Off-Grid Senior Powers 200 sq ft Tiny Cabin with Solar
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- In this video all the hard work of setting up eight 340 watt panels comes to fruition as I connect the solar array to my 200 sq ft cabin. To power my little building I purchased a fantastic Solar Generator The Titan, from the company Point Zero Energy. So far I absolutely love this unit and it's currently easily powering my whole building!
If you would like to support my channel AND get the best price on a Titan Solar Generator like I have please click the link to order your own Titan system!
Thanks very much!
poweredportabl...
A great help has been these two youtube channels: DIY Solar with Will Prowse: • Titan Solar Generator:...
MinuteMan Prep
• Off Grid Cabin Powered...
Music by Bensound.com
and Musicloops.com
I have been taken off guard and surprised by youtube subscribers wanting to donate to help me develop my property here. My belief is that such wonderful gestures shouldn’t be shunned in any way. Can you imagine you refusing to open your presents at Christmas? I simply want to do whats right.
For those who want to contact me:
affordabledesertliving@gmail.com
Some have requested to make donations to my off grid living project. Many thanks.
Paypal: ibwonet1@gmail.com
For those who asked I create an amazon wish list here it is: copy and paste
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Thanks for watching!
The mini split on solar will be awesome. I would also suggest getting yourself an induction cooktop. It uses about the same amount of power as your toaster does. Doing these thing can pretty much eliminate the need for any costly propane.
One thing of note, make sure the mini split you purchase is a 120v volt version. Most are 240v but if you look around a 120v can be purchased. This is important since your titan only outputs 120v.
Good luck don.
Do you have any suggestions on an induction cooktop? I’m doing pretty much what Don is but with a cargo trailer and him a bit ahead of him. I have my mini split already installed (9000btu 115v) and it’s working wonderfully cranking out heat on these cold mornings. Draws about 16 A when running (24 V) and a little over 21 A during start up.
An induction cook top uses too many watts for Don's limited system. Plus, no oven. Don has it right to use propane for cooking, hot water, and heat.
Thanks Michael! Yep already covered the part of a 120 volt mini split. 240 wont work for sure. I have a couple or 3 of them selected already as possibilities.
@@affordabledesertliving3487 Why would a 240 volt mini split not work? Either use a split phase inverter or install a 120v to 240v transformer. With the 240 volt mini splits you can get 38 seer for almost the same price. The newer high seer mini splits are a no brainer with a limited solar system.
I use an induction cook top. It's definitely the way to go for solar. There is cookware that won't work with it though, ie stoneware, aluminum or copper. Cast iron and stainless steel work well.
You got so solar smart! Great job. I wish I could help you with those outlets. I’d be there to help. I eat hot salsa on my eggs. I’m not a ketchup fan. I love raspberry jam! ❤️🥰 in the thumbnail did you paint that bird??? 😃
Thanks so much Pam! I learned enough to be dangerous with the solar lol. I know you enjoy the hot taste of stuff. Way to go. The beautiful Scarlet Tanager is simply a video of the species I was watching on youtube. I drew that species when I was 9 though. I still have the original pencil drawing stored away somewhere.
A very exciting moment when you can plug in and still be off grid !Congrats,karen and bob
Thanks so much Karen! I am sure you and Bob had the same excitement when you both first hooked your stuff up!
You do a very, very good job explaining your projects. You will have 50k subscribers soon.
Your way way too kind Captain. So encouraging. Thanks so much!
Hey Don, cool choice to use that Titan as your power source at the cabin. I use a 1000w Jackery in my van, and one day I'll add outlets on the inside walls of the van and provide a connector to the Jackery. I could help you wire up the cabin if I wasn't all the way in Florida 😎 Keep up the good work and include more birding please 🦅 😀👍
Thanks John just the same for the kind offer. Sounds like you know a bit of electrical stuff. Way to go!
Don, first time commenting but I've seen a lot of your videos. I'm super impressed with all the research you've done and how far your solar setup has come! Also, that was a beautiful shot of the bird. Keep the videos coming! You're like a psuedo-Grandpa to me 😁 cheers. Connor.
Thanks so much for watching Connor. Glad you enjoy the vids and seeing our gorgeous Birds. Very warmed that you have dubbed me a psuedo Grandpa. Cheers!
i have loved all the things you have done so far, everything looks like it will endure for years to come
Thanks a ton for your support Rosey!
