How to Go Off the Grid

The allure of being your own power company and not having to deal with utility companies ever again is greatly appealing to many people. However, a lot goes into being completely off-grid, and you should take a lot into consideration before making your final decision. If you live in a remote area, you may have no choice, but if you live in the middle of a city, you’ll need to decide if it’s actually the right choice for you. Keep reading this article to learn exactly what goes into being off-grid so you can decide if it’s actually the right choice for you.

What are the advantages and disadvantages?

If you still haven’t fully decided, you might be wondering what the advantages and disadvantages of going off-grid are. When you go off-grid, you’ll no longer have to rely on a utility company, and you’ll reduce your carbon footprint when you become much more conscious of exactly which products you’re using and how much energy you’re using each day.

The main disadvantage is how much it will cost to go completely off-grid. Between your electricity, your heating, your water system, etc. it will end up costing more to go solar than you’ll save. However, not having to pay a utility company may make that worth it for you. You also won’t have a utility company there to help you with your power needs if you haven’t produced enough on a given day.

Understanding Your Power Use Habits

The very first thing you’ll need to do before going off-grid is figure out how much energy you are currently using. This is because you’ll be responsible for generating the same amount of energy all by yourself, without the help of a utility company. It’s likely that when you go off-grid, you’ll start conserving a lot more of your energy.

After you figure out how much energy you use and exactly how much you’ll need to produce each day, you’ll want to start taking energy-saving measures to begin to decrease how much energy you’ll need each day. Doing things like getting LED lights and energy efficient appliances will help save you a lot on your energy needs and make it easier for you to make the switch and not have to worry about running out of energy.

Designing Your Solar System

Once you know how much energy you need and have redesigned your home, it’ll be time to design your new off-grid solar system. You’ll probably want to seek professional installer help to ensure your system is large enough for all your power needs.

You’ll then need to get all of the components. The panels themselves, of course. The mounting and racking systems which keep your panels on your roof. Your power inverter. And perhaps the most important component of an off-grid lifestyle, your battery. You’ll need to make sure you invest in a battery that will store all the energy you’ll need to make sure you can keep your lights on throughout the night. You’ll also need a solar charge controller and battery monitor for your batteries, which will keep them functional and ensure they are storing the appropriate amount each day.

Want to learn more tips about going solar and how to bring solar into your lifestyle? Check out the HahaSmart blog for daily tips!

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