Ive been deep in the planning stage for a while now and keep hearing the same advice online, but I’d rather hear from people actually living it.

What’s something that surprised you once you were actually out there good or bad? Could be power, water, weather, maintenance, isolation, costs, wildlife, neighbors… anything.

Trying to get a more realistic picture before I commit further. Appreciate any honest takes.

Thinking about angling my website to include off grid living/camping/home rennovations set up- rather than purely ‘prepared for emergencies’ vibe. What do you think needs to change to hit this different note?

Been off-grid a few years now on some land in the countryside in Argentina. Small place, solar, well pump, fridge and freezer.

First battery bank I put in was way too small. Figured the sun is strong here so a day and a half would cover me. Winter and a stretch of cloudy days proved me wrong fast. Ended up running the generator a lot and lost some food once when everything died.

Now I’m using around 7-8 kWh a day and running a lithium bank that actually lasts. Gives me a couple solid days without sun before things get tight. Still have a small generator as backup but I almost never need it anymore.

Main thing I learned the hard way: don’t cheap out on storage if your area gets real cloudy stretches. Lithium costs more upfront but you stop replacing batteries every few years.

Be good to connect with some other off grid folk

We’ve been off-grid on a small forested mountain in the Alt Penedès, about an hour inland from Barcelona, for 3 years now. (Previously off-grid in Canada Gulf Islands). Now I’m always reading “thinking about going off-grid” posts, lots of them in the Mediterranean (Spain, Portugal, Greece) so here’s all the non-instragramable pain I’ve gone through. 

Water is everything. You can plan around everything except your water. Summers are getting dryer and if you need to truck-in water make sure you have a decent road (old remote properties here often have crap dirt roads that will get you yelled at by transport companies) and a solid bank account. We have 4 enormous rain water deposits that are empty from June to September. We have a well, that is my most precious resource. 

Winter is harder than you think. A wood stove is basic but you will spend a good part of your life cutting trees, splitting wood, and carrying logs like a savage. Plan a few seasons ahead, like an adult. And you’ll never need the gym again. 

Build good toilets. There are plenty of dry toilet options out there. But for a family of 4 and guests coming in and out of here I found them quickly overwhelmed. You can buy good kits now and build a good wood frame yourself that seals for smells and ventilation (get a small fan that shoots out from your toilet into the outdoors) and you’ll wonder why the entire planet doesn’t do it. Pissing into totally clean water will feel strange to you. 

Power is getting easier and easier. Full disclosure, we are not 100% solar but getting there as our budget permits. It’s more a question of lessening dependency than building capacity. Like I said, we’re getting there but something about free power and free hot water that feels rebellious and natural at the same time.

Focus. You will have ideas, everyone who visits you will have ideas. Your job is to focus. Basic needs first, then the fancies, like saunas or hot tubs or Brazilian hammocks or whatever. This is a lifestyle you signed up for that isn’t easy, you’re living in the training montage of Rocky IV every day. It’s not a complicated life, it’s a simple life. But a simple life is a hard life. But a hard life is also good life. 

Good luck. 

So I RE-DID ELECTRICAL FLOW INSTALL DIAGRAM WITH THE BEST REPRESENTATIVE IMAGES OF MY TRUE COMPONENTS I COULD FIND ONLINE. THESE ARE MY ACTUAL OWNED ITEMS ( A 2ND 24V 6KW INVERTER CHARGER & MINI SPLIT WAITING TO BE INSTALLED & ALSO A DIESEL HEATER & BATTERY PREPPING FOR WINTER... A 24/7 FULL TIMER RIG.

While the functionality of an off-grid system does not typically case if internet or cloud services are interrupted, such disruptions can limit the ability to view system data remotely or access the system from a distance. Although real-time or current readings can be viewed on the inverter's built-in display, a separate solution may be required to monitor historical data trends or receive remote alerts.

For those using off-grid systems, what methods have proven effective for monitoring and storing data locally, without relying on cloud services?

I want to install a solar system at my farmhouse, but there is no WAPDA electricity connection in that area, so I need a completely off-grid setup.

My expected loads include:

• A water pump/motor
• An electric geyser and heater
• A refrigerator
• Around 20 fans (30W each), although usually only 10–16 fans will run at a time during summer.

What size solar system would you recommend? Which inverter would be suitable, and how many solar panels and batteries would I need to run these appliances reliably?

I'd appreciate advice based on real-world experience in Pakistan, including recommended inverter brands and an estimated budget.

I'm building an off-grid homestead on 80 acres in the Canadian wilderness. My property is 3 km down an ATV trail, and I'm documenting the process as I go, mostly working alone with basic tools.

I'm starting from scratch and learning as I go. Looking forward to sharing the progress and connecting with others doing something similar!

Here's my latest video: https://youtu.be/j-L29I4w9PU

Just a guy, I work on cars, DIY pallet projects, buys power stations and panels. I made a slow growing YouTube channel but growing nevertheless! Would you subscribe and check me out ^.^ I like engaging with all my friends, is it okay if I share my channel and exchange ideas with everybody

As the title states: I am looking for feedback, not sales.

