Off Grid Living

23 Tips to Re-Assemble Your Life and Disappear Living off The Grid

Table of Contents

Introduction

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Chapter 01: Living off the Grid: What it is the reason behind it?

Reasons to Go Off Grid

Unusual Circumstances

To Reduce the Ecological Impact

Avoid the Cost of Traditional Utilities

To Reduce the Cost of Utility Bills

To Check the Status of your Independence

For the Entertainment of an Intelligent Mind

Reduce your National Dependence

Survival and Sense of Accomplishment

Freedom and Happiness

Prepare to Go Off Grid

Benefits of Living off the Grid

Chapter 02: 3 Tips for Conservation while Living off the Grid

Tip 01: Landscaping to Save Water

Tip 02: Energy Efficient Appliances

Tip 03: Home Improvements

Chapter 03: 5 Tips to Leave Grid Shelter and have an Alternative

Tip 04: Temporary Shelters

Tents and Soft Shelters

Factors to Select a Tent Home

Living Area

Durability

Protection from Water

Protection from Bugs

Tip 05: Recreational Vehicles (RV)

Class a Motor Home:

Bus Conversion:

Class B Camper Van:

Class C Motor Home:

Truck Camper:

Features of Recreational Vehicle

Tips 06: Manufacture Homes and Sheds

Tip 07: Green Homes

Build your own Green House

Tip 08: Earth Bags

Chapter 04: 5 Tips to Generate Power for You while Living off the Grid

Tip 09: Solar Power Systems

Tip 10: Hydropower System

Tip 11: Wind System

Tip 12: Backup Generator

Tip 13: Energy Conservation

Chapter 05: 9 Tips to Preserve Food and Water while living off of the grid? (Food and Water)

Preserving Food

Tip 14: Freezing

Tip 15: Cooling

Tip 16: Dehydration

Tip 17: Sun Drying Foods

Off the Grid Cooking

Tip 18: Wood Ovens and Rocket Stoves

Tip 19: Hobo Stove (Mixed fuel Choices)

Preserve Water

Tip 20: Source of Water (Cistern)

Tip 21: Filtration System

Tip 22: Cover your Stored Water

Chapter 06:  Tips to Learn Alternative Ways to Leave the Grid Sewerage

Tip 23: Septic System

Composting Toilets

Chapter 07: Living off the Grid Challenges

Change your Mind

You are Going to be Isolated

All Activities will become Difficult

Conclusion

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Introduction

Living off the grid means living separate to the grid, and this term is often used for electricity. The off-the-grid homes are independent without any natural gas, power supply, sewerage and other utilities of the life. Living off the grid is not a state of mind, but it is about someone who is out of touch from a place, or spending some time offline on a weekend. A true off-the-grid house is operated without any conventional community utility services. The ideas were famous by some celebrities, such as Ed Begley, Jr. after taking part in the television how based on the idea Living with Ed. Off-grid living is becoming popular among people because it is quite difficult to earn money to get basic facilities. Off-grid is a building that is disconnected from the natural gas, electricity and all other facilities.

It is essential for some to prepare to live off the grid because it may prove helpful to deal with the scarcity of funds and other financial resources. It will help you to get ready for any unusual situation, such as financial crash or any solar flare because of the fault in technology. You should have a simple plan to survive. The life becomes easier day by day because the advancement of technology increase lots of conveniences, such as advanced therapies, use of medications, electricity and ready-made food. The people of all countries are becoming used to these facilities, and they even can’t imagine a single day without these facilities. It is really hard to say that the life runs smoothly at the same rate because there can be various issues with the technology.

You should have a practical plan to deal with all problems and develop some necessary skills to deal with the unusual days. Everyone has a different experience in living off the grid, and it can be troublesome for some people, but others may enjoy it a lot. The difference may be due to different areas and needs of people. You may have some strategies, but all strategies will not fit to the exact situation and needs. You should have some valuable strategies and skills to make your life more valuable for the new world. There are some essential strategies that will help you to live off-the-grid. These skills should be practiced to learn them in an effective manner. Some people may have a natural ability to adapt to the situation with less or no facilities.

It is really difficult to manage your days without electricity, water and sewerage. Usually, people have misconceptions about off-the-grid living. They often consider a life without any TV, computer, air conditioner, supermarkets and transportations, but it is more than all that. Having all these facilities makes it difficult for a person to imagine even a day without them. There are lots of people in the world who are living without all these facilities and have no problem in their life. In this case, this saying is true that the “ignorance is bliss”. The people, who are not familiar with these facilities, have no problem in their life because they learn to live without it. They are struggling with lots of other problems in life, such as family argument, alcoholism, illness, injury, abusive relations and alcoholism.

