3 weeks off of grid service ..So here’s where it is…

[J.H.]

Ok , it’s been about 3 weeks… for two weeks with no grid power in the RV for except a couple of days when installing SPD‘s in the power trailer.
So for a few out there ( some non- believers and scoffers) who wanted me to report how it went .

Here is my report….with nothing but the batts ,CC and multi, and the sun…all went pretty
well.
took a day or so to learn and adapt…
nice weather resulted in good charging… could run most everything i wanted during the day ( even though underpaneled at this point) and have full bank at dark for the night… I ran all the gear at about 80- 85% …never more except to just try it out……all went well

Lights , computer ,tv ,internet , phone chargers , max air fans , electric blanket, normal electric Dometic RV refer( 400 watts) ….electric water heater (1500 watts) Rv converter , water pump ,micro wave ( 1500 watts) . The key is to plan what you need and when you need it …it’s easy…

I can run the Air Cond ( 1500 watts);and all other light stuff plus refer , but I must turn off refer to get it past the initial surge event…after that it’s ok with the refer running…( this is why I’m gona install the Easy Start )

I use A/C about 5-8;hrs a WEEK once July and august get here but it’s just not over 65 to 75 everyday and ususlly chilly at night …40 to 50F …AC isn’t a concern normally .most don’t even have it around here… I rarely use it at all.

I cannot run water heater and micro wave at the same time… that’s the only compromise I must make ..that’s the only no-no …I totally don’t care… it’s meaningless …if that’s a big deal to someone , they won’t survive any event worse than staying at a Motel 6 for a week anyway.
All else can be run when ever with no preemptive thinking or measures…
at night…tone it down a bit …..save power..
I Did this for 12 years my sail boat with 1/8 the usable Batt power … this all seems like second nature to me…

SO , week 3 , I mixed it around… the water heater , refer and stove can run off propane…

well I have a 500 gallon tank 25 ft away plumbed to the RV . So I mixed in some with the solar to run the hot water when needed, the stove top if needed and now it’s like a no brainer .. there’s nothing to think about…it’s easy and when winter gets here propane powers the furnace and warms the whole place very efficiently .. furnace fan is about 85 Watts when blowing ..
Down to about Zero , it’s on about 50% duty cycle…( 4 season camper) ..the tank usually lasts about 2 years when full. About 6-700 $ to fill it ( 400) gal…80% Full….I could easily stretch it three years ….

So between the solar for electricity and the propane for heat 4 months a year I foresee no real issues. It’s been fun…

I do have Honda and champion dual fuel inverter gen sets to fill in if needed to run the Multi and charge the batts and a 9600 champion dual fuel if I need to do somthing big or run the well to fill up the storage tank or somthing…
they all have plumbed fittings to the big tank so to avoid using the 20-30 lb tanks unless I needed them as back up.

WHAT I WILL CHANGE….I need to increase my Array size about 3000 watts… maybe this fall…then 1500 more next year …thst much would be more than enough….I would also like a Sundanzer medium size DC chest freezer for the tool shed… that draws very little power and would hold a few hundred lbs of meat and essential long term frozen food ..

I did not buy all could UNTILL I saw this could and would work…Honestly , I can’t believe this thing even works at all and that I’m still alive…….it all work great for 3 months now…I really do not see anything else I need .. that may change …but that’s all I can see at this point..

I did not build this to go boondocking …we already live far away from anything…and anybody ..
I did not build this to go to a camp ground… I do not wish to be able to see a bunch of people I don’t know.
I didn’t build this to be cool or trendy , ( no one out here even knows what I been doing for the last two years )

I built and tested this to see with just what I have ,can I do without the grid….and live great…YESSS..!
I DID build this to be portable for several reasons…..

With just the panels I have ,and a little propane now and then, I can live fine year round…with the new panel addition , it would be a cake walk…
I can power my tool shed with an extension cord if need be , or the lil Honda or heat it with a Mr buddy…( yes , the shed is plumbed for quick connect to the big tank.)

BUT I do not intend to mess with the Mobil home (50 ft away) …and it’s grid connection as my wife lives in that…and I have NO desire to enter into that discussion…or adaptation…let it be…! ..BUT…one snowy windy cold nite , I will have my day…!!

