I do the outdoor thing with refrigeration You can save a bundle. I live in the city and i am a former large scale farmer. Use mother nature to reduce your KW load. I used a compost pile for geo thermal heating reduced my load by 60 percent.. You have enough bio mass from your trees to consider using composting as another method of heating your home.
Convert to a 48 volt system, remember OHM’s law.. we run 12 250 watt solar panels, 8, 6 volt batteries, Magnum charge controller and inverter. Cable running from batteries to your inverter is important. All this system you can put on your house later as well. Love our system. Good luck and love that you have joined the Off Grid lifestyle..
I'd look into getting a 500 or 1000 gallon water tank and put it either up a hill or on a tower to get a gravity fed water system. They you only have to run the pump once every few weeks to fill it up.
Aw Hi!!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much for your sweet mention. You guys are terrific! We are so psyched for you. Jeremy, you can do anything, dude! Between the two of you, I can't wait to see what comes next :)
You folks are very pro-active and well thought out. A good channel for folks preparing to go into more self sufficient living. Keep up the excellent work.
First, thank you guys for all your videos. Your life is an inspiration for us. One thing I noticed, your wire going from the battery bank to the inverter is really thin. This is why your system can't even handle a light load like a fridge. To feed a 5,000 W inverter you need a wire capable of handling 400 amps (5,000 / 12 = 416 Amps). You need 800 kcmill copper wire. It is about as thick as your finger and you won't find it at your local Home Depot. A welding supplier would be a place to go. If they don't have 800 kcmill, they may offer a combination of 2 or 3 thinner wires which can handle 400 Amps. Hope this helps if you haven't figured it out already.
You are on the right track but your biggest problem is the distance from solar panels to charge controller & batteries ... it is just too great for any 12V array and buying thicker wire simply won't payoff. I would move the panels to a spot next to (or on top of) the battery shed and clear any sun blocking trees as the least expensive solution. I suspect that the previous owners only used the solar to keep the batteries topped off when they were not there ... and used the generator to charge the batteries. You are smart and diligent so I'm sure you will get it figured out!
Yea, it sounds like your wire size is too small for a 12 volt array. I think the mnpt charge controller is the right choice. A good charge controller will be able to handle different array voltages and battery bank voltages. Which will give you flexibility in your future system. Plus the added information it will give you. After it is installed you could try putting your panels in series to up the voltage and then the wire size wouldn't be as big a problem.
For your solar system consider organizing a small group buy of used panels. Most of those purchases have a minimum order of 20 panels or so, so you may need to organize a couple of friends to make it happen. We got in on one and bought 18-month old 300 watt panels still under manufacturer's warranty for $85 each.
I think you are spot on about the refrigerator. Even if day time temperatures get a high of 50-60F run the refrigerator when you run the water pump and you should be fine. Also by the time you reach those temperatures you'll have stronger sun for more solar collecting. xoxo from sunny Arizona. 77F today
Your journey is so interesting. I have no interest in electric stuff generally but I watched the whole thing and I dont plan to miss any videos! Keep it up and good luck in every project to come!
You are talking about buying an MPPT. I would recommend this, one that would accept the voltage of all your solar panels connected in series. Then you don't need to upgrade your wire.
Dude, you are so smart. I wish I knew half as much as you, but I am learning, Thank you guys for being back on a sharing your experience and knowledge.
I just love how much research you do, how logical and methodical you are! You remind me a lot of Life in Farmland with your approach to your videos and your videography. I love how much actual information you share! It's so refreshing and informative- I appreciate that approach !
This will be a good experience for your home design, making it as efficient as possible. If you have a southern exposure, a passive solar home might work out. For the water, you could have a higher tank and fill it with the generator and use gravity, or use a small battery pump with a ground level tank. Even a food grade 50 gallon drum would help.
A sollution for your water system in the long term might be to put in an underground watertank, at an elevation and have it filled with a direct drive solar waterpump from the spring/well. That would give you near constant waterpressure and no need for batteries for the waterpump. Engineer 775 shows how he has build several systems like that for clients of his. I know it is not a short term sollution but it could be considered for your permanent system when you build your house.
I worked heating and a/c for over 40 years, The fridge compressor is not going to freeze. Your milk may freeze. On central air the compressor is always outside. Same with heat pumps. Love your content. Greeneville Tennessee says Happy holidays.
Engineer775 once showed a system he set up to fill a large holding tank with a small, solar powered pump. As long as the sun was shining, the small pump was filling the holding tank. Maybe that's something you can look into?
20:57 I wonder if the cold temperatures and snow is reducing the resistance of the wires. Curious how that changes in the summer. Unfortunately we did see the water pump wires fail. I've done some prototyping with undersized wire, once I had my entire electrical system(including headlights) in my car fail while traveling at night on a rural highway. I had modded a push-button start, and used speaker wire for some of the connections, one on which failed. That was fun, ripping it all out on the side of the highway to get moving again.
Your videos are great. To help with your camp water needs you may want to try something I use at my camp. When you pump water from your the spring to the cabin store it in a RV water holding tank in the camp. The water can then be sent on demand to the hot water heater and sinks with a 12 volt RV water pump. You can purchase the RV items from any RV dealership if or salvage yard that has a wrecked camper. Keep chasing your dream!
Another great video! I was one of people who said to move your fridge away from the stove and out on the porch. Since there seems to be a large amount now saying it may not be a good place for it, what about in your bedroom. I know it sounds crazy, but it would be away from the heat source and avoid the moisture issue from the porch. Anyways, so happy for all of you :-) All the best ~ Jan
Jeremy youve got a good starting point.And the frig outside thats sounds like also a good idea.You folks are starting out great as you work all the bugs out.Baby steps are great for starting out.God Bless u guys.Your smart u got this man.