It will be good to try to do something to manage yourself to deal with every kind of good and bad circumstances, and living off the grid can be the first step toward your efforts.

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Chapter 01: Living off the Grid: What it is the reason behind it?

Everyone has a different definition for the off-the-grid living because everyone has its own experience, facilities, difficulties and problems. For a teenager, the off the grid can be the way of living without any social networking media, such as Facebook and Twitter.

A researcher or detective may define it as a life without any recording, organizing and tracing, and they have this perception because of their job. A paranoid, criminal or a disruptive person considers it a life without any recordable commerce, cash transactions and similar activities. A sportsman defines it as a life without progressive and hazardous achievements in the exotic and international location. For science students, they may find their inattentive professor is living off-the grade.

In fact, the off-grid living is a state without public utilities, such as energy (power), water and waste management. The places that are actually off-grid have their own services for energy, water and waste management. Living off the grid is an independent way to live without all modern utilities in a city or any other support. In the biggest cities of the world, it may not be possible to provide facilities to all people. In this case, the lots of people may not be able to avail all these facilities important to survive. Self-sufficiency is all about survival, but it can be more than that, such as independence. The people often get feeling that they should not have dependence on others.

Reasons to Go Off Grid

People often think about the reasons to go off grid because they don’t want to stay away from the facilities and utilities of the life. Following are some reasons that may convince you to go off grid:

Unusual Circumstances

You have no grid available around you, and this can be your choice or your fate. There are lots of people in the world living in the rural America or in the third world countries. These people have no access to the traditional grid facilities. There can be a situation that you have a dream property, but it is too far from the boondocks to get connected to the grid. You may be forced to live in a gird-less area, mud village or the similar place because you are very poor. There are some religious communities that eschew modern conveniences. There can be any reason for the absence of traditional grid, but you should know all strategies to survive under all circumstances.

To Reduce the Ecological Impact

People may choose to live off grid to minimize the ecological impact of the grid. It is essential to do this to reduce the carbon footprint and make it easy for the earth to recover from everything done to it. Any natural incident, such as flood or earthquake may make it necessary to live off grid.

Avoid the Cost of Traditional Utilities

It is not easy to get the benefits of all utilities because you have to pay with your hard earned money. Sometimes, the traditional utility connections may cost more, and the rich people of the area prefer to have their own resources of water, electricity and sewerage. This may happen with an area that is really far from the city, and the rich people of that area can bear the cost of independent utilities.

To Reduce the Cost of Utility Bills

You may prefer to live off-the-grid to lower your utility bills. The people often live off grid to save money and become autonomous. It still requires huge investment, such as you may have to bear the cost of battery replacement while saving money on utility bills.

To Check the Status of your Independence

The people often go off the grid with a thought to check either they have sufficient services to live in the absence of traditional utilities. It is one of the most rational reasons to know either you are ready to survive in the absence of traditional grid. It will give you a reality check about your reliance on the traditional utilities. You can be a survivalist or an average person to make some important arrangements to take care of your siblings in a disaster.

For the Entertainment of an Intelligent Mind

If you think that you have a great reliance on electronic gadgets, then you can test yourself how you can survive without them. If you have an intelligent mind with electronic and mechanical knowledge, you must go off the grid to practically apply your knowledge of the actual situations. It will really help you to know either you can successfully have an alternative to live without all facilities.

Reduce your National Dependence

It is one of the major reasons to go off the grid because some scarce resources are really expensive, and you have to work hard to manage them. In the 2007 and 2007, the economy of the world suffers from disgust because of the oil prices. The situation can be even more worsening in the future; therefore, you should get ready to face any situation. You can take revenge by boycotting oil and fossil fuels. With a reliable alternative in hand, you will be able to do this.

You can also go off the grid to imply go green slogan. The political influence and wealth is making the world a worst place to live in. It will be one of the best reasons to save the world from the bad things and happenings.

Survival and Sense of Accomplishment

Though it’s not possible to live in this world without the national grid, but when there is any disaster or collapse, there can be several problems that could arise. It is very important for you to learn and mange survival techniques without national grid, for that purpose the most vital solution is to go off the grid. It would be a good solution if you learn to build a tiny house, a cottage in the knolls or a small cabin. Once made the decision it may give you a sense of achievement, and you may feel reliant over your decision and be ecstatic about living in odd circumstances.