( Hey babe , ) is the power still out up there??? Damn , I bet it’s cold with no heat… AWWW….We’ll come on over , Im cooking , drinking and watching movies…………… poor thing…come on in .. warm up for a bit..wanna drink..?

I will get the last laugh on this solar thing yet…

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Very nice!

Something that might get the water heater off propane...

Cut the wire, insert male and female plugs and insert a WiFi smart plug. You could have it programmed to only run at certain times where it's not likely for the microwave to be on at the same time, or whatever you like... If'n you de-stink yourself at the same time every day, have it turn on two hours earlier, and you should be good. If nothing else, you'll have immediate W/H on/off control on your phone.

If your refer can be replaced with a compressor model, do it... more usable fridge space and an anemic power draw... 0.8kWh/day vs. 4-5kWh/day assuming you have a ~7.6cu-ft unit. You'll likely draw 7-10# of propane per week on average. Save the propane for the furnace and stove.

 

[rodrick]

Being self sufficient is a great feeling you got the power side down now see if you can do the food side, green house powered by solar raise your own chickens incubator run about 60 watts brooders 60 to 100 watts. Maybe some small livestock like goats or pigs. we’re working on a total self sufficient off grid system for our retirement. food, water, electric basically most of our needs we think we can do off grid, being not reliant on anyone else is true freedom

 

[littleharbor2]

I know they're pretty spendy but you won't regret getting the Sundanzer freezer. If you get one you can run it off one single100 watt 12 volt panel. I chose to incorporate a charge controller and small battery into the works to buffer the voltage and allow it to cycle at night if needed. The nice thing about these freezers is that there's no fan blowing air and consequently causing freezer burn.

 

[J.H.]

Very nice!

Something that might get the water heater off propane...

Cut the wire, insert male and female plugs and insert a WiFi smart plug. You could have it programmed to only run at certain times where it's not likely for the microwave to be on at the same time, or whatever you like... If'n you de-stink yourself at the same time every day, have it turn on two hours earlier, and you should be good. If nothing else, you'll have immediate W/H on/off control on your phone.

If your refer can be replaced with a compressor model, do it... more usable fridge space and an anemic power draw... 0.8kWh/day vs. 4-5kWh/day assuming you have a ~7.6cu-ft unit. You'll likely draw 7-10# of propane per week on average. Save the propane for the furnace and stove.

You are correct about both mods.. first the refer ( 8 cu ft ) needs to go for that reason..this absorption type cooling is not my choice , but the 12 volt or AC compressor type upgrade is a single project in its self type event… they are MUCH more efficient ..but my refer seems to only run on about a 50% duty cycle most of the year so it’s livable for now. I’m just waiting for it to die kinda / sorta.. I guess ..

The 6 gallon (Atwood ) WH does fine on AC power alone.. it also does a bit better on propane Alone .BUT on both , Wow ….with the combined heating/ recovery rate ,It is about 30 min away from totally being cold “to burn you hot..”
what I found is with both fuels running , in 8 years of living in this RV year round , I have never run out of hot water in a shower…I have tried to run out at reasonable water pressure , but I really get bored or run out of water after about 20-30 min .
…unless it some type “ group event” or one is partying in the shower that’s too damn long … perhaps that’s just me…
Thanks for the ideas… now that I’m through with all the effort to build and pay for solar stuff ,I will start looking at a few other type improvements that will compliment the solar gear.

My biggest problem with projects is I always seem to run out of money before I run out of seeing more stuff I want to buy…..it’s a life long issue I suffer with.
J.

 

[Mattb4]

...

My biggest problem with projects is I always seem to run out of money before I run out of seeing more stuff I want to buy…..it’s a life long issue I suffer with.
J.

A fellow sufferer here. I need projects to make my days go by. If the funds were available the scope and scale would grow exponentially.

Back when I was a working man I use to say that if I had the time I did not have the money.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

this absorption type cooling is not my choice

I always had terrible luck with those. Damn ammonia would leak out.

My biggest problem with projects is I always seem to run out of money before I run out of seeing more stuff I want to buy

True of us all.


Glad your experiment is going well.

 

[HRTKD]

I’m just waiting for it to die kinda / sorta.. I guess ..

Same here. The absorption refrigerator works. Maybe not great, but it does work as long as I park the RV so that side of the trailer isn't in the sun.

