I started out with harbor freight solar about 15 years ago. My knowledge and my budget grew over the years and I have been able to build a state of the art system that will power a good portion of my home in a power failure. The learning curve is great but it's a great hobby and it will eventually pay for itself.
That's awesome! I can see there is quite a lot to learn that's why I started very simple. And with this place just being a little get away I don't think ill do much for upgrades, not right away for sure .
I didn't know harbor freight said solar panels 15 years ago I bought solar panels from harbor freight this year at the beginning of the year 4: 25 watt solar panels and a package like he did and I bought four hundred watt solar panels a month later but I had bought other solar panels in the past and if I knew however it had to the panels 15 years ago I would have started buying them from them and they would have been bigger than 100 watts to do believe cuz I believe they had bigger than 100 Watts then I know fleet farm did now look at my feet from has 20 watts solar panels and yet I bought 150 watt solar panels from fleet farm when they were getting rid of them and if I knew Stevens point had two 150 w solar panels other ran down there what should have been a little out of my way cuz I ran from one city to another city to buy one and another and then I would have ran to a student point to buy another two but I didn't know that at the time and then it got pretty late and then they told me but the time only got to Stevens point they would have been closed even though all I had to do is jump on the highway and drive straight there because the highway and then I would have nearly went almost all the way around my house or a semicircle I should say half a circle anyways and if I would have known of another solar panel yet besides already got that as well and I would have kept on going until I got them all I wished I would have known all that earlier that day then I might have had four 150 w solar panels or maybe depending which other fleet farms had them one to two solar panels from each which have been three other fleet farms going all the way around which is all an hour to an hour and a half away from my house to even 2 hours away from my house I have no fleet farm where I live but two of them are horse peace the second place I went to go get solar panels was a horse and half and the third place I could have gone would have been two horses I would have been willing to go three horses or four horses away to get to solar panels because yes I know what solar panels could do for me I mean when I bought solar panels back in 1998 they weren't very many wattage there was six of them at two different sizes they pretty much would run my TV my lights couple TVs maybe or at least a couple lights but if I hooked it up right you probably read all my lights but it made me more alert of electricity use and I saved a hundred bucks a month well my electric bill was $145 a month and after I get the solar panels they were $35 a month to pay electric but after that I get rid of my or didn't get rid of I just turned it off and never turned it back on the gas furnace sitting under sitting in the basement I haven't used since 2004. But now I roughly have 2,600 Watts well slightly over that but not much and it does not run my electric kitchen oven stove but if I save up to electricity it probably would cuz what time I get up to eat breakfast or the time I get my daughter up to go go to school I can make a breakfast but my kitchen oven just off electricity from the solar panels but I don't have a 240 volt yet and that's what my kitchen stove is and that's the same with my water heater but I think my water heater is a 220 volt but if I get the right inverter and some more solar panels I would hook up my complete house with solar but just for more than electricity in my house I need the electricity for also more for my kids health too who depends on electricity for some things for health which I won't tell you what is for which is more personal and more for the doctors in two hospitals and two clinics as well as me to know what your mother doesn't know nothing about what your mother has no contact and is not allowed to have contact with her and that can be part of the reason why. I really need a lot more solar panels to run everything in my house for everybody sake or at least in my house don't really want to say any bad news or any good news that had some consequences to it I like keeping things more nice. I am a poor man with a good heart with some power behind himself with some muscles that is really kind-hearted and would try to bend over backwards to help all people but I really don't have any money.
@@WV_Raised1983 I don't put periods in between my words sometimes does that really matter or can I really make a longer sentence than that yes I can I can make a very long sentence.
Thanks I will definitely try . I’m thinking of building an out house soon out of log cut off scraps a friend of mine has a shed building business hopefully the only thing I’ll have to buy will be the roofing.
The "Bunker Hill 120 lumen" solar motion light HF sells is the 💩!!! I use it *EVERY NIGHT!* The panel is in my window charging all day and at night, whenever anyone goes to the bathroom, it turns on and lights the way. It's been maintenance free for 3 years. By far one of the best $15 investments I've ever made! It's been a life saver during a few blackouts!
Finally! Someone that concisely explains a simple set up without overcomplicating everything! Bravo! And thank you! Fantastic video. Much appreciated! 😊 ❤️🇺🇸❤️
Thank you! I’m really happy you got something out of this video you’re very welcome. I did get quite a few comments that I should add some fuses , so pretty soon I’m going to do some kind of cabin update video to address a few reoccurring comments. Thanks again!
The pair of low voltage landscape wires are identifiable by their outer edge jacketing. One is smooth and the other has ribs that run the entire length of the wire. That's probably the only thing I can help you with. Everything else I'm clueless and you're helping me from my lack of building knowledge. Thanks for sharing. Fascinating to watch.
yeah I realized that a little later on that one wire had writing the whole length . that is a much better way than marking it before you pull it . I'm very happy to share and even happier that you enjoyed it .
Thanks ! I definitely would not say I'm a pro lol. It's amazing to me how much you can learn and still learn something new every day or phone a friend for help
Hey Ryan, awesome work on making your own outlet covers, they look amazing. You explain the wiring so well, those strip lights look so good, they look like they give out alot of light. Great work installing the solar panels, your cabin looks amazing, again great work Ryan.
Much appreciated that not only you used a harbor freight solor kit but also their tools as well unlike some others on here using promotional equipment and tools where most of us can't afford 👍
In the future lamp cord has 1 smooth side and 1 ridged side. Smooth side is always positive for DC and hot side for AC. LOVE your work. Fantastic work.
Hey thanks for the tip . It sounds like a lot of people use lamp cord for 12v systems. I might have to go that route next time. That’s awesome I’m really happy you like it thanks !!
Excellent video Ryan, you are a great teacher. Your video was very thorough and easy to understand. I hope you keep your content coming. Thanks for sharing. Slainte, DC
Thank you ! Teaching is something I never really thought I would be that good at so that is very cool for me to hear . I’ll definitely be trying to keep them rolling out
I am an off grid full time. I have been living with solar for years. I have found that if you put a rubber matt folded in ½ for double thickness under your battery, it extends the life of the battery 3 to 4 times longer. I learned this trick long ago when I worked in auto parts.
Thanks for the inspiration. My wife and I are going to build something slightly larger (we are going to build a murphy bed that also has an integrated table) and make this our weekend getaway. Glad the HF solar panels are working for you.
We have 1.2kw of solar panels on our sailboat and 14.4kwh of Lifepo4 batteries that power our 20kw electric auxiliary motor and feed our 3000 watt inverter. We live like most do on the grid but have no electric bill. Installation of solar on a boat is a real challenge but the payoff is immense. Great video. Nice cabin.
That sounds very cool ! I would like to see a picture of that boat it sounds like you would have to get pretty creative to get that many panels on it . thank you I'm glad you enjoyed it
Always put suitable size fuse at both panel and battery positive connection. Cheap easy piece of mind 🔥 protection thanks for showing how simple it can be live the 12volt dream
Find myself doing the same thing that I do with your brothers videos …. They show up on my feed so I rewatch ! Lol. Really should have a relike button too. Lol. Take care Ryan
@@blackspruce1861 ours started out as a trailer on pontoons, yup, it’s as easy as that! It has since evolved though, nothing fancy but nice, neat and tidy, we have all we need. Reach out if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer, it is a totally off grid lifestyle.
