Winter start up

[Thomaz]

Hello to you all,
I'm excited and relieved to have this opportunity to ask for advice. I am purchasing a 12x17' cabin and a plot of land in rural VT. The closing, postponed from this week, will hopefully take place this week. Heating is supplied by a small wood burning stove, and it's plenty of heat. It's very partially insulated and I will take care of changing all of that soon. There is currently, no electric - it's basically a 30 yr old cabin and used mostly as a hunting camp. It's in solid shape and has give great service. Now I'm going to live there year round.

I am going to have a local internet company set me up with internet which is rather important since I do a lot of work online AND there is absolutely no cell service on my property or anywhere near it. ( Have to go 3 miles to get cell service).

Can you please suggest a solar system for me to generate enough to run some LED lights, power the fiberoptic modem/router, charge cell phone and provide enough for me to run my MacBook pro and if possible to recharge my battery powered drill batteries. I'd love to run it direct from DC - and have been investigating that. I'm thinking of getting a gas refrigerator - water will be heated by the wood burning stove and cooking as well ( for the time being).

Thank you very much for your expertise and for creating such an amazing source of knowledge. Fabulous job, truly! Thomas

 

[JasonS]

Thomaz, Sorry I can't offer advice as I am too much of a newbie. Following because my situation is quite similar. Bought a rural cabin, no running water, no electricity in Montana. Water system is in. Now for the solar system.

 

[Thomaz]

Thomaz, Sorry I can't offer advice as I am too much of a newbie. Following because my situation is quite similar. Bought a rural cabin, no running water, no electricity in Montana. Water system is in. Now for the solar system.

Hi Jason, Where in Montana? I went to Denver University and have great memories of traveling up 25 to Montana. Please do let me know what you are thinking about - if you don't mind !

 

[Deleted member 783]

Check my signature. I'm doing that plus a dorm fridge with plenty of headroom. My inverter is massive overkill for right now.

 

[JasonS]

Hi Jason, Where in Montana? I went to Denver University and have great memories of traveling up 25 to Montana. Please do let me know what you are thinking about - if you don't mind !

Thomaz,
My address is Forsyth, a small town of 2000. But, it's 40 miles away. I'm 30 miles off the freeway, the last 6 is a private dirt road.
What am I thinking? I guess that is, why am I out here? The honest answer is, Every thing half assed. Partly prepper, but not in a shtf way with a crisis event mind set. For mr its about the climate crisis that will take decades to unfold. Part of it is what I call PSP, for Post Seperation Productivity. Getting a divorce and this place is the first step in reclaiming my financial health. It was not only without basic amenities, it had been trashed so I got it cheap and have put a lot of sweat equity into it.
Last, i am a writer, or trying to be anyway. The remoteness will be good for writing once the cabin is close enough to finished so I can go back to work.
All of that was probably more than you wanted, but it's ths answer to the question I think you asked.

 

[Thomaz]

Check my signature. I'm doing that plus a dorm fridge with plenty of headroom. My inverter is massive overkill for right now.

I did some research pricing it out. A bit steep for me at the moment, however, I'm seeing if I can get some used batteries from a friend who is an installer. We'll see. My cabin is 204 sq feet. When I looked at the Renogy panels on their website it came with a Charge Controller. Renogy Wanderer Li 30A PWM Charge Controller. Half price of the one you're using. The AIMS would be super over kill for me even more than for you. The biggest expense of course, the batteries. Thanks so much for your suggestion - it gets me started! Thomaz

 

[JasonS]

On the solar. I bought 10 used panels with 315 watts each down in Dallas Texas and brought them up. That gives me 3150 watts total. I have 16 new, no brand, 84Ah LiPo 3.2V cells that will be configured into two 24 volt batteries going through a 24V / 2000 watt all in one unit. Right now I need to power lights, a couple ceiling fans,1/2 horse shallow well pump to get water out of the cistern, washing machine and dryer, computer, cellphone booster and charger, and internet connection. The cabin is 850 square feet. Next spring I'll put in a dishwasher as I hate washing dishes. The fridge and cook stove are propane. Heat is wood. I think I have enough panels, but not enough battery storage. I'll soon find out. If the system is not robust enough for all of it I can assist with the small 3500 generator.

 

[Thomaz]

Hi Jason, Well, I'm 2.5 miles from town, however, it's surrounded by 1000's of square acres of forest. And, it's on a very slightly traveled dirt road. I completely understand your position. And, I'm betting many great things happen to you there. I've branched into blogging ( conductinglife.net) and also am doing a podcast Alice's Space on podcast. We close tomorrow - and I can't wait to get in there. Going to be odd living with no elec. or water etc. etc. but wood burning stove and my 10 acres ( PLENTY OF FIREWOOD ) however, I have to harvest in a foot snow? Not sure. Oh well. Would be happy to keep in touch if you're up for it. Let me know.

 

[Thomaz]

WOW, interesting set up. It's late here so I'll ask more questions later. I may have a line on some deep cycle batteries - used - I don't know if I can have solar - setting etc. LOoking to get an expert to show up and tell me. It may have to wait - however, if i can slowly set up batteries to only run laptop, cellphone charging run a few lights - AND - run the internet - even only a few hours a day - I'll be very happy! Do you know anything about propane generators (what kind of propane fridge I'd like one of those - what might be the gas bill on a propane fridge - very limited funds for the time being. ). ANy advice and info will be greatly appreciated.

 

[JasonS]

WOW, interesting set up. It's late here so I'll ask more questions later. I may have a line on some deep cycle batteries - used - I don't know if I can have solar - setting etc. LOoking to get an expert to show up and tell me. It may have to wait - however, if i can slowly set up batteries to only run laptop, cellphone charging run a few lights - AND - run the internet - even only a few hours a day - I'll be very happy! Do you know anything about propane generators (what kind of propane fridge I'd like one of those - what might be the gas bill on a propane fridge - very limited funds for the time being. ). ANy advice and info will be greatly appreciated.

Sorry but I don't have don't much information for you. On cost of propane: I have a propane fridge and cook stove. I do cook most of my food, occasionally use the oven. From the beginning of July through mid November I used 100 gallons. I also have a propane heater but through those months it never came on. Also, during that time I did not have running water so no propane use for hot water. I now have running hot and cold water. I've also hooked up a stacked washer/dryer. The washer/dryer is a Frigidaire. New they are about $1,200. I paid $340 for mine used. It took a while to find a used propane dryer. Any natural gas dryer can be changed to propane. It's usually just change the orifice. I don't know anything about the fridge. It was in the cabin when I bought it. It works, I'm thrilled.
My solar system is almost done and I'll soon find out if it will handle the load. Right now I have a cheap 3500 watt Harbor Freight generator that does the job.

My solar system is 10 used 315 watt panels for 3150 watts. They will go through an all in one like Will showed in his video. Because the 48 volt system was over $1,200 and the 24 was less than half that, I went with the 3000watt inverter/24 volt system. I have 16 liFo4 cells that are configured to a single 24 volt battery. Like I said, i don't know if it will power my needs. I should have an answer in a week or so.