My husband and I have been watching your videos for around a month now. We just wanted to drop by and tell you how much we have learned from you and how much we enjoy watching your videos. We bought 30 acres in the mountains of North Carolina. A lot of the things you go over, we are going through now. Please keep uploading your videos and thank you for your willingness to teach us.

Great info. I admit I have been overwhelmed by the idea of solar and this looks a great starter for a newbie. Worth looking into. Thanks!

Another great source for free power is a wind turbine for those non-sunny days. I'm sure you get plenty of wind in your location. Nice part is as long as the wind is blowing you can even charge at night. And you can switch off as needed. You could get a ready made and just put it up or DYI Like I did. The main style is a horizontal type and you see them all over. I have 2 vertical turbines and I used tread mill motors for the generators The turbine itself I used the squirrel cages from a old furnace. Less moving parts cause they catch the wind from all directions where horizontal have to turn in to the wind. Just another idea that will keep you both from being in the dark.

Thank you for sharing this video, I am planning on going off the grid and I'm glad I watch your video before doing anything.

Hey guys good video. I'm an electrical eng, any time you need advice drop us a line. Happy to help. Just for everyone out there, 7amps @ 12v = 84W. Not bad from two little panels. Just one thing from your video. The cables you have installed on the batteries look to be undersized. Batteries are nasty and this is the point you don't want to undersize your cables. Batteries have no short circuit current protection which means unlimited amps. Ooooch. Also volt drop is your enemy when down at 12/24/48V DC systems. You go to all the trouble to generate voltage then throw it away through resistance in the cables. That's why you need to get these properly sized, easy to do when you know the basics. Sorry for the lecture intentions are good........

iv been watching you guys for a long time and Im glad you have kept up with your homesteading project. keep up the good work

I think most people feel they need to acquire a massive solar system, or get the absolute most efficient one possible straight out of the gate. People need to understand these systems are expandable , or, like this system, a " beginner set". You'll probably always have a use for it, even if just sporadically. I really enjoy your videos, you're really down to earth, with good humor- and you're just a darned cute couple! :-) BTW, the hot tub looks awesome! Nice view of your property. Looking forward to more, take care!

The year...2016, the challenge...living off grid. Wow....look at all the products to assist our adventure. Makes sense that there would be lots of gadgets available to help in a off grid living scenario. We were supposed to have flying cars by now! I would hope there would at least be a free energy option. Great video guys...Meow kitties!

great video, the same thing happened with us. We thought it was going to be way more complicated then it actually was. We are using just one panel and one battery in our shipping container home and its working great!

Hi Jesse & Alyssa, This is Rodger from Missouri. I have watched only two of you KZfaq videos, but already see you are living the life I wanted back in the 70's. Yes I'm an old-timer, and recently retired. Now I'm living the life I wanted 45 years ago. So glad you are enjoying it now. Love the two video I have watched, I subscribed to your channel and blog and look forward to watching and learning more. Rodger

Great video! I hope you do another one when you decide to use and build that larger battery bank system on your property. Thanks for sharing.

Aw geez~gotta love that! We are in almost the exact same situation, actually have been putting it off for so long, gone way far down SO many rabbit trails on the whole thing etc etc, it just got overwhelming and we shelved it to give our brains and veins a rest! i can hear the at so familiar incredulous edge in your voice as you share this info:) Point taken, moving on with this, thanks a great big whole lot and...well, carry on soldiers! Kind of you to share, appreciate the honesty btw

Good for you. My wife and I lived for 20 yrs off grid on our 44 foot sailboat. With Solar , wind and occasional engine driven alternator. ( like a car would charge a battery). The other side of the equation is of course very hi- efficiency ( low) loads. Check out marine refrigeration. Some are super efficient. Especially when you make your own extra well insulated box. Of course another way to go with refrigeration is propane. And the new LED lights are amazing. If you get any decent wind anywhere on your grounds, there are some great wind generators out there too. Good luck.

Hi, you mentioned checking the polarity while using the connectors, but these are Anderson connectors, which are great for DC because you can not connect them the wrong way round... I've got them on DC system in my LandCruiser and they rock!! Keep up the video's and the blog!

I could KISS you. You just de cluttered my brain my life AND my budget. thank you for this insane simple setup video finally someone who speaks COMMON SENSE

The best part about this sort of thing is that you can expand it as needed. One to top off the RV. One to top off the battery bank. One for the hot tub etc. That way if one system goes down you don't lose everything. The portability is great! I'm not the most technical guy so the easy connectors are a big plus for me

wow i like how far you two have come on in life

considered one of these before myself . but basically had the same fears . its too small to do what I think it needs it to do thus wont give enough power for my needs . well thanks for the feedback on this as it means now I can take another look at what my power needs are and will this again work as it just might after all . thanks again

Wow 7 amps? These things are getting better every day.