I’m always so standoffish about solar it’s neat to watch this. Also, “score” to getting more storage in the kitchen now with the rack. It’s the little things, right? ;) This is going to be a great series! Have you bought about pumping water into an above ground tank and using gravity to feed off of daily? Fill it once a week then then maybe that would relieve some concerns? Heck, who am I kidding... you two are five steps ahead of all our ideas I’m sure.
You might look at solar powered livestock pumps. They pump at a very low gpm, but they run continuously and will keep a reservoir tank full. The additional head pressure even from a little 500 gallon reserve tank may help stabilize your water pressure issues. The stock pumps can be had in either 12v, 24v or 110v. All they need is a very small, basic solar system. They're my backup for my well system. They'll also work in ponds or springs. Check 'em out.
One piece of advice I've heard you and other homesteaders give is: wait a while and get to know your property and setup. Like you said in today's video you have to adjust your electrical usage. For instance, sweeping snow off your solar panels, even if it means getting out there during flurries so it doesn't freeze on the panels. Or setting up the panels so they can go vertical during a snowfall. There's lots to learn this winter and I think you won't really know what those needs are until you've practiced them at least another winter. Take your own advice, don't rush into building your new house. With love from Arizona.
Exactly. There is a lot of advice to “buy this and buy that”. We are intentionally not running out and buying things. The last thing you want (on a limited budget) is buyers regret. We are actually even rethinking our house location already.
I can't be the only person who thought, well move it! (About the fridge) and you heard me! 😉 Mind you, you could keep the contents outside on the porch for the next 2-3 months, then your only problem would be milk ice lollies! & frozen lettuce. Is there a reason you didn't put it closer to the door so you don't have to be turned into a statue when you step out in your skivvies & bare feet to get the milk for Jaime's coffee in 3ft of drifted snow? Great to see your videos coming up J's, I missed you. Starry did a Solar 101 video in the Summer, & down in the comments were some suggestions for improvements to her system with newer, far more efficient components of the set-up. My point being go and look at the video and maybe message the guy who sounded über knowledgeable about solar system updates as part of your research, because I know that you do extensive research getting ready for projects, plus it's ALWAYS Easier to build in future expansion (when you afford it) cheaper too in the long run, than it is to extend already installed systems. Like putting in double plug sockets in every corner and wall of every room; and the wiring for wall lights where you'd naturally place them, marked on a room plan for future Sparkies (Electricians ). A few feet of extra lighting wire now is by far a cheaper option than the chasing out of channels in an already plastered and painted wall to hide the wires to either the wall lights or where the extra plugs are needed, plus however good the contractor the new plaster never looks invisible, you can still see exactly the route from ceiling to lighting. I bet he'd be delighted to share his knowledge and experience with you, just a thought.
A MPPT charge controller would make your life a lot easier and they rejuvenate your battery bank and extend its life span. I have an EPEVER type that seem to be all over the internet and i would recommend them , cheap(ish) simple and they work. Good Luck
I really enjoy watching your videos and appreciate what you produce on your channel. I know that what ever your family does plenty of research has gone into doing things right. Thank you for all your hard work!
G'day Jamie. You need to add a thicker wire OR run another wire in parallel with what you have or move the panels closer to the charging station. You must get the 12v system up to 14.4v to equalize the battery system. I use charge controllers that show input and output to battery's voltage and amps with the voltage charge adjustable that I run at 14.4 volts at times. Works well for me but you are low on input voltage. You are to low to run a DC to DC converter to boost voltage to the batteries as the amps would be low. I use 34v panels. Cheers from down under. Say hello to the family from a hot OZ . Dave VK4KSY
Thank you guys for taking us along on this adventure. We are so happy for you. We’re very interested in learning what kind of systems we could potentially implement here in Alaska. Especially the solar and issues with snow, cold, etc.
You guys rock! You are living my dream. My husband is not quite ready to go so off grid, but your videos are helping me to show him how it is possible! Love your journey and love that you are sharing it with all of us! Many blessings...
12.0 volts means your batteries are at a 45% state of charge. 12.7 Is right for FLA batteries when fully charged with a spacific gravity of 1.27 for most batteries. Just saying from a fellow off gridder. You can get a refractometer from Amazon to read the SG. Bogart makes a good battery monitor. I think your batteries are heavily sulfated but since they are telecommunications batteries designed to last 20 years I think they will recover with proper charging.
8:20 On the fridge: cover the areas facing the wood stove with good magnets then place a sheet of thin metal. That will significantly reduce the load on the fridge for super cheap. It should then operate like normal. Also, you could put a metal shield on that side of the wood heater for extra efficiency. And clean the coils under the fridge as dirty equals more energy usage.
I loveJeremys do rag where does he get them? All i can find is just to small. We love our off grid lights during the night.I would try to shorten the distance from the panels to the controler or use a larger wire.
Run an isolated solar/wind system for the shop. It may not be enough for some of the larger tools (circular saws/routers/etc), but it would be great for anything that runs on the rechargeable battery type tools.
Hello again Im getting a real memory flash as you take the first steps at your new homestead. It has been years since i was at the stage your at now. Your journey will be filled with ups and a few downs as im sure you know. Cherish them all because its the struggle that gives the greatest meaning to the progress that you make. im excited to continue watching as your story unfolds.
Thanks for posting guys. We are about to get our solar power system up and running. Its a small one, but just enough for what we need out by the animals. Your video was right on time.
Very nice. I am in the process of installing a massive grid-tied system. But my long term plan is to get a battery back-ups and create a hybrid system.