DC or AC compressor is in my future.

 

[J.H.]

Same here. The absorption refrigerator works. Maybe not great, but it does work as long as I park the RV so that side of the trailer isn't in the sun.

DC or AC compressor is in my future.

Actually , mine has given me 8+ years of perfect service.. zero issues…but then the ambient temp here is rarely above 75 in summer.. and normally much cooler… I leave it on the lowest setting i can (meaning least powerful cooling) … it is sorta a power gobbler … so when i go to bed at night I turn it off… and back on when I wake up… stays cold ….cheaply.
I don’t keep track of its usage ,it just is what it is…

I wish everything I owned worked as well as this old Norcold…
I did read last week that Norcold won’t be making ele/propane refers anymore for US sale after this year… ( they will for thevUK, but not the US) …
IIRC they will offer only 12 volt for RVs ( maybe 120v too..??)

J.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

You are correct about both mods.. first the refer ( 8 cu ft ) needs to go for that reason..this absorption type cooling is not my choice , but the 12 volt or AC compressor type upgrade is a single project in its self type event… they are MUCH more efficient ..but my refer seems to only run on about a 50% duty cycle most of the year so it’s livable for now. I’m just waiting for it to die kinda / sorta.. I guess ..

I'm completely replacing the 7.6 cu-ft dometic with a 10.1 cu-ft residential. Pretty much a perfect fit. Being delivered today for this weekend's fun.

Having both die in the same 12 months has me vehemently anti-absorption fridge.

The 6 gallon (Atwood ) WH does fine on AC power alone.. it also does a bit better on propane Alone .BUT on both , Wow ….with the combined heating/ recovery rate ,It is about 30 min away from totally being cold “to burn you hot..”

Mine's a 10 gallon, but I see the same. AC alone takes about 1.5-2 hours depending on ambient. Add fire, and it's less than an hour.

what I found is with both fuels running , in 8 years of living in this RV year round , I have never run out of hot water in a shower…I have tried to run out at reasonable water pressure , but I really get bored or run out of water after about 20-30 min .

There's a joke in there, but I'm going to refrain.

…unless it some type “ group event” or one is partying in the shower that’s too damn long … perhaps that’s just me…

and another...

Thanks for the ideas… now that I’m through with all the effort to build and pay for solar stuff ,I will start looking at a few other type improvements that will compliment the solar gear.

My biggest problem with projects is I always seem to run out of money before I run out of seeing more stuff I want to buy…..it’s a life long issue I suffer with.
J.

It's either time or money that hinders my projects... unless they're honey-do's... sky's the limit there.

Actually , mine has given me 8+ years of perfect service.. zero issues…but then the ambient temp here is rarely above 75 in summer.. and normally much cooler… I leave it on the lowest setting i can (meaning least powerful cooling) … it is sorta a power gobbler … so when i go to bed at night I turn it off… and back on when I wake up… stays cold ….cheaply.
I don’t keep track of its usage ,it just is what it is…

another good use of a wifi smart plug. It gives me monthly numbers, and within each monthly report, I get daily values: Here's my Norcold 1218 (12cu-ft):



yeah... that's 207kWh in August...

I wish everything I owned worked as well as this old Norcold…
I did read last week that Norcold won’t be making ele/propane refers anymore for US sale after this year… ( they will for thevUK, but not the US) …
IIRC they will offer only 12 volt for RVs ( maybe 120v too..??)

Mine was total ass. I added upflow fans to cool the condenser, but it barely made a difference. It doesn't help that it's in a slideout... notoriously shitty performance.

 

[J.H.]

I'm completely replacing the 7.6 cu-ft dometic with a 10.1 cu-ft residential. Pretty much a perfect fit. Being delivered today for this weekend's fun.

Having both die in the same 12 months has me vehemently anti-absorption fridge.



Mine's a 10 gallon, but I see the same. AC alone takes about 1.5-2 hours depending on ambient. Add fire, and it's less than an hour.



There's a joke in there, but I'm going to refrain.



and another...





It's either time or money that hinders my projects... unless they're honey-do's... sky's the limit there.



another good use of a wifi smart plug. It gives me monthly numbers, and within each monthly report, I get daily values: Here's my Norcold 1218 (12cu-ft):

View attachment 152874

yeah... that's 207kWh in August...