Freedom and Happiness

You may want to provide freedom for your family by becoming debt free because the burden of debts can crush the comfort of your family. Without this burden, you can learn to live a happy life while making your family comfortable. The happiness is connected to true freedom because a life without stress can save you from various health problems. By living off the grid, you can remove the burden of utility bills, mortgage payments, car bills, etc. It helps you to learn a simple, easy and happy life other than most of the people around the world.

The reasons to live off the grid may range from philanthropic to egocentric, from biased to ecological and from monetary to biological. Regardless of the reasons for living off the grid, there are some realities that force you to live off the grid.

Prepare to Go Off Grid

Sometimes, you may go off the grid because you have money to have your own utilities. The installation of independent utilities may take some time, and during this period, it will become necessary for you to change your lifestyle. You may have to change your regular routine, learn technical things and arrange some important things to make your survival possible.

You should learn to save energy and make some off-grid changes in your social and regular routines. If you are living in a traditional grid community, then you should find some ways how to live in the places without these grids. You should be able to adapt some cultural delicacies of the new community. It is important to develop an attitude of green living, and off grid community.

If you are not able to own a land, and have a complete dependence on other people for your way of life, then you can go off the grid to reduce your dependence on other people. It can be easy for you to go off the grid living style.

You should start saving money because to start a life without national grid, you may have to find some alternatives for water, food, power supply, shelter and sewerage.

Benefits of Living off the Grid

In order to save some money and reduce the costs of electricity bills and other utilities, you can get the benefits of off the grid living. You can do some small, but beneficial projects by living off the grid, such as you can generate a hybrid solar system to reduce your dependence on the national electricity grid. It will help you to arrange some power for emergency lights, run your TV, computer and refrigerator.

In short, you can do a lot more things while living off the grid. It will help you to become an expert to converse energy and reduce your cost of living. Although it is good to go off the grid, but it is quite important to know that you can’t completely go off the grid. You can drive a car with off the grid resource, but you will drive on the grid road to go to school, market or church. All your off grid gears may require the support of on the grid resources, such as roads and fossil fuels. You can generate electrical power, but you will see the TV programs from on the grid source. The money you earn to get the off the grid resources has often come from the grid-dependent career. It can be true up to some extent that the life without grid is not possible in some areas, but you still get the benefits of off the grid living.

Chapter 02: 3 Tips for Conservation while Living off the Grid

It is really good to live off the grid, but in the reality, it will bring some dramatic changes in your life. If you want to go off the grid, it is important to do some rehearsing before practically doing it. You should learn how to conserve energy and other resources. This will help you in a variety of ways, such as you can reduce your utility bills, judge the minimal needs by using alternative power system and it help you prove that you are sincere in your efforts to make a difference instead of just projecting a virtuous image to astonish your peers. It is really hard to talk about conservation of energy and resources without considering buzzwords, such as greenhouse gases, global warming and carbon footprint. Lots of Americans have no ideas about the carbon footprint, and this word will be surely replaced with another one.

Carbon footprint is typically known as a set of greenhouse gas emanations caused by the different activities, products and institutes. Your own share of carbon footprint can directly affect your lifestyle and actions in terms of CO2 emission. An average person may produce almost 40,000 pounds of CO2 and this share can greatly affect the global warming system. While working on the conservation of energy, it is important to reduce your utility bills and your share of carbon footprint. If you are building your own house, then you can contribute your efforts by changing your building plans. Fortunately, there are some tips that will help you to reduce your utility bills and other resources.

Tip 01: Landscaping to Save Water

Plant some shade trees on the right locations around your home to keep yourself cool in summer. It will help you to reduce the use of energy and ultimately utility bills. With the help of landscaping, you can conserve water, and following are some ideas for it:

Planning and designing should be based on the climate of your region. You should select appropriate plants that can easily flourish in the climate of your area. Limit the implantation of grass that needs heavy water or you can even quit this idea to have grass.

It is important to work on the improvement of soil, and tries to increase the capacity of soil to absorb the moisture. The soil is important for the good health of plants to nourish them and provide everything required for their better health. It is significant to install the watering system before tilling and grading.

Determine the irrigation of water according to the actual needs of the plants while determining the evapotranspiration rate (ET rate). The information about the ET rate can be obtained from the local services. Change your water irrigation time, such as you can do it in the morning to get the benefits of low evaporation rate. You can use sprinklers with an ability to throw big drops.

