Welcome to our home! We're John and Greta and we've been living off grid in eastern Washington since 2020.
On our farm, we grow our own food and preserve a lot of what we grow. Our power comes from solar panels and wind and our water comes from a well. We're all about getting back to basics while valuing the comforts that make life worth living.
Our videos are practical, sometimes steering into the philosophical, but always created to help others who are thinking about taking the leap to off grid. We're so glad you're here!
I turned up the volume and Deanna is listening to you... and laughing FULLY agreeing with you every word!! Thank you, Greta! Deanna is constantly having to remind me not to struggle with hardship.
Shared your video on my Facebook page - and with my wife... wish we were closer to you and your husband! We are experiencing a lot of what you have in living freely on your property!
Thank you so much! I have a Substack, too: Love Off Grid. More details there about the whats and whys. Thanks so much for watching and for your comments!
Just shared your video with my wife, Deanna! She will love following some of your suggestions! We will have to do raised beds and a greenhouse to keep the ground squirrels out though!! And we are on top of a rock mountaintop - lol! We get the Mormon Crickets and they were absolute challenge the past three years.
33 minutes in - the two of you laughing about hard lessons learned (wind turbine)... is rejuvenating and calming for those of us just starting out! Thank you so much!
LOve the charts/log that your husband is keeping to know specific gravity of each cell/battery! THAT is what I need to be on top of as we set up our system.
A lot of people argue that it's too much maintenance (MX), but living off grid is full of MX! If you don't stay on top of every system you can get blind sighted quickly. Think about it: on grid, whole teams are working 24/7 to keep your system going. They're repairing issues you never even know happened. Off grid, YOU are the utility company!
Which wind generator are the two of you using? We are also interested in mounting a wind generator for additional power. The problem - so many different opinions on their efficiency.
We have the Primus Windpower Air40. When we tried to buy it from their website a couple years ago, it was backordered with no restock date. We found it on Ebay! We've been happy with it. It's supplemental power, but it seems to make a difference since we tend to get evening breezes after the sun goes down.
Thank you for posting your video. We are heading off grid on a mountaintop in Northern Nevada - useful information is always great to come by! We will be in our 50Amp RV while we put up an earthship style home.
Lithium Ion Batteries are cheaper now. Consider making the switch. That is way too much work on the lead acid batteries. Think about an EG4 PowerPro WallMount Battery. Great job on your system! Love how you mounted the panels.
It's a lot of work living off grid, period! :-) We might make the switch when it's time but another concern of ours is just simple availability. Everyone has their own reasons for going off grid but when your reasons include SHTF scenarios, you want batteries that are easy to come by. In those situations, the best battery is the one you can get.
@@modquad18 four years ago when we built our system, LA was a lot more expensive, not to mention all the supply chain issues in 2020. LA is a lot more accessible in those situations (SHTF). When we need to replace it eventually we may go with lithium - who knows. Everyone has their own unique situation. Thanks!
A great DIY setup that suits your needs. I will be looking to do the same, However, I am looking at 220v only, not 110v. My only concern on your system is the coils of wire ygat you have. If you have high currents through those coils, they might overheat and eventually break down the indulation I have experienced a wire overheat and breakdown. When it was touched, it caught fire. My suggestion is to remove any excess coiled wire.
We bought a small one for the bedroom in case we need it to sleep. So far, it's been cool enough in the evenings that a fan is enough. Hopefully, it won't last too long! Stay cool yourself!
History totally does repeat-smart to have that knowledge & skill in your back pocket 🪴 That’s our theory too (with building projects/historic skills). Another great episode 🙌🏻 Happy gardening! Yours looks waaay better than mine; you know your stuff!
We're trying! Having water makes a huge difference where, in years past, we didn't have as much. How are your beans doing (or was it peas?) I get them confused.
@@LoveOffGrid Our field peas have not appreciated the rapid change from cold weather to blisteringly hot 🥵 Eesh, farmers will always have something to complain about though 😂
Solar got cheaper for me, 2023 my 2790w array, mount, wire, fuses etc $2000 CAD , July 15 2024, 3.3kw array $2000 CAD. If you ever need to replace those batteries or add more, Pb C batteries are Agm glass mat but the lead is covered in carbon. Nareda tested their batteries, 100% discharge, 2 hr rest , 100% charge and repeat 800 times passed the extreme test or 3200cycle@50%. Even safer than lead acid and these can't thermal runaway like every lithium product made, and you could charge/discharge 11kw, no bms , equalizers, or heaters. 48kw $9600USD , 15 year life on average. 6v 400A available, I use 12v 250A. Pb C battery maintenance is full charge every 30 days. The amount of overcast power I can get from a 2790w array is over 750w, a few more panels you could let your generator take a few years off.