I've watched your videos on and off for a while, however I plan to watch more regularly now that you've made your move. It's nice seeing you both working together as well. I know you get a lot of advice, so take this with a grain of salt. I have an off-grid cabin that I try to run everything I can from DC directly. For lighting we use under-counter LED "puck lights" designed for kitchen cabinets, running directly off the batteries. Very good light and can run for a week from a 100 AH battery. Also, a great reference is Boatowner's Illustrated Electrical Handbook - most sailboats use 12 volt systems and it has lots of valuable information. Keep up the great work.
The battery wires in your vehicle are correctly sized for their amperage and length, huge aren't they! For the long wire runs to your solar panels you need to add another pair of heavier wire than you've got now, moving the panels closer to the batteries is way cheaper that buying heavy gage wire. If you moved the panels three times closer then you could cut up the wire you have now to run three parallel pairs. A 12v lead/acid battery is fully charged at 12.6 volts, to charge them to that point your charge controller needs to put out about 14v, your not getting 14v into the charge controller so it can't fully charge your batteries. Good luck.
I also love the Eneloop rechargeable batteries and have more than 60 of them... I like the BQ-CC55 smart charger bundled with the Eneloop batteries so much I have three.... I use them in everything: solar lights similar to yours, radio telephones, radios, torches, trail cameras, remotes, I can even run my internet on AA batteries if I have to I'm a city boy that is prepared
So enjoying the updates. You have so much to do in this new chapter of your life. Many learning curves and lots of developing and trialling new systems. In the moments when it feels overwhelming take a minute to stop, breathe, and remember the wide-eyed wonder of this time. Jamie, I am getting the hang of canning and thoroughly enjoying it. Mostly thanks to you. AND you added a new word to our vocabulary - FANAGALLING. Hugs from the UK. 😊🌺
When we lived in central Illinois, always kept a spare refrigerator and freezer both on back covered patio... just wrap your front patio in plastic for protection, we never had any issues
I like your idea of moving the refrigerator out of doors for the winter. That will surely help with energy consumption. You are correct when you said that it is directly competing with the wood stove in such close proximity in the kitchen. Good move. It is only temporary anyway until you guys build your new home. Which will be beautiful I'm sure.
morning! maybe someone has mentioned it in the comments but why not go with an insulated cover for the fridge and leave it inside. like one of those silver padded insulated "tarp" type materials. custom fit it to the doors of the fridge. the heat from the stove will stay out and the cool will stay in, like a giant insulated cooler. plenty of materials out there that could easily do the job. just my 2 cents.. 👍
This is so exciting! I can only imagine the feeling of freedom and just the all around fun and excitement of something new every day! It’s truly a beautiful site and I’m still bringing the beer for our hang out day!! LOL 😄😉
if the wire from your panels is undersized for the load and distance it will cause voltage drop. Check it out there's tons of tables on the net that will show you what you need. Great video, good luck
Put about a teaspoon of Epson salt in each cell of the batteries! I know that you may see things that say it doesn't help, but I have taken batteries that would not take a change and put it in them and it got them to work for many more years! It helps clean the plates so the batteries work better. That with a new charge controller and you really need better wire to solar panels you should be able to get much more from the system! Good luck! Thank You for the information! I have wanted to do some solar but didn't know where to start. The information you are giving will help me.
This is the old system that came with the property when we bought it. We have since replaced it with a whole new system and did a video series on the install.
Morning jeremy . I shared your solar series with " the boos of the swamp" . He is clearing land to add his off grid system. I hope he watches and learns from your research and experience of living with your system :) all the best .
Well, you're making progress! I was just working a little late and saw your vid pop up and I couldn't wait til tomorrow to watch! LOL! You guys do a great job on your vids. Jeremy, I'll be following along on the solar. I have a little practical knowledge on it, but I'm no expert, that's for sure. I'm glad you guys take the time to do your vids. Since you got your property, I can't wait 'til the next episode! LOL! Excited for you. When I used to watch your vids at your other place I always used to think, "man, imagine how much fun they could have if they had some more acreage." Well, now you got it!
I just ordered the six pack of lights using your link! I saw or read something recently about a guy that had bought lithium batteries from wrecked battery powered cars. His thoughts were he got a huge bang for the buck. I wish I could remember where I saw it. I'm looking forward to following your journey.
Does the moisture / wet ness in the battery shed, affect the power output in any way ? The equipment, seems really exposed to moisture and cold temps I don't know nada about this newer power technology . thanks for any response 6:31 would building a Poney wall, inbetween the fridge unit and wood stove, ( to reflect the boxstove heat) , work ??
You all are doing so well, you are blessed and I am learning solar from you all as you go. I would like to put up some panels at the farm but am totally out of it. Thank you and so glad you escaped the Yuppie Ville!