Great Video!! super informative!! Indeed changed the way I had been looking at solar and the gear I may need. Mini split is the way I was looking at to.
So glad this was informative JEFF. Delighted to offer some guidance. I sure needed a lot before I decided on what to do.
Let's hope it works out for you Feather Sky.
Wow! I was one of your first subs and haven't been to your channel in at least a year. Nice work!!! There's something i need to point out with the 30A connector on this Titan. And there are other units out there with the same issue. Notice the GROUND on that connector is pointing UP. Which means that when using a standard RV 30A cable, it will be "angled" such that the cable coming out of the PLUG will be pointing UP instead of down. Why is this an issue? The weight of the cable will then tend to make the plug come out on it's own because of weight, physics and gravity. So, see that screw on the Titan cabinet above? You could loosen that up and use as an anchor point for a strain relief/cable clamp. OR, as i've seen in other youtube vids, take the unit apart and turn the connector over on the inside of the unit. A LOT OF WORK. I wish you continued success, my friend!
Thanks for faithfully watching the vids Keeb and all of your suggestions.
That’s a very effective Solar setup you have built and I am interested to know how it handles the ac unit. Everything looks to be coming together nicely especially doing it by yourself I’m a loner and do everything myself although my wife will lend a hand when I need some help…
Fantastic and thanks so much for watching DrumminSon Live.
Im not an electrical expert, but isnt batteries measured in amperage per hour? (Amp/h). Im having a hard time understanding how much one can draw from a "2,000 watt" battery. Wouldnt that depend on the voltage of the battery? Are they 120V?
Seems to work great though.
18:10 I imagine I see a large bag of "Cougar Drops" from Walgreens. Do they taste anything like opossum stew?
Cool to see the titan in action! We just joined the Cochise county off grid living in December so we are just getting set up! We are using the Bluetti 500 for our solar unit. We were waiting for the Titan 2.0 but decided on Bluetti. Hope to meet you someday! Thanks for all the helpful videos!
Thanks so much and hope your set up rocks.
That's all fascinating, Don. Great job. I think the mini-split unit is a great idea for the cabin. Thank you for documenting and sharing all of this!
Your so welcome and thanks a ton for watching all of this!
Great job with your solar setup. Looks like you really thought everything out. Take care Don
I did my best but still made errors but they can be corrected.
Love your Titan setup! It's worth saving up for. I could do heavy-duty extension cords and outlet strips all around my tiny place (when I get it) just to be living off-grid permanently. I would be SO happy with just that but I understand your excitement about taking your electrical setup further. No ketchup on eggs but your toast, butter and jelly looks yummy! Thanks for sharing. Pretty little bird. I love bird-watching too. Take care.
The Titan system is so simple and easy to set up. I absolutely love it to this day. Thanks for your excellent comments.
Don, before you bury your PVC conduit, you had better check your code. Electrical should be in the grey PVC, not white. Also, I wasn't watching too close but if you were using yellow romex in that conduit that is wrong as well. You need to understand the difference between power (watts) and energy (watt-hours) if you want to be more effective with your designs. Pick your mini-split before the electrician starts wiring you up. Although I'm an electrical engineer I am not a licensed electrician, or I would come help you out with this.
Kirby. Very valuable. I am changing out the white PVC to grey electrical next week. That yellow was nylon rope not romex. I used it to pull the wires through. Good tip on the mini split also. Whatever one I go with it will be 110 v.
Tomato sauce ( ketchup) rocks on eggs, as does Tabasco ! Great vid , as always, Don. P.S. Make sure you have a 30 amp socket for your generator to plug in on the fuse box, with a changeover switch fitted. Cheers as always, from the Aussie desert. :)
ooh Tabasco... too tender a mouth here. Super tip re: the 30 amp socket in the fuse box. Many thanks!
HOWdy A-D-L, ...
THANKS for showing us your SYSTEM
COOP
the WiSeNhEiMer from Richmond, INDIANA
...
You’re entirely welcome. I hope it helped.
2000 watts may be your max wattage your Titan can take, but be aware the max voltage your Titan can take is only 145v. Don’t want you loosing your Titan prematurely
Thanks Philip! The great thing is that I consulted with Point Zero Energy the Titan creator before hooking it up. They instructed me on the specifics so that I am way below 145 volts of input. Thanks for watching!
