and you two are
AMAZING! It's been a great journey to follow along and see how you do things(some times by the seat of your pants) and how others can maybe do it also! Covered porches next?!!! 🏡 🐶🐕 👍 👫
Covered porch part 1 coming soon my friend
I think you did it perfectly. No suggestions. You're already awesome! What a deal too. Only ~$3500 for free electric off the grid! Sign me up.
Thanks NK.....very much appreciate the kind words and support. best wishes
AGM's are the way to go. The price alone is worth it. Your tin on the backside of the panels will generate quite a bit of water when it's raining. My system is running in Alaska with limited daylight in winter and on spongy ground(muskeg) with solid ground many feet below the surface. This means that all my buildings must be on stilts or as we say it here "pilings". Water is the one thing we here don't have to worry about because we get 275" of rain each year and have a year round creek running across our back property line. The good thing is we get to run hydro power when the sun is not up. Hope you have started your chainsaw milling for your out buildings.
Agree the AGMs are working very well. WE have a Real Sawmill so no more Chainsaw milling for me
I'm off grid to.. I recently bought a fridge/freezer cooler... it is awesome.. I set it to -4 and it runs of 2 12v lead acid batteries.. the cost of solar is very cheap... depending on the batteries you go with.. I save money by running a generator for electric cooking devices.
Nice....good work bud
love that you give prices and went the very inexpensive route
Thanks......the common man here, lol. No piles of cash sitting around to spend on some mammoth system. Thanks for watching
THANK YOU! For sharing the reality of what is really needed for a sufficient enough solar system. I agree with Silvursprings comment 100%. True homesteading is all about the simplistic creation and use of basics to maintain a happy, fulfilling, self reliant life.
Awe....thanks Cindy. Glad this video is doing well and people are seeing it. I feel good knowing people can regain some confidence in solar in a moderate style and size. Best wishes my friend
On the water problem for winter I had a diesel truck that had a block warmer, not sure how much juice it would draw but at 20degrees below my truck would start like it was summer time. maybe even a dipstick oil warmer both are fairly cheap. Just to keep it from freezing on you. Enjoy your videos :) keep em coming God blessings to you both !!
That is smart, and a good point.....the old massey ferguson has a block Heater. Maybe similar to something we could use. Thanks
Thanks. A realistic review of what to expect from Solar.
Thanks buddy, it's isn't magic but can provide you with some serious comforts and convince without breaking the bank. Best wishes
Add on a heated room for your rain catchment. It only has to be heated a little above freezing.
Might have to figure that out. Thanks
Good setup you have there, I'm new to this and it's hard to figure out where to start, but I chose an all in one power bank from bluetti 200p and I'm happy with the solution, I have two 370w panels that I have intend to set up as a kind of fence along the terrace 50 degrees. I have an extra battery for the power bank that I can connect if I'm out in the field, otherwise the power bank runs my fridge and freezer just fine.
Sweet.....we considered doing the same. I really only built this system to learn and it was fairly affordable at the time
Jay, have you considered using the 2" ridge blue foam board to line the inside of your solar cabinet? You would make a cube out of the blue foam board that would basically seal the entire cabinet on the inside. You could also place a blue foam ridge board panel set around the outside of the cabinet that would be at least 18" tall with 6" in rhe ground. This fence would keep the snow and cold air from going under the cabinet on the outside of the cabinet and the foam board cube inside would add more isolation on the inside. Many of the CZcams people out west make this shell arrangement around their water collection units to help manage the solar heat like a cooler does. I really like your solar setup.
Hello Jay, Love the solar system set up. Got to figure out some insulation for the building and the water catchment tank especially, maybe a water heater element as a dump load for the water tank..
I sure do....it's on the list, lol
That would be nice. Trying to decide if insulating the whole thing or just the batteries is the best option.
Bought my entire system used from an auction and a solar company that sells used/repossessed panels. Roughly $12k for 6kw in panels, 2000ah batteries, 12kw inverters, qty 2 250 midnight solar chargers, all wiring, breakers/ boxes, and the structures holding
the panels. There are so many options, just have to be willing hunt.
That sounds like my kind of dealing buddy.....awesome work
This one of best video presentation I've seen in years. I.ve been dealing with solar since 2010. If you can do something on apartment solar I think you be able to help many people. Keep up the great work.
Thanks BNR, appreciate your kindness and I like your idea about apartment solar. I'll have to look into it. Best wishes
Another thing I thought of about your power shed is foam insulation on the walls and door. Do not forget the ceiling too. I am basically doing the same thing in Oklahoma. Hang in there, you two are doing a great job.
thanks Mark......you too buddy
Man, that's a pretty piece of property. Thanks for sharing your setup with costs.
Not a problem. Thanks for watching and commenting. 👍
Here is an idea. In cold climates store them below the frost line
Good long term plan and goal 👍
One thing I plan on doing is when I get started on mine out of at the property is to add an alternator mount to my bicycle trainer. I’m a cyclist, since when weather is bad I’ll get on it for a minimum of an hour everyday. It’ll be a good way to maintain the bank daily and get some exercise. I have good wind in the valley all winter and spring too so I’m gonna add a small wind generator.
Great Idea
@@OffgridwithJayandJen thanks guys, I’m in a warmer climate as well, so I’m gonna go ahead and spray foam my battery shed and use dry cell deep cycles, with a solar heater set up
I agree you don't need all the bling to make solar work for a person. At our cabin in Clare County Michigan during the winter we melted snow for our water just for dishes and bathing, flushing our toilet. We had a well but once we closed it up for winter we took drinking water and used snow.
Keeping it Simple has its perks.....😀
Winter time: Gather snow. Bring some inside. When it melts, run it through a water filter.
Man its cool to see you are a regular dude and building a regular off grid system. Ive built the same but broke down and spent a ton on eve cells. I like the low frequency split phase sungold power inverter its been great and dont have the crazy firmware updates and all that crap that some inverters have. I respect the hell outta what yall have done and are doing
Thanks buddy.....seriously great to read a comment like this. I hear ya on technology updates and such, I wanted to keep this as simple as possible
@@OffgridwithJayandJen I'm fairly certain that simple is better. In almost all cases with solar. Some might like messing with it all the time but I just want it to work ya know
Thanks for sharing your system! I don't know if it's something that would work for you not knowing your winter climate or the constraints of your power system. But we have a rain catchment system here in Maine and we used a stock tank heater in ours one winter. Fashioned an insulating sleeve for the spigot out of a piece of pool noodle (we only use ours for outside watering- chickens ducks etc) and there were only 1 or 2 of the coldest days of winter that we were not able to get water from it.
Very Nice.....I love hearing tips and suggestions from those Doing it....thank you for the Tip. I'm not sure what the draw on those heaters are, But Will check into it and see if maybe we can incorporate something into the rain catchment system. We do plan to bury our water tank at some point....but not sure if that will be prior to winter or it will have to wait until next year. thanks again.
Thank you! This is within my scope! So kind of you to explain all this solar setup. Looks wonderful, and quite sufficient for the good life. Cheers.
Welcome my friend. Hope you too can make something work for you. Best wishes