You think you're ready to ditch the modern world for going off-grid and create a life of pure, unadulterated freedom? Welcome to the world of going off-grid, where your biggest daily decision might just be whether to use the compost toilet or the great outdoors. 1. Assess Your Needs and Location: The Great Escape Plan First off, let’s talk about what you think you need … [Read more...] about Going Off-Grid: A Hilarious Survival Guide
Power
Exploring the Thrill of the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour
From Homestead to Arena Exploring the Thrill of the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour I had the opportunity to attend my first Professional Bull Riders (PBR) Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour when the show had a stop in Birmingham, Alabama. As part of a sold-out crowd in Birmingham’s Legacy Arena we watched an amazing show of skill and tenacity. The Professional Bull … [Read more...] about Exploring the Thrill of the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour
Solar Power Finale: Inverters
I realize at a few points in this solar-power series, I have said a component is absolutely essential to the system. While this may seem hyperbolic, in actuality, it is because most parts of the system I outline are truly essential to its success. While this next component may not be technically essential to collect and store power, it does serve the purpose of making that … [Read more...] about Solar Power Finale: Inverters
Battery Types for your At-Home Powerplant
If you’ve stuck with us this far concerning solar-powered setups, congratulations! If not, perhaps consider going back to review the other articles on solar systems that have brought us here. This week, we’re continuing the series with a discussion of batteries, the primary source of power storage for your system. While they’re heavy, expensive, and can be a real pain, … [Read more...] about Battery Types for your At-Home Powerplant
Charge Controllers
So, you’ve selected a sunny place, laid your panels and fastened them down. Next, you ran all the wiring and hooked them all together into one clean, combined unit. From here, you decide all you need to do is wire in the battery! After all, sun shines on panels, panels emit energy, energy is stored in the battery, right? While that is in some senses true, unfortunately it is … [Read more...] about Charge Controllers
