Preparing to be grid free
1. Preparing to be grid free question . . .
What is the 1st thing you worry about if the power grid fails for a day or so ?
Answer……The fridge and the freezer!
So if you are thinking of going off the grid the 1st thing you should think about is change them to a solar powered unit
s.
The fridge and freezer, should really be set it up on its own mini solar system
This is to safe guard it and your food in case you accidentally over use your main battery bank in your home…when you go off the grid
Please see attached picture of the 12v fridge / freezer and the example of the mini solar system….
2. Lighting
Led lighting can lower your power to a 1/4 of the power you currently use now .. Just by installing led lights….
Or by using Led lights you can be removed from the grid totally.
Example 1
A 240v 25w common light globe on the grid uses aprox $19 per year in power to light just 1 room….(crazy!)
A 240v 5w led (which gives you light like a 60w light globe) only uses $4 per year in power to run…. So it pays for itself in less than a year!.
Now you can light up 4+ rooms to the same power you were using with the single 25w common old style light globe!
Example 2
Now you a using Led lighting the next option to be totally grid free with all of your house lights is to remove them off your power box and re run them off a small 12v 240v pure sine wave inverter, solar controller and a single solar panel and a quality deep cycle battery…
Example 3
A cheaper option still, Now using the 12v or 24v Led lighting option…
By re wiring and using 12v and 24v led lights you have now removed the cost of a small 240v pure sine wave inverter.
This option now only requires a large solar panel a solar controller and a deep cycle AGM battery … and you can now run all your home lights totally off the grid .
Example 4
We now have room by room Off the grid led lighting kits ……
Each kit has a 3w or 5w led light globe, a deep cycle battery, wiring and fittings and the kit also comes with a small solar panel etc.
This kit enables you to set up every room in your home as a separate mini solar system…..and is very affordable at $100 per kit.
3. Cooking
To prepare your home to be grid free you really must go gas with a all gas stove….they are still available for around $650 brand new..
Many are unaware a electric stove is consuming $70 to $100 of grid power each 1/4…
With a gas stove you can get upto 1 year of cooking on a 100kg gas bottle at a cost of aprox $140
4. Water pumping
You also have some off grid options.
Example 1
If you have to run a 240v hp pressure pump for your home this pump is probably costing you around $60 to $100 per 1/4 on your power bill.
You can set this pump on its own mini off the grid solar system with a small pure sine wave inverter, solar controller battery and solar panels.
By doing this your home will still run as normal with no change to it daily running.
Setting this pump up as a separate system, this is to reduce the risk of any power loss to the main home system …if some one forgets to check the pump!!!!!!.
Example 2
12v water pumps are another way of getting off the grid, the set up is very simple 1 x 12v pump either 5lts per min or 17lts per min
A solar panel, small battery and solar controller…..
5. Air conditioning
We now have mini solar systems for off grid air conditioners.
Example 1
The cheapest option is the 24v 5000BTU air conditioner which comes with its own 300 watt solar panel for $1550+
This air conditioner does not require a battery .
Example 2
The bigger air conditioners 9000BTU and higher are 48v and require batteries and more solar panels but they are good to remove your self from the grid
By setting up these mini systems again you minimize the risk of over loading you main home solar system.
6. TV and computer monitors
Many people are still unaware that the LCD and older TV monitors and TV tubes are too power hungry to run off the grid…
Simply change to a Led TV or Led computer monitor and you will cut you power consumption by 1/2!
7. Solar hot water 100% off grid type
With our solar co op we only supply a simple off grid solar hot water system, it works on gravity feed and delivers 125lt of hot water to your home.. Cost $495.
To pump the water to the taps you use a 12v water pump, solar panel, solar controller and small battery.
To boost the hot water when wet or cloudy you install a simple low pressure gas heater in line.
8. 100% Solar fans, solar exhaust vents, solar ceiling fans… are also available
All of these things can be done in low cost stages.