I cannot seem to get past how fucking done I am with like, everything.
I’m a married mom of two 5yr old kids, we live on what is currently a small hobby farm in north eastern Vermont, but we’d really like to have it become more of a functional, self-sustaining homestead.
I’m just so over capitalism and money ruling everything, constantly battling debt, life being all about just getting by when the reality is someday we all die and what did any of that crap matter anyway? All that actually matters is the experiences we have with those we love and the day-to-day of existence. I’m over life being ruled by what the rich have decided is important, over dictators and paying for food with credit cards because we don’t have the cash to spend $200+ a week to feed our family.

I’m so frustrated, this is mostly a rant because I don’t really have anyone in my life to talk to about how I’m feeling. I do have depression and anxiety and a laundry list of chronic health issues, though before anyone gets too concerned I am under the care of doctors for psychiatric stuff and I really like my psychiatrist. What I will say is that I have gotten to a point with the rat-race and the futility of being stuck in it that, if I didn’t have my kids and the joy that I experience raising them, I don’t think I would bother to be alive anymore. I don’t have close friends anymore, I don’t have a career that lights me up, the things I find the most joy in are my animals, my kids, and the piece that comes from being on my land. If I didn’t have my kids and I still had to spend most of my time and energy making money to barely scrape by I just don’t think I’d see a point in sticking around.

I don’t want to die, not really, but life in this society is just pointless. I hope I can take the steps I need to in order to get us more self-sustaining and more financially frugal.

Vevor 6kw inverter/charger coupled with a DCHouse 48v 100AH battery. I plan to hardwire in a generator input to the AC in side, and I have my WattCycle adapter to plug into my Delta 3 Plus during an outage, and I can use the same cable to slow charge the system using shore power through the Delta3+ when the grid is up. All mounted on 4040 aluminum that I have casters in the mail for.

Still a WIP so I don’t have all my cable guides installed, and I plan to panel it and add heat dissipation down the road, but it’s a spare change build so it’s slow going.

I have a Honda EU7000iS inverter inside my garage. The unit itself is very quiet.
I have a 2ft exhaust extension venting the unit through the wall.
My issue is exhaust outside is quite noisy.

Does anyone have muffler/silencer recommendations? Line is 1.5 inch

Thx

Just curious what everyone is doing with their water situation. Partner and I both prefer one method over the other. The water is some of the cleanest on Earth so contaminants hopefully will not ever be an issue, but you never know how industrialization is going to go. We will still be filtering it. We own both sides of the river. Technically we have to keep it navigable but we can pull water from it without a permit as long as it is less than 50,000L per day, which we obviously will not reach lol.

I used to wait for a full battery before starting laundry. That sounds cautious, but it meant I was washing late in the afternoon after the best solar hours had already passed.

My partner and I live in a small off grid house in northern New Mexico. We have 2kW of panels, a hybrid inverter and one 5.12kWh rack battery from vatrer. The washer is a basic front loader. We use cold water and line dry, so there is no electric dryer hiding in these numbers.

I measured four normal cycles. The washer used 0.31 to 0.44kWh, while the well pump added another short load when the pressure tank called. Starting at noon on a clear day, solar carried most of the running load and the battery smoothed the motor changes. Starting at six in the evening took the full cycle from storage. Both worked, but the second routine missed the sunny window I had available.

Now I start when array output is comfortably above the house base load, even if the battery is at 72 percent. I still check the forecast and keep enough reserve for the well pump, fridge and overnight loads. The battery smooths the short mismatch between solar and the washer. I no longer wait for a perfect 100 percent before doing chores.

I moved the bread machine to midday too. We had been running it after dinner for no good reason other than habit.

I’ve been camping myself for almost 10yrs, and this idea I’ve been thinking about based on my own experiences.

The basic idea is a rigid outer tank containing a flexible potable-water bladder.

You start with, for example, 20 L of fresh water inside the bladder. As you use the water for washing dishes, brushing your teeth, washing your hands, etc., the bladder collapses and the grey water goes into the space around it.
So, instead of carrying:
20 L fresh water + a separate 20 L grey-water tank
you essentially have one 20 L physical footprint that transitions from:
20 L fresh → 0 L fresh + \~20 L grey

The goal would be to have a compact, closed system for boondocking, overlanding, tent camping or small RVs, where you don't want to dump soapy/dirty water directly onto the ground.
The potable water and grey water would obviously remain completely separated, with separate connections and appropriate backflow protection.

I'm not sure if this is actually a useful idea or if I'm overlooking some obvious problem.

For people who camp/boondock:
\- How do you currently deal with grey water?
\- Do you carry a separate grey-water container?
\- Do you ever avoid using water because you don't have a good way to dispose of it?
\- Would saving the physical space of a separate grey-water tank be useful?
\- What would be the biggest problem with a system like this?

I'm more interested in real-world experience and criticism than "that's a cool idea." If there's an obvious reason this wouldn't work, I'd genuinely like to hear it.