I've been working on the linked platform for community matching for a couple weeks now. The purpose of it is to solve the loneliness crisis or at least attempt to.

The platform is meant to help others create their own communities with other users on the platform. Otherwise, they can join an already existing community.

Let me know what you think!

What is everyone doing for solar power? I don’t really know much about it but I’m looking for enough to run my home summers are the worst. I’m in southern Kentucky. I have a woodstove for the winter, but I want to be able to run the AC in the summer. 3100sf

A man from Bulgaria who couldn't afford to buy a traditional home decided to try something different: build his own tiny house from scratch after watching hundreds of hours of YouTube videos.

Ivan Gradoboev says he was frustrated by what felt like a never-ending cycle of paying rent and working just to keep up with expenses. With around $11,000 in savings, he bought a small plot of agricultural land and started learning everything he could about construction online.

Despite having zero building experience, he completed his first tiny home in a matter of months and eventually sold it for almost three times what he'd spent building it.

He's now living in a second off-grid tiny house that he built himself. The property runs on solar power, uses a well for water, and propane for cooking. According to Ivan, the only monthly bill he has left is his phone bill, which includes his internet.

He says one of the biggest surprises is that living in a tiny home never felt like a downgrade. In some ways, he believes it improved his quality of life compared to living in a conventional home.

After six years of tiny-house living, Ivan is now working on educational content to help other people build their own homes, even if they have little or no construction experience.

What do you think?

• Could you realistically live in a tiny home full-time?
• Would being mortgage-free be worth giving up space?
• What's the biggest challenge of off-grid living: power, water, internet, or something else?
• If housing prices continue to rise, do you think more people will turn to tiny homes?

Hello I’m just starting to post on here before I never really used Reddit but I’ve heard great things about it such as community and meeting interesting people of all sorts! That’s what I’m on here for is to try living a off grid live I’m 24 soon to be 25 a bit scrawny 135lbs kind of to myself I suppose don’t have much hobbies and have a pup that I love and helps me stay mentally stable without going insane being stuck in debt and looking for someone would needs help or is willing to offer to be my mentor on this journey to living off grid I’m tired of living a city driven live of constantly working for unappreciated people or companies I want to live for a greater purpose I guess ha, I’m just rambling but I’m eager to learn! I want the nature side of like not the bs white collar side of life!

Hey all! Im looking for content creators/influencers in the Off-grid/homestead/independent living space. Preferably with audience sizes of at least 1k or above. Feel free to drop a DM or link me with anyone you know!

Caretaker position for 40 acres in the mountains of Humbolt County far north California. Live freely on our off-grid former cannabis farm. Rustic cabin with loft and a yurt. Multiple pristine springs with gravity fed irrigation to fertile south facing garden beds. Plenty of room to hunt. Solar and generator power with wood fired stove for heat in the winters. Starlink wifi. Comes with 2 elderly Great Pyranees dogs who have lived their whole life on the mountain. Other animals welcome.

VERY remote! 1.5 hour drive on rugged mountain roads to the closest small town of Willow Creek and 3 hour drive to Eureka on the coast. 4x4 strongly recommended. You must have your own source of remote income and a desire to live in nature removed from civilization. No rent collected, no hourly commitment but will need to care for the dogs and maintain the existing off-grid systems.

If you have your own off-grid RV/camper rig then availability can be ASAP (flat with spring water available). The cabin/yurt will be available sometime before winter (could be as soon as October).

Long term potential for the right persons. Our goal is to create a Trust with a small community (not a commune!) of individual homesteads. You and your heirs would have your own private section of land for organic homesteading. We love kids so homeschooling families are encouraged if the right fit!

DM a request for the link to apply. More photos and info in the application.

Is this a viable off grid rv shuttle bus power scheme design AI ASSISTED

DANGER: DO NOT BUY SOLAR PANELS FROM CABIN DEPOT

STORYTIME

I bought 6 595W bifacial panels from TheCabinDepot. One of them arrived broken.

Its not a fault of the courier, TheCabinDepot shipped the panels on a pallet with multiple nails sticking up out of it. 100% fault of TheCabinDepot

I contacted their support about it, and they decided the correct path forward was to refund me $280 (one panel sells for $299 on their website) and then ignore me for 2 weeks.

Their justification is because i bought a 6 panel bundle, im only owed the reduced price of $280/panel, and they dont typically replace panels.

They repeatedly, across multiple calls have insisted that this is the fault of the courier (which, it isnt, and even if it is, why thr fuck do i care, i didnt do business with the courier, i did business with TheCabinDepot, not my fault if you picked a shitty subcontractor)

I called them the moment they put through the refund, saying i didnt want it, and o wanted the sixth panel, and they said "too bad, we already refunded you, and if you want a replacement panel youre going to have to pay shipping on it"

Ive ordered other stuff from TheCabinDepot before, I've had great experiences, but apparently once something goes wrong they decide to try and stick it to the customer as hard as they possibly can.

Words of warning for anyone looking to buy.