I'm sure eventually we'll be replacing our battery bank, and who knows what will be available by then! Everyone has their own personal experiment going and it's interesting to hear what's working. Thanks!
I hope you realize Lithium batteries would give you almost twice the capacity as lead acid. So you'd only need half the amp-hour capacity compared to lead acid batteries. Prices have come down a lot in the past few years as well, so I'd highly recommend swapping out for LiFePo4's as the lead acid batteries need replacing.
Im so glad I find your channel your garden is coming along beautifully never give up growing food no matter what challenges you come across keep trying .Here is my subscription to support grow your channel ❤❤
I understand working on a budget and doing what you can. I have been researching the last few years on what I want to do, but when I think it's time to pull the trigger, prices have changed, new technology has come out and then it's back to the drawing board. I am looking at about a 12-16Kw of PV input, with 48volt 120/240 inverter(s), and about 60Kw of battery storage. Prices are coming down on solar panels and LiFePo battery technology is getting better, and able to store more amperage. Always thinking ahead and knowing it would be best to build in stages. First stage would be to build a system about half the size to get it up and running (need the 220v for my well). And if you plan ahead, it's easier to upgrade. One 48v 314ah battery unit, can be put together for about $2,300, less if you build your own case. Add a good All-in-One inverter/charger (120/240) that can handle 6,000 watts can be purchased for ~$1,400. Then it's getting (16) 400 watt panels for ~$2,500. The panels I'm looking at are a little more expensive, because I'm planning on getting Bifacial panels. Adding these figures together sounds great for around $6,000, but I know better than just putting those numbers together. There is the cost of building a racking system to mount the panels, I don't plan on putting the panels on my roof. It would save me money, but direction and the boost in home insurance isn't worth it. Plus, Bifacials will give you power off the backside as well as the front. Adding all the wires and miscellaneous small hardware that would go into putting it together, I figure at least another $1,500, and that is just to get stage one up and running. Stage two would be adding another 16 panels, another inverter, and one, two, three more batteries. I'm one of those DIY type of guys with enough background to put it all together, just getting up in age. I figure after it's done, I will have invested about $15k in a system that will give me a 100 amp service, and after that I can even build onto even more if i need more power.
Good morning! I'm going to ask John to respond to your details later today. For now, I just wanted to mention that we built our system in 2020 during lockdowns and while a number of things were getting harder to find and, if you could find them, it was a challenge to have them delivered. We didn't feel secure enough with the state of things to wait, if that makes sense. There will always be a new technology, a better efficiency - but every system is better than the one you don't have. :-) That said, I'm still not totally confident in the supply chain but you don't realize where the holes are until you actually try to buy things. We discovered a lot of issues once we moved from looking to purchasing. Just something to keep in mind. Bifacials seem like they'd be useful, but we've already tripped our system twice just from light bouncing off the snow! We'd have to scale up on everything to use bifacials. For you still designing, they might be worth it. Anyway, I think you have to look at your system as an evolving entity - not a static one-and-done. Build bigger than you think you need, within reason, and go for it!
Hi, John here. The system you're designing sounds awesome. I am also running a 220v well so I understand the need to have plenty of power. When we built our system, bifacial panels weren't on the market yet but I might have considered them if they had been. I struggled with pulling the trigger too because I didn't want to make a mistake. But technology changes quickly and the newest thing isn't always a better thing. The company you buy from is important. Are they a flash in the pan? Will they be around to honor a warranty if the product fails? These are important considerations. At my previous job, upper level management always wanted the latest and greatest - all the way to wanting airport urinals that used a handheld and software to repair and maintain! Looking at it from a MX standpoint, it was laughable. It sounds like you've done your research. Don't let analysis paralysis hang you up! Get your base system set up sooner rather than later and if the prices on batteries come down, buy them then. Keep me posted!
wowooowowo isnt 32 Volts are a bit too high for lead acid charging??? i chatge my lead acids with the victron recommended settings with 28 volts on absorb,and it goes back to 27.1 on float...but 32? never seen that before anywhere else O_O
32v is very high but it was high because I was equalizing. Your float and absorb numbers are very similar to mine on a regular basis. Thanks for watching!
