I am both Off-the-Grid and Car Free here in Alabama. I live about 10 miles outside of town and will be moving into a shack that I am currently retrofitting using natural building materials. A friend of mine just brought some old solar panels to lend me that I will be able to run some lights, my stereo, and maybe my computer with. I will not have refrigeration at this point but might get it in the future. I have a well on site and am just now connecting a hand pump to it. I have not gotten the water tested as of yet for contaminants but will do that soon before I drink from it. I get my showers at this point from my neighbor who I do yard work for. I plan to build a batch style hot water heater for showers etc. I will have to get a bison hand pump though before I do that so that I can get enough water pressure to run that.

My current bicycle is a stock Surly Cross-Check that I have outfitted with a Tubus rear rack and Ortlieb panniers. I have 2 Fenix lights for night travel with one on the bars and one on the helmet. I also have 1 rear Superflash light. I need to get one more though for a little bit of added visibility.

I am currently living in a tent while I retrofit the shack to make it habitable. I am in the process of getting the metal roof screwed down. I plan to get a couple of 55 gallon drums for rainwater catchment from the metal roof to use in my garden and for my natural building projects.

I am learning a lot as I go along and am welcome to any suggestions from anyone else that is off-the-grid and/or car free. Any questions are welcome.

Interesting way to live...
FWIW years I ago I did a similar stint, but lived in a pickup camper in the woods off grid. For the shower I manually pumped water into a black bladder stored on the roof of the camper, voila...hot showers with water pressure provided by gravity. I am in toying with the design of a low energy house, utilizing solar electrics, solar hot water and earth sheltering among other features.

Aaron:)

You might find some useful information at http://asthecrowflies.org. The owner of the site spends a lot of time long-distance hiking (right now all her blog posts are "trail twitters" from the PCT) and when not doing that, she lives in a cabin that I believe is also off the grid. I think she's got a menu item for cabin life or something like that. I like the composting toilet. She has a link to some interesting info about that.

I envy your life.

I am both Off-the-Grid and Car Free here in Alabama. I live about 10 miles outside of town and will be moving into a shack that I am currently retrofitting using natural building materials. A friend of mine just brought some old solar panels to lend me that I will be able to run some lights, my stereo, and maybe my computer with. I will not have refrigeration at this point but might get it in the future. I have a well on site and am just now connecting a hand pump to it. I have not gotten the water tested as of yet for contaminants but will do that soon before I drink from it. I get my showers at this point from my neighbor who I do yard work for. I plan to build a batch style hot water heater for showers etc. I will have to get a bison hand pump though before I do that so that I can get enough water pressure to run that.

My current bicycle is a stock Surly Cross-Check that I have outfitted with a Tubus rear rack and Ortlieb panniers. I have 2 Fenix lights for night travel with one on the bars and one on the helmet. I also have 1 rear Superflash light. I need to get one more though for a little bit of added visibility.

I am currently living in a tent while I retrofit the shack to make it habitable. I am in the process of getting the metal roof screwed down. I plan to get a couple of 55 gallon drums for rainwater catchment from the metal roof to use in my garden and for my natural building projects.

I am learning a lot as I go along and am welcome to any suggestions from anyone else that is off-the-grid and/or car free. Any questions are welcome.

Very impressive! I can't add any wisdom to anything you've done, your bike is a good one, outfitted well, and your decision to go off-grid seems like it's going well, as long as your needs are modest, which they appear to be.

Do you have large banks of batteries? You know, for those stretches in winter when the sun's not out much?

I will not have refrigeration at this point but might get it in the future. I have a well on site and am just now connecting a hand pump to it. I have not gotten the water tested as of yet for contaminants but will do that soon before I drink from it. I get my showers at this point from my neighbor who I do yard work for. I plan to build a batch style hot water heater for showers etc. I will have to get a bison hand pump though before I do that so that I can get enough water pressure to run that.



Check with an outfit called Lehman's Hardware in Kidron OH. They specialize in off-grid living as they cater to a large Amish population near Kidron.

Ever seen a fridge that runs on kerosene or natural gas? They've got them, along with solar models as well.

Good luck.

Check with an outfit called Lehman's Hardware in Kidron OH. They specialize in off-grid living as they cater to a large Amish population near Kidron.

Ever seen a fridge that runs on kerosene or natural gas? They've got them, along with solar models as well.

Good luck.

Lehman's Hardware (http://www.lehmans.com/) is a fantastic place to browse as well as order from!:thumb: Their store has to be seen to be believed!

Aaron:)

When I lived off the grid in a tent, we did cold showers. When we pounded the well in we left the pipe 4 feet or so up so we could squat under the hand pump to rinse off. We didn't even think to have the water tested. We figured we were out in the woods and the well was only 20 ft down so the water came from the woods? Who knows the water could have drained from the septic field from the next farm over.

