Informal Survey - Page 3

 



Initially I installed a Bergey Excel-R on a 100' tower.  That supplied (as
designed), about 75% of our power.  The remainder came from a Kohler 12kW
propane fueled generator.  Since we would have purchased the generator
anyway, I don't count that into the cost.

When the price of propane started to go through the roof, we added about
2kW of PV.  That boosted the price up over the $40K, but will pay for
itself in less propane and less wear and tear on the generator.

We use about 600 kWh/month.


-- ron  (off the grid in Downeast Maine)

 

My system is quite modest. 400w of PV, a Honda EU3000ie Generator, 16 golf
cart batteries, SW4048 inverter, C40 charge controller, all propane
appliances and a very conservative usage pattern.

The location  is reasonably sunny for Northern NH, but I don't live there
for the winter months. I need to run the generator quite frequently (every
couple days) in deep winter when there is less sun, but I'm rarely there in
winter.

For the warmer 3 seasons, the PV runs probably 90% of my electrical power
needs for lighting, microwave, washing machine, gas dryer, dishwasher, 19"
TV, DVD player, 3 ceiling fans, and a submersible shallow well pump. I need
an occasional charging run from an EU3000ie generator to supplement the PV,
but last spring/summer/fall I used maybe 12 gallons of gasoline in the
generator. For large power tools, like a table saw, I fire up a 5kw propane
generator, typically for only a few minutes at a time. The 8cu ft Consul
refrigerator used something like $20 in propane, and maybe another $20 for
cooking. I just started using the propane hot water heater and don;t know
how much it uses yet, but it will be my biggest user of fuel until I install
a furnace.

I acquired the PV panels next to nothing, unused, unframed prototypes, from
a retired employee of Mobil Solar( for $85/600w). I reduced costs
considerably by designing and installing the system myself, including making
frames for the panels, battery box, remote starters, and buying a factory
refurbished inverter.

I probably have about $8k total invested in including two generators.

I never bothered to ask how much it would cost to run power poles for the ~4
miles. Being at the end of the line, they could have never kept it
operational if above ground.. The government looked at running a service
line across 3 miles on the lake bottom and were quoted something like $800k.
Even if they did run a line, I would not tap into it, because I am quite
happy with the way my system works now.

If the propane delivery man told me I had to buy him a new propane delivery
truck before he would
sell me propane, I would have told him to go away.

For me, conservation is the key, and I find that it does not make life any
less comfortable than in my grid connected home.

 



It is REALLY hard to have a Street Address, if you don't have any
Streets.... Living far out in the alaskan bush, as I do, my Postal
Address is a P.O. Box in the nearest Town's Post Office. (We do have our
own Zipcode) The Post Office then sends out the mail, for all the
neighbors (within 100 square miles) with the local Bush Pilot, once a
week, weather permitting. Then I sort all the neighbors mail into Slots
in the Entryway for the neighbors to pickup, at their convience.
Mail comes on Wed. at about 10:30 Am, and I cook Pizza for lunch, for
those folks that come for their mail.  
For UPS, we just trained the UPS Guy to give all our packages to the
right Bush Pilot.  FedEx doesn't work out here at all. DHL doesn't
know about alaska... yet.

Bruce in alaska     who actually does live, very far out......
--
add a <2> before @

 


Well it seems you have internet access - using satellite or do you actually
have phone lines strung to your place? Or are your internet packets being
routed by a Cisco brand Bush pilot? ;-)

 



snipped cause I don't need to read my own stuff......


Internet comes via a SAT Link, as well as dialup modem for backup.  Telco
is via Microwave Radio via Alascom's Hoonah Mtn Site which is on the
Pelcan Spur out of Lena Pt. We have a 16 mile shot over Icy Straights.
(water)  I have the only "Real Phone" in my neighborhood. (100 Square
Miles) Others have Cellular coverage, with PowerBoosters and High Gain
Antennas, which also comes off the Alascom Site at Hoonah Mtn. Our Cells
Sites are at 2000+ Elevation and cover roughly 500 Square Miles.
Very BIG Cells, for the cellular world.

Bruce in alaska
--
add a <2> before @