It is important to save Water while doing other chores, such as while taking a bath, it will be good to use shower because it will help you to save money. You can use a dishpan to rinse pans while quickly applying soapy water. The people often waste lots of water while brushing teeth and washing hands, but you should be careful while using water.

Tip 02: Energy Efficient Appliances

If you want to save energy, then you have to be very careful while buying new appliances. Check the guide labels to know either these appliances are energy efficient. Try to compare different models of the similar product. You can get the help of department of energy to know the energy efficiency of the new appliances.

You should check the energy efficient features of different models, such as water heaters, refrigerators, dishwashers, air conditioner, washing machines, furnaces and heat pumps. There can be some differences in the efficiency of appliances to save energy. Some may save a little more, such as kitchen appliances, cloth dryers, microwave ovens and other models.

You can see the ENERGY STAR on the product to identify more energy efficient products. These stars are for the guidance of people to buy energy-efficient products and reduce the emission of assets from your power appliances. Highly efficient appliances may cost more, but these will give you the lifetime benefits by reducing utility bills.

It is important to think rationally before purchasing any electric appliance because the increase in the number of electric appliances can be a reason to increase your utility bills.

Tip 03: Home Improvements

If you want to decrease the utility bills, then it is important to add some insulation while building a new home. The insulating walls and ceilings will cut down your utility and gas bills. The hot water insulation will keep your house hot during winter seasons, while the thermostat can keep your house cool by exhausting the hot air.

You can replace the ordinary windows with argon-filled and thermo pane windows featuring double glaze. Installation of right windows will help you to reduce the heat loss. You can cover the frames of windows with a clear plastic to keep your rooms warm in the hot weather.

It is important to consider the weather conditions because the difference of temperature may cause a crack in the glass. It can also melt plastic between two layers, so be careful about it. Use commercial reflective films to expel heat without blocking the light and view of the window. You can add a canopy on the south-facing window. The drapes and shades will provide a cushion to home against heat and cold.

Select appropriate color to paint your house because it can keep your home hot or cold. In the cold environment, the dark shades work best, but in the warm climate, consider light shades to reflect solar energy.

Change your light bulbs because different alternates are available to save energy the CFL bulbs are 75% more efficient as compared to standard incandescent bulbs. These can last for longer time, and save your money twice during the summer.

If you want to save money, turn down your thermostat because it can save almost three percent energy on a monthly basis. The tip is quite effective to reduce your energy cost.

Chapter 03: 5 Tips to Leave Grid Shelter and have an Alternative

It is quite interesting to know that the people prefer to go off grid, but they select a land for their home based on different factors, such as convenience. They try to find a land in the proximity of Wal-Mart, hospitals, schools, universities and other facilities. Other different factors that off-girders may consider for the perfect building sites are as under:

The good lunar access with south-facing slopes is required for the submissive heating and earth sheltering.  A good sloping angle is important to back the shelter and get access of the wind without any restriction.

Dry, well-drained and stable soil is important with a good supply of water. The favorable climate for the all year is important for your comfort, micro-climate, topsoil conditions for the growth of food and protection from hot sun and heavy winds.

On-site building resources, including trees, sand, rocks, clay, etc. It is important to check the obstructions for the off grid developments. The people prefer to select a place with no pollution and good views.

Tip 04: Temporary Shelters

There are different options to design transient shelters, and these can be quite more comfortable than other conditions experienced by homeless people.

Tents and Soft Shelters

The tents were often used by nomadic people, such as the people of American tribes. Tents are also used by the modern army men, and during disasters, the tents are often used as a reasonable way to give temporary residence to people. The tents are a reasonable choice for independent living within a tight budget. The tents are famous for three major points, such as:

They are economical to use

You can carry them easily from one place to another

Quick and easy setup

Tents are designed from different material, such as nylon and cotton canvas. The nylon materials are a hot selling material because of its light weight and ability to absorb moisture. The nylon materials are coated with different substances, such as polyurethane and silicon. The nylon tents are quite good to use in the moist ambience, but in the dry conditions, the UV radiations, such as sunlight can break down the nylon.  Seasonally inhabited tents may have a better life because these can resist against sunlight for a few more seasons. A permanent nylon tent may not survive for more than a year in the sunlight.