Glad to hear
Nice video with cllear info... Also enjoy seeing you help out others (Midlife Prices, etc). Keep em coming!
Thanks for watching David! Yep love hanging out with Midlife Prices and other Off-grid folks.
Sorry Don but two things u can 't do with solar is heat and. Cool... it takes enough power for a small town to be able to heat and cool... wood stove for heat ( least expensive) and swamp coolers and fan's for cooling...You put in a BIG solar system for ur needs where u r.. plus it is going to take a large ($) controller " Mppt" and a large ($) "Pure Syne" wave inverter...haven't seen u use "Anything" u would need what I have seen u use but maybe u have BIG PLANS...😁😁😁 but u can grow with what u have...( love ur birds)..lol
Hi Donna. So far I am finding that this does indeed work. I just need to be careful when it comes to running the little 750 watt heater. My backup is my big buddy heater for super cold days. So far this is working really well!
I just wanted for you to know, I only have to check my 18 lead acid batteries every six months ; I'm getting two more in March. I guess the battery babysitting must be different here. When I get all 20 I will have 25,500 watt hours. But I only get half, so 12,250 usable watts per day. I can only take in 1600 watts because of my charge controller amp limit. At present I have 1200 watts of panels but I'm getting two more 100 watts panels in April. I'm kind of like you on that. I just turned 66 , so I am going to have the A/C working this year...I ran it for a short while in the afternoon last summer, and then I had to let the batteries recuperate. But I have added 600 more watts of panels, and I had 12 batteries last year...so I can run my little A/C now. Since I'm piecing mine together, I had more battery than panel for a spell. What happens is, when there is 35 amps coming in, each battery is only getting like 2 amps, so they just don't bubble much. I don't know who gave you the misinformation. From what I've seen, everyone's solar system is just different than anyone else's, it just works out that way. Chance of tornados and hail Wednesday, so I will have to bring my panels inside...so I made each pair a frame with a handle, so I can grab them and put them in. I'm starting to understand why no one around here has any solar stuff. But it was interesting to me so here I am following the free energy kilowatt road. Don't tell anyone, but if you get enough big lead acid batteries hooked together, you can weld off of them a little bit. I have a coil of #6 wire, about twenty feet of wire in it, that I hook up just to help the arc. It came out of a 1930's Greyhound welder. And I put two 12000 MFD capacitors across the welding leads, to help the arc get started. I want to re wire my battery bank before I use it though...I used a used piece of welding lead that had been in water...that I did not know until the other day...so I have 40 feet, 20 red, 20 black, of #2 cable coming, and I have to redo all that. So when that gets here I will go get my last two batteries. That will give me 1000 amp hours. This was my first solar experience too, and it can be a puzzle. I used more batteries than I thought I would need, to keep the voltage up. My battery bank can deliver some amps without much volt age change, but I'm hoping two more will be able to hold steady voltage with 1200 watts of load or so. I want the voltage to not drop with that much load. I didn't quite have enough last year, but this year, I do. I will have twenty batteries this time when that summer sun comes around, lol. They don't act the same as having 6 of them. There is somewhere for that energy to store up. I should have all my solar system parts in the next three weeks. I'm like the turtle, two batteries one month, two solar panels the next. But almost done getting it all finally...ugh...I have spent a year and a half putting this together. I will have $4500 total in everything. It's working pretty nicely now though, just want a little reserve power. What I was going to mention, when you don't run them down much, they don't gas much while charging...I think that may be where your info got astray from reality. When there's enough of them they don't run down much. Nobody told me how many to get, so I just kept buying them. I wanted to get enough to run whatever I wanted. This solar was made for us old guys to tinker with, I think. That is a nice unit you have, but you should have a backup. You will need a plug socket or something for it eventually. It seems like there's always something else. I hardwired my Aims inverter charger to plug ins. I need a couple more I guess. I'm naming my battery bank "The Twenty Mule Team". I figured they would pull anything I can get them hooked to. We will get our stuff lined out. It has just now dried out to where it is not sloppy muddy on top of frozen ground, and we have storms coming Wednesday. It will most likely flood then freeze again. It was below zero last time. I started to make some sleet ice cream but I was trying to keep warm. I had enough power during two days of no sun and snowing. The batteries were basically each at 12.6 but in 24 volts hookup. Showing 25.2 volts after two days. SO I figured two more would keep that at 25.4 maybe for a two day outage of sunlight. So that's why I decided I needed 20 of them. So I have three times the battery that you do, and less than half the solar panels that you do...lol. For some reason I find that funny. I don't know why, either. Unless you were thinking of making a battery room later for all those solar watts to go into. That is a good idea to have that backup. I have found from being off grid for a year, that keeping the voltage up going to the inverter avoids many problems. Also it extends the life of the main component, the battery bank. Other people hide their inverters. I have mine out in the open so the fan can blow on it. Mine will be in here with the air conditioned air blowing on it this summer. I just wanted to let you know about the " battery babysitting". I got a good laugh out of that. Good luck on your solar journey. We have went about it just about exactly the opposite way, it seems. I am always just amazed at how different each person's solar stuff can be. They used to say when you integrate your solar and heat and air, you are getting more serious about your system. I think that is when you learn the most about how your system will do in real world use. Sounds like you are going there with yours. I want to see how yours works
David you definitely have a serious solar project in the works there for sure. Thanks for watching my videos and yep I am willing to adjust things to work in a mini split. Thats why its an oversized solar array. We shall see! Thanks again!