Hi Jeremy, MPPT is definitely the way to go, to gain several excellent advantages, but you need to use the same size matching panels for the whole array because only then can you efficiently wire them all in series, which gives you the advantage of needing much smaller diameter wiring than you would with parallel-wired PV arrays, and you are also able to have longer cable runs for less voltage drop loss, between the array and the MPPT controller. The MPPT controller, because of its lower voltage/higher current output however, needs to be as close as possible/practical to the battery bank, as does the inverter. A 10KwHr 48 volt series wired battery bank for example, is a much better more efficient arrangement, than a 10KwHr 12v parallel wired battery bank, because the heavy wiring as required by a 12v inverter can now be much smaller in diameter, as used instead by a 48v inverter, because it draws only one quarter of the current, (but at 4 times the voltage) of the current drawn by the 12v inverter, for the same wattage. As you are no doubt aware, this is because the voltage and current are inversely proportional for the same wattage, and this means that the lower the current the thinner the wiring can be for a given wattage. Some optional 12v/24v/48v MPPT controllers can only function to their full wattage design capacity by operating on their highest battery bank voltage option. As far as I'm aware, with most good quality MPPT controllers you can series-wire your panels up to about 150 volts, but there may be other MPPT controllers that I'm not aware of, that are designed for higher voltages. This link is really helpful - see Paul Chamber's excellent Shipping Container House Videos, where he shares his PV experiences, mistakes and successful conclusions - 1) Install a charge controller and inverter to solar panels th-cam.com/video/SPoeoORhq_Y/w-d-xo.html 2). Is the new Tesla Powerwall battery good for my small off-grid house? th-cam.com/video/ewz4edoqX5I/w-d-xo.html
Great videos! You could use something like the “Lux WIN100 Heating & Cooling Programmable Outlet” (around $30) to only run the fridge when the temperatures are warm enough... also, you could put a child safety lock (around $5) on the fridge if you think animals may try to open it.
We lived in a 28 foot camper for 2 years and my full sized fridge and deep freezer was out in the porch for one of the worst winters we had in Southern Ohio. Had no problems at all. It's not going to kick on if it's not needed. The only time I had issues was when it was close to the heat source. It ran all the time.
Replacing the dc voltage transmission line with a much heavier gauge wire will lessen the voltage drop, but would probably cost you an arm and a leg. Congratulations on your dream property! Keep up the videos because they are really appreciated!
That power bank wiring is terrifying. Instead of lead acid batteries, see if you can maybe find some big Nickel Hydrides. Might give you better efficiency. Also get some Helical Wind Generators. About 10 minimum. They are super efficient and you get WIND power as well as Solar from your panels. :-) And if you have a natural water source like a creek or river you can build a small hydroelectric dam. You might also be able to get a solar water heater panel to supplement your electric water heater if it is electric, and it can also supplement your gas water heater as well if it is gas, that way you get WAY more efficiency out of it either way. Just insulate the water heater SUPER well and all sides... like 2 feet thick of insulation in multiple layers... including underneath it. And depending on where you live, you might look into geothermal water heating, house heating & cooling, and power generation. ;-) Also might want to think about insulating your solar panels in winter so they don't lose as much heat... depending on what type they are. Some work best at higher temperatures.
Great plan to upgrade to an MPPT charge controller that can log data first. I bet that old PWM controller that's currently there is really inefficient. 150 yards! WOW that's a far distance. You should try to wire the panels to 48v with the new charge controller so you'll have much less loss and get thicker gauge wires if you can afford it. Maybe a 12v or 24v DC water pump would be a better option and you'd be able to run it directly off the battery bank with no power conversion losses depending on how far the wires are run. 12v is really only good for short runs of wire unless you have some 4AWG wire or larger! I'm curious what batteries you'll use. If I were building a system on a budget I might go with golf cart batteries since the price per amp hour is great, they are true deep cycle with huge lead plates and Crown and Trojan are very popular in the solar community. I know Crown offers a core recycling program that gives you a small discount when you buy a new replacement battery. There are a lot of battery options that's for sure and if you go with the simplicity of a proper lead acid I see from the video Jeremy already knows the temperature is a problem. Just 10 degrees °C off the optimal temperature can half the life of lead acid batteries. On the other hand Lithium needs more complicated BMS systems and can be bricked if the voltage drops too low and at a higher cost so you stand to loose more money if something goes wrong. Its a complicated decision. Good luck. I'm very excited to watch you guys build this off grid property!
For more OFF GRID videos, check out our playlist: goo.gl/BqNFxg More info in the description. Thanks for watching!
That was interesting, thanks
I do the outdoor thing with refrigeration You can save a bundle. I live in the city and i am a former large scale farmer. Use mother nature to reduce your KW load. I used a compost pile for geo thermal heating reduced my load by 60 percent.. You have enough bio mass from your trees to consider using composting as another method of heating your home.
Convert to a 48 volt system, remember OHM’s law.. we run 12 250 watt solar panels, 8, 6 volt batteries, Magnum charge controller and inverter. Cable running from batteries to your inverter is important. All this system you can put on your house later as well. Love our system. Good luck and love that you have joined the Off Grid lifestyle..
I'd look into getting a 500 or 1000 gallon water tank and put it either up a hill or on a tower to get a gravity fed water system. They you only have to run the pump once every few weeks to fill it up.
The voltage is dropping because the wire is to small. When you calculate the wire size you must also calculate the distance from panels to inverter.
Aw Hi!!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much for your sweet mention. You guys are terrific! We are so psyched for you. Jeremy, you can do anything, dude! Between the two of you, I can't wait to see what comes next :)
Haha us too!
I love seeing your homestead and I’m so happy for you guys working towards your ultimate goal!
You folks are very pro-active and well thought out. A good channel for folks preparing to go into more self sufficient living. Keep up the excellent work.
You hear the happiness in all y'all's voice im so glad y'all got to get where you wanted to be. Im so happy for y'all.
Build a small water tower (300-500 gallons) near the house so you don't have to run the pump so often.
First, thank you guys for all your videos. Your life is an inspiration for us. One thing I noticed, your wire going from the battery bank to the inverter is really thin. This is why your system can't even handle a light load like a fridge. To feed a 5,000 W inverter you need a wire capable of handling 400 amps (5,000 / 12 = 416 Amps). You need 800 kcmill copper wire. It is about as thick as your finger and you won't find it at your local Home Depot. A welding supplier would be a place to go. If they don't have 800 kcmill, they may offer a combination of 2 or 3 thinner wires which can handle 400 Amps. Hope this helps if you haven't figured it out already.