If you are looking for a better and durable option, then the cotton canvas is a durable option to absorb more water. The thread can provide temporary resistance against water for a long period of time. The tents are available in different shapes and sizes, and most of the tents are available with external poles for maximum support in the stormy weather. The tents may be designed with the double-wall and weather resistant material with an increase in the weight. The durable tents often feature bug-screened windows, dual doors and windows with zipper for comfortable living.

Factors to Select a Tent Home

There are some important factors that may help you to select a right tent home for off grid living:

Living Area

While selecting a tent for your off grid living, then it is important to consider the plenty of room for you, your family and other stuff. Keep it in mind that a person requires 60 square feet of the floor space, and by adding some area for other amenities, such as tables, chairs and additional guest. It would be better to consider 120 square feet per person. An additional 40 square foot space is also required for cooking, then the total space can be 160 square feet. You can buy a vertical cabin style tent according to your needs.

Durability

A tent should be able to resist against different weather conditions; therefore, try to buy a tent with strong poles and durable material. The tent should have sealed doors and windows, durable zippers and three-season design. A durable tent can work well with the different weather conditions, and a good tent to entertain all four seasons may be more costly as compared to traditional tent.

Protection from Water

Some tents are often constructed with poor quality without any rain fly, and the waterproof material may not work well in the rainy weather. It is important to carefully select any tent after considering its material. Collect enough information about its condensation for cooking and breathing. You can buy a good quality tent that is designed with breathable and vapor-barrier substance to manage rain and reduce condensation. Try to buy tents with rain fly and dual walls for ultimate protection. It will be good to consider vestibules to change out dirty clothes and shoes in the tent.

Protection from Bugs

While buying tents for off grid living, make sure to have a tent with bug screen on vents, doors and windows. If you are going to live in the area with the Scorpios and centipedes, then it is important to have bug screen on the doors and windows. There are different tent manufacturers offering tents of different sizes and quality. You can visit local stores of sporting goods to buy a tent with all important features.

Tip 05: Recreational Vehicles (RV)

The recreational vehicles are often considered as a motor home, and it is a safe option to live in an enclosed vehicle. The house offers you maximum mobility and protection with considerable living space and comfort. There are lots of recreational vehicles available with different facilities, but some vehicles may lack lots of facilities despite of having a nice look. Following are some categories of the motor homes for your convenience that are:

Class a Motor Home: IT is a commercial home built on a commercial bus, big truck and chassis.

Bus Conversion: A commercial bus is often converted into a vehicle home. These are available with some fancy options.

Class B Camper Van: It is a conventional van with low backside and high roof for riding.

Class C Motor Home: The vans are designed with different compartments and sections. The cab features bed and other entertainment features.

Truck Camper: The compartment is placed on the temporary beds, and has insulated walls, kitchen, heater and a small bathroom. The camper has single walls without frills, and it can help you to get the benefits of customized features. There are lots of other models to entertain different needs of the people.

Features of Recreational Vehicle

If you want to buy a recreational vehicle with all comforts, consider following features to make your off grid living comfortable:

The recreational vehicle should contain beds, a table, and kitchen and storage area to prepare food. Some larger units may contain personal bathroom, refrigerator and cooking areas. These vehicles can be more expensive with living room and master bedroom.

Some RV may contain AC and DC power to use different on-board appliances. Some more expensive units may contain TV, satellite internet and other sections available in a furnished living room.

Recreational vehicles are available with different amenities and various sizes are accessible too. You can select any unit based on your requirements and budget. The cost of RVs may vary between $12,000 and $2 million.

The RV usually contains batteries to supply power to lights, kitchen fan, thermostat, CD player, gas detector, slide-out motor, gas detector, water pump, bathroom fan, 12-volt TV, inverter and refrigerator.

Tips 06: Manufacture Homes and Sheds

The mobile homes are often used in these days constructed in a factory to meet all safety standards and federal guidelines. The homes are designed with constructed panels, such as wall and roof. These pieces are transported together on site with essential kit. The mobile homes are entirely constructed to settle on the site. The cost of homes may vary between $18,000 and $180,000. The homes with additional features and space may cost higher. The house may help you to live completely off the grid.

If you have a limited budget with more plans to live in a temporary house. The sheds are available with pre-construction kits, wood, vinyl, plastic and steel material to place all pre-cuts in the wooden or concrete foundation. At a cost between $1,000 and $4,000, you can set up a shed at least at 288 square feet of living area.

If you want to get a durable shed, try dual walls, insulation, running water and a kitchenette, toilet and adequate ventilation. The people are often concerned with the off gassing of the construction products required in the designing of shed. If you want to design comfortable sheds and homes, then it is important to consider following useful ideas:

If you want to design a durable shed or home, then it is important to select reliable material to use the shed for a long period of time.