@@LoveOffGrid Ah yes,my apologies,i have gel bateries on my first little system,those doesnt need/not allowed to make equalization,but flooded bateries with the liquid acid does need(like those trojans :)) i refreshed my knowledge quickly about them xD
When I had a similar Trojan lead acid system I found some literature that indicated they are designed to run a bit above industry norms. If I remember correctly I used to float around 28 volts, they used a bit more water but the SG stayed up around the 1270 mark when charged. Then we did a lifestyle change along with location and completely off grid (was partial previously) and went to 48 volt system with sealed Lead Carbon batteries. No maintenance, coming up 5 years now and no hiccups. Also self designed system, 4kw solar, 400AH batts and 5kw inverter / charger Lead Carbons float at 14.1 (56.4)
Nice ssytem tho,i have lithium,but i built only last year...i like your lead acid bateries too! also the things is that we got grid here,so i didnt need to invest in the generator,it didnt make much sense,so i use the grid as backup only in vinters ofcourse...
I am 4 minute into the video,and i did the oposite what you are telling there.....i went from propane to electric oven,and cooktop BECOUSE i have solar power.....it was too expensive before,now its free...system spec 5600w/h solar,5kw victron inverter and 20kw battery,built by me and father,more than enough for everything...oh also got 2 air conditioner that works every day all day,except the nights after 2am,when i go to bed.On mornings we wake up with around 74% battery...so i dont undersyand what you talk about so far xD oh,mine was 12k euros total,down to the last screw and cable.
Wow! That's a huge system, especially for 12K euros. Good job! My system is not that big so I divide the appliances between electric (solar run) and propane. We have a lot of extreme cold and snow here and sometimes smoke from wildfires in the summer so it works for us to have the generator, just in case.
Both lithium ion and lithium iron phosphate can be used in solar. Lithium ion is more expensive and lighter and more people seem to be going for them lately - despite the risk of explosion ;-) Another reason to avoid them! Thanks for watching!
I believe you are confused. Almost everyone is going to LiFePo4. They are safer than the lead acid batteries that are putting off toxic fumes. Solid state batteries are just around the corner. Thank you for the video I enjoyed watching it!
Make sure your wife understands the system and what you would replace things with. Maybe keep an eye out for used solar equipment. You have some good equipment but they might have problems.
Hi from the wife :-) I'll never understand it like he does, but it's slowly starting to make sense to me. I keep a notebook of important things to know just in case I need to solve an issue... Like, "Step One, turn the Control knob; Step Two...". We both have totally different skill sets, but we're cross-training. Thanks for watching!
ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NFpAigNkqTk.html This may be helpful if you have a battery to die/short out. He used a 100 watt solar panel to recover old batteries. Signature solar in Texas has 100 watt panels for $50 at times, grape solar. I am thinking about using the luxpower all in ones and the eg4 batteries. Things have changed over the last few years. Keep up the good work and stay young.
@@LoveOffGrid @LoveOffGrid Also they have 24v lifepo4 200amp hour EG4 batteries for around $1150 and ones with screens for $1300. Would be less maintenance and they have pre charge systems( resistor) to help protect the capacitors in the inverter. I think we are about to hit very hard times and prices may go down for a few months. When California changed their net metering may have caused the drop in solar panels some as low as 20's cent range per watt. They also have a 6000 watt all in one inverter for $1500 that allows up in the 400 volt input to the charger control where you could expand solar panels without running new wire. Just thinks to think about. Maybe see how reliable they are over time.
Great video! Lead acid is basically freeze proof. Lifepo4 is coming down in price and they do have low temp protection. The problem with the low temp protection is you can’t charge or discharge if it is too cold 41 degrees for charging, 0 degrees for discharge. I have a desert cabin (weekend off grid), it gets below 41 degrees in winter so using lifepo4 concerned me. I went lead acid but have since added lidepo4 systems. My main bank is LA to run a full size fridge/freezer. I have a Victron 24-24 volt dc to dc charger. If I’m using a lot of watts on my lead acid system the Victron will add charge overnight from the lifepo4 to the lead acid batteries. It’s the best of both worlds. The lifepo4 can hold a charge for a long time so it makes a great backup power supply.