The "Bunker Hill 120 lumen" solar motion light HF sells is the 💩!!! I think it'd be a great addition to your setup! I use it *EVERY NIGHT!* The panel is in my window charging all day and at night, whenever anyone goes to the bathroom, it turns on and lights the way (would probably work great on a porch to chase animals away too). It's been maintenance free for 3 years. By far one of the best $15 investments I've ever made! It's been a life saver during a few blackouts!
This is a neat off grid cabin. This gives me an idea to add some solar lights to our kids playhouse. I generally don’t like Harbor Freight products for anything mission critical, but it would probably be just fine for what I need. I’ll have to go back and watch the other cabin video- I might be able to adapt it to a home office.
Hey buddy, idk if you've ever seen the trick where you sand the back side of the block of wood and get a pile of shavings then mix them in with the epoxy. It makes the crack nearly disappear. Just a trick I picked up in my gun smithing days.
Nice build, very informative. I highly recommend some fuses/breakers in that electrical system. The more the better. All that hard work on the cabin, would hate for it to disappear due to the lack of a $0.20 fuse.
@@blackspruce1861 You can put a fuse at the output of the battery. You can get an automotive fuse with a fuse holder. You can also put a breaker at the output of the inverter but the inverter should have some protection built into it. You can put another fuse on the input of it though. Same way, 12V fuse.
@@akhurash Beat me to it! I tend to over fuse. Electricity has set me on my backside more than once! I do a breaker/fuse on the panels coming into the charge controllers as well.
Great video hey that inverter will run all your power tools I already tried it on a 750 watt inverter just for kicks I had a 50' power cord coming off the inverter with any power tool worked great.
So amazing. Ive built some things. nothing compared to what you do and its always the electrical stuff that worries me the most. I usually have someone come supervise me so i dont look like Einstein
Love this cabin! Regarding the battery being charged indoors, keep in mind that they let off hydrogen gas when charging. Not saying it would be a problem or implying that you already didn't know that, just something I thought of and wanted to bring up. It might be safer to relocate just the battery outdoors. Love the channel!
Thanks!! I might just upgrade to lifepo or AGM battery that doesn't off gas at all and has much better capacity . but I thought and I may be wrong that they only really off gas when they are over charged
You can buy connectors and channeling with a diffuser on amazon for the led strips. Just did this behind some built out crown molding in the house. Great stuff!
I have one of those kits, one of the solar panels started to Rot less than a year of owning it, where as the older 45Watt Kit is still like new after 12yrs...
Should have all the power I need (and then some!) as I've bartered for a 4 panel (160 watt per) and a pure sine wave inverter. I appreciate your wiring tips. And thanks for the lighting recommendations! The 12 volt strips should work great in the cabin :) Later, sir! God Bless
Hubs & I took Voice Over classes @ a local college for fun. It was great! If interested, go & learn & have fun in those classes. You do have a good voice. It's a gift. You get jobs by having to demo your voice to various situations (reading, reciting, accents, etc.)
you are very welcome ! thanks for watching . so far I'm pretty happy with it . I like how simple of a set up it is ,and It does charge while its cloudy .I need to get out there and spend a few days at the cabin and give it a good test
I would highly recommend getting a heavy duty industrial grade male plug to replace the on at the inverter. I had that same one i put on a cord I cut down to five foot for a fan. Way overkill for the application. After about six months it got hot and almost burnt my garage down. Melted both the plug receptacle and cover.
woah !! thats crazy they can sell stuff thats that chintzy , I wonder if it was just that one happened to be defective or maybe your fan just draws a lot .
@@blackspruce1861 it really is with everything being made in china quality has drastically gown down hill. Sometimes it just makes sense to pay a little more. The yellow one was like three dollars and the heavy duty one was about eight and the quality was definitely noticeable. It is a metal fan from Boscov‘s with a three prong plug I mounted upside down on the ceiling. It doesn’t have a sticker to tell the wattage so maybe your right. Electric can be dangerous lol stay safe.
Thanks for sharing another great video. I think I would like trying the same setup you have for my small cabin a 16x20 in northern Minnesota which is currently running off of a generator. Thanks again.
Hey buddy how are ya? Great build love the cabin. Your attention to detail is nice to see. I’m thinking you might be a contractor or in the trades. Great work!! Thanks for sharing can’t wait for the next video. God bless you and yours.
I'm doing great how about you ? thanks ! my attention to detail comes from a nagging conscience lol, and a desire to see my ideas come to be . I've built a few houses but I spent most of my life building electrical substations. I've got another video just about finished up , god bless you too
@@blackspruce1861 I’m a retired utility inspector, mostly looked at new construction and flips. Now I live in the mountains and run a portable sawmill service . Life is good!! I’m thinking of a solar system with storage. California is getting really weird about power!! Not enough, grid issues and high cost. It’s crazy here, besides the Politics!!!
@@heyyoubuddy6749 I used to have a band saw mill I loved running it but it was a home made mill , it was well built but had tires for blade wheels and was hard to get the right tension on the blade . I wish I would have kept it now . I can imagine California sounds like it has a very high cost of living .
@@blackspruce1861 I would move but my beautiful wifey loves her job in the Bay Area and doesn’t want to retire for 7 more years. I want to move to Alaska along the coast, but will be too old by then. Oh well do the best I can. Dave said you both have had mills. I’ve watched you guys run the HF mill, looks like it works just fine. I thought to build a sawmill and use a Diesel engine, but cost of steel is through the roof. Was cheaper to buy a mill. I would take forever to build it to, I want it just right so would take way too long. 2x4s here are a lil over 8 bucks a piece at the big box store, so cutting them from free to me logs is the best!! Been thinking of starting a TH-cam channel, “ Retired to the woods” not sure if I have enough content to be worth while??
There’s a couple usb ports on the charge controller and they also have a couple lights in that kit. We have the same kit. We use it on our cargo trailer conversion. The light is perfect for a yard light after dark. It’s a great basic setup
The 1 thing I've learned about solar panels and batteries If you're gonna use it in a place that's not heated all the time you're gonna wanna use Led batteries led batteries don't lose a charge in the cold as fast as lithium does lithium instantly lose it when it starts getting cold below 30 or 40°
I agree . I briefly had a 200amp hour Lifepo4 battery it was self heated . it drained itself from the self heater . I would have had to upgrade the panels over 600 watts just to charge it in a day in warm sunny weather . Michigan has very overcast weather all winter so it wasn't a good fit for me .I'm sure they're great but only if you want to have a constantly heated cabin and a large solar array
Thats what I really like too . you may not be getting full output but they are always charging . so the MPPT charge controller made quite a difference ?
That cabin is sweet. I wouldve ran more wiring behind walls, charge controller up higher and hidden interter tho.. especially how clean and nice the cabin is tho. Enjoyed watchin u put it together and the lighting is excellent.