When I was very young we didn't have a hot water heater, mom had this huge copper kettle that she used to heat bath/ wash water in. That water came from a spring where everything uphill was a state forest. Mom and dad just assumed it was safe. Grandpa got the place and the previous owners had used the water for moonshine so it must be good to drink right? When you have water tested what gets checked? Heavy metals? Pesticides? Dioxin? E. coli? There are so many potential contaminants where would you begin?

Kabir, I lived and worked near Auburn, AL for several years in the 1990s. I owned a car but used a bike for most of my transportation around Auburn + Opelika. I explored the rural county roads in all directions from Auburn-Opelika, especially to the northeast of Alexander City. Some are paved and others are red dirt. There were a few things I didn't like about living in AL, but a many things I liked too. I would not mind going back there to explore those backroads again, it defies the stereotype most people have of AL. Another place I explored quite a bit by bicycle were the rural roads in the "black belt" west of Tuscaloosa. Relatively flat terrain, lots of small towns, farms, rivers, lakes, trees.

What county in AL are you in Kabir? I can imagine it's plenty HOT and humid right now, would be pretty tough to "rough it". Good luck, be safe. Note, I have a Surly cross check that I recently put together with internal Nexus 8 rear hub and albatross bars. It is my backup commuter bike and round town errand bike.

Kabir,

Have you seen this site? Tons on info....

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com

Kev

PS I just bought 4 barrels this weekned to collect water for garden.

Welcome to the third world.

you guys with the rain barrels need to double check the laws in your area:

http://www.groovygreen.com/groove/?p=3135

same deal in WA state.

Of course they say they won't go after the "little guy" for a couple barrels in the back yard.......but they could if they wanted to, especially if they started getting complaints about you from the neighbors (off grid residences tend to piss people off for some reason). Same thing with the biodiesel thing. Several states have gone after the little guy for not paying taxes on home made biodiesel.

Legal in Fayetteville, AR. The city just had a workshop at the farmer's market last month. They are also encouraging the building of "rain gardens" to absorb run off to help stop pollution from entering streams and rivers.

Kev

you guys with the rain barrels need to double check the laws in your area:

Of course they say they won't go after the "little guy" for a couple barrels in the back yard.......but they could if they wanted to, especially if they started getting complaints about you from the neighbors (off grid residences tend to piss people off for some reason).

I get a kick out of us free Americans. The more we fear the "State", the more power they have, whether it's legitimate, or not.

If we are a free people, then we can collect all the water that falls on our land that we want or need. If we aren't free, then it belongs to the "State", and I'm sure they will let you collect it if you pay them for a "permit".

To Kabir424, and everyone trying to live simpler, I admire all of your efforts to be more self sufficient. Not only fun, but cheaper too. :thumb:

I collect all the sun and water that falls on my land, here in Colo,Springs. I also built my off-the-grid home without any permits, nor do I register, or license, me or my property.

The People, put in place our form of government, for one purpose only, to protect the rights of you and your posterity.



200 watts of PV. 4-L16 batteries for 440 amp of 12v storage.
Runs lights, heaters, water pumps, ARB fridge, TV, and laptop.
Needs another 200 watt panel, for a total of 400 watts, since adding the fridge and laptop.

impressive, kabir!!

you should look into getting a dynohub for night riding - a little pricy, but it would allow you to never buy batteries (for lights) again!

btw i haven't seen the name "opelika" in soo long! i went to college at auburn, skated lots in opelika.. good times.

I would imagine a lot of those laws against water collecting are so old that they
don't apply to modern conditions. It might only take a little bit of organized effort
to get the law changed.

i was thinking the exact opposit. out west there are serious fights over water rights. for example the colorado river runs dry before hitting the ocean because of all the people living the the deserts in AZ and NV ect.

I was thinking those laws might have been put on the books back in the gold rush days
so people wouldn't divert water away from someone's claim downriver.

you guys with the rain barrels need to double check the laws in your area:

http://www.groovygreen.com/groove/?p=3135

same deal in WA state.

Of course they say they won't go after the "little guy" for a couple barrels in the back yard.......but they could if they wanted to, especially if they started getting complaints about you from the neighbors (off grid residences tend to piss people off for some reason). Same thing with the biodiesel thing. Several states have gone after the little guy for not paying taxes on home made biodiesel.

