Foo - Man builds Solar Powered Cabin, under $2000 cash

http://www.off-grid.net/classifieds/wp-content/uploads/classipress/1268144532-1.jpg

Man builds Solar Powered Cabin, under $2000 cash.


His website: http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com/


YouTube videos: 1 of 7 parts of him showing his entire home..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXu45MHrnTk



Would anyone here, really consider this? his only bills are $300 or $400 yr in propane, and approx $100/$200 in property taxes.. + food.

If I had a plot of land I'd seriously consider it. Probably make a mini-cabin for living in and then have a larger building for shop/projects space. I'm trying to empty out my stuffed apartment that, now that I've had time to think about it, is far too large for me.

That is awesome, I should do that on my farm land.

That is awesome, I should do that on my farm land.

If I had a few undeveloped acres, I do something like that in a heartbeat. 400sq ft may be a bit small, but I think 800 sq ft. would be about perfect.
Maybe even supplement the solar power with an hour a day at 200+ watts on the bike :D

If I had a few undeveloped acres, I do something like that in a heartbeat. 400sq ft may be a bit small, but I think 800 sq ft. would be about perfect.
Maybe even supplement the solar power with an hour a day at 200+ watts on the bike :D

I would need at least 800 but scaling it up shouldn't be a problem. The problem is my land is way down in Toombs county which makes it difficult to get down there. If I had a few acres in the mountains it would be perfect.

I would need at least 800 but scaling it up shouldn't be a problem. The problem is my land is way down in Toombs county which makes it difficult to get down there. If I had a few acres in the mountains it would be perfect.

Off I-16?
Hell.....I'd never go there.

Off I-16?
Hell.....I'd never go there.

Yeah it's way down there. 40 miles off I-16.

I don't think those few solar panels could power my gaming pc. :(

I'd end up with 2 buildings. Micro cabin for living, and another building for workshop/storage.

I'd end up with 2 buildings. Micro cabin for living, and another building for workshop/storage.

When I get moved (hopefuly a couple months from now), I will put a small building in the backyard for a pottery studio. I am thinking of having solar power for that. Wouldn't require much...just enough to run a few lights, and they could be LED, so probably less than 100 watts total.

100 watts!? That doesn't even power my forumjorin' screens... let alone the PC, the router, the broadband, the AC to keep it all cool (american megatrend devices always tend to get quite hot)... heck even the light-bulb that illuminates my keyboard is more than 100 watts.

I don't think those few solar panels could power my gaming pc. :(

If you used a 45w or 65w laptop it could.

my wife keeps threatening to do this

Many aspire to live full time off the grid but none ever make it,not even Professor Ted Kazinski.

When I get moved (hopefuly a couple months from now), I will put a small building in the backyard for a pottery studio. I am thinking of having solar power for that. Wouldn't require much...just enough to run a few lights, and they could be LED, so probably less than 100 watts total.
I can guess why.

http://www.uwishunu.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/ghost_clay_studio.jpg

Many aspire to live full time off the grid but none ever make it,not even Professor Ted Kazinski.

I really like you spry.

Couch

Addressing falsehoods:

Only the structure was under $2K. This did not include windows, doors or porch.
The solar system was an additional $1K.
I'd wager the cost did not include appliances, furnishings, carpet, paint...and certainly not labor.
I saw no pictures of the insulation process.
A 2X4 roof or wall is R-19 at best.

Conclusion: The dude spent way more than $2K, though still a very reasonable amount, yet still chooses to hide the honest overall figures. Why? Is he hiding the real facts just to sell an ebook?

Final note: His craftsmanship is garbage.

Addressing falsehoods:

Only the structure was under $2K. This did not include windows, doors or porch.
The solar system was an additional $1K.
I'd wager the cost did not include appliances, furnishings, carpet, paint...and certainly not labor.
I saw no pictures of the insulation process.
A 2X4 roof or wall is R-19 at best.

Conclusion: The dude spent way more than $2K, though still a very reasonable amount, yet still chooses to hide the honest overall figures. Why? Is he hiding the real facts just to sell an ebook?

Final note: His craftsmanship is garbage.

I imagine you could recycle things like doors and maybe even some of the timber ala Thoreau. But the solar system is going to cost you. Now if you had a creek or stream on your property you might be able to rig up some hydro pretty cheaply.

100 watts!? That doesn't even power my forumjorin' screens... let alone the PC, the router, the broadband, the AC to keep it all cool (american megatrend devices always tend to get quite hot)... heck even the light-bulb that illuminates my keyboard is more than 100 watts.

Will be no computers in my pottery studio...that will be my zen time.

I imagine you could recycle things like doors and maybe even some of the timber ala Thoreau. But the solar system is going to cost you. Now if you had a creek or stream on your property you might be able to rig up some hydro pretty cheaply.

$20 worth of magnets and copper wire.
1 6od PVC pipe
some sort of ball bearing'd hub.
1 saw
some bolts.....instant wind mill (well, almost instant). Total cost could easily be less than $100 USD.
Probably another $100 for a cheap wave sine inverter (although I don't think that would be necessary if you set the magnets and coils to generate AC power).

Haha my PC uses like 800 watts. Add in my PS3 with another 300W. Plus the Plasma Screen at another 500W.

$20 worth of magnets and copper wire.
1 6od PVC pipe
some sort of ball bearing'd hub.
1 saw
some bolts.....instant wind mill (well, almost instant). Total cost could easily be less than $100 USD.
Probably another $100 for a cheap wave sine inverter (although I don't think that would be necessary if you set the magnets and coils to generate AC power).

A DIY magazine here showed how to make a small hydro-electric system using an old washing machine motor and a plastic crate. It looked quite fun and reasonably cheap to build.