Great show! Thank you! Beats using my Champion genset and white gas lamp!

awesome!!! Great move to solar. That WAY easier than I thought too.

I'm a UPS technician. Newly hired, it's making me start to really like electricity. I learned a lot beyond my navy training.

Exactly what we were thinking and why we put solar off. Glad we weren't alone. Great video. So you have a link to where you bought the suitcase panel?

Wow! I can't wait to see how it works out for you over time.

awesome - a hot tub! definitely something I'd want off grid.

i love your videos. you two are wonderful and beautiful people. one day i hope i can gain the courage to plunge off grid. looking forward to manny more videos thanks for giving us all the helpful pointers and advice.

You can call companies on the phone and they will design a system for you. Backwoods solar is located in Sandpoint Idaho, not sure where you're at. Go to the shop, ask questions, save money. It's great that you got your solar up and running and hopefully that panel thing pays for itself over time, but much cheaper options are available and you can literally call a company and they will work with you over the phone to design a system.

I have two small panels on my boat I only use them when I have been out in the boat using power a ten hour trip with all my instruments on only need two day to put full power back in batterie and that is days of only seven hours,, Great stuff would not want to be without them now, Cheers, Pete

Not to mention it is much quieter. You can hear the birds chirpping now, and the crickets cricking. Do they Crick? Whatever that sound is that they make in the evening. Glad your light came on.

I bought the Renogy 100 watt portable suitcase unit ( $279 Amazon) for about half the price of the GoPower 120 unit ($569) After our 110 day RVing trip to Alaska this summer, I can say the unit paid big dividends. Just enough power to keep the RV's single group 29 battery charged up.

Priorities are important....hot tub before house....l like it!!!

I see you have a shelterlogic portable garage. I suggest adding a white heavy duty tarp over the top of that. We put a 24x24 tarp from home depot ($99) that is white for its reflective nature and uv resistant. we pulled the ends inside around the original cover and secured it inside with ratchet straps to the frame. Along the bottom we stretched a rope and then wove shock cord from the rope to the tarp. The stock cover will last only about 2 years before it succumbs to uv damage and rips along the frame ribs. This mod will make it last indefinitely. At least 5 years then change the white tarp for another 5. Let me know how and I could send you some pictures.

Because of the high price of the electricity in Puerto Rico and the latest event I'm going on solar sistem combine with a power generator and an occasional light power from the state. But looking forward to an off the grid sistem. Your videos have help me a lot and as soon as I go with it I will make a video and send it to you. Thanks.

Have to watch this again so I can get all the info. I'm older so didn't grow up with all these modern technical devices. This would be a great start for me to power my laptop. It's really all I need when the sun goes down. Thanks for posting this great info. I subbed and liked.

Great! Thanks, great video. going to buy one of these...I like the legs it has especially.

really love your channel, We just retired and well start traveling soon, we are going to be living in a converted dodge van, we well be totally off grid, my question, do you leave the panel out all the time ? well the rain damage the voltage controller? what is your average output and what is your usage and do the panels keep up with your usage?

GREAT!!!Thanks for the advice looking to do my shed!!

$540? For 120w! (At the amzn link.) Charge controller would be $30 on the high end of prices. Current assembled solar panel with frame delivered goes for about $1/w so $150 for panels and controller. Then another $410 for the hinges, handle, legs and wire clamps. Duck tape is $5 you can tape the charge controller on and use a stick to prop the panel and then buy a really good clamp for $400 or less and save yourself $10 or a whole lot more depending on how little gold/silver your clamp contains.

This looks it would be a good beginning solar system. As others have warned you make sure those barries are fully charged at least once a week. Wouldn't you to find a dead battery with a few cells gone. :) Good video, glad you two are doing well it looks like you are really making good use of that hot tub :)

Hi you 2 people you are doing great, and Thanks fore shearing , Nice to se the way you are walking together I love That...and when it comes to solar, thats the way to go....I am making a Solar Powered e-Trike and thats a challenge to .....but I want just the same as you, just making it mobile an with a system that goes to a 100 ore even 250v and then go down from there to the volt that I need ...because the panels does not all the time give you full power, when the clouds are out .... then you just get a small amount volt and amp...... I'll charge some Super Cap raided to 250V ore higher ...They have to be raided. to the max V that you panel can deliver without load ( open circuit V ), ....and take the power from them and make the volt I need with a converter, that can go from high V and way below the volt that the panels are producing ....and.....because it is Super Cap..... they can easily go down to 0 V without getting damaged as battery does, This way I can get much more "just" out off the same solar panels even with a clouded sky......Have fun and an good life, my the Sun be with you......POWER TO The People...Best to All ...JT Denmark DK