You are on the right track but your biggest problem is the distance from solar panels to charge controller & batteries ... it is just too great for any 12V array and buying thicker wire simply won't payoff. I would move the panels to a spot next to (or on top of) the battery shed and clear any sun blocking trees as the least expensive solution. I suspect that the previous owners only used the solar to keep the batteries topped off when they were not there ... and used the generator to charge the batteries. You are smart and diligent so I'm sure you will get it figured out!
Yea, it sounds like your wire size is too small for a 12 volt array. I think the mnpt charge controller is the right choice. A good charge controller will be able to handle different array voltages and battery bank voltages. Which will give you flexibility in your future system. Plus the added information it will give you. After it is installed you could try putting your panels in series to up the voltage and then the wire size wouldn't be as big a problem.
For your solar system consider organizing a small group buy of used panels. Most of those purchases have a minimum order of 20 panels or so, so you may need to organize a couple of friends to make it happen. We got in on one and bought 18-month old 300 watt panels still under manufacturer's warranty for $85 each.
I think you are spot on about the refrigerator. Even if day time temperatures get a high of 50-60F run the refrigerator when you run the water pump and you should be fine. Also by the time you reach those temperatures you'll have stronger sun for more solar collecting. xoxo from sunny Arizona. 77F today
Your journey is so interesting. I have no interest in electric stuff generally but I watched the whole thing and I dont plan to miss any videos! Keep it up and good luck in every project to come!
You are talking about buying an MPPT. I would recommend this, one that would accept the voltage of all your solar panels connected in series. Then you don't need to upgrade your wire.
We used to keep our freezer out on the porch it survived many winters and worked great in NO. Ga mountains
Dude, you are so smart. I wish I knew half as much as you, but I am learning, Thank you guys for being back on a sharing your experience and knowledge.
I’m just starting to figure this out
I just love how much research you do, how logical and methodical you are! You remind me a lot of Life in Farmland with your approach to your videos and your videography. I love how much actual information you share! It's so refreshing and informative- I appreciate that approach !
Good practical call on the UPS for the computer too.
This will be a good experience for your home design, making it as efficient as possible. If you have a southern exposure, a passive solar home might work out. For the water, you could have a higher tank and fill it with the generator and use gravity, or use a small battery pump with a ground level tank. Even a food grade 50 gallon drum would help.
When we bought our little 3.5 acre homestead, they had a fridge on the front porch too.
A sollution for your water system in the long term might be to put in an underground watertank, at an elevation and have it filled with a direct drive solar waterpump from the spring/well. That would give you near constant waterpressure and no need for batteries for the waterpump. Engineer 775 shows how he has build several systems like that for clients of his. I know it is not a short term sollution but it could be considered for your permanent system when you build your house.
I worked heating and a/c for over 40 years, The fridge compressor is not going to freeze. Your milk may freeze. On central air the compressor is always outside. Same with heat pumps. Love your content. Greeneville Tennessee says Happy holidays.
Yep that is why we were hesitant to move it there. But we had to weigh the pros and cons and this was the best temporary solution
You might want to think about another water tank for storage that you pump into above your home so you get have gravity-fed water to your home
Engineer775 once showed a system he set up to fill a large holding tank with a small, solar powered pump. As long as the sun was shining, the small pump was filling the holding tank. Maybe that's something you can look into?
20:57 I wonder if the cold temperatures and snow is reducing the resistance of the wires. Curious how that changes in the summer. Unfortunately we did see the water pump wires fail. I've done some prototyping with undersized wire, once I had my entire electrical system(including headlights) in my car fail while traveling at night on a rural highway. I had modded a push-button start, and used speaker wire for some of the connections, one on which failed. That was fun, ripping it all out on the side of the highway to get moving again.
Your videos are great. To help with your camp water needs you may want to try something I use at my camp. When you pump water from your the spring to the cabin store it in a RV water holding tank in the camp. The water can then be sent on demand to the hot water heater and sinks with a 12 volt RV water pump. You can purchase the RV items from any RV dealership if or salvage yard that has a wrecked camper. Keep chasing your dream!
Another great video! I was one of people who said to move your fridge away from the stove and out on the porch. Since there seems to be a large amount now saying it may not be a good place for it, what about in your bedroom. I know it sounds crazy, but it would be away from the heat source and avoid the moisture issue from the porch. Anyways, so happy for all of you :-) All the best ~ Jan
Jeremy youve got a good starting point.And the frig outside thats sounds like also a good idea.You folks are starting out great as you work all the bugs out.Baby steps are great for starting out.God Bless u guys.Your smart u got this man.
I’m always so standoffish about solar it’s neat to watch this. Also, “score” to getting more storage in the kitchen now with the rack. It’s the little things, right? ;) This is going to be a great series! Have you bought about pumping water into an above ground tank and using gravity to feed off of daily? Fill it once a week then then maybe that would relieve some concerns? Heck, who am I kidding... you two are five steps ahead of all our ideas I’m sure.
You might look at solar powered livestock pumps. They pump at a very low gpm, but they run continuously and will keep a reservoir tank full. The additional head pressure even from a little 500 gallon reserve tank may help stabilize your water pressure issues. The stock pumps can be had in either 12v, 24v or 110v. All they need is a very small, basic solar system. They're my backup for my well system. They'll also work in ponds or springs. Check 'em out.
Yep. Stay tuned 😉
I have to say, for really not understanding any of this, LOL, it was fascinating , I shared with my hubs, thank you for sharing with us
Nice video hope to see some more like it, also can't wait for the building of your new property.
As beautiful as the seanery is now I can't wait to see it in the spring and summer.