Mine was total ass. I added upflow fans to cool the condenser, but it barely made a difference. It doesn't help that it's in a slideout... notoriously shitty performance.

I understand…ya never know….. the next two I get may try to stab me when I walk by….or gossip about me via some network I don’t know about …..or quit or leak or whatever…

 

[J.H.]

I'm completely replacing the 7.6 cu-ft dometic with a 10.1 cu-ft residential. Pretty much a perfect fit. Being delivered today for this weekend's fun.

Having both die in the same 12 months has me vehemently anti-absorption fridge.



Mine's a 10 gallon, but I see the same. AC alone takes about 1.5-2 hours depending on ambient. Add fire, and it's less than an hour.



There's a joke in there, but I'm going to refrain.



and another...





It's either time or money that hinders my projects... unless they're honey-do's... sky's the limit there.



another good use of a wifi smart plug. It gives me monthly numbers, and within each monthly report, I get daily values: Here's my Norcold 1218 (12cu-ft):

View attachment 152874

yeah... that's 207kWh in August...




Mine was total ass. I added upflow fans to cool the condenser, but it barely made a difference. It doesn't help that it's in a slideout... notoriously shitty

 

[sunshine_eggo]

There's proper grounding and bonding and then there's lightning protection. Proper grounding and bonding doesn't mean you're not in danger of the big zaps, but it helps.

Check 5 minutes of the video in link #6 in my sig.

 

[J.H.]

There's proper grounding and bonding and then there's lightning protection. Proper grounding and bonding doesn't mean you're not in danger of the big zaps, but it helps.

Check 5 minutes of the video in link #6 in my sig.

Thanks… I will not worry about it.. it almost seems like a riddle of sorts…
J.

 

[sunshine_eggo]

Thanks… I will not worry about it.. it almost seems like a riddle of sorts…
J.

SPD are supposed to be helpful. I have one in a box.

 

[EastTexCowboy]

Yeah, you may say you didn't do it to be cool or trendy, but we know that cool and trendy was like your number one target!

Looks like you have a handle on it. Pretty cool, amigo. Even if you weren't trying to be cool.

 

[J.H.]

SPD are supposed to be helpful. I have one in a box.

Ya know ,I hope they are good … I got a few… but in a way they may be much like a lock on your front door, where the guy just punches in the glass pane on the door and reaches in and opens the door…..It may end up being symbolism over substance…

 

[J.H.]

Being self sufficient is a great feeling you got the power side down now see if you can do the food side, green house powered by solar raise your own chickens incubator run about 60 watts brooders 60 to 100 watts. Maybe some small livestock like goats or pigs. we’re working on a total self sufficient off grid system for our retirement. food, water, electric basically most of our needs we think we can do off grid, being not reliant on anyone else is true freedom

 

[J.H.]

I know they're pretty spendy but you won't regret getting the Sundanzer freezer. If you get one you can run it off one single100 watt 12 volt panel. I chose to incorporate a charge controller and small battery into the works to buffer the voltage and allow it to cycle at night if needed. The nice thing about these freezers is that there's no fan blowing air and consequently causing freezer burn.

At a time in life when your car insurence for on year cost more than a fine lifetime quality freezer,,, which is really expensive…? Which is a waste ..? I agree, A Sundanzer is a wonderful asset to have…

 

[J.H.]

?

 

[J.H.]

A fellow sufferer here. I need projects to make my days go by. If the funds were available the scope and scale would grow exponentially.

Back when I was a working man I use to say that if I had the time I did not have the money.

Ya know, With that said about about the fun and size of projects being related to the affordability… can you imagine the fun it must be ,to be Elon , and roll up and look at his projects aimed at the sky in TX or FL or fly over a massive new Tesla plant ….or a new battery storage facility overseas .. or get to go play with a giant boring machine and grind somthing up …” hey Joey, watch this”

it’s gotta be a total blast… I missed the boat somehow…!

damn it ,,If I were only filthy rich…I would have many fun big projects going …and throw parties 4 days a week for everyone….

