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A Farm of My Own:  Getting Off the Grid  |
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medievalcat
True Blue Farmgirl
256 Posts
Cynthia
White County
Arkansas
USA
256 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 04 2011 : 5:25:15 PM
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Well we purchased our dream home finally. We went to put the utilities in our name to find out we were forced to put down $600 deposit. The reason is they ran my credit score and they said it was 200.. k I just bought a house how can it possibly be that low.. I asked my lender about it and she said it wasn't even possible. Any there is nothing we can do except pay it..oh I can see if they will give me a portion of it back at the end of a year.. but they will never give it all back until we disconnect our service. And it's not like we can shop around.
I've wanted to go solar for a very long time but the cost of it is so high.. but I have a lot of incentive to go off the grid.. because if we make excess energy the power company has to pay us for it..
the question: is there a way to go solar for next to nothing? We can build just about anything but the funds are just about gone to the deposit..
It just burns me up that power companies can do this!
thanks for letting me rant a little!!
Cyn |
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Dusky Beauty
True Blue Farmgirl
1108 Posts
Jen
Tonopah
AZ
USA
1108 Posts |
Posted - Aug 04 2011 : 7:04:00 PM
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I had the same deal when I moved to Arizona Cyn, it's totally lame >_<
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way it's animals are treated." ~Gandhi
http://silvermoonfarm.blogspot.com/
"After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.” ~Will Rogers |
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KD Earthwork
True Blue Farmgirl
210 Posts
Katie
Gualala
Calif.
USA
210 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2011 : 9:56:26 PM
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We are currently living off-grid, and have only eight photovoltaic panels. We do have two inverters which made the installation cost more. If you talk to Outback, they can help design you a solar system, inverter and fuse areas etc. then later you can add more panels in you want to expand your system. Batteries you can only add when they run out of life, about ten years. We have 12 and are doing fine. Except that we have a farm and water huge amounts and the well pump and pressure tank both run when were watering. Otherwise we watch movies at night have lights on, use the computer, have a answering machine and a roaming phone . But we are careful about heat element items blow dryers, coffee pots, iron. Also anything that is always plugged in.It costs a lot initially but is really worth it.
My only wish is for enough power to run a large freezer and frig. we bought both in propane and the propane bill is too much, especially for the freezer.
Good luck, Katie www.rosemancreekranch.com" target="_blank">http://.www.rosemancreekranch.com
http://www.rosemancreekranch.com |
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Lieberkim
True Blue Farmgirl
839 Posts
Kimberly
Sunnyside
WASHINGTON
USA
839 Posts |
Posted - Aug 11 2011 : 8:27:41 PM
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| I would LOVE to go off grid. I'm very interested in wind and solar power. We live in a very high wind area and there are lots of windmills all over the countryside. As for solar power, this area boasts 300+ days of sunshine a year. I'd like to do both and see if I could keep a reliable power source and enough to keep doing everything that I currently do. |
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A Farm of My Own: Getting Off the Grid |
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Getting Off the Grid