The fire looks cozy!
Love your place and setup..... and I know it's just going to get better.
One piece of advice I've heard you and other homesteaders give is: wait a while and get to know your property and setup. Like you said in today's video you have to adjust your electrical usage. For instance, sweeping snow off your solar panels, even if it means getting out there during flurries so it doesn't freeze on the panels. Or setting up the panels so they can go vertical during a snowfall. There's lots to learn this winter and I think you won't really know what those needs are until you've practiced them at least another winter. Take your own advice, don't rush into building your new house. With love from Arizona.
Exactly. There is a lot of advice to “buy this and buy that”. We are intentionally not running out and buying things. The last thing you want (on a limited budget) is buyers regret. We are actually even rethinking our house location already.
I can't be the only person who thought, well move it! (About the fridge) and you heard me! 😉 Mind you, you could keep the contents outside on the porch for the next 2-3 months, then your only problem would be milk ice lollies! & frozen lettuce. Is there a reason you didn't put it closer to the door so you don't have to be turned into a statue when you step out in your skivvies & bare feet to get the milk for Jaime's coffee in 3ft of drifted snow? Great to see your videos coming up J's, I missed you. Starry did a Solar 101 video in the Summer, & down in the comments were some suggestions for improvements to her system with newer, far more efficient components of the set-up. My point being go and look at the video and maybe message the guy who sounded über knowledgeable about solar system updates as part of your research, because I know that you do extensive research getting ready for projects, plus it's ALWAYS Easier to build in future expansion (when you afford it) cheaper too in the long run, than it is to extend already installed systems. Like putting in double plug sockets in every corner and wall of every room; and the wiring for wall lights where you'd naturally place them, marked on a room plan for future Sparkies (Electricians ). A few feet of extra lighting wire now is by far a cheaper option than the chasing out of channels in an already plastered and painted wall to hide the wires to either the wall lights or where the extra plugs are needed, plus however good the contractor the new plaster never looks invisible, you can still see exactly the route from ceiling to lighting. I bet he'd be delighted to share his knowledge and experience with you, just a thought.
A MPPT charge controller would make your life a lot easier and they rejuvenate your battery bank and extend its life span. I have an EPEVER type that seem to be all over the internet and i would recommend them , cheap(ish) simple and they work. Good Luck
I really enjoy watching your videos and appreciate what you produce on your channel. I know that what ever your family does plenty of research has gone into doing things right.
Thank you for all your hard work!
We aren’t perfect by a long shot, but we try to make the best decisions for our situation
I don't know very much about solar power, so this was an interesting video. Look forward to the next one.
G'day Jamie. You need to add a thicker wire OR run another wire in parallel with what you have or move the panels closer to the charging station. You must get the 12v system up to 14.4v to equalize the battery system. I use charge controllers that show input and output to battery's voltage and amps with the voltage charge adjustable that I run at 14.4 volts at times. Works well for me but you are low on input voltage. You are to low to run a DC to DC converter to boost voltage to the batteries as the amps would be low. I use 34v panels. Cheers from down under. Say hello to the family from a hot OZ . Dave VK4KSY
moving the fridge is a good idea. By the time you need to run the fridge, you won't need to be using the wood heater, so okay to bring inside again.
Thank you guys for taking us along on this adventure. We are so happy for you.
We’re very interested in learning what kind of systems we could potentially implement here in Alaska. Especially the solar and issues with snow, cold, etc.
You guys rock! You are living my dream. My husband is not quite ready to go so off grid, but your videos are helping me to show him how it is possible! Love your journey and love that you are sharing it with all of us! Many blessings...
You look so happy!! Jeremy looks kind of overwhelmed though. LOL Bless his heart! Y'all are awesome and loved!!
My Granny always kept her fridge out or the back porch in the winter. I remember absolutely LOVING the milk. It was ICE cold. Thanks for the video 🤗
Excellent video, you surely will prosper in your new location. You have a lot of great information that is usable for us solar beginners.
My favorite channel on youtube! You are awesome and your journey is an inspiration!!!
x2!!!
IM an electronic engineer and have installed several Solar systems, using this formula,, and all of them are working very well with it.
12.0 volts means your batteries are at a 45% state of charge. 12.7 Is right for FLA batteries when fully charged with a spacific gravity of 1.27 for most batteries. Just saying from a fellow off gridder. You can get a refractometer from Amazon to read the SG. Bogart makes a good battery monitor. I think your batteries are heavily sulfated but since they are telecommunications batteries designed to last 20 years I think they will recover with proper charging.
8:20 On the fridge: cover the areas facing the wood stove with good magnets then place a sheet of thin metal. That will significantly reduce the load on the fridge for super cheap. It should then operate like normal. Also, you could put a metal shield on that side of the wood heater for extra efficiency. And clean the coils under the fridge as dirty equals more energy usage.
I am so thrilled and excited to be watching your transition. How much fun is all of this?!?!
More than we could ever imagine 😊
I loveJeremys do rag where does he get them? All i can find is just to small. We love our off grid lights during the night.I would try to shorten the distance from the panels to the controler or use a larger wire.
They are Buffs from Amazon. They come in a ton of colors 😉
So excited for y'all! We love following along this new adventure! We want to put in some solar this year. We will learn from you.~TexasMom
Thanks! Should be an adventure for sure!
Thanks guys but we are just figuring it all out ourselves. One thing we can say for certain is there isn’t a one size fits all solution
Run an isolated solar/wind system for the shop. It may not be enough for some of the larger tools (circular saws/routers/etc), but it would be great for anything that runs on the rechargeable battery type tools.