 

[rodrick]

Thank you for the compliment …if nothing bad ever happens I’m all about sustainability with renewable food sources…..My only problem with your homesteading scenario if bad times come is that whatever critters I acquired to raise , I would probably like them, then name them ,buy them a nice collar ….ride some of them to town with me now and then to let them see stuff …my wife would probably let them sit on the sofa and watch tv….nawwww that wouldn’t work.
plus I would never be able to hurt them….
I can’t shoot Edna the chicken and cook her…

It can be a little hard the first few slaughters I was in the tractor supply store the other day and they had a yardbird chicken plucker there and I told my wife I need one of those for up on the mountain and she ask what it did so I showed her a utube video less than a minute into the video she was in total meltdown crying shaking the works had everyone in the store looking at this 60 year old woman loosing it thinking she must of just had a family member die or something ya they still have that plucker for sale if anyone needs it

 

[Nobodybusiness]

It can be a little hard the first few slaughters I was in the tractor supply store the other day and they had a yardbird chicken plucker there and I told my wife I need one of those for up on the mountain and she ask what it did so I showed her a utube video less than a minute into the video she was in total meltdown crying shaking the works had everyone in the store looking at this 60 year old woman loosing it thinking she must of just had a family member die or something ya they still have that plucker for sale if anyone needs it

They really are a time saver when they work.

 

[Hedges]

to be Elon ,

damn it ,,If I were only filthy rich…I would have many fun big projects going …and throw parties 4 days a week for everyone….

Index cards to keep track of the mothers of your children ...

whatever critters I acquired to raise , I would probably like them, then name them ,buy them a nice collar ….ride some of them to town with me now and then to let them see stuff …my wife would probably let them sit on the sofa and watch tv….nawwww that wouldn’t work.
plus I would never be able to hurt them….
I can’t shoot Edna the chicken and cook her…

Us too.

When my wife was a child, her mother raised doves. Chicks hatched, and each day when she got home from school she played with them. One day, there was poultry dinner waiting.

I don't hunt, either. Maybe I'd take an invasive hybrid boar? But I haven't seen them on my mountain lot. I think I could do a catfish pond, let them pre-condition the kitchen scraps headed for compost and have meat too. We used to keep a couple bullheads we caught in Norden, named them Hiskers and Whiskers.

Chickens just for eggs, that would be OK. Done that as kids.

I'm a carnivore, but I let someone else do the dirty work to unseen animals.

They really are a time saver when they work.

I can imagine. We hand plucked one pheasant and one turkey that my dog Tweety brought us. Took hours. The pheasant was full of eggs of all sizes and way too tough. The turkey was young and tender.

 

[J.H.]

Very nice!

Something that might get the water heater off propane...

Cut the wire, insert male and female plugs and insert a WiFi smart plug. You could have it programmed to only run at certain times where it's not likely for the microwave to be on at the same time, or whatever you like... If'n you de-stink yourself at the same time every day, have it turn on two hours earlier, and you should be good. If nothing else, you'll have immediate W/H on/off control on your phone.

If your refer can be replaced with a compressor model, do it... more usable fridge space and an anemic power draw... 0.8kWh/day vs. 4-5kWh/day assuming you have a ~7.6cu-ft unit. You'll likely draw 7-10# of propane per week on average. Save the propane for the furnace and stove.

I totally get and Thank you for the hints on propane reduction, BUT, my problem is for the second month now my usage of electricity and propane has been about 1/2 as much as normal as I’m using the solar stuff to supplement…
the power company doesn’t care…But
the propane deal I cut with the small company was I would get about a 40 % reduction off what most people here pay IF I used a certain amount…and put it in a corp acct …
I am now trying to use a bunch of propane to stay within the limits of my discount deal…it’s a sweet one…
I already bought it and it’s just sitting there…I. Am modifying my system everyday to upgrade stuff…add more panels , ventilation .etc…
I will try improve it and use enough propane to keep them happy…
At some point I will cut free of most electric other than the basic electric fee for being connected..and my streetlight,..
the propane people I need to make them happy ..if I loose my discount it would almost double my price….plus since I got the solar stuff running, I have between 3-4 years of back up propane for heating , cooking , hot water and gen set running if needed, sitting out side in my tank…
that’s worth protecting if the grid went south for whatever reason..

sometimes in life ya have to compromise a bit to keep making progress…

thanks for your thoughts…
J.