Love the catchup!! Raspberry also my favorite.. love all the info about solar .. just found you.. see you next video.. take care out there ..
Thanks for joining me here Gabe! Glad the info on solar was helpful Cheers!
I’ve just stumbled across your channel and am really enjoying your style. Really great information about off the grid living.
Late response but delighted you are here Hiker.
There are MUCH cheaper ways, 2 battleborn battery (100 AMP HR) is more powerful then that unit, You can simply wire two or three up to a inverter and then to a breaker box to put your household breakers on. its a cheaper and better way because if a part in that battery pack goes bad your whole system is down but if you have batteries, a inverter... if one thing goes bad you can simply swap it out and get running again right away.
Thanks for your input Paleao Geology. I did check out battleborn batteries but respectfully didnt find them very cost effective compared to lithium ion batteries paired with the Titan system. If something goes down with this system I am back to a generator for a bit. Considering I did that for well over a year I think I can take it all in stride. Thanks for watching!
This is awesome!
And my favorite part of the video was that lovely morning birdwatching walk. 😊
Thanks Helene! I am seeing some nice birds on that walk! Beautiful Green-tailed Towhee this morning.
WOW, congrats! Amazing setup
Much appreciate you watching gardner!
Terrific, Don! Hopefully an electrician will help you out. I used to use the handyman electrical book sold in Home Depot to learn to do my wiring. You may find a good resource online. Your viewers will help too! Thanks for the video!
Thanks Michael! Yep will get help from an electrician.
Don my how a year passes so quickly, looking back it has been a year since the cottage was delivered, you have accomplished a great deal since then. Curious to understand why you did not include in your solar requirements power usage for a washer and would assume you would use the sun to dry clothes, etc., microwave oven and perhaps some other small appliances? Keep up the great work I enjoy learning from you.
Thanks so much Bob! I simply use a landromat but may go to a small simplistic washer put in a shed somewhere etc. For me my big focus is on heating and cooling . After that would come a decision about a washer. If this little cabin becomes an airbnb then I will do a microwave.
Hey Don. You're making great progress! Did you confirm whether you need fuses on each panel? I believe if the short circuit current total of the entire array exceeds any one panel's max series fuse rating, then you need fuses.
Hi Eric. The Titan has fuse already but I will have a regular fuse box hooked up by an electrician as well.
Good job on the solar, I was watching the video and I was wondering if you had any pets?
Nope. I enjoy the freedom of not being tied down to any pets of any sort.
The Titan, just like your PC, circulates air for cooling. In the dusty environment where you live you will need to blow the dust out frequently. I use a 110v plug in air duster, expensive but works awesome. You could also use canned air or, in a pinch, just huff and puff like the big bad wolf. 😀 It's important though......DO NOT.......let dust just accumulate inside your expensive electronics.
Motor Head super valuable info. I was wondering how to blow the dust out. Thanks!
Look how far you have come! All powered up. I reckon you should be feeling pretty happy with yourself right about now. Love seeing all this unfold.
Don it made me grin when you showed up your fridge in the video. Really really loved seeing the Major & Glossy up there. I have had more printed, I now have Mulga, Cockatiels, Budgie, hmmmm, Mallee Ringneck ….. do you have a limit for how many you want on your fridge? LOL I’ll post some! Is your postal address still in California or can I post directly to you now?