Apart from the batteries to store the energy from your windmill/hydro-electric or solar system of course.

Addressing falsehoods:

Only the structure was under $2K. This did not include windows, doors or porch.
The solar system was an additional $1K.
I'd wager the cost did not include appliances, furnishings, carpet, paint...and certainly not labor.
I saw no pictures of the insulation process.
A 2X4 roof or wall is R-19 at best.

Conclusion: The dude spent way more than $2K, though still a very reasonable amount, yet still chooses to hide the honest overall figures. Why? Is he hiding the real facts just to sell an ebook?

Final note: His craftsmanship is garbage.


i did buy the ebook, he did state that the doors and windows he got for free, or for a few bucks at a salvage place..

even the appliances he traded for something.. the appliances are 12v also (to run from the solar).

and you can buy the solar panels for $149 from harbor fright.

Haha my PC uses like 800 watts. Add in my PS3 with another 300W. Plus the Plasma Screen at another 500W.

pc desktop is around 150watts, ps3 is 175watts avg, or 200watts using the blu ray.. 50" plasma is 250watts. 42" is 180watts.

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/370x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_11931.jpg

45 Watt Solar Panel Kit, $149 (sale price) $179 thru $199 regular price.

http://www.harborfreight.com/45-watt-solar-panel-kit-90599.html

pc desktop is around 150watts, ps3 is 175watts avg, or 200watts using the blu ray.. 50" plasma is 250watts. 42" is 180watts.

My TV is 500W(says on the back). NOt sure about PS3(it says 300max). And my desktop actually uses 800W on full load.

i did buy the ebook, he did state that the doors and windows he got for free, or for a few bucks at a salvage place..

even the appliances he traded for something.. the appliances are 12v also (to run from the solar).

and you can buy the solar panels for $149 from harbor fright.
Ah, so he is holding back to sell the book.

Ah, so he is holding back to sell the book.

Eff the small hillbilly cabin.Your feet would have to stick out the side window to lie down and sleep.
We can install Harbor Freight solar panels,rotate with an old TV antenna rotor on your trailer and tour the country giving lectures/selling books.

Do we have clear title yet,I'm ready to start work?

What I found surprising was that the county said that a 1 acre lot was too small to build a house on. Maybe to prevent a developer from coming in and turning a corn field into a yuppie subdivision with million dollar homes on 1/3 acre lots.

I could live like that. If I was looking 40 or 50 years of house payments in the face, I would sure consider that direction. We where blessed to pay our home off last year, we are now debt free!

I don't ever plan to get back under such a burden again.
You really do feel much more free with no house payment or car payment or credit card bill every month.

We have electric, water and phone, we watch free TV!

I think the guy has the right idea, live on less and live better maybe even longer...

Assuming we ever find a reasonably priced acreage in our area, my wife and I would love to try our hand at this:

http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm

We would build this as an artists retreat, rather than our actual home. To handle our snow loads, we'd have to modify the roof considerably.

Assuming we ever find a reasonably priced acreage in our area, my wife and I would love to try our hand at this:

http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm

We would build this as an artists retreat, rather than our actual home. To handle our snow loads, we'd have to modify the roof considerably.

Thats a bit on the "fugly" side there neighbor.
Looks like one step up from a dirt igloo.

A DIY magazine here showed how to make a small hydro-electric system using an old washing machine motor and a plastic crate. It looked quite fun and reasonably cheap to build.

Apart from the batteries to store the energy from your windmill/hydro-electric or solar system of course.

Beyond the solar panels if you go that way, the batteries and inverter is where the costs start mounting up. or go DC (I would) but you'll still have some fairly expensive gadgetry to make it all work.

Assuming we ever find a reasonably priced acreage in our area, my wife and I would love to try our hand at this:

http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm

We would build this as an artists retreat, rather than our actual home. To handle our snow loads, we'd have to modify the roof considerably.

Good luck getting that to pass code. Same for the "$2000" cabin too.

Oh, wait, did he neglect to include the cost of a building permit and all the inspections in his little story? :rolleyes:

Within city limits, I can see that being an issue. If he happened to build outside of a city/county limit(not many boroughs/counties in AK), he may not have had to deal with building permits, inspections, or property taxes. When we(my family) moved up to AK, we bought property outside of city limits, and there was not county/borough set up(may be soon), so no taxes, no building permits, nada.

Assuming we ever find a reasonably priced acreage in our area, my wife and I would love to try our hand at this:

http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm

We would build this as an artists retreat, rather than our actual home. To handle our snow loads, we'd have to modify the roof considerably.

nice little hobbit hole. I'd imagine that getting it permitted could be a challenge.

Good luck getting that to pass code. Same for the "$2000" cabin too.

Oh, wait, did he neglect to include the cost of a building permit and all the inspections in his little story? :rolleyes:

That's the beauty of my solar trailer idea.
Get a notice from the buiding dept.,we move the trailer.

That's the beauty of my solar trailer idea.
Get a notice from the buiding dept.,we move the trailer.

You should really watch Breaking Bad.

I lived off the grid for 18 months with solar power supplemented by petrol generator, LPG cooking and firewood heating.

It's not cheap and it's not easy.

You should really watch Breaking Bad.

You understand Mr.White cooks his blue ice out west by you.

I really do like the TV series.Too bad the present day economics make the show too real.

I lived off the grid for 18 months with solar power supplemented by petrol generator, LPG cooking and firewood heating.

It's not cheap and it's not easy.

You could fry an egg on a rock year round on that English penal colony.The only power you would need is for light and TV.

You could fry an egg on a rock year round on that English penal colony.The only power you would need is for light and TV.
And you would know this, how?

You could fry an egg on a rock year round on that English penal colony.The only power you would need is for light and TV.

There you go improving the culinary skills of aussies again...