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Living off the Grid
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07-09-2007, 07:01 AM
Ok, I've just seen the most beautiful place I want to live in..but it's off the grid. I've never dreamed I'd ever consider such a thing..it just seems so foreign and scarry..at the same time very exciting. I would have to do some major updating on the place and beef up the old solar system. Obviously I'm seriously thinking about it..I wanted to hear of other people that might be living off the grid and how they deal with it...or not. Mahalo for your thoughts...
07-09-2007, 09:21 AM
Me, too! While we will be in HPP, we love the idea of being off the grid and wonder how those of you who are manage the situation.
Here's an interesting article for those who have the option of being on or off the grid: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/07/HOGFQQQK4U1.DTL&hw=solar&sn=005&sc=670
07-09-2007, 10:22 AM
Sounds romantic, but if your really off the grid, does that mean no internet connection?
07-09-2007, 10:24 AM
"Grid" refers to the electrical grid. Actually, there are sattelite uplinks easy to sue for internet....  Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!
I want to be the kind of woman that, when my feet
hit the floor each morning, the devil says "Oh Crap, She's up!"
07-09-2007, 04:32 PM
Living off grid... You need about 10-15-20K bucks if you want to run a modern pump and efficient fridge from sears, mircowave, rice maker, bread maker, computers, TV's, lights, etc...etc...
It all depends on your life style how frugal you want to be. It also depends on how much sun hours you get per day. IE, lot's of clouds... Everything else will have to run on gas, Stoves, Hot Water heaters, Dryers... You can buy a passive solar hot water heater... You will never be able to run AC or any type of high wattage application with solar. Best part living off grid other then paying the 15K upfront cost is not paying an electric bill. Also, being on the big island I think our electric costs are the highest in the nation at 41-43 cents a KW. So, it makes the most logical choice to go alternative power since it will pay for it self rather quickly. Just make sure you get some decent 130+Watt solar panels and some deep cycle battery's.
07-09-2007, 06:31 PM
For us, off grid means no Helco electric, no land line phone, no cable, no county water - we have solar electric, cell service, Dish satellite TV, wireless (radio) broadband internet, catchment. We've learned to conserve, but we don't live harshly or without. We love it.
David Ninole Resident
Ninole Resident
07-09-2007, 09:48 PM
Was a generator used for power tools? Somehow I had the impression that power tools such as circular saws would have problems with soloar..
07-10-2007, 05:16 AM
quote: I have a question about this article. Does HELCO allow you to do this? Connect to the grid, but also have your own solar power and feed back to them when you are generating more power than you use? I thought they didn't like this sort of thing. That's why everyone hates them.....
"How do you know i am mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the cat "or you wouldnt have come here."
07-10-2007, 06:29 AM
It's called Net Metering. You have to apply for the program. Helco is required to accept a certain number of net metering clients per geographical area. go for it!
Just another day in P A R A D I S E !!
I want to be the kind of woman that, when my feet
hit the floor each morning, the devil says "Oh Crap, She's up!" |
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