Thanks!! I personally don’t need anymore outlets and charging ports than what I put in . It’s just a little getaway cabin and I honestly am a bit surprised but I . hardly ever use the 110 for anything more than charging my laptop . I’m really happy you enjoyed it . I was a bit disappointed the other day I went to pick up more of those light strips for my work shop and couldn’t find the Same ones . I really like that lighting too
Awesome Job. prep like there will be a zombie apocalypse. It covers every possibility. In your case, this is really great. It makes it much easier for the zombies to find you.
Thanks! 😂😂this is much more for enjoyment than zombie apocalypse or any apocalypse, but it is nice to have lights and heat without depending on society. Glad you liked it
I put a set of those self sticking LED tape lights in my kitchen as undercabinet lighting. They killed themselves after only a few hundred hours. I presumed from overheating since I stuck them direct to the wood and it was summer and no AC. I redid them with new ones, but I laid adhesive metal foil tape from the HVAC section first, then stuck the LED tape to the aluminum foil tape and that worked until the kitchen cabinets were ripped out and replaced. The foil tape acted to dissipate the excess heat. When you wired up the outlet, I noticed you used the two screws to daisy chain the power on the the next outlet. This is not such a great idea, as it will fail inspection, and the reason is that little link that connects the upper and lower outlets together will fail under prolonged heavy load situations. Better to connect the two conductors together, and run a six inch pigtail from that wire nut to the outlet screws. In your case, this is not a big risk since your 750 watt inverter will only provide half the amperage that a grid connected outlet will provide. But something to be aware of in a larger installation. That yellow plug you used to connect to the inverter. First, that tape you wrapped to the cable actually is important. The jaws that bite down on the cable are designed to bite into the outer jacket of an extension cord. the reason that this is dangerous in this sort of installation is that the plastics used to insulate house cable like you used are a lot thinner, and the insulation around the individual conductors will squeeze out over time if the strain relief screws are fully tightened or overtightened. Also, those are cheap plugs, and will not stand up to any sort of abuse. lastly, I didn't see any fuses or switches on the DC side in the battery box. In case of fire or electrical emergency, you want to be able to disconnect the battery and the feed from the solar panel. also, the battery itself is a fire hazard, especially when the mice get in and start chewing on the wires. Another way to protect your battery from setting the cabin on fire is to fill a couple of plastic baggies with vermiculite from the garden center. actual mineral vermiculite, not the plastic replacement stuff. Do a flame test to ensure it is nonflammable. In the baggies they are easy to handle and remove and replace when you need to work in the battery box. If a fire does start, the plastic bags will melt and the vermiculite will help keep the fire from spreading down the wires and hopefully keep the fire from burning the place down.
I was considering putting some of those lights in my kitchen too I’ll have to remember the foil tape trick. I thought I mentioned in the video when I was wiring the outlets that I normally would pigtail the outlets but I didn’t have enough leftover wire but maybe i didn’t. I wasn’t really worried about it since for the most part I don’t plan on using much AC . But putting things out like this maybe I should explain a little more thorough . Kind of balancing trying to be informative and not boring people is tricky. I have had a lot of comments about fuses. Before wiring this cabin the only 12 volt wiring I’ve done has been 124 volt dc systems in control houses for electrical substations it all runs to a dc breaker panel , I honestly don’t know why I didn’t think to put fuses in it but . I’ll be doing a short cabin update video and address some of the thing people have pointed out . Some things people have pointed out were done I just didn’t get good footage . That vermiculite in the bags sounds like a really good tip too thanks I appreciate the tips and I hope you enjoyed the video
@@blackspruce1861 Then I don't have to explain that breakers and fuses have different interrupting voltages for DC and AC to you. The vermiculite trick I learned from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. that's what they do with cable trays full of control cables to control cable fires. Lesson learned after the Browns Ferry reactor plant fire.
Low voltage wire has one smith and one rough side when you run your finger around the wire you can tell the difference always connects rough to rough and smooth to smooth
Nice job but I think you need to add fuses. Positive leg of circuits. One between solar panels and charge controller, one between charge controller and battery, one between battery and inverter, and one from battery to 12 volt outlet feed.
Some dc fuses or a circuit breaker would be good to have. Inverter has fuses but a circuit breaker would cut the power from the battery to everything else. Not a bad setup for a HF system.
I actually added some fuses in my cabin improvements video . Thanks ! I'm thinking of doing a couple more small upgrades to the solar system eventually
Just a tip: Never stick LED strips like this. They will eventually fall off and they use their back side for cooling. Better and safer way (and neater) is to use an aluminium LED stripe mounting profile. The individual LEDs will spread their heat into the pofile and stick much better. Also the fire hazard is avoided that way.
I use these same strips in my kids room for five years now. They are stuck and I mean really stuck there. Not moving at all, and the strips never get hot at all. If he would have gotten the really cheap ones they have at the Walmart checkout line then yes you are correct. But he didn't get those ones. He is perfectly fine.
7:40 such a shame they didn't make that plug come out the bottom of the charge controller (solar panel input power)... that connection will always have stress on it, and they potential to be broken off. especially since the unit is designed for wall mount. I've picked up some dimmable led strips from Wish, that I love! Uses male USB for input power. they've got an off/off/dimmer sensor inline you just wave your hand over. added 2 near my bed for extra lighting, without having to use the big room lights... Also, the adhesive on the LED strips is junk... so I added staples, being sure not to puncture the circuitry. Staple one end, stretch the strip, staple other end, added staples to middle to prevent sagging. great video, thanks for the upload!
That would definitely be an improvement if they had the plug in come in the bottom . I've never ordered anything from wish . there's been a couple things that looked interesting but just didn't want to get the app, cool you're having good luck with them . so far the adhesive is holding strong on mine I would imagine eventually ill have to add some staples . Thanks ! I'm really glad you liked the video
Looks like a deep cycle 12v battery. When that dies, and it will, go with 2 6v golf cart type batteries and wire them together for 12v. They will last much longer and will tolerate more deep discharges.
@@blackspruce1861 Those 6v batteries have half the cells, the plates are much thicker. Try not to take more than 10% of your 12v capacity. That will help longevity.
Most practical off grid setup I've seen yet. So many people want to over engineer. Nice to see a small efficient system. Awesome job explaining too. If you get a chance to read this. I have a question. To have 2 batteries in parallel, still 12v. Would you recommend another 100w solar and charge controller running in parallel? I think this would work and be redundant and act like a backup. What are your thoughts? Also, do you feel pretty good about the battery being inside and in a wooden box? Thank you in advance. I'm planning my buildout exactly the same.
Thanks !! I like to keep it simple . you should look into the specs of your charge controller first it might be able to handle another 100 watt panel and save you the money. as far as the battery inside goes . I personally am not that worried but I guess there are better choices out there AGM batteries , lifepo4 . but they're a bit more money
Use smaller, finer diameter wood screws with finer threads. Carefully drill the holes. Drywall screws with coarse threads will split wood. Another option is small 6 or 8/32 machine screws with hex nuts. I think you can also buy blank wood covers and drill those.