Hello again
Im getting a real memory flash as you take the first steps at your new homestead. It has been years since i was at the stage your at now. Your journey will be filled with ups and a few downs as im sure you know. Cherish them all because its the struggle that gives the greatest meaning to the progress that you make. im excited to continue watching as your story unfolds.
Thanks for posting guys. We are about to get our solar power system up and running. Its a small one, but just enough for what we need out by the animals. Your video was right on time.
20:37 could the long thin wire from the solar panels to your battery setup act as a big resistor and steal your volts that way?
Love watching your channel/ TH-cam. Good luck on your new adventures and homestead.
Aloha, Jeth
From Kauai, Hawaii
Very nice. I am in the process of installing a massive grid-tied system. But my long term plan is to get a battery back-ups and create a hybrid system.
On the refrigerator what if left it where it was and maybe built some type of Reflected wall ?
I've watched your videos on and off for a while, however I plan to watch more regularly now that you've made your move. It's nice seeing you both working together as well. I know you get a lot of advice, so take this with a grain of salt. I have an off-grid cabin that I try to run everything I can from DC directly. For lighting we use under-counter LED "puck lights" designed for kitchen cabinets, running directly off the batteries. Very good light and can run for a week from a 100 AH battery. Also, a great reference is Boatowner's Illustrated Electrical Handbook - most sailboats use 12 volt systems and it has lots of valuable information. Keep up the great work.
I love it! Working out the kinks and solving problems... you're on your way to being a solar power expert! Congrats!
Loonng way from that but we are starting somewhere!
The battery wires in your vehicle are correctly sized for their amperage and length, huge aren't they! For the long wire runs to your solar panels you need to add another pair of heavier wire than you've got now, moving the panels closer to the batteries is way cheaper that buying heavy gage wire. If you moved the panels three times closer then you could cut up the wire you have now to run three parallel pairs. A 12v lead/acid battery is fully charged at 12.6 volts, to charge them to that point your charge controller needs to put out about 14v, your not getting 14v into the charge controller so it can't fully charge your batteries. Good luck.
I also love the Eneloop rechargeable batteries and have more than 60 of them... I like the BQ-CC55 smart charger bundled with the Eneloop batteries so much I have three....
I use them in everything: solar lights similar to yours, radio telephones, radios, torches, trail cameras, remotes, I can even run my internet on AA batteries if I have to
I'm a city boy that is prepared
Nice system. Some stuff was above my head ; Got some research to do :-)
I used a small dorm room fridge in the winter when I was just using solar.
So enjoying the updates. You have so much to do in this new chapter of your life. Many learning curves and lots of developing and trialling new systems. In the moments when it feels overwhelming take a minute to stop, breathe, and remember the wide-eyed wonder of this time.
Jamie, I am getting the hang of canning and thoroughly enjoying it. Mostly thanks to you. AND you added a new word to our vocabulary - FANAGALLING.
Hugs from the UK. 😊🌺
When we lived in central Illinois, always kept a spare refrigerator and freezer both on back covered patio... just wrap your front patio in plastic for protection, we never had any issues
Great vid guys, can't wait to see the results.
You really need to get larger wires connecting your batteries and to your inverter !
I like your idea of moving the refrigerator out of doors for the winter. That will surely help with energy consumption. You are correct when you said that it is directly competing with the wood stove in such close proximity in the kitchen. Good move. It is only temporary anyway until you guys build your new home. Which will be beautiful I'm sure.
morning! maybe someone has mentioned it in the comments but why not go with an insulated cover for the fridge and leave it inside. like one of those silver padded insulated "tarp" type materials. custom fit it to the doors of the fridge. the heat from the stove will stay out and the cool will stay in, like a giant insulated cooler. plenty of materials out there that could easily do the job. just my 2 cents.. 👍
Missed you guys during your move.. I"m so happy for you and your new place. I look forward to more videos :) Love from Dallas Tx.
Have you thought about a wood gasifer? Hit the junkyard for more batteries. Also old forklift batteries are cheap.
Have you looked into pop can heaters? I added one to my work shop and work good.
This is so exciting! I can only imagine the feeling of freedom and just the all around fun and excitement of something new every day! It’s truly a beautiful site and I’m still bringing the beer for our hang out day!! LOL 😄😉
if the wire from your panels is undersized for the load and distance it will cause voltage drop. Check it out there's tons of tables on the net that will show you what you need. Great video, good luck
Put about a teaspoon of Epson salt in each cell of the batteries! I know that you may see things that say it doesn't help, but I have taken batteries that would not take a change and put it in them and it got them to work for many more years! It helps clean the plates so the batteries work better. That with a new charge controller and you really need better wire to solar panels you should be able to get much more from the system! Good luck! Thank You for the information! I have wanted to do some solar but didn't know where to start. The information you are giving will help me.
This is the old system that came with the property when we bought it. We have since replaced it with a whole new system and did a video series on the install.
Morning jeremy . I shared your solar series with " the boos of the swamp" . He is clearing land to add his off grid system. I hope he watches and learns from your research and experience of living with your system :) all the best .
I am sure glad you guys are back and I am looking forward to watching your journey.
Seem like a very smart guy. Love your journey on self sufficiency
Well, you're making progress! I was just working a little late and saw your vid pop up and I couldn't wait til tomorrow to watch! LOL! You guys do a great job on your vids. Jeremy, I'll be following along on the solar. I have a little practical knowledge on it, but I'm no expert, that's for sure. I'm glad you guys take the time to do your vids. Since you got your property, I can't wait 'til the next episode! LOL! Excited for you. When I used to watch your vids at your other place I always used to think, "man, imagine how much fun they could have if they had some more acreage." Well, now you got it!