The selected shed should be easy to build with easy access to all important tools.

Try to simplify the floor and foundation to make everything easy

Design big doors for easy ways and windows for proper ventilation

There is no need to paint the wood

Be careful about all details and equipped it with all amenities

Keep the frame of the roof flat on the ground

Select cheap windows with charm

Select quick and check skylights and a better way to trim the structure

Tip 07: Green Homes

It is a great concept to load your home with green technologies and material. You can assemble the home at your selected site with all important features. A green home may include the following features:

Water recirculation

Real toilet energy efficient foam insulation

LED lighting

Grass and flower growing roof

Rainwater storage to facilitate landscape irrigation

You will get sufficient power, such as 1.5 kilowatt PV system to run your various appliances and hybrid car. Every feature of the greenhouse has eco-friendly touches and it sounds really great. Living green is quite easy and attractive, but it is absolutely not cheap.

Build your own Green House

It is quite expensive to buy a pre-designed greenhouse, but if you can’t afford it, there is a better option for you. If you have some capital, then you can manage a comfortable house for your own. There is no need to worry about the structural design and building material, but there are some other sources and construction methods that may help you to build your own greenhouse.

Tip 08: Earth Bags

You can use earth bags made of polypropylene material to lay on the flat foundation. The bags can be filled with the moistened mixture to make of sand and clay. The bags are easily available because these are often used in the stores to keep and ship grains.

You can use barbed wires containing four points on the top of each course and secure all strands by layering them together. You can use sand plasters to complete the wall and the thermal mass will provide excellent insulation to the earth bags. You can use different construction method to construct a creative round house.

Lots of other options are also available such as hybrid dwellings, stone and mud house, insulated concrete houses, etc. If you are interested to genuinely live off the grid, then it is important to consider your budget and other circumstances to decide your off-the-grid lifestyle.

Chapter 04: 5 Tips to Generate Power for You while Living off the Grid

If you want to live off the grid without any dependency on the national power grid, then it is important to consider the technological innovation and green power sources. You can generate sufficient amount of power for you by suing different reliable sources, such as solar wind, geothermal, hydro means, generator and conversation. You can save energy cost because different natural power sources are available for you in various forms:

Tip 09: Solar Power Systems

An off-grid solar system utilizes solar energy to produce power for the appliances. The hybrid system is designed to produce solar energy with the combination of solar, wind power and hydro power. The solar system requires different configurations for AC and DC voltage. Almost all systems absorb solar energy and use different methods to harness it. The solar plants often contain different solar photovoltaic cells to absorb the energy from sun and convert it into electricity.

The photovoltaic cells contain semiconductor material to absorb energy and release electrons. The metal contacts on the all sides of the panel can direct the electrons in one direction to create electricity. The current becomes usable for the power devices after combining with the voltage stored in the cells.

Tip 10: Hydropower System

It is quite attractive to produce electricity with the use of falling or moving water. The system is available in various sizes based on the desire and requirements of the energy. The large hydropower systems are available to produce electricity for more than millions of the homes, but with the help of the smaller hydropower system, you can produce enough energy for one house only.

Other than the size of the hydropower system, there are different elements that are similar in all systems. In the first step, you may create a dam to get fastest moving waterfall. A turbine is required because the water propels the blades of the turbine to convert the energy of water in the motorized energy. The turbine requires power to spin, and a generator is connected to the turbine to spin it for the conversion of motorized energy into electrical energy. Finally, the energy is sent to the system and transmission lines to provide energy to homes and other devices. The amount of energy is based on the power of water stream passing through the whole system.

Tip 11: Wind System

The wind energy system requires kinetic energy from wind to convert the energy into electrical energy. It is quite similar to the hydropower system in which the energy is generated from water. The process requires a wind turbine, and it is used at a large scale to get 100 kilowatt or more wind in the system. The perpendicular axis and parallel axis turbines are comprised of different elements, such as a rotor, nacelle, a tower and other essential electronic equipments.

The performance of hydro turbine is based on the rotors to rotate the turbine with the force of wind. The wind spins the rotors and the system produce electricity with the help of wind turbine. The power is then sent to the power lines for home and other uses. The maximum capacity of the turbine is almost 5,000 kilowatts.