@@blackspruce1861 solar, wiring, problem solving and any other off grid general problem solving / solutions. Its not something that is particularly well covered on TH-cam in relation to off grid cabins
4:28 for best adhesion clean surface with something like isopropyl alcohol first. Avoid cleaners that might leave any residue. Even if they stick initially, they could fall off later.
Thank you , I’m really happy you’re enjoying it. I’m not sure at the moment there’s a spring on the property but it’s a ways away I thought about maybe driving a well in that area it’s just a little getaway but it would be nice to have a well close by. Definitely need an outhouse
.. Initiative Fear Doubt Good when folks are independent not waiting for stimulus stuff or horrible handouts Excellent Well Done Shared your video with friends and family Thank you Be Well ...
Beautiful work. Not sure if i would have battery inside, be worried about off gassing from it. Don't know if just one battery will do it or when you have more than one.
Thanks ! I wonder about that myself I suppose you could buy a hydrogen detector but I'm pretty sure they're a bit speedy. I've been told that the gel cell batteries don't produce hydrogen but i don't know if that's a fact
well the wire I used for the 12volt dc was 14gauge stranded landscaping wire . I actually found something better on amazon when I did my camper build . it the same size but black and red so easy to keep straight
It's a good skill to have . I learned a lot on my first house which I totally gutted and renovated . Then I learned a lot more on the next 2 houses I built, and a lot from work, and there's still a lot to learn ,
i have used those same strip lights but mine would change colors using a remote only problem is after about 8 months to a year that sticky stuff starts to let go they are so i used bred ties with the ties stapled to the wood laying it across the flat part of light strip so it didnt interfere or damage them as far as going around coiners i think it say you can cut them at certain points think its about every three led or so it usually is stated on paper work but not positive but where you cut them if your good at it you can soldier small wires 3 or 4 inches that will allow you to do square corners but its touchy to much heat and the copper foil can peel up if you trying to cut these and add wires to square around corners
they actually come with wires to extend them I guess you could use those to go around corners too. they have prongs that stab into the strips then lock shut on it . so far im pretty happy with them
@@blackspruce1861 you can buy connectors for led strips, corner ones and simple straight ones to add two strips together. They are brilliant l bought them since l have never soldered before. If you search non soldering led strip connectors you should find them. Any problems you can let me know l can send a link. I also bought the covers for my leds too so much better looking.
I started out with harbor freight solar about 15 years ago. My knowledge and my budget grew over the years and I have been able to build a state of the art system that will power a good portion of my home in a power failure. The learning curve is great but it's a great hobby and it will eventually pay for itself.
That's awesome! I can see there is quite a lot to learn that's why I started very simple. And with this place just being a little get away I don't think ill do much for upgrades, not right away for sure .
I didn't know harbor freight said solar panels 15 years ago I bought solar panels from harbor freight this year at the beginning of the year 4: 25 watt solar panels and a package like he did and I bought four hundred watt solar panels a month later but I had bought other solar panels in the past and if I knew however it had to the panels 15 years ago I would have started buying them from them and they would have been bigger than 100 watts to do believe cuz I believe they had bigger than 100 Watts then I know fleet farm did now look at my feet from has 20 watts solar panels and yet I bought 150 watt solar panels from fleet farm when they were getting rid of them and if I knew Stevens point had two 150 w solar panels other ran down there what should have been a little out of my way cuz I ran from one city to another city to buy one and another and then I would have ran to a student point to buy another two but I didn't know that at the time and then it got pretty late and then they told me but the time only got to Stevens point they would have been closed even though all I had to do is jump on the highway and drive straight there because the highway and then I would have nearly went almost all the way around my house or a semicircle I should say half a circle anyways and if I would have known of another solar panel yet besides already got that as well and I would have kept on going until I got them all I wished I would have known all that earlier that day then I might have had four 150 w solar panels or maybe depending which other fleet farms had them one to two solar panels from each which have been three other fleet farms going all the way around which is all an hour to an hour and a half away from my house to even 2 hours away from my house I have no fleet farm where I live but two of them are horse peace the second place I went to go get solar panels was a horse and half and the third place I could have gone would have been two horses I would have been willing to go three horses or four horses away to get to solar panels because yes I know what solar panels could do for me I mean when I bought solar panels back in 1998 they weren't very many wattage there was six of them at two different sizes they pretty much would run my TV my lights couple TVs maybe or at least a couple lights but if I hooked it up right you probably read all my lights but it made me more alert of electricity use and I saved a hundred bucks a month well my electric bill was $145 a month and after I get the solar panels they were $35 a month to pay electric but after that I get rid of my or didn't get rid of I just turned it off and never turned it back on the gas furnace sitting under sitting in the basement I haven't used since 2004. But now I roughly have 2,600 Watts well slightly over that but not much and it does not run my electric kitchen oven stove but if I save up to electricity it probably would cuz what time I get up to eat breakfast or the time I get my daughter up to go go to school I can make a breakfast but my kitchen oven just off electricity from the solar panels but I don't have a 240 volt yet and that's what my kitchen stove is and that's the same with my water heater but I think my water heater is a 220 volt but if I get the right inverter and some more solar panels I would hook up my complete house with solar but just for more than electricity in my house I need the electricity for also more for my kids health too who depends on electricity for some things for health which I won't tell you what is for which is more personal and more for the doctors in two hospitals and two clinics as well as me to know what your mother doesn't know nothing about what your mother has no contact and is not allowed to have contact with her and that can be part of the reason why. I really need a lot more solar panels to run everything in my house for everybody sake or at least in my house don't really want to say any bad news or any good news that had some consequences to it I like keeping things more nice. I am a poor man with a good heart with some power behind himself with some muscles that is really kind-hearted and would try to bend over backwards to help all people but I really don't have any money.
Wow I would love to know what I needed to run most of our house! Trying to learn.
@@acefire4050 that is the longest sentence I have ever read
@@WV_Raised1983 I don't put periods in between my words sometimes does that really matter or can I really make a longer sentence than that yes I can I can make a very long sentence.
It’s so amazing watching people setting up simple and inexpensive off grid systems that work great! Keep up the great work.
Thanks I will definitely try . I’m thinking of building an out house soon out of log cut off scraps a friend of mine has a shed building business hopefully the only thing I’ll have to buy will be the roofing.
The "Bunker Hill 120 lumen" solar motion light HF sells is the 💩!!! I use it *EVERY NIGHT!* The panel is in my window charging all day and at night, whenever anyone goes to the bathroom, it turns on and lights the way. It's been maintenance free for 3 years. By far one of the best $15 investments I've ever made! It's been a life saver during a few blackouts!
@@truckerenoch8824 that sounds awesome I might have to get one for a light in the outhouse
Finally! Someone that concisely explains a simple set up without overcomplicating everything! Bravo! And thank you! Fantastic video. Much appreciated! 😊 ❤️🇺🇸❤️
Thank you! I’m really happy you got something out of this video you’re very welcome. I did get quite a few comments that I should add some fuses , so pretty soon I’m going to do some kind of cabin update video to address a few reoccurring comments. Thanks again!
@@blackspruce1861 Awesome, look forward to the update video. Thanks again. 😊
Your narration is wonderful, videography excellent. You pointed out the important things with out a ton of fluff and useless talk. Spot on.