I would definitely put up more of your beautiful magnets Bec! Send me a reminder to aviandiscoverytours email address and then I can send you my private address here in AZ.
Yeah on the catsup (NICE SETUP electronicly that is sure works just fine...)
Yay for ketchup on eggs !!! I can't eat them without it !!
Me either. Thanks for watching!
Would like to get details on your Titan system, such as where to buy one?
Hi Joseph. If you decide to go the route of the Titan you can find one here: Just click on the link poweredportablesolar.com/ref/65/ Then click shop: You can see the Titan setup I have etc. If you use the link then it also helps my channel. Let me know if you have questions at all about the Titan. You can send me an email if you like: affordabledesertliving@gmail.com Thanks very much! - Don
Catsup on eggs? The only way to eat scrambled eggs!
Definitely.
That Titan unit is crazy expensive for what you get. You can get almost 50% more battery capacity, a larger 5000 watt inverter, high end solar controller, and AC charger for half of the cost of your Titan unit. Do not buy this unit, as it is a very poor investment.
Hi Dan. Appreciate your input. I am super curious of course to see links to all of these products.
@@affordabledesertliving3487 Hi Don, there are several suppliers, but the easiest is Signature Solar. Look at the EG4 battery. Only $1,500 for 5,600 watthours capacity. Then look at the Growatt all in one inverter, solar charge controller, and 80 amp AC charger for $799. Both highly rated. Also, do not buy the mini split you showed in your video. Check out the mini splits available at Signature Solar as they are roughly the same price and are twice the seer rating (19 vs 38 seer).
As I reviewed the Titan unit, I see what appears to be a huge problem. The built in solar controller only supports a max of 2000 watts of solar (2 x 1000 watts per the system spec). You have almost twice that amount of solar panels. You will only be able to use half of your solar panels with the Titan.
I am an electrician, and full-time RVer, and have installed several solar systems, wired residential and commercial buildings, and have installed about 15 mini splits.
This was a very educational series. I have always been confused about this. Your video was very well explained. Thanks Don.
Delighted it was educational and helpful Douglas. Thanks for watching it!
Wonderful!! Great set up, and some suggestions for me to consider for my future off grid setup!
Great Melissa! Glad it was helpful!
Congratulations on the solar system. That's going to make life a lot more comfortable. My daughter and I went to Sedona yesterday and saw blue California quail having a great time near one of the trails, not at all bothered by the people walking by. Really awesome.
Fantastic Lana. I am assuming those were actually Gambels Quail and are really beautiful. They get people acclimated so you get to see them up close.
Fantastic Set-up - Great Job, Don. Yes, California is a place that is good to be "from". Electrical Code - You may need a quick disconnect between your panels and the Titan. Ketchup for eggs, a must!
Hi Don many thanks for the comments. The titan comes complete with surge protectors etc. built in. The great thing is that with the owner builder permit I can aspire to code but simply focus on safety. There will be no inspections. Yeah Heinz for eggs!
@@affordabledesertliving3487 Put in a fast disconnect in outside box. When thunderstorms come your way; pull it ! The surge protect on your Titan, won't save it. Your warranty won't cover thunderstorm damage. Midnite Solar do disconnects. Make sure you put in a lightning protector too.Again use Midight brand; top quality and cheap insurance.
Good job Don. Does the Titan have a built-in circuit breaker on the incoming side? You want one protecting your cables. I would also use some of your spray foam insulation to seal up the ends of your 3" pipe/conduit, to keep rodents & snakes out.
jrp616. Yes the Titan has fuses and built in protection from surges. I will be burying the pipes soon so no rodents and reptiles will be there.
Well done Don. Isn`t the sun a wonderful thing.Free power is a wonderful thing ,thanks to the sun.I am delighted that you don`t have to pay the ridiculous prices that we are expected to fork out these days for energy .It must be such a rewarding feeling knowing you don`t need to pay the rich fat cat share holders anything.It gives me a glow just thinking about it.AS you know Don i live in Scotland but you probably are not aware that we have the highest energy prices in all of Europe .Hats off to you Don,Cant wait for the next installment....and yes tomato sauce with eggs thank you ATB.
Graeme I am so sorry about all of the bloody high costs of power for Scotland. I had no idea that it was that rugged. So appreciate you watching. Glad to hear you are a tomato sauce man. Would be fun to see you on my first live chat coming up in a couple of days!