I can and will tell the local yokel inspector where to stuff it. We installed a 2,000+ gallon collection tank to catch the run off from the buildings to water the gardens in the dry season. (and will be installing another one shortly) They used to call it a cistern (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cistern). Unfortunately someone somewhere along the line decided it wasn't "sanitary" enough, so they made local regulations against it. FWIW in NC they have started asking people how much water they are using from their private wells....EXCUSE ME? It is MY well and it is on MY property, yes it draws from the same aquifer as the county water system, but so does the damn golf course that was watering their greens during the drought! While the rest of us were being chastised and fined for watering gardens. [/rant off]

I would imagine a lot of those laws against water collecting are so old that they
don't apply to modern conditions. It might only take a little bit of organized effort
to get the law changed. :roflmao2: around here they don't know how to repeal laws only make more!

Aaron:)

Wernmax,

I really like your solar setup. Do you have any recommendations for a reading list on the subject?

My dream in the near future is to do something similar, although I want the option of being hooked up to the grid.

I want: Solar and wind

A well (and city/county water) with electric and manual hookups.

No air conditioning (I can easily go without it).

Lots of land.

A cistern system (for catching rainwater).

Nuclear missiles.

My dream in the near future is to do something similar, although I want the option of being hooked up to the grid.

I want: Solar and wind

A well (and city/county water) with electric and manual hookups.

No air conditioning (I can easily go without it).

Lots of land.

A cistern system (for catching rainwater).

Nuclear missiles.

Unfortunately, land is pretty expensive.

Unfortunately, land is pretty expensive.

Depends on where and how much. You can buy 50 acres in some rural counties in NC for under $5k and acre. Of course if it is in a developed area it can go for over $150k and acre.

Aaron:)

Do you have any recommendations for a reading list on the subject?

I like HomePower Magazine, but if you Google "PV power" you'll have more reading than you probably want. :)


There's really only two considerations to off-the-grid power...

1) What do you want to run? (To determine how many watts of PV you need.)

2) How long do you need it to run if you have no sun? (To determine how big a battery bank you need.)

I've been living "almost normal" for the last 8 years on 200 watts of PV, but I'd shoot for 300/400 for a single person.

My dream in the near future is to do something similar, although I want the option of being hooked up to the grid.

I want: Solar and wind

A well (and city/county water) with electric and manual hookups.

No air conditioning (I can easily go without it).

Lots of land.

A cistern system (for catching rainwater).

Nuclear missiles.



You got me laughing because those are pretty much the same exact specs for my next place.

But really, the only reason to be off the grid, is if it's just so prohibitively expensive to hook up, you're too remote, you're seriously green, or you're a political nut job (like me). Otherwise, it's nice to be able to run big fridges and hot tubs, year round.

I am both Off-the-Grid and Car Free here in Alabama. I live about 10 miles outside of town and will be moving into a shack that I am currently retrofitting using natural building materials. A friend of mine just brought some old solar panels to lend me that I will be able to run some lights, my stereo, and maybe my computer with. I will not have refrigeration at this point but might get it in the future. I have a well on site and am just now connecting a hand pump to it. I have not gotten the water tested as of yet for contaminants but will do that soon before I drink from it. I get my showers at this point from my neighbor who I do yard work for. I plan to build a batch style hot water heater for showers etc. I will have to get a bison hand pump though before I do that so that I can get enough water pressure to run that.

My current bicycle is a stock Surly Cross-Check that I have outfitted with a Tubus rear rack and Ortlieb panniers. I have 2 Fenix lights for night travel with one on the bars and one on the helmet. I also have 1 rear Superflash light. I need to get one more though for a little bit of added visibility.

I am currently living in a tent while I retrofit the shack to make it habitable. I am in the process of getting the metal roof screwed down. I plan to get a couple of 55 gallon drums for rainwater catchment from the metal roof to use in my garden and for my natural building projects.

I am learning a lot as I go along and am welcome to any suggestions from anyone else that is off-the-grid and/or car free. Any questions are welcome.

Good luck! I'd be lying if I said I was'nt jealous, but it is going to take a HE** of a lot of work, enjoy!

Updates as well please:D

I once saw an idea for a shower. It was a large (like maybe four by eight feet) shallow (like maybe four inches deep) container (think of a sheet of plywood bottom and some boards for the four sides), water tight, painted black on the inside, and mounted on eight-foot posts. The idea was to fill it with water and let the sun heat it, and then use a hose and shower head attached somewhere on the bottom. I do not know of my own knowledge whether or not that would work. It seems like it should.

One summer, I needed hot water before the house was finished being built.

Had a black 100' hose that I coiled up, filled with water, elevated the ends a little to keep the water from running out, and laid it on the ground on a piece of 1" Styrofoam with black plastic over it, then laid a 3' X 6' patio glass door over it all.

A while later, I was hearing a strange gurgling sound, and found it was water boiling in the hose. Emptied the hose into a 5 gal mud bucket (about 2 gal of very hot water), added a couple gallons of cold water to cool it off, and washed up nicely.