That's a great solution! We were concerned about low temps here, too (temps fell to -25F last winter for several days in a row) but our system is in the cellar so it's not an issue. The propane tanks, on the other hand.... Thanks for watching!
@@LoveOffGrid the big long tanks are best for cold weather, sometimes it's the regulator that gets iced, rag with hot water or hand warmer on it, to diagnose.
The biggest argument I've heard against lead acid battery banks is the required maintenance. When you consider that power companies have entire teams of people working 24/7 to maintain a power system, spending a few hours one day per month doesn't seem like that much to ask for energy independence. For us, it works. What kind of system do you have? What kind are you thinking of getting and why? Thanks for watching!
I see the L16G AC batteries online they run about $400, last for 1200 cycles according to Trojans website, have about 2.6 kWh of storage. Since its lead acid you don't want to discharge beyond 50% according to Trojans website. So your only going to get 1.3 ish kWh. You mentioned you only like to discharge to 60%, 1.04 kWh or 70%, 0.78 kWh so that's even less usable kWhs. By comparison a Siekon 100Ah Deep-Cycle LiFePO4 Lithium 12 Volt Battery is $230 online and has about 1.2Kwhs. LiFePO4 typically last over 5000 cycles so over 4 times the cycle life of the lead acid. They also have built in BMS for balancing the cells, Over charge / discharge protection, overcurrent protection, High and low temp cutoff. Also LiFePO4 can be discharged to 0% so you get all that usable battery not the 30 to 40 % you are getting on the lead acid. So for the lead acid L16g AC to make sense in the long run with the cycle life being a forth of the LifePO4 battery you need to be buying them for a forth of cost of the Siekon. So under $58 a battery. That plus you don't have to be messing around hand balancing the cells every month and also no maintenance / off gassing. And the Siekon have more usable Kwhs per battery. You can be lazy without having to unhook and shuffle them and all the notes taking and hand balancing. How much did you pay for the L16g AC batteries? I see at 8 mins John says a new battery would cost between $3500 to $4000 so for 12 batteries that i can see in your battery box. That puts your cost at $290 to $333 a battery and about 12 kWh of usable battery power? Or do you have more then 12 batteries? Personally I'm looking at a 14.3 kWh 48V EG4 LiFePO4 battery is $3300 online. Has a rated cycle life of 8000 cycles and a 10 year warranty. Even if it only lives for a forth of that expected warranty cycle life it would give me more usable kWh then lead acid, more cycle life then lead acid, and be cheaper up front cost then those lead acid. I'm really interested in where he got the today cost $11,000 price for lithium equivalent kWh battery at 8 minutes in.
@@Alexdiaz727 Hello. Yes, we have 12 L16G-Ac's and we paid about $290 each 4 years ago. As for the Lead Acid only having 1200 cycles, that's about 3 years and we are on year 4 and they are still going strong. Some of the information and costs in the video were from 4 years ago. When designing it 4 years ago, we based our design on cost, availability, reliability, and our perceived needs. Our set up isn't for everyone, but it's working for us. Bi-facial solar panels weren't really a thing then, also, Lithium batteries were way more expensive. The Lithium's have really come down in price in the last year or so. Our current set up is 1170 AH, halve that for the 50% and we have 585 available AH. To get an equivalent AH today in lithium would be $7,200.00 which is 3 Eclipse 28v 200AH LiFePo4 @ $2,400 each. I have been told if you completely discharge a lithium battery to 0 you will shorten it's life. Conversely, you shouldn't fully charge them either. Have you heard of the 40-80 rule? According to this rule, it's best to charge the battery when it reaches around 40% SOC and stop charging when it reaches around 80% SOC. I think this is to get them to make the 10 years, maybe. I'd like to talk to someone who has had them 10 years to see. Another downside to all batteries is the shipping costs. We avoided all that with the Lead Acid because we were able to drive to a local warehouse and pick them up. They are common and readily available. If/when we have to get new batteries, we may switch to a different type, but in the mean time LA have been working well for us. The system you're designing sounds great and well thought out. One word of caution - when we were ordering equipment all seemed fine until we entered the our payment info - suddenly equipment was unavailable, had crazy shipping costs, was back ordered, etc. That was in 2020 when so much was hard to get.