@@affordabledesertliving3487 Just let me know when and i will be there Don.
Be careful with those used Tesla batteries. A guy on youtube called "Rich Rebuilds" had a vehicle that he built using those cells catch on fire.
Yikes! I guess its best that I didnt go that route then!
@@affordabledesertliving3487 Oh for sure. Those batteries are designed for complicated battery management systems. cooling systems, etc. honestly more trouble than they're worth. You made a good decision going with something a bit more plug-and-play. Way easier to set up and maintain than a tesla car battery.
My brother always had ketchup on his eggs. Personally yuck😂 although I do have 4 eggs every morning.
Nicer solar setup Don. Raspberry jam, yum! We used to get a seedless raspberry jam that really concentrated wild raspberry flavor. Have fun with all your new power’
Thanks so much BrainStormAcres! My mum used to make amazing wild raspberry jam from berries we picked as a family.
@@affordabledesertliving3487 e had a patch behind our house … raspberry jam (with seeds), raspberry crisp, raspberry sauce … awesome memories!
No catsup for me... BUT love a good salsa...
Way to go. Enjoy the salsa.
I liked you before ketchup on eggs :-o
LOL Got to have my ketchup!
Only way to eat eggs is with ketchup. :-)
Definitely Stuart!
Just be glad you didn’t have Texas electric bills.
Great job Don!
Amazing.
Mr Cool for the Mini Split, There isn't a better one.
I have been debating between Mr. Cool and Pioneer to be honest. We shall see.
We're in the Southwest, got to use hot sauce or salsa on those eggs.
My Canadian mouth says... nooooo. I dont do hot LOL.
Fishing wires thru pipe. Slick!
Yep it worked great!
No matter how carefully one plans something - changes will be made over time.
No question!
Nice work! Ketchup? rather do Pico or salsa or green onions. Where is the meat?
Ketchup is a must for eggs.
No question Taylor!
You have accomplished much in the short time you have been there, and done with love.
Wow Jack that is such a lovely thing to say ... Thank you!
ketchup scrambled eggs! yes! VIDEO YES!! Congrats!!!
Yep no other way to eat eggs !
Don, with every new Vlog you show lots of improvements on the homestead and after what seems like a short time in the SV area, you have arrived on the scene all hooked up and ready to rock...as in lots of rocks. Catsup/Ketchup is a must for morning eggs and toast. Keep on truckin'
Yeah sometimes I think I should have more done but overall I am encouraged. Thanks!
I am.
Yay! Let there be light and warmth! What an accomplishment Don. I am soo happy for you.👍❤
Thanks so much Sylvia! Appreciate it.
Looking good Don
Thanks Peter! I sure appreciate the set up for sure!
great work
Thanks norsk-dougbert. Always appreciate encouragement!
Excellent free power, very pleased for you.
Happy wattage 🤗.
Simon Seddon 😀🇬🇧
P s, I have calor gas cooker, heating etc.works well and cheaper than mains gas Happy Days lol.
Thanks so much Simon. Yep gas cooker is the way to go.
Make a rail shutters chrome paint l.e.d.s lights .poof electric at night 🌉🌙✨😌
Thanks for watching.
Eggs love ketchup.
No question!
@DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse
has ALOT of very helpful information on EVERYTHING solar if you need more info.
If you check the video description I mention Will and also Minuteman Prep.
First of All, you gotta be a dreamer, not afraid to make mistakes, and know when to ask for help. 👍🏻👍🏻 you got that part down. 🤔🥰.
You appear to be content ☺️with your simple (for now) 🤣lifestyle. 👍🏻👍🏻
Admirable 🥰🥰🥰. i like it 🦉
Thanks for all of the lovely comments Thomas! Yep very fortunate guy here.
Good progress! Solar power for 21th century. I use pylontech US2000 LiFePo batteries with 9.6 kWh and a 5 kW Victron Multiplus 2 inverter. Ketchup on eggs is a must.
No question ketchup rules! Sounds like a serious battery set up.
