New to solar and living off the grid

[Aazoth]

Hey everyone, I am glad to be here!
Coolville, OH, USA!

I am living off the grid because I trying to save money in the long run and also believe in a cleaner and more honest lifestyle.

I am growing rabbits, hunting and fishing, as well as, gardening for my food. I am using solar energy as a means of electricity and live in a camper that I am trying to rebuild and redesign.

[solarix]

Do tell why and how you are living off-grid there in OH?

[Mike90250]

..
I am living off the grid because I trying to save money in the long run and also believe in a cleaner and more honest lifestyle....

Grid power is cheaper, and maybe almost greener because you don't have battery disposal and replacement issues with the grid.

[Sunking]

I am living off the grid because I trying to save money in the long run and also believe in a cleaner and more honest lifestyle.

Impossible. You are going to spend 5 to 10 times more than buying it from the POCO and a very heavy polluter and wasting resources that could be better used elsewhere.

So why are you off the grid?

That 2200 lb $8000 battery you need to run your Air Conditioner will bust your axles. If that does not bust the axles the trailer holding 3000 watts of panel will.

[Living Large]

Hey everyone, I am glad to be here!
Coolville, OH, USA!

I am living off the grid because I trying to save money in the long run and also believe in a cleaner and more honest lifestyle.

I am growing rabbits, hunting and fishing, as well as, gardening for my food. I am using solar energy as a means of electricity and live in a camper that I am trying to rebuild and redesign.

Interesting. I am looking at living off grid to possibly save money, but I must explain my particular situation. I have a cabin 3800 feet away from the nearest POCO pole. It was $26 a foot to connect until this coming month, when it will rise to about $35

There are only a few other cabins on the road that may consider going solar. You get 500' free for each person going in at one time. Let's say I get 2 other people. That is 1500' free, 3 people splitting 2300' @ $80,500 or $26,800 each. Now let's say I have $1000 per year electric bills over a 10 year period. That is a total of $36,800 using POCO.

I need to spend about $30,000 to $35,000 for a solar system. Neglecting the increase in value of my house, it is about even. However, I will probably want to sell after 10 years. I would prefer to pay the $26,800 now and increase the value of the house - but it is unlikely I can convince any others to pitch in with me. I am thus expecting to be faced with $130,000 for just me or $50,000 if I could find one other person. I wouldn't even pay $50,000, and I doubt I can find another idiot that would. The frustration is there are other lots on the road, but you have to have a foundation to count. If we had 8 people going in at once, that is 4000' free and I would be sitting pretty.

So when people say "electric is 5x the cost," I stop and think about my up front cost. Is there something about your situation that leads to believe you would "save money" by going solar?

[SunEagle]

Interesting. I am looking at living off grid to possibly save money, but I must explain my particular situation. I have a cabin 3800 feet away from the nearest POCO pole. It was $26 a foot to connect until this coming month, when it will rise to about $35

There are only a few other cabins on the road that may consider going solar. You get 500' free for each person going in at one time. Let's say I get 2 other people. That is 1500' free, 3 people splitting 2300' @ $80,500 or $26,800 each. Now let's say I have $1000 per year electric bills over a 10 year period. That is a total of $36,800 using POCO.

I need to spend about $30,000 to $35,000 for a solar system. Neglecting the increase in value of my house, it is about even. However, I will probably want to sell after 10 years. I would prefer to pay the $26,800 now and increase the value of the house - but it is unlikely I can convince any others to pitch in with me. I am thus expecting to be faced with $130,000 for just me or $50,000 if I could find one other person. I wouldn't even pay $50,000, and I doubt I can find another idiot that would. The frustration is there are other lots on the road, but you have to have a foundation to count. If we had 8 people going in at once, that is 4000' free and I would be sitting pretty.

So when people say "electric is 5x the cost," I stop and think about my up front cost. Is there something about your situation that leads to believe you would "save money" by going solar?

That sucks. Unfortunately sometimes the price of solitude and serenity requires not having the convenience of modern day electrical equipment.

I hope you find a balanced solution to getting what you need but suspect that it will be expensive either way you go. Hopefully in a few years there will be more people on your road that want and will help pay for the power line.

[donald]

Interesting. I am looking at living off grid to possibly save money, but I must explain my particular situation. I have a cabin 3800 feet away from the nearest POCO pole. It was $26 a foot to connect until this coming month, when it will rise to about $35

There are only a few other cabins on the road that may consider going solar. You get 500' free for each person going in at one time. Let's say I get 2 other people. That is 1500' free, 3 people splitting 2300' @ $80,500 or $26,800 each. Now let's say I have $1000 per year electric bills over a 10 year period. That is a total of $36,800 using POCO.

I need to spend about $30,000 to $35,000 for a solar system. Neglecting the increase in value of my house, it is about even. However, I will probably want to sell after 10 years. I would prefer to pay the $26,800 now and increase the value of the house - but it is unlikely I can convince any others to pitch in with me. I am thus expecting to be faced with $130,000 for just me or $50,000 if I could find one other person. I wouldn't even pay $50,000, and I doubt I can find another idiot that would. The frustration is there are other lots on the road, but you have to have a foundation to count. If we had 8 people going in at once, that is 4000' free and I would be sitting pretty.

So when people say "electric is 5x the cost," I stop and think about my up front cost. Is there something about your situation that leads to believe you would "save money" by going solar?

In ten years panels will be ~$.30/watt. The inverter will be old and ready to be replaced. A powerwall purchased today would be due for replacement. Solar installed today is as likely be a liability as an asset on a home sale in ten years. Solar leases and PPA are absolutely a future liability in a home sale.

[J.P.M.]

In ten years panels will be ~$.30/watt. The inverter will be old and ready to be replaced. A powerwall purchased today would be due for replacement. Solar installed today is as likely be a liability as an asset on a home sale in ten years. Solar leases and PPA are absolutely a future liability in a home sale.

IMO, $0.30/Watt might be a bit optimistic on pricing, but +1 for a lot of reasons on the lease/PPA part. Still, like everything else, just opinion.

[Sunking]

In ten years panels will be ~$.30/watt. .

Highly unlikely. Prices have already bottomed out and starting to keep up with inflation.

[SunEagle]

Highly unlikely. Prices have already bottomed out and starting to keep up with inflation.

Wait until the new solar panel plant that Musk it building in Buffalo NY. I am sure the price per watt will come down then.

[Living Large]

That sucks. Unfortunately sometimes the price of solitude and serenity requires not having the convenience of modern day electrical equipment.

I hope you find a balanced solution to getting what you need but suspect that it will be expensive either way you go. Hopefully in a few years there will be more people on your road that want and will help pay for the power line.

The thing is - based on what I am hearing nobody has jumped at tossing the switch, and the price to do it is increasing every X years. Not sure it will ever happen.

My realtor told me she can't even show a house that has solar. And this house doesn't even have that. So, I am (have) setting (set) myself up for a tough sell in the future.

[Living Large]

In ten years panels will be ~$.30/watt. The inverter will be old and ready to be replaced. A powerwall purchased today would be due for replacement. Solar installed today is as likely be a liability as an asset on a home sale in ten years. Solar leases and PPA are absolutely a future liability in a home sale.

Good points. Maybe the next iteration after will be real power.

So I may see moderate gain in the value of the property regardless, and enjoy a reasonable quality of life for about $3000 a year depreciated electric cost. I'm actually ok with that - though it is about 50% more than I originally was thinking.