I made a very rough sketch of the concept below.

I’ve been camping myself for almost 10yrs, and this idea I’ve been thinking about based on my own experiences.

The basic idea is a rigid outer tank containing a flexible potable-water bladder.

You start with, for example, 20 L of fresh water inside the bladder. As you use the water for washing dishes, brushing your teeth, washing your hands, etc., the bladder collapses and the grey water goes into the space around it.
So, instead of carrying:
20 L fresh water + a separate 20 L grey-water tank
you essentially have one 20 L physical footprint that transitions from:
20 L fresh → 0 L fresh + \\\~20 L grey

The goal would be to have a compact, closed system for boondocking, overlanding, tent camping or small RVs, where you don't want to dump soapy/dirty water directly onto the ground.
The potable water and grey water would obviously remain completely separated, with separate connections and appropriate backflow protection.

I'm not sure if this is actually a useful idea or if I'm overlooking some obvious problem.

For people who camp/boondock:
\\- How do you currently deal with grey water?
\\- Do you carry a separate grey-water container?
\\- Do you ever avoid using water because you don't have a good way to dispose of it?
\\- Would saving the physical space of a separate grey-water tank be useful?
\\- What would be the biggest problem with a system like this?

I'm more interested in real-world experience and criticism than "that's a cool idea." If there's an obvious reason this wouldn't work, I'd genuinely like to hear it.

I made a very rough sketch of the concept below.

We’re looking at an off-grid property where the water source would be a small year-round creek. It looks clean. I know that means basically nothing.

The plan would be to pump into a settling tank or cistern, use the water for showers, dishes, laundry, and eventually drinking once the system is sorted. Two people full time, probably a few guests now and then. Winters get below freezing, power comes from solar plus battery backup, and I’d rather not depend on proprietary cartridges that disappear the moment the company changes a product line.

I’m arranging a proper water test, including bacteria and the usual mineral stuff, before committing to a design. What I’m struggling with is the overall setup: pre-filter for sediment, larger particulate filtration, UV, ceramic, carbon, gravity backup, point-of-use RO... there are too many possible layers and half the internet seems to recommend all of them.

If you’re pulling from surface water, what does your system actually look like from intake to kitchen tap? What failed first, and what do you wish you had designed differently?

So I thought I got lucky with a 100$ fridge. Got it dropped off and turns out there is no burner, and the guy has no idea what happened to it. I do have an old rv fridge with a working burner. The big question is the new burner would be 1000btu and I saw on thr fridge it was 1600btu my only use for this would be as a kegerator, it would be closed almost its entire life as the taps are on the outside. Before I get into attaching this would it even work or would it not be strong enough. Im more than willing to add even more insulation to this fridge and do really whatever since I will be drilling holes for taps already.

Thanks

whats been the hardest thing to adjust to?
what are some things you suggest people buy in case they have to deal with no power. also tell us what its like. have neighbors banded together? is there a lot of break in’s?

Need recommendations in the UK for solar panels that actually work for 12v setup in extremely cloudy weather. I already have a huge setup but now it's going to be until Feb/march where hardly anything charges and I can't WFH. With the amount I saved in fuel to commute I may as well upgrade for winters.

I looked into wind generators but everyone seems to say it hardly produces anything.

What are the best solar panels that work in really cloudy weather?

been off-grid for about a year now in a little cabin I built. running a basic 12V system – solar panels, a couple of batteries, and a 600W pure sine inverter for occasional AC stuff like my laptop or a small fan.

the inverter was some no-name brand I grabbed off ebay cause it was cheap. worked fine for like 8 months. then one morning I turned on my laptop and nothing. checked all the connections, battery was full, fuses intact. inverter just gave up no warning, no weird noises, just dead.

spending way too much time trying to troubleshoot it and looking for a replacement that won't break the bank.

tired of stuff failing in the middle of nowhere. anyone got recommendations for reliable inverters that don't cost a fortune? I'm in Australia so shipping matters

I’m in zone 5/6, just moved here from zone 9/10 and totally off grid. Snow could be nonexistent or 5 feet deep and trapping us 1 hour+ from the nearest town. I’m going through winter prep now and don’t want to forget anything.

What should be on my winter prep checklist, shopping list, stock up list, etc?

Nothing is too basic, I don’t want to miss anything obvious.

This month marks two years living off grid in the Sierra Nevada mountains, living in a wall tent while we build our house. Best decision I ever made.

Year one
- cleared land
- built deck for wall tent
- built tool shed
- built outdoor shower out of cedar
- built outdoor kitchen for food storage
- installed septic system
- built outhouse plumbed into septic

Year two
- received building permit
- started building 1000sqft house
- built garden beds

Hello wonderful peoples!!! Talk to me about your experience moving kids off the grid. I grew up outside, farming, climbing trees, being in the creek. Outhouse, outdoor shower, no tv, no internet. I am very comfortable being off grid and prefer it, so we are moving to an off grid community! I have a 10 year old son who homeschools and spends a lot of his time on screens. We have visited the community for a few days and even a week long visit so he knows where we are going and what to expect already. I know there will be an adjustment period where he hates everything and everyone and that we will get through it eventually and be better for it. Just wanting to hear from those that are on the other side already!