Wow, thank you!
The pair of low voltage landscape wires are identifiable by their outer edge jacketing. One is smooth and the other has ribs that run the entire length of the wire. That's probably the only thing I can help you with. Everything else I'm clueless and you're helping me from my lack of building knowledge. Thanks for sharing. Fascinating to watch.
yeah I realized that a little later on that one wire had writing the whole length . that is a much better way than marking it before you pull it . I'm very happy to share and even happier that you enjoyed it .
Just love how you kept it all simple and easy.
thanks that's the way I like it too !
Nice job, so much more efficient to stick with 12vdc. Avoiding those dc->ac conversions is always a 'win', thanks for showing how it's done.
Thanks! Oh yeah my soon to be brother in law showed me the rope lights they seem to be really efficient. I’m glad you enjoyed it
all this wiring stuff just befuddles me but it's still so nice to watch the pros and see how it's done. 💚
Thanks ! I definitely would not say I'm a pro lol. It's amazing to me how much you can learn and still learn something new every day or phone a friend for help
Hey Ryan, awesome work on making your own outlet covers, they look amazing. You explain the wiring so well, those strip lights look so good, they look like they give out alot of light. Great work installing the solar panels, your cabin looks amazing, again great work Ryan.
Thank you ! I was really happy how those covers turned out . I'm glad you enjoyed the video
Much appreciated that not only you used a harbor freight solor kit but also their tools as well unlike some others on here using promotional equipment and tools where most of us can't afford 👍
No problem I’m cheap too 😁 I’m glad you enjoyed the video
In the future lamp cord has 1 smooth side and 1 ridged side. Smooth side is always positive for DC and hot side for AC. LOVE your work. Fantastic work.
Hey thanks for the tip . It sounds like a lot of people use lamp cord for 12v systems. I might have to go that route next time. That’s awesome I’m really happy you like it thanks !!
Excellent video Ryan, you are a great teacher. Your video was very thorough and easy to understand. I hope you keep your content coming.
Thanks for sharing.
Slainte,
DC
Thank you ! Teaching is something I never really thought I would be that good at so that is very cool for me to hear . I’ll definitely be trying to keep them rolling out
12:45 putting a screw though the end of the zip tie is a great idea for cable management!
Thanks! I can’t remember who showed me that but it is a pretty handy little trick I used that for a fan cord in my workshop too works nice
Just found this channel. Nice cabin. Can't wait to see more videos.
Awesome! Thank you! I'm hoping to get another one up soon
Wow, Ryan! This is going to be my go-to, how-to for when I put my garage on the new home site! I was hoping you'd film how you light your place!
Awesome! I’m glad I could help . And so far I am really happy with everything especially the light strips
I am an off grid full time. I have been living with solar for years. I have found that if you put a rubber matt folded in ½ for double thickness under your battery, it extends the life of the battery 3 to 4 times longer. I learned this trick long ago when I worked in auto parts.
That sounds like a great tip thanks ! I’ll have to pick something up for that
Ohms law
Nope. I tried that with lead acid and lithium. Zero difference.
Thanks for the inspiration. My wife and I are going to build something slightly larger (we are going to build a murphy bed that also has an integrated table) and make this our weekend getaway. Glad the HF solar panels are working for you.
you're very welcome ! that sounds like a great way to save some space! yeah so far they're doing a pretty good job of keeping the battery charged
We have 1.2kw of solar panels on our sailboat and 14.4kwh of Lifepo4 batteries that power our 20kw electric auxiliary motor and feed our 3000 watt inverter. We live like most do on the grid but have no electric bill. Installation of solar on a boat is a real challenge but the payoff is immense. Great video. Nice cabin.
That sounds very cool ! I would like to see a picture of that boat it sounds like you would have to get pretty creative to get that many panels on it . thank you I'm glad you enjoyed it
Always put suitable size fuse at both panel and battery positive connection. Cheap easy piece of mind 🔥 protection thanks for showing how simple it can be live the 12volt dream
Thanks for the tip . I like that the 12 volt dream
That’s a nice cabin!I love the way you neatly ran the wiring.
Thanks! It always pays to make it nice and neat . Glad you liked it
Great install and very nice off grid cabin. I could almost live there.
Thanks!!
Find myself doing the same thing that I do with your brothers videos …. They show up on my feed so I rewatch ! Lol. Really should have a relike button too. Lol. Take care Ryan
Thats Awesome ! I find myself doing that with a lot of whitewater videos never really thought of people rewatching mine . very cool thanks Tony!
Chest freezer is another good use for car battery if you are in a hot climate. Doesn't take a huge amount of power.
maybe I'll try that out
Nice set up my friend. Thanks for putting it out there.
Thanks ! no problem
Cool video Ryan ! You do a great job explaining things as u go along ! Take care
Thanks ! You too
Look great. Wouldn’t mind seeing a review in a couple months.
Thanks ! I have a few updates I’m thinking I will do based on some reoccurring comments and I might incorporate that into a video revue
Hey there I’m just going full time off grid in Portugal. Thanks for sharing I am learning new skills 😊
Thats awesome !! I'm glad you got something from it
Cute cabin and nice power setup. I have the same solar kit from HF. Thanks for the tips!
Thanks! How do you like yours any pros or cons ?
Just subbed to your channel after watching the cabin video. I am binging all your videos now!
Thanks ! that's awesome . I'm hoping to get another up sometime soon
same!
Nice, neat install, you’re going to love it!
Thank you ! I loved it the moment I saw the battery charging a flipped the lights on . its really cool making your own power !
@@blackspruce1861 we did our own system on our houseboat....game changer....got a mr coffee first thing!!
@@nena4215 oh man a house boat sounds great . That’s something I’ve always considered building or maybe buying
@@blackspruce1861 ours started out as a trailer on pontoons, yup, it’s as easy as that! It has since evolved though, nothing fancy but nice, neat and tidy, we have all we need. Reach out if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to answer, it is a totally off grid lifestyle.
@@nena4215 wow I never thought of that you can use a trailer frame or camper frame that’s awesome
Great video !! This is exactly what I was looking for when I searched for ideas on how to deal with my needs at my camp. Well done!! 🤜💥🤛
Awesome I'm glad I could help!
I'm still wanting to learn to do things around my little house 🏘️ Thanks Cynthia 👍
glad you liked it !!
The "Bunker Hill 120 lumen" solar motion light HF sells is the 💩!!! I think it'd be a great addition to your setup! I use it *EVERY NIGHT!* The panel is in my window charging all day and at night, whenever anyone goes to the bathroom, it turns on and lights the way (would probably work great on a porch to chase animals away too). It's been maintenance free for 3 years. By far one of the best $15 investments I've ever made! It's been a life saver during a few blackouts!
Thats awesome I'll probably get on for the outhouse I just built
This is a neat off grid cabin. This gives me an idea to add some solar lights to our kids playhouse. I generally don’t like Harbor Freight products for anything mission critical, but it would probably be just fine for what I need. I’ll have to go back and watch the other cabin video- I might be able to adapt it to a home office.
Thanks ! I'm sure you could get away with something even cheeper for a kids playhouse . The cabin would make an excellent home office for sure .