8kw split phase, 12+kw pv next month, 48kw battery, vertical mount BF panels, I make my max pv per hour at winter solstice. If you get snow, vertical mount works really good, no snow to clear, panels rinse off with rain. My 465w panel 76w heavy rain, overcast 105, overcast snow 140w, summer no white rock 300w 50kw a day possible, the shortest days with snow 569w from a 465w panel. My pv totals are now x 18, next month x27. Except for smoke over 2kw in any weather, I use 14.6 kw a day with electric heat or 22kw with AC
I've got 100kWh of LiFePO4 battery powering my off-grid house, entering the 6th year now. I started with 28kWh and kept expanding as needed. Zero maintenance, and you can DIY a pack for under $100 per kWh now.
I chuckled at the yard time bit lol! Thanks for sharing your journey with us, makes me feel less alone about all the things that went wrong this year ❤
And it's still not over! hahaha Yesterday I was weeding and got bit by flies. Now my wrist and ankle are swollen. Thank you for watching the journey unfold!
Cold frames come to mind. Closed at night and propped open during warmer days. Hang in there. I've had to replant a lot because of seeds not sprouting or getting eaten. You could grow more potatoes and trade with them. Why did your pumpkins go bad ?
Yes, good idea with the bartering. I'd probably trade them for dairy - at least until we get a cow or sheep. We had a lot of humidity this past winter, then water got into the cellar during an early melt and just made things worse. By that time, I was kind of tired of eating squash anyway LOL. Our plan now is to buy a dehumidifier before winter. Thank you so much for your encouragement!
Your garden is beautiful! We are in the okanogan highlands of Washington state your property looks a lot like our neck of the woods 😊 well love watching your progress!
I’m in coastal NC and my garden hasn’t been the best this year. Cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, beans that normally grow easy have been a no show. My berries are doing well though!
@@LoveOffGrid it might be because we replaced all the garden beds? The old ones were falling apart. I don’t know if that’s it though. And my starters died and planted from seed?
@@LoveOffGrid organic mix from our local garden center. It’s the same stuff we use every year. The Vegega beds,.the old beds were made from scrap wood, that were falling apart.
@@LoveOffGrid I planted a “flower fence” around my front garden, with canna lilies and plenty of sunflowers interspersed, and I can personally attest to how much more charming it makes a garden! Plus, privacy! (I live in the suburbs. 😝)
My starters died too. So I planted from seed and things are just not growing well. Still no peppers, cucumbers, or beans. Finally the tomatoes are growing. My basil has been horrendous this year. I usually make 10 batches of pesto each summer. So far zero! But my blueberries and raspberries have done well. We are not off grid but we try to grow our own veggies. We plant our leafy greens by hydroponics so we have tons of salads. Lol!
@@ghoulgoil5029 It's so frustrating when your starters die! It's smart to grow your own veggies, though. Every year is different. Sounds like you make as much pesto as I do! Do you freeze it? I still have some from last year.
Sorry you're going through a rough patch, too. I think about my grandfather who left farming to work in a textile mill because it offered a "steady income", but it also took away so many other great things like independence and autonomy. I still wouldn't trade this life!
@@LoveOffGrid I agree with you! Farming is our main income now & it is very scary-unpredictable-but goodness I want to hold on to it with both hands & not let go. Bring on the land is very special. A textile mill… hard work. Tough decision he had to make. Bless him, he took care of his family.
@@LoveOffGrid God bless his soul, times were tough and he must have been tougher. Thanks for watching our channel-that makes me smile. I loved the episode about your husband too-seems like a very good man. Love how you honored him 🙌🏻 Catch you on your next episode!
I think they were closer to 2500 each when we bought them a few years ago - maybe a little more, I don't remember exactly but they've gone up. It's still a lot to spend, though. I agree. We thought about building our own, too, but after considering the double-poly panels we'd need for our climate, all the framing, doors... PLUS back in 2021 a lot of things were hard to get! Anyway, we decided the cost savings was minimal for us. Your situation may be different. Let me know what you do! They're awesome pups, for sure! :-) Thanks.
Here's a link to the greenhouse at Home Depot: www.homedepot.com/p/CANOPIA-by-PALRAM-Bella-8-ft-x-20-ft-Silver-Diffused-DIY-Greenhouse-Kit-703732/206720631
Great video! I was impressed with your presentation style, humor, and videography. The only suggestion I would make would be to add the greenhouse brand and model number to the video title, as it might help bring in more views. Thanks for taking the time to produce and post this for us!