One comment about solar I haven't seen that's useful for those on a tight budget, there are several electronic surplus/odd lots web sites (The Electronic Goldmine is one for example) where you can get solar panels/cells for a much discounted price, some may have cosmetic defects (chipped edges, etc..) that doesn't affect performance, and some where you have to solder leads to them which isn't very hard with a little practice with a soldering iron. A couple important items here though is you must get a charge controller (if one isn't supplied) so not to over charge storage batteries if used, and also most plain Jane solar panels does not come with a blocking Diode. This is important to keep storage batteries from discharging at night back through the solar cell. A good resource for these items is Amazon.com if surplus sites don't have them.

Good vid. Hope to post my own soon as well. Your water system will be a good watch as well.

From UK narrow boat experiences, 200w of solar will satisfy a couple's solar for six months per year if they are electrofrugal. However winter solar is usually no more than 10% of the panels rated power due to short days and low sunlight levels. In all cases a MPPT controller will get about 25% more power into the same battery from the same panels -just drastically more efficient (useful in winter!) Installations in the order of 1000w -2000w permit a full electric life in summer -microwave cooker, induction hob etc. That big battery bank could well eat up 5A continuous charge current to match it's self discharge -it will need a bigger panel array. Inverters running off a 12v battery are OK to about 1000w but the current starts to demand expensive fat copper wires. Beyond the 1000w inverter do consider 24 or 48v then you could start to use mains power tools in the summer. The boater's nightmare is that in summer you have too much solar electricity but in winter with long evenings you usually struggle to manage with the restricted solar output,

good practical video thanks

That protable solar panels can store ~ 250wattshour of energy to the battries per day. For a 25watts LED bulb you can use it for 10 hours.

I have been researching solar for our RV, reading books, reading on line info. So nervous to go forward. What you have is exactly what I've been looking for, but was afraid it would be to difficult. Who makes your portable, what's it called.... must have. Thanks for the video.

I recommend if your going to live there full time forget the solar kits. They work fine but generally are very small in capacity. The only way to go solar is think long term start out with solar panels that output a minimum of 240 watts per panel with the initial installation funds permitting of a least 480-500 watts. Look at the terrain where you have it installed now. You can always update it later but try to mount the panels where with a servo driven mount computer controlled based on position of the sun it rotates the panel mount to get as much sun as possible. An old solid axle from a pickup purchased at a junkyard with the differential just above the hole you dug to insert half the axle into gives you an easy rotation point you use an scrap wheel that fits the exposed brake assembly to mount the solar array frame, it also makes it easier later to remove the solar frame mount to update and add more panels later you just have to keep it balanced, could either do automatically or attach a handle to the input shaft on the differential you simply rotate the solar panel array a couple of times a day to keep harvesting power near max capacity. Or install a small motor with the manual control next to the charge controller so you simply turn a switch to rotate the array to pickup more sunlight. A 12 volt used starter motor hooked up to two old manual transmissions with both transmissions locked in reverse gear ( lowest numerical gear ratio ) so you can without spending a lot of money have a manual to be updated later to automatic rotation to get max sunlight at all times of the day to your solar panels. Ok I type too much but your on the right path solar is the way to go instead of burning fuel to generate power use the fuel that never stops burning. Sunlight.😎😎😎😎 Just remember safety first foremost and always the lower in voltage you go the thicker the cable required to prevent overheating and fire. We all started by talking baby steps. You two just were born as to solar power. There is if you have Internet access at your home a ton of information about solar power so rule number one for a carpenter is " measure twice cut once " in your case research research research the discussion should ensue on solar chat rooms to take advantage of people who have already been there done that. Right here on KZfaq do a search for solar power DIY installs and comment to people who have systems up and running. Everybody makes mistakes so take advantage of theirs as 99% of solar power owners love to pass on how to make it right. Keep plugging away ( isn't that the idea? ) I tend to ramble as the ideas flow but if you read to the end they usually show what I'm trying to convey.

Classic -- I never thought about portable Solar except for the ones for hiking which take a day to charge a portable battery bank for your cell phone. Awesome -- thanks !!!