So glad you guys are sharing this journey with us. This is going to be exciting to watch! Thanks!
you guys make a great team
I just ordered the six pack of lights using your link!
I saw or read something recently about a guy that had bought lithium batteries from wrecked battery powered cars. His thoughts were he got a huge bang for the buck. I wish I could remember where I saw it. I'm looking forward to following your journey.
Does the moisture / wet ness in the battery shed, affect the power output in any way ?
The equipment, seems really exposed to moisture and cold temps
I don't know nada about this newer power technology . thanks for any response
6:31 would building a Poney wall, inbetween the fridge unit and wood stove, ( to reflect the boxstove heat) , work ??
You all are doing so well, you are blessed and I am learning solar from you all as you go. I would like to put up some panels at the farm but am totally out of it. Thank you and so glad you escaped the Yuppie Ville!
Hi Jeremy, MPPT is definitely the way to go, to gain several excellent advantages, but you need to use the same size matching panels for the whole array because only then can you efficiently wire them all in series, which gives you the advantage of needing much smaller diameter wiring than you would with parallel-wired PV arrays, and you are also able to have longer cable runs for less voltage drop loss, between the array and the MPPT controller. The MPPT controller, because of its lower voltage/higher current output however, needs to be as close as possible/practical to the battery bank, as does the inverter. A 10KwHr 48 volt series wired battery bank for example, is a much better more efficient arrangement, than a 10KwHr 12v parallel wired battery bank, because the heavy wiring as required by a 12v inverter can now be much smaller in diameter, as used instead by a 48v inverter, because it draws only one quarter of the current, (but at 4 times the voltage) of the current drawn by the 12v inverter, for the same wattage. As you are no doubt aware, this is because the voltage and current are inversely proportional for the same wattage, and this means that the lower the current the thinner the wiring can be for a given wattage. Some optional 12v/24v/48v MPPT controllers can only function to their full wattage design capacity by operating on their highest battery bank voltage option. As far as I'm aware, with most good quality MPPT controllers you can series-wire your panels up to about 150 volts, but there may be other MPPT controllers that I'm not aware of, that are designed for higher voltages. This link is really helpful - see Paul Chamber's excellent Shipping Container House Videos, where he shares his PV experiences, mistakes and successful conclusions - 1) Install a charge controller and inverter to solar panels
th-cam.com/video/SPoeoORhq_Y/w-d-xo.html 2). Is the new Tesla Powerwall battery good for my small off-grid house? th-cam.com/video/ewz4edoqX5I/w-d-xo.html
Great videos! You could use something like the “Lux WIN100 Heating & Cooling Programmable Outlet” (around $30) to only run the fridge when the temperatures are warm enough... also, you could put a child safety lock (around $5) on the fridge if you think animals may try to open it.
Ya we might go w the child safety lock. So far no issues w wildlife though
Mppt charge controller is better... little by little you will accomplish your goals. Good luck!
We lived in a 28 foot camper for 2 years and my full sized fridge and deep freezer was out in the porch for one of the worst winters we had in Southern Ohio. Had no problems at all. It's not going to kick on if it's not needed. The only time I had issues was when it was close to the heat source. It ran all the time.
I wish you guys the very best in your journey to become self-reliant! Love your videos...keep em coming. Cate xo
Replacing the dc voltage transmission line with a much heavier gauge wire will lessen the voltage drop, but would probably cost you an arm and a leg. Congratulations on your dream property! Keep up the videos because they are really appreciated!
Congratulations, you just added another thousand subscribers, now you have 47K !!!
That power bank wiring is terrifying.
Instead of lead acid batteries, see if you can maybe find some big Nickel Hydrides. Might give you better efficiency.
Also get some Helical Wind Generators. About 10 minimum.
They are super efficient and you get WIND power as well as Solar from your panels. :-)
And if you have a natural water source like a creek or river you can build a small hydroelectric dam.
You might also be able to get a solar water heater panel to supplement your electric water heater if it is electric, and it can also supplement your gas water heater as well if it is gas, that way you get WAY more efficiency out of it either way. Just insulate the water heater SUPER well and all sides... like 2 feet thick of insulation in multiple layers... including underneath it.
And depending on where you live, you might look into geothermal water heating, house heating & cooling, and power generation. ;-)
Also might want to think about insulating your solar panels in winter so they don't lose as much heat... depending on what type they are. Some work best at higher temperatures.
Daniel Nunya Bidnezz Wouldn't Nickel Iron batteries be a good investment?
Great plan to upgrade to an MPPT charge controller that can log data first. I bet that old PWM controller that's currently there is really inefficient. 150 yards! WOW that's a far distance. You should try to wire the panels to 48v with the new charge controller so you'll have much less loss and get thicker gauge wires if you can afford it. Maybe a 12v or 24v DC water pump would be a better option and you'd be able to run it directly off the battery bank with no power conversion losses depending on how far the wires are run. 12v is really only good for short runs of wire unless you have some 4AWG wire or larger! I'm curious what batteries you'll use. If I were building a system on a budget I might go with golf cart batteries since the price per amp hour is great, they are true deep cycle with huge lead plates and Crown and Trojan are very popular in the solar community. I know Crown offers a core recycling program that gives you a small discount when you buy a new replacement battery. There are a lot of battery options that's for sure and if you go with the simplicity of a proper lead acid I see from the video Jeremy already knows the temperature is a problem. Just 10 degrees °C off the optimal temperature can half the life of lead acid batteries. On the other hand Lithium needs more complicated BMS systems and can be bricked if the voltage drops too low and at a higher cost so you stand to loose more money if something goes wrong. Its a complicated decision. Good luck. I'm very excited to watch you guys build this off grid property!