Good for you! Can’t afford a lithium battery machine but yours looks good. Really like the solar array. One thing I’ve found out is that you can draw a lot of power straight from the panels if the battery bank is in bulk charging mode. Can probably get 80 percent of the rated power on those panels if you let the battery levels drop lower than 95 percent. If you pack those pipes ends with steel wool you will reduce the snake infiltration, not sure if you got a 5000btu window unit for the cabin but your machine would run one for sure. You will need add timber to your studs to run that electric conduit behind the drywall. That foam is highly flammable and needs drywall on there to save you from coughing your way to the kingdom of heaven if she lights up,
Great tips Desmond Sharpe! Definitely appreciate the feedback. I will definitely give all of that pause for thought when I run the electrical wires in the cabin.
Great video Don. It was interesting learning about the Titan Point Zero. I can see why it was worth your lengthy wait!
Yes indeed Raymond. Love the plug and play aspect. No figuring out a zillion complicated components and making them all marry each other.
Ewwwww matersauce on eggs! Hahaha. Not for me brother. Then again, different strokes for different folks! Enjoyed your video.
Yep we all have eclectic tastes for sure right? Glad you enjoyed the video!
Amazing setup Don! good research paid off! Thanks for your videos 👍
Thanks Peter! Thats very encouraging!
Good Morning From Florida Don.Your Project is Expectacular,out of curiosity have you seen rattlesnakes in your Property lately?bless day to you and keep informing us your are a great asset.
Hi New Beginnings! What lovely words. Sure warmed the heart to hear. In 1.5 years I have seen a total of 3 rattlesnakes. 2 western diamondbacks and 1 Mojave Green. But I love my gopher and king snakes. Kings munch on rattlers for a snack.
Can you adjust the charge rate on your charger to not load the generator as much. I have an inverter/charger and my Honda 2000 only puts out 1600 watts continuously which is only 13.3 amps. I set my charge controller to only draw 10 amps which is 75% of the rated continuous power of the generator. If you are charging a 12V system that’s would be close to a 100 amps going into the batteries which is a lot. I use sealed lead acid and they recommend 20% of the Ah rating of a battery, 100Ah battery is 20 amps max. I run mine a little lower and have had the same batteries for close to 20 years. I have a 48v battery system and a 12v system for lights, RV water pump and radio.
I worked as a communications tech for 30 years and did electronics all but a few years of my work career. My job on the side is building my own places. I’m just finishing the last one. Where I live we don’t have any home inspections except setbacks and septic or if a bank is involved. I love your foam walls. I’ll bet that makes it easy on the energy cost. We have 7” in double stud walls.
Great point Chris. Unfortunately there is no way that I am aware of to adjust the charge rate on the charger. But I rarely use the generator now that I have all of my solar in place.
What gauge wiring in the house? My electrician suggested 12 gauge for everything.
You can also find 12volt / 110 / propane fridges from RVs.
I havent done wiring yet. Home is running on solar cables hooked directly to the Titan. Wiring to come!
I'm still debating on living out of my car. I have a Prius V that can provide all the power I need...
Well I hope you find something that creates a safe and comfortable situation for you bud.
yes katch up love it
Ketchup R US.
Like Titan, but it's really expensive. I prefer Bluetti and EchoFlow. The price per watt is much better for on these products. You can get models that output 240 watts.
I found the reviews indicated that the Titan was a better built product. So far with 4000 watts of battery storage I couldnt be happier. Thanks for watching!
My busy season too Don...my garden is going crazy with all the rain and I am stocking up on fruit jars and getting ready for canning season.. I have my dehydrator full ...ps, I got raspberry bushes this year cause raspberry is my favirite jam too...😁😁
Home made raspberry pie for me is a major weakness.
Great video Don...I was thinking to myself that you had oversized your panel array for your usage but I should have known that you were just thinking ahead, smart move.
Thanks so much randy. I have had years to plan for these things but even so always good to be flexible and keep learning I find.
I noticed a comment from someone else about wall covering. Not positive but I would check to see if that spray foam does any off-gassing...
I am working on a she-shed/ guest cottage now. I used the rigid foam panels that are 2" thick and provide R10. That is on top of the one inch that was there so now have R15 walls. I just finished installing 1/8" thick lauan panels in it. 4x8 sheets are $17 and change at HD. I do have a brad nailer which speeded up install for sure but it is a whole lot nicer than looking at insulation and I didn't think drywall was a good idea on a potentially portable building. Wiring in the outlets before is easy, just use a serrated knife to cut a channel in the foam for wiring and outlet boxes!