Realistically, all solar systems these days are plug and play. Buy (4) 100 watt Renogy panels, a 40A charge controller, an inverter, and some batteries. Daisy-chain your batteries, hook up the 2 power wires to the charge controller, hook up the 2 wires from the solar panels, and connect your power inverter to your batteries. Done. It takes about 30 minutes to hook up a basic solar system. The Renogy 400 watt kit is $779.99 plus inverter, by the way. Don't go cheap on the inverter. Get an AIMS 3000 watt inverter, so you'll have plenty of capacity. That adds $750 to the cost. So, $1500 plus batteries for a system that could potential power an entire house without needing a generator. Me, I use much less electricity than most people. I have just 1 100 watt panel and a single 135Ah battery. It lasts for days if there's no sunlight.

This is great. Someone else asked about price point, that would be helpful. I'm slowly collecting things for my transition, and this will be one more item on the list. Thanks for being pioneers.....

Solar can be daunting but a little research pays off - lots of great videos on KZfaq such as those by channel AltE. To learn I built a "demo" solar system consisting of two used 120 watt Kyocera panels from eBay for $200 delivered, a $20 PWM charge controller a small set of AGM batteries I got for fire-sale prices from a local battery place that was going out of business.

Great video. Found you via Pinterest. Hoping to do some Solar panels down the road myself. :) & you got a new sub. :)

may be a little late on here, but my wife and I use the internet pretty much all day to run our business so we need a constant internet source... after looking at my internet router i realized that the router takes 12v. 0.5a? i think? anyways so i just cut the plug off of the adapter and wired the router directly to the battery. It's been working great for a few months now! haven't noticed any voltage loss in the battery, since it doesn't have to scale up the power to 110v and then back down to 12volts. and it doesn't seem to hurt the router when I'm charging the battery at w/13.8volts :)

I really like your videos.. Thanks for taking the time to make them.

I subbed. I'm a minimalist. I live in a city now in an owned house but we plan to buy land and go off grid. I want to set up a nice small house for us but I want land to hunt and fish and build my own personal house like a survivalist would. I want to use all low tech for everything including heating and cooling, refrigeration, hot running water, waste disposal system, all can be done with no electricity.

The portable panels doesn't has the electronics exposed to the weather. Don't think this would last unless you had some way to cover it over but then again if it is raining or snowing they don't charge much anyway so you can fold it up and take it inside.

Awesome video and welcome in the solar world, I have 2 tips for you, first eq your batteries each month with a proper charger that runs off the generator, it will expand the lifetime of the batteries, second, contact you isp if it possible to feed 12v into your internet antenna, so much energy is wasted if the inverter is on just to power the interrnet (from 12v to 110 to 12/24 volt), keep up the good work ;)

Hey yall I would love to do solar some day on our homestead.But we dont hold a job we live off our homestead completely.I like the simplicity of this one but I will have to wait.Just wanted to let you know i just read your story in Mother Earth Magazine .I admire what your doing but your lifestyle tells me you have and outside income.Which is ok with me we bite the bullet and gave up the working on a public job and all the luxuries of this life like cell phones,cable tv ,ect. Thanks for putting up your videos.

This is the correct way to use solar, as part of a modular power system. He uses it as an auxiliary to his main power source. In remote areas, add 2 more modules to maximize juice production: wind and human/animal power.

Enjoyed your video... Thanks for posting.

Some off-grid people add a few of those small 400 watt wind turbines to a small solar panel setup. Mother Earth news just had an article on solar heating of water. Check into that issue, Jesse and Alyssa are in the Aug-Sept issue!

Very nice! Great video.

I've always wondered - how do people who are homesteading have internet? I understand the solar, but if you live out in the middle of nothing (rural) what kind of internet do you have? I assume you're using DSL, but that has a range limit so I'm wondering how you got the ISP to run it out that far?

Interesting, please keep us updated. Thanks and God Bless

good to keep batteries out of your rv (I had a battery blow up at 10 pm and acid was all the compartment,I used baking soda to neutralize the acid )

Thanks dude. Great information.

Cheers mate, that's reasonable, and a good backup for an emergency.

Good job folks!

I really like your video, there is some much information, that I am overwhelm. you are doing what will be doing in a year. I have been trying to figure out how to keep my AC going . I just don't know how much solor panels to buy, or a battery bank. my generator that I'm going to buy will be Yamaha 6300. my trailer is on a 30 amp, my AC is 13,500 my fridge is 300 , do you have any thoughts on this matter? thank you

I have a small scale hook-up (200 watts on a good day) I agree with slightlybent47 Battery's are expensive and require regular maintenance. Ad the cost of a controller and inverter system and the cost for larger applications goes way up.