Clean energy that extends the breath of our planet This is a good product.
yeah its pretty nice no noise of a generator or exhaust, no reoccurring bill !! . I'm definitely happy with it
Very informative and easy to follow. The instructions were clear. Excellent video!
Thanks glad you liked it !!
One step closer! Looking good man 👍
Thanks !
Just found this channel. Great explanation of the installation.
Thank you!
Hey buddy, idk if you've ever seen the trick where you sand the back side of the block of wood and get a pile of shavings then mix them in with the epoxy. It makes the crack nearly disappear. Just a trick I picked up in my gun smithing days.
I’ve heard about doing that with wood glue but epoxy sounds like it would work pretty good
You're videos are good. Glad you're finding your "sweet spot". God bless and keep em' coming!
Thanks I’m happy you’re enjoying them I’ve got a couple I’m working on should be ready soon
Nice build, very informative. I highly recommend some fuses/breakers in that electrical system. The more the better. All that hard work on the cabin, would hate for it to disappear due to the lack of a $0.20 fuse.
Thanks ! I'm glad you liked it . where would you put the fuse? are you thinking to protect the usb outlets or the inverter . I should look into that
@@blackspruce1861 You can put a fuse at the output of the battery. You can get an automotive fuse with a fuse holder.
You can also put a breaker at the output of the inverter but the inverter should have some protection built into it. You can put another fuse on the input of it though. Same way, 12V fuse.
@@akhurash thanks that makes sense . I’ll have to pick some up .I’m pretty sure I did see fuses on the inverter
@@blackspruce1861 No problem. Yeah inverters usually have fuses built in but good to make sure.
@@akhurash Beat me to it! I tend to over fuse. Electricity has set me on my backside more than once!
I do a breaker/fuse on the panels coming into the charge controllers as well.
Great video hey that inverter will run all your power tools I already tried it on a 750 watt inverter just for kicks I had a 50' power cord coming off the inverter with any power tool worked great.
really thats great , and weird I tried my circular saw and it wouldn't do it . it ran smaller stuff fine though
Great video, appreciate the time you took to explain things.
Thanks! I hope it can be helpful to some people, and I’m glad you liked it
So amazing. Ive built some things. nothing compared to what you do and its always the electrical stuff that worries me the most. I usually have someone come supervise me so i dont look like Einstein
Love this cabin! Regarding the battery being charged indoors, keep in mind that they let off hydrogen gas when charging. Not saying it would be a problem or implying that you already didn't know that, just something I thought of and wanted to bring up. It might be safer to relocate just the battery outdoors. Love the channel!
Thanks!! I might just upgrade to lifepo or AGM battery that doesn't off gas at all and has much better capacity . but I thought and I may be wrong that they only really off gas when they are over charged
This is a dilemma, I live in Colorado and its currently -8*F outside. That greatly limits battery capacity.
You can buy connectors and channeling with a diffuser on amazon for the led strips. Just did this behind some built out crown molding in the house. Great stuff!
Nice ! I’ve thought about adding some of those at home too
Great channel!really enjoying your content thus far👍love the cabin😁
Thank you ! I'm really happy you're enjoying it . I hope I can keep it going
Looking good! I’m glad you posted some more of the loft as well. Looks cozy
thanks ! I'm looking forward to getting a mattress up there and maybe building a book shelf / night stand
I need to have 2 USB outlets installed in my loft at each floor edge to power halo lights 4 plants...
Great tips and info. Cabin is looking awesome!
Thanks !
Thanks for the video. Enjoy the cabin!
you are very welcome ! we will
Super video for a novice such as me! THANK YOU!
Thanks !!! Glad it was helpful!
I just bought this kit but haven't set it up yet. Cool video
so far I don't have any complaints works nice . thanks glad you enjoyed it !!
I have one of those kits, one of the solar panels started to Rot less than a year of owning it, where as the older 45Watt Kit is still like new after 12yrs...
Really I hope I have better luck than that with it
@@blackspruce1861 Not as Water Proof as the originals.. Get them Off the ground. That was my mistake.
Should have all the power I need (and then some!) as I've bartered for a 4 panel (160 watt per) and a pure sine wave inverter. I appreciate your wiring tips. And thanks for the lighting recommendations! The 12 volt strips should work great in the cabin :) Later, sir! God Bless
nice that sounds like a good system! I really like the light strips they put out a lot of light and don't use much power .
Can you and your brother Dave record audiobooks? You both have such soothing voices.
I'm sure he would be game if it was the right kind of book . me I don't know
Hubs & I took Voice Over classes @ a local college for fun. It was great! If interested, go & learn & have fun in those classes. You do have a good voice. It's a gift. You get jobs by having to demo your voice to various situations (reading, reciting, accents, etc.)
ZIP cord is polarized. One side is ribbed and generally used as the neutral.
thanks for the tip !
Thanks for the video. Ima look into this kit, it looks like a good deal.
you are very welcome ! thanks for watching . so far I'm pretty happy with it . I like how simple of a set up it is ,and It does charge while its cloudy .I need to get out there and spend a few days at the cabin and give it a good test
I would highly recommend getting a heavy duty industrial grade male plug to replace the on at the inverter. I had that same one i put on a cord I cut down to five foot for a fan. Way overkill for the application. After about six months it got hot and almost burnt my garage down. Melted both the plug receptacle and cover.
woah !! thats crazy they can sell stuff thats that chintzy , I wonder if it was just that one happened to be defective or maybe your fan just draws a lot .
@@blackspruce1861 it really is with everything being made in china quality has drastically gown down hill. Sometimes it just makes sense to pay a little more. The yellow one was like three dollars and the heavy duty one was about eight and the quality was definitely noticeable. It is a metal fan from Boscov‘s with a three prong plug I mounted upside down on the ceiling. It doesn’t have a sticker to tell the wattage so maybe your right. Electric can be dangerous lol stay safe.
Thanks for the videos, looking forward to more uploads.
You are very welcome thanks for watching!
Nice demonstration Ryan.
Thanks!
Thanks for the all the videos...very informative and inspiring!!
no problem glad you like them !!
Thanks for sharing another great video. I think I would like trying the same setup you have for my small cabin a 16x20 in northern Minnesota which is currently running off of a generator. Thanks again.
You’re very welcome! I’m happy you liked it. Northern Minnesota sure has some beautiful country .Great place for a cabin
Very cool little cabin!
Thanks!
Hey buddy how are ya? Great build love the cabin. Your attention to detail is nice to see. I’m thinking you might be a contractor or in the trades. Great work!! Thanks for sharing can’t wait for the next video. God bless you and yours.
I'm doing great how about you ? thanks ! my attention to detail comes from a nagging conscience lol, and a desire to see my ideas come to be . I've built a few houses but I spent most of my life building electrical substations. I've got another video just about finished up , god bless you too
@@blackspruce1861 I’m a retired utility inspector, mostly looked at new construction and flips. Now I live in the mountains and run a portable sawmill service . Life is good!! I’m thinking of a solar system with storage. California is getting really weird about power!! Not enough, grid issues and high cost. It’s crazy here, besides the Politics!!!