Tip 12: Backup Generator

The backup generators are famous to produce almost 3.5 kW hours of electricity after burning a gallon of fuel. The backup generators are commonly used in homes and commercial buildings to generate power. It may cost you almost $1.00 per kW hour or more based on the prices of gasoline. It is quite efficient than other power sources, such as the coal-fired power plant may cost 40% more than the backup generator.

Although, the backup generators are great to get instant energy, but don’t forget to consider carbon footprint. With the use of the generator, your carbon footprint may go three times higher than the coal-fired plant. The size of carbon footprint can be slightly reduced by using propane instead of gasoline. In short, the diesel generator is a utility power plant to conveniently live off the grid.

Tip 13: Energy Conservation

It is not a technical way to produce energy, but it is a useful way to save energy. The energy generation equipment and gears are very expensive, and if you can’t afford all these sources, then you can conserve energy. There are lots of methods to conserve energy and reduce electricity bills, including:

You can use insulations and upgrade the structure of your house

Replace ordinary bulbs and lights with energy savers

Use energy-efficient appliances to save energy

Increase greenery in your landscape to avoid extremely hot weather

These ways will help you to reduce the consumption of energy and utility bills also.

Chapter 05: 9 Tips to Preserve Food and Water while living off of the grid? (Food and Water)

The food stores are full of different kinds of food items, and while visiting these stores, no one even imagine that these things can be scarce one day. If you are interested to live off-the-grid, then it is important to learn the ways to preserve food and water for you’re off grid days.

Preserving Food

If you are going to live off the grid, then it is important to preserve food for you. It will help you to manage your off-the-grid days easily. Following are some easy ways to preserve food items:

Tip 14: Freezing

There are lots of yummy food items that can be frozen up to store them safely. If you are going off the grid during late fall to winter period, then you can pack frozen game and fish. It is important to keep the temperature of the food below 30 degrees to keep your food fresh. It will be good to keep fresh snow and ice in the pond or lake to help you to build an ice house. The ice will increase the life of your food, and slow down the melting process.

Tip 15: Cooling

The longer preservation methods are available, but there are some specific types of food items that are important to keep fresh all the time. The milk, meat and fresh food items can be preserved for a few days by keeping them cool. You can use evaporation based coolers to keep them below 20 degrees temperature. You can design your own evaporation based cooler by following some simple tips:

Take two vessels made of porous material; you can also take unpainted wooden containers. The size of both vessels should be different, such as the one vessel should be easily adjusted on the other to give a support to the inner vessel.

Now place filler between vessels so that both the vessels can hold water. You can use sand, sponges and paper towel as a filler to hold water.

Use fan or a hot location to pull the water quickly from the vessel. The evaporation process will keep the inner vessel cool.

The pump and irrigation drip tube can also be used to replenish water as needed.

Tip 16: Dehydration

It is a specific method to store food, and it is ideal for those looking for low cost and efficient methods to store food items. It is really simple, just prepare the food and cut them in the even sizes. If you want to get the best results, it will be good to prepare food with fresh ingredients. Let the food dry for almost 6 to 12 hours to get the best flavor of food for a longer time. The dry food always tastes good, but with less visual appeal. There are 4 simple ways to dehydrate foods, such as:

Solar method is used for the fruits and vegetables. It is really easy, just put the fruits on a clean surface and leave it in the sun for a few hours.

Heat box is another efficient way to dehydrate the food

Smokehouse is also used at a larger level to dehydrate the food

Electric dehydrator of foods can be some time available to dehydrate food item

Tip 17: Sun Drying Foods

It is an effective way to preserve meat and fish to use them in the off grid period. You have to remove the bruised and infected tissues of the meat. The drying process can reduce the risks of various health problems because the bacteria and fly larva like to grow on the wet surface of the meat. It is really easy to dry the mean with the help of following steps:

Clean the meat and cut it into thin strips

The strips should not be more than 4 inches wide and 10 to 12 inches long.

Cut the score marks from the meat along the length

Skewer can be used to open the different areas of the meat to suspend on the rack or rope to dry

Off the Grid Cooking

Going off the grid means no gas connection to cook food; therefore, you should have your own alternatives to cook food. Following are some methods to cook off the grid:

Tip 18: Wood Ovens and Rocket Stoves

If you want to cook off the grid, then you can get the benefits of wood fired cook stoves, Dutch oven, charcoal fuel stove and volcano stove. These stoves offer you an alternative and off grid ways to cook food. In this way you can conserve energy, and reduce your utility bills.