Did you know that you can use your car as a power generator if needed? I hooked up my portable jump starter with a built in power inverter to my cars battery then hooked up an extension cord to my 48" TV. There was a power outage and I was missing a football game so I came up with this solution and I was able to watch the entire game while the car was idling. Of course your inverter will have to be rated for the appliance your trying to operate.

They make Solar panels that can mount on RVs that can supply all of your electrical needs!! The Solar panels can keep the Rv's Battery charged and supply electricity for all of your devices!! Some small Solar portable panels you can mount to racks, poles, etc to mark them semi-permanent and to get them in a better position to get a better sun angle when the sun is shining and thus be more efficient. Also by mounting them temporarily to a rack, pole etc, it makes them harder to knock over in windy conditions, and also make it less likely someone will trip over them by raising them up higher off the ground.

Great result my friend.....

Just added you. Thank you for the videos!

I also like the idea of portable DIY solar generators.

Well folks....houses typically get about 7kW (7 kilowatts) need for power for a full "American wasteful lifestyle".....7 kilowatts=7 thousand watts. A good "suit case 100 watt" system for a trailer.....ANY trailer is much more than one needs for active traveling, etc. to keep batteries charged. Most people get away with a good 25 Watt traveler. The Kit mentioned in this video.....is about 2-3 times value or what it should cost. This little panel/inverter (DC/Direct Current to AC/Alternating current) system would be a good-great value today at $250.

Would love if you could do a video explaining your running costs! Just walking through what you spend?

For what you spent on that little folding system you could have gone to Harbor Freight and bought a few $139.00 kits instead. They are great and come with everything, even two bright LED light, plus HF even sells sealed jell cell 12V batteries that don't need any maintenance and you can even store them inside without any ventilation since they don't release any dangerous gases.

great job congratulations

Very Exciting! That's got to save lots of hassle in constantly dealing with gen. set !! That's a unit you can have for standby later too, even after you get a larger PV system at a later time. Congrats! We've just pulled the trigger on a decent sized solar array (7.8kW) for combination Grid-tie, backup and off-grid. Anxious to get it up and running. Although since we have grid power anyway, it won't change how we use power, but only lower energy costs now, while providing backup for when the grid is attacked or otherwise disrupted.

Thanks for sharing. God bless

got this on boat. any thoughts on a cooling device and dehumidifier that works off solar.

Awesome thank you for the great video

Nice! For future battery use, check out Jehu Garcia, and HB Powerwall. they have awesome channels on reclaiming old "dead" laptop batteries for a power bank. Cheap, light, large capacity, and works for a long time, you can use your current solar setup. Id love to have the time for it!

where do I purchase this unit?????????????????

What good are solar panels when the sun goes into grand solar minimum and when volcanic ash fills the sky as well? Just thinking how anyone can survive what's coming when going off grid will be next to impossible.

hello how does the solar connect to the RV I know you have an inverter but how does the connection for your lights and refrigerator work

Ingots are processed from polysilicon and acts as the intermediate stage between polysilicon and wafers.

You could include a little wind turbine generator in your electrical system.

Good video-worthwhile information

I almost clicked away when the "95 years young" thing commercial came on..

Where were all these smarty-pants 10 months ago? It's an adventurous learning process. You will enjoy exploring heating water with the sun. Using hot water bottles under your covers to keep warmer at night while using less fuel. Arizona Iced Tea Gallon containers work extremely well... Cooking with the sun also. Sportsman's guide .com has a great solar panel, " Crystalline Solar Panel, 165 Watt" it works very well and they have a 4 pay plan.

I noticed this was posted in July. Did you run your AC with it or now Heat?

How long before you see a positive ROI on the cost of the solar panel? That is, how long will you have to go fuel free before you have saved enough to offset the costs?

Do you think that same unit would work well on the roof of a land rove?, and, do you think the components on the back are pretty hardy.

where did you get the portable panels and the batteries are they a 6 volt or 12 volts

Hi I have a question, I know nothing about solar, but I know I want one like yours. But where can I learn how it all works? can you recommend a channel or book for someone who knows nothing? : ) thank you and I have enjoyed your channel so much, I am looking into getting land. thank you for your inspiration. : D

whats the plastic container that was being placed in the ground with the backhoe.?..is it for water or waste ..thanks nice video.

Can you do a video about off grid internet and how you got it set up?

Amazing video!!!