@@heyyoubuddy6749 I used to have a band saw mill I loved running it but it was a home made mill , it was well built but had tires for blade wheels and was hard to get the right tension on the blade . I wish I would have kept it now . I can imagine California sounds like it has a very high cost of living .
@@blackspruce1861 I would move but my beautiful wifey loves her job in the Bay Area and doesn’t want to retire for 7 more years. I want to move to Alaska along the coast, but will be too old by then. Oh well do the best I can. Dave said you both have had mills. I’ve watched you guys run the HF mill, looks like it works just fine. I thought to build a sawmill and use a Diesel engine, but cost of steel is through the roof. Was cheaper to buy a mill. I would take forever to build it to, I want it just right so would take way too long. 2x4s here are a lil over 8 bucks a piece at the big box store, so cutting them from free to me logs is the best!! Been thinking of starting a TH-cam channel, “ Retired to the woods” not sure if I have enough content to be worth while??
There’s a couple usb ports on the charge controller and they also have a couple lights in that kit. We have the same kit. We use it on our cargo trailer conversion. The light is perfect for a yard light after dark. It’s a great basic setup
Cool I never even tried the light that comes with it . I should check them out
The 1 thing I've learned about solar panels and batteries If you're gonna use it in a place that's not heated all the time you're gonna wanna use Led batteries led batteries don't lose a charge in the cold as fast as lithium does lithium instantly lose it when it starts getting cold below 30 or 40°
I agree . I briefly had a 200amp hour Lifepo4 battery it was self heated . it drained itself from the self heater . I would have had to upgrade the panels over 600 watts just to charge it in a day in warm sunny weather . Michigan has very overcast weather all winter so it wasn't a good fit for me .I'm sure they're great but only if you want to have a constantly heated cabin and a large solar array
I use HF panels and MPPT charge controller and it does much better. I am impressed with their stuff and they charge in low light.
Thats what I really like too . you may not be getting full output but they are always charging . so the MPPT charge controller made quite a difference ?
Expensive.
simple is often the best :) well done Sir.
It sure is
Nice video with very good information. This set looks like it will work out nice for your cabin. Todd from da U.P.
Thanks ! Todd from by Escanaba right ? I spent a couple months working in garden this past winter
I actually live in the village of Wells which is right next to Escanaba. Garden Peninsula isn't too far from me. It's a nice place to visit.
That cabin is sweet. I wouldve ran more wiring behind walls, charge controller up higher and hidden interter tho.. especially how clean and nice the cabin is tho.
Enjoyed watchin u put it together and the lighting is excellent.
Thanks!! I personally don’t need anymore outlets and charging ports than what I put in . It’s just a little getaway cabin and I honestly am a bit surprised but I . hardly ever use the 110 for anything more than charging my laptop . I’m really happy you enjoyed it . I was a bit disappointed the other day I went to pick up more of those light strips for my work shop and couldn’t find the Same ones . I really like that lighting too
Awesome Job.
prep like there will be a zombie apocalypse. It covers every possibility.
In your case, this is really great. It makes it much easier for the zombies to find you.
Thanks! 😂😂this is much more for enjoyment than zombie apocalypse or any apocalypse, but it is nice to have lights and heat without depending on society. Glad you liked it
I put a set of those self sticking LED tape lights in my kitchen as undercabinet lighting. They killed themselves after only a few hundred hours. I presumed from overheating since I stuck them direct to the wood and it was summer and no AC. I redid them with new ones, but I laid adhesive metal foil tape from the HVAC section first, then stuck the LED tape to the aluminum foil tape and that worked until the kitchen cabinets were ripped out and replaced. The foil tape acted to dissipate the excess heat.
When you wired up the outlet, I noticed you used the two screws to daisy chain the power on the the next outlet. This is not such a great idea, as it will fail inspection, and the reason is that little link that connects the upper and lower outlets together will fail under prolonged heavy load situations. Better to connect the two conductors together, and run a six inch pigtail from that wire nut to the outlet screws. In your case, this is not a big risk since your 750 watt inverter will only provide half the amperage that a grid connected outlet will provide. But something to be aware of in a larger installation.
That yellow plug you used to connect to the inverter. First, that tape you wrapped to the cable actually is important. The jaws that bite down on the cable are designed to bite into the outer jacket of an extension cord. the reason that this is dangerous in this sort of installation is that the plastics used to insulate house cable like you used are a lot thinner, and the insulation around the individual conductors will squeeze out over time if the strain relief screws are fully tightened or overtightened. Also, those are cheap plugs, and will not stand up to any sort of abuse.
lastly, I didn't see any fuses or switches on the DC side in the battery box. In case of fire or electrical emergency, you want to be able to disconnect the battery and the feed from the solar panel. also, the battery itself is a fire hazard, especially when the mice get in and start chewing on the wires. Another way to protect your battery from setting the cabin on fire is to fill a couple of plastic baggies with vermiculite from the garden center. actual mineral vermiculite, not the plastic replacement stuff. Do a flame test to ensure it is nonflammable. In the baggies they are easy to handle and remove and replace when you need to work in the battery box. If a fire does start, the plastic bags will melt and the vermiculite will help keep the fire from spreading down the wires and hopefully keep the fire from burning the place down.
I was considering putting some of those lights in my kitchen too I’ll have to remember the foil tape trick. I thought I mentioned in the video when I was wiring the outlets that I normally would pigtail the outlets but I didn’t have enough leftover wire but maybe i didn’t. I wasn’t really worried about it since for the most part I don’t plan on using much AC . But putting things out like this maybe I should explain a little more thorough . Kind of balancing trying to be informative and not boring people is tricky.
I have had a lot of comments about fuses. Before wiring this cabin the only 12 volt wiring I’ve done has been 124 volt dc systems in control houses for electrical substations it all runs to a dc breaker panel , I honestly don’t know why I didn’t think to put fuses in it but . I’ll be doing a short cabin update video and address some of the thing people have pointed out . Some things people have pointed out were done I just didn’t get good footage . That vermiculite in the bags sounds like a really good tip too thanks I appreciate the tips and I hope you enjoyed the video
@@blackspruce1861 Then I don't have to explain that breakers and fuses have different interrupting voltages for DC and AC to you. The vermiculite trick I learned from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. that's what they do with cable trays full of control cables to control cable fires. Lesson learned after the Browns Ferry reactor plant fire.
Low voltage wire has one smith and one rough side when you run your finger around the wire you can tell the difference always connects rough to rough and smooth to smooth
Nice job but I think you need to add fuses. Positive leg of circuits. One between solar panels and charge controller, one between charge controller and battery, one between battery and inverter, and one from battery to 12 volt outlet feed.
Thanks for the tip
Nice little get-away you have here
Thanks !
Some dc fuses or a circuit breaker would be good to have. Inverter has fuses but a circuit breaker would cut the power from the battery to everything else. Not a bad setup for a HF system.
I actually added some fuses in my cabin improvements video . Thanks ! I'm thinking of doing a couple more small upgrades to the solar system eventually
@@blackspruce1861 So sorry, I haven’t gotten a chance to see them yet. I look forward to seeing them.