Tip 19: Hobo Stove (Mixed fuel Choices)

If you are looking for a variety of fuel options, then the tin can charcoal stove, buddy burner, sterno stoves and box ovens can be used. A classic charcoal stove is available to prepare food. The buddy burner is another option to cook food items while spending your off the grid days.

Preserve Water

Life without water is absolutely impossible because the water is always required for the different chores and activities. If you are going off the grid, then it is important to store water in a safe tank to drink and for other uses. Following are some tips to preserve water:

Tip 20: Source of Water (Cistern)

A reliable source of water is absolutely important for you; therefore, it is important to have a larger barrel to collect water in it. The rainwater can be a great source to collect free water. You can buy a storage tank with the capacity of thousands of gallons. Locate an area with maximum rains and build your own system to collect rain water in your water barrel.

Tip 21: Filtration System

Filtration system is an important part of your regular life because the rain water and any other water is not able to drink without filtering it. You should have a reliable filtration system to filer rain, river and stream water before drinking it. Water on the ground well is also unhealthy to drink without filtering it because the harmful containments in the water can pollute it. By drinking this water without filtering it, you may suffer from various diseases.

Tip 22: Cover your Stored Water

If you are planning to store rain water, or water from any other source, it is quite important to adopt some important measures. The stored water can be evaporated by sunlight; therefore, always keep your wells and water tanks covered in the sunny days to avoid evaporation. You can use your dishes more than one time without washing them. There is no need to frequently apply oil in your hair because it will require more water to rinse your hair after using shampoo.

Chapter 06: Tips to Learn Alternative Ways to Leave the Grid Sewerage

If you are going to live off the grid, then it is time to cut off from city water and sewer line. If you are looking for an off the grid sewer line, then you can install a septic system:

Tip 23: Septic System

The system is basically based on a large metal tank to collect and release wastewater. The bacteria in the tank can spoil everything, but the system can automatically separate the bacteria in the scum layer, bottom and middle layer of the liquid. The new water flow system in the tank flows out through perforated pipes and the water is released in the nearest drain field. The soil serves as a natural biological filter to keep the harmful bacteria away. For your safety, it is important to empty the tank for professional service at least once in a year.

Composting Toilets

It is a warm and well-ventilated container free from microbes that can create dry and odorless compost. The composting toilets may consist of:

A comfortable place to sit

A composting chamber

An evaporation tray

Chapter 07: Living off the Grid Challenges

Living off the grid means living away from all grid facilities, such as electricity, water, sewage, food, fastest communication and lots of other amenities. If you are ready to deal with all stress and tensions, then you have to prepare for it in advance. People often arrange electricity, water, food and other utilities, but forget about the challenges that they will face during their off grid stay. Following are some challenges that you should consider while going off the grid:

Change your Mind

Most of the people go off the grid for various reasons, but moving off the grid is absolutely a brave decision. It may look nice initially, but with the passage of time, you will come to know that it is really difficult to stay away from all traditional utilities. The public will not support your decision, and you have to completely alter your mind to prepare it for off grid living because you are used to live with all facilities.

You are Going to be Isolated

The off-grid places are very rural places, and you will become very lonely for most of the times. You may have to travel a lot for various social activities, and in various circumstances, you may refrain from traveling. Various times, it can be really stressful to live without your friends in an isolated space. You may have to deal with serious consequences for this isolation.

All Activities will become Difficult

In the off grid living, there will be no air condition, refrigerator, gas stove and microwave oven to cook food. These all simple tasks will become really difficult for you in the absence of all appliances. You may have to cook food on a camp stove, store food in manual refrigerator and preserve food items using old means.

There are lots of other things that can be difficult for you to manage alone; therefore, it is important for you to consider all circumstances and consequences before going to live off grid.

Conclusion

Off grid living means living offline from all traditional utilities. There are various reasons for people to live off the grid, such as to manage scarce resources, reduce electricity bills, and evaluate the power of their brain and many other reasons. While off grid living, it is important for you to learn different strategies to manage different things without all facilities. This will be a great practice, and you can be able to manage different, unusual circumstances, such as flood, earthquake and various other reasons. If you want to live a life off the grid, you should learn important strategies to cook, store and preserve food, water and energy without traditional sources.

You may need to learn how to produce independent electricity, stove, sewage system and different other systems. Off the grid living will make you strong and decrease your dependency on natural resources. It will prove helpful to reduce utility bills and save more money by trying different practical methods to survive in different circumstances. You have to learn different methods to conserve water and food to deal with the future scarcity of various facilities.

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