Hi Bob. Thanks. The spray foam does off-gassing when new until cured. Then its like being in your new car. YOu may smell the smell but it's done its bit at that point. Way to go with t he 4x8 sheets. I used 2 of them sandwiched together for the underside of this building. I love this ultra insulated little building though. Ridiculously easy to heat. I would do it again for another building. Thanks for watching!
Sir, Just found your channel, I as you know NOTHING about this stuff, but looks like your setup is a simple plug & play, I will have to look further in your channel & hope it give details about your project from the ground up
Yep totally plug and play. The way I like it. Yep tons of vids describing how I did everything.
I'm in California and you are correct heating and cooling are so expensive here. I'm looking at building a solar powered evaporative cooler out of the shell of a regular evap cooler just using 12 volt pump and solar fans nothing fancy just something that cuts the cost of cooling during daytime hours.
Fortunately I am so heat tolerant that it takes some serious high temps to bother me much. But I am atypical I realize.
Hi Don, love the build and seeing everything come together, but all your exposed wall foam makes me nervous, particularly with heater and toaster (and future stove) right next to it... I would finish the inside walls asap and even use cement board in areas with hot appliances... ;)
Good point with the cement board. I am careful not to get things too hot around the foam. I need to wire the place before the drywall goes in.
Fantastic video Don. Look forward to watching your homestead grow.
Thanks Debi! Me too!
Hello Sir, do you have your panels connected in serie or parallell. How many Ampere are they giving you? How thick is the positive and negative wires? Just control that they are thick enough for the current. Only a hint. Regards Rickard from Sweden 🇸🇪
Hi Rickard. My panels are connected in a combination of series and parrallel. I am using no 10 solar cables. The building is not wired yet but I will be using appropriate electrical guidelines for what. Thanks for watching!
I sometimes do Ketchup on my eggs. It kinda goes together well, but my wife can't stand it. Oh well, more for me. Nice solar setup. Congrats with a steady power supply for your cabin.
Yep love my solar set up and my ketchup. LOL.
Hi Don, my wife and i enjoy watching your videos. I notice in this video a bag of cough drops and hope your health is well.
Living in a closed up space as you do with blown in spray foam insulation is risky, please be careful.
Best,
Thanks so much Value 1st. A bit belated of a response but I use cough drops when my mouth is super dry etc. Plus they just make winter more pleasant. The blown in spray is very seasoned and non toxic at this point so I should be fine.
Don you have a seriously big solar system i have half that size and its plenty!One small 8000 btu air conditioner should be plenty!Batteries are very expensive, i have 8- 230 amp hr lead acid batteries right now and they do just ok. i will go to lithium Ion this year hopefully.You are doing well and learning a lot, im inpressed! Best Wishes Don.
Thanks for your lovely wishes Homefree acres! Hoping to get a mini split with about 8000 btu. Havent decided on it yet.
Sorry, my info is correct but misunderstood ur financial situation.. I did not have $6-10 thousand to spend on mine, I have one thousand watts and do not draw all that...enjoy..😁😁
Hi Donna. I saved for years to include a decent solar setup. I am still learning as I go how best to set things up but so far I am super happy with this system.
Idk when you eclipsed 10k subscribers but congratulations an BZ.
Yep heading towards 11K now. Thanks for watching!
Really really love the fact that you’re living situation suits you.
Blessings and thank you for your Chris song......
Thanks so very much for the words about the song David! Yep very blessed guy here.
👍👍
I like your way of thinking Practically.. I love your titan, makes solar practical for non-electritions. Good choice on batteries. Lead acid only let you draw 50 present of battery store power while the batteries you do have allow up to a 90% of the stored energy. Keep up the good practical ways you have.
Thanks Joseph! Yep I love the simple plug and play type of solar. Dont like to frig and tinker with things when I dont have to.
Always put ketchup on scrambled eggs. But you forgot the tabasco sauce!
I think the battery system you have is great for someone with little knowledge of electricity. Kudos to you for going that direction. .
Thanks for watching the vids Boomer Bits. Mild Canadian mouth here I dont do tobasco sauce. But hope you enjoy it LOL.
Hey dawn, I’m here at my property in Cochise county. I’m fixing it up a bit to list it as a hip camp for campers. By any chance- would you have a recommendation on who might be able to do a land survey?
Hi Jake! I would highly recommend Kevin Gilbert and Associates in Sierra Vista. I document my experience with them here: th-cam.com/video/Ik21R5__yio/w-d-xo.html