Really nice video. Place looks great
Thanks !! glad you liked it !!
Solar panels work so much better when there is no shade on them. Proper planning prevents poor performance.
Just sayin'.😉👍
Excellent video!
Yeah I might build a stand for them. As they are now they’re in direct sunlight from about 8am to 5 but yes it could definitely be better
Love those LED light strips
Thanks !!! me too they work great and don't draw a lot of power
I even pause adblocker for you and Dave :)))
heck yeah thank you !
Just a tip: Never stick LED strips like this. They will eventually fall off and they use their back side for cooling. Better and safer way (and neater) is to use an aluminium LED stripe mounting profile. The individual LEDs will spread their heat into the pofile and stick much better. Also the fire hazard is avoided that way.
I'll have to look into that I've never heard of it before
thanks
I use these same strips in my kids room for five years now. They are stuck and I mean really stuck there. Not moving at all, and the strips never get hot at all. If he would have gotten the really cheap ones they have at the Walmart checkout line then yes you are correct. But he didn't get those ones. He is perfectly fine.
I must have the cheap ones, the adhesive on mine is garbage and came loose when summer heat softened it.
7:40
such a shame they didn't make that plug come out the bottom of the charge controller (solar panel input power)... that connection will always have stress on it, and they potential to be broken off. especially since the unit is designed for wall mount.
I've picked up some dimmable led strips from Wish, that I love! Uses male USB for input power. they've got an off/off/dimmer sensor inline you just wave your hand over. added 2 near my bed for extra lighting, without having to use the big room lights...
Also, the adhesive on the LED strips is junk... so I added staples, being sure not to puncture the circuitry. Staple one end, stretch the strip, staple other end, added staples to middle to prevent sagging.
great video, thanks for the upload!
That would definitely be an improvement if they had the plug in come in the bottom . I've never ordered anything from wish . there's been a couple things that looked interesting but just didn't want to get the app, cool you're having good luck with them . so far the adhesive is holding strong on mine I would imagine eventually ill have to add some staples . Thanks ! I'm really glad you liked the video
Looks like a deep cycle 12v battery. When that dies, and it will, go with 2 6v golf cart type batteries and wire them together for 12v. They will last much longer and will tolerate more deep discharges.
I'll try to remember that . so far its worked really well
@@blackspruce1861 Those 6v batteries have half the cells, the plates are much thicker. Try not to take more than 10% of your 12v capacity. That will help longevity.
Most practical off grid setup I've seen yet. So many people want to over engineer. Nice to see a small efficient system. Awesome job explaining too. If you get a chance to read this. I have a question. To have 2 batteries in parallel, still 12v. Would you recommend another 100w solar and charge controller running in parallel? I think this would work and be redundant and act like a backup. What are your thoughts? Also, do you feel pretty good about the battery being inside and in a wooden box? Thank you in advance. I'm planning my buildout exactly the same.
Thanks !! I like to keep it simple . you should look into the specs of your charge controller first it might be able to handle another 100 watt panel and save you the money. as far as the battery inside goes . I personally am not that worried but I guess there are better choices out there AGM batteries , lifepo4 . but they're a bit more money
Use smaller, finer diameter wood screws with finer threads. Carefully drill the holes. Drywall screws with coarse threads will split wood. Another option is small 6 or 8/32 machine screws with hex nuts. I think you can also buy blank wood covers and drill those.
I normally pre drill everything and it works well
This is amazing, subbed! We want more!
awesome thanks ! are you saying more as in solar and that type of stuff or just more in general . I've got more in general in the works
@@blackspruce1861 solar, wiring, problem solving and any other off grid general problem solving / solutions. Its not something that is particularly well covered on TH-cam in relation to off grid cabins
Excellent video 🤠
Thanks I'm I'm glad to hear that . after I stared at it for hours editing I wasn't really sure
Dude you ROCK! Great one man building show!👈👈👈🖖🖖💯
Thanks!!
Your work is awesome!
Thanks!
4:28 for best adhesion clean surface with something like isopropyl alcohol first. Avoid cleaners that might leave any residue. Even if they stick initially, they could fall off later.
good tip ! thanks!
Great content, thanks for sharing. I am also wondering what your plan for water/plumbing the cabin is. If any.
Thank you , I’m really happy you’re enjoying it. I’m not sure at the moment there’s a spring on the property but it’s a ways away I thought about maybe driving a well in that area it’s just a little getaway but it would be nice to have a well close by. Definitely need an outhouse
I wonder if it's possible to daisy chain like, 12 or 15 together and power a bunch of stuff in say a 600-800sq ft cabin.
I think you could but you would want to do some research and you would more than likely need a much better charge controller
You could, but make sure the charge controller is rated for it.
Just to let you know the identification side on cordage is always the neutral or negative. Sometimes it’s just ribs on one side smooth on the other.
Thanks for the tip !!
Nice well done, thanks for sharing..
Thanks !
..
Initiative
Fear
Doubt
Good when folks are independent
not waiting for stimulus stuff
or horrible handouts
Excellent
Well Done
Shared your video
with friends and family
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Be Well
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Awesome thanks for sharing it ! I’m really happy you enjoyed it
Beautiful work. Not sure if i would have battery inside, be worried about off gassing from it. Don't know if just one battery will do it or when you have more than one.
Thanks ! I wonder about that myself I suppose you could buy a hydrogen detector but I'm pretty sure they're a bit speedy. I've been told that the gel cell batteries don't produce hydrogen but i don't know if that's a fact
Would you please tell us more about the wiring you used?
well the wire I used for the 12volt dc was 14gauge stranded landscaping wire . I actually found something better on amazon when I did my camper build . it the same size but black and red so easy to keep straight
You may need to vent the battery to avoid hydrogen gas buildup.I would cover the panels until finished hooking everything up for safety sake.
That is a good idea
I need to learn more about running electrical.
It's a good skill to have . I learned a lot on my first house which I totally gutted and renovated . Then I learned a lot more on the next 2 houses I built, and a lot from work, and there's still a lot to learn ,
i have used those same strip lights but mine would change colors using a remote only problem is after about 8 months to a year that sticky stuff starts to let go they are so i used bred ties with the ties stapled to the wood laying it across the flat part of light strip so it didnt interfere or damage them as far as going around coiners i think it say you can cut them at certain points think its about every three led or so it usually is stated on paper work but not positive but where you cut them if your good at it you can soldier small wires 3 or 4 inches that will allow you to do square corners but its touchy to much heat and the copper foil can peel up if you trying to cut these and add wires to square around corners
they actually come with wires to extend them I guess you could use those to go around corners too. they have prongs that stab into the strips then lock shut on it . so far im pretty happy with them
@@blackspruce1861 you can buy connectors for led strips, corner ones and simple straight ones to add two strips together. They are brilliant l bought them since l have never soldered before. If you search non soldering led strip connectors you should find them. Any problems you can let me know l can send a link. I also bought the covers for my leds too so much better looking.
@@patriciagallacher2905 hey thanks for the tip. Those strips I put up actually come with connectors for adding on
Gr8 vid
Gr8 work
Love the house!!😇
Thank you !!!