19f, living with parents and 4 siblings.

i love the fact that i get my own room, and even though i don't have a door yet (the house isn't finished building).

i can't get a job elsewhere, which is why i can't move out. dad said he'll pay me to work for him, which is fine by me. i'll try to make my bedroom worth it all.

i'm also very antisocial, and want to work on my mental health, diet, and self esteem. clear my body from acne and scars and change my diet.

i only have a phone for entertainment. sure there's a tv in the living room, but my siblings are using it 90% of the time. i also go to sleep kinda early, around 9-11pm, 10pm being their bedtime.

i only dislike it because it's a 15-30 minute drive from society. yes i'm one of those people that dislike society, but at the same time what if there's an emergency?? also, my siblings have school. doesn't concern me, but the nearest school is 30-60 minutes away + a bumpy, uncomfortable ride because the only vehicle is a tricycle.

my siblings are also pretending to like it. i promised them i'd buy a ps5 and a bigger tv for us to share soon, and they seemed okay with that.

edit: i DIDN'T have the choice. you guys did. if i was given an offer to stay elsewhere i would've, that's why i'm whiny.

edit 2: i don't live in america, so everything i want isn't just an amazon delivery away. trust me i wish it was that easy. my place doesn't even have an actual address, you just use coordinates

We are off grid solar at present but multiple cloudy days present an issue. Does anyone have any low wind speed wind turbine suggestions that could supplement for cloudy days and lessen battery drain at night? East Texas average wind speeds 4-9 mph.

Before anyone says, I know this definitely isn’t fully off-grid 😂
But I came across this old stone house and thought it was interesting from a smallholding / self-sufficiency point of view. It comes with around half an acre, with the option to purchase up to another 20 acres adjoining it.
It already has a private water supply and it’s pretty rural, but otherwise would be a case of gradually making it more self-sufficient rather than buying a ready-made off-grid property.
I’m fairly new to exploring the idea, only had a few viewings, and honestly still seems a bit of a fantasy, but am I barking up the wrong tree here?
Where do I even start making it fully off grid?
Solar? Battery storage? Growing food? Livestock? Heating?
Interested to hear what people who actually live this way would prioritise.

I'm not fully offgrid yet, but I live in the mountains where power is unreliable, especially in the winter. I've slowly been acquiring LiFEPO4 48V batteries, charge controllers, inverter, etc.

I have a 15kw non-inverter generator that i use to power the house in emergencies. However, I have several sensitive electronics, and while the harmonic distortion on my gen isn't terrible, I know it's not great for the expensive sensitive electronics I have. It is tied into the 1000 gallon propane tank I have, and my heat is forced air propane with just the fan using electric. I don't have AC units as I'm at high alt where they aren't needed.

Rather than get an UPS for each system and have to spend more money I don't have, I was thinking I could get creative and use what I already have gotten for the off grid stuff to provide a creative means of backup power where most of the house and the sensitive electronics are, and then allowing passthrough power directly from the generator to an already existing subpanel that has the high ticket power items that don't need clean power anyway (well, dryer, etc).

I've included a rough diagram of what I'm thinking. Basically I would put in a 150A subpanel I already have. The high output battery charger would run to the 48V batteries run in parallel, which would then go to the inverter then to the main panel to provide clean power to the sensitive electronics, while the rest of the "dirty" power would run to the subpanel that has the dryer, well, etc on it. Obviously the correct breakers would be turned on and off in order to ensure there's no back-feeding of power (not in the picture, but there's a main cutoff to the pole on my main panel, plus another cutoff out on the power pole itself). I'm aware with my current amount of 48V batteries, the generator will likely be running just as hard to keep them topped off, and that's fine. Eventually that won't be the case, but the purpose for now is clean power using what I have rather than spending a few thousand for a large inverter generator. It's not my perm solution, but it will get me by until I have one. Thoughts?

What’s the absolute bare minimum amount of money you could have to start living OTG/homesteading? Like, cheapest land you can find, simple build, but durable enough for multi seasonal weather, with running water and electricity.

Hey all! I am trying to figure out an off-grid setup to run a window ac unit in New York 24/7 from may-september. The ac unit is 10,000 btu's running with a coolbot.

Does anyone have any recommendations of kits that could power this? New to solar and just looking for help with the math and what size I would need.

Thank you all so much!

Hi folks, I just took out the thermocouple because the flame won't stay lit. It looks pretty charred, is this usually what a thermocouple looks like when it's due?

Cheers.

Hi all.

We're moving in to a tourer but there's no electricity hookup.

We have a solar panel and gas but also have an 11 year old who will want to play the xbox with his friends as we're moving him away from them.

Any advice on how to do this without it costing an absolute fortune? Looking at generators.

Also would like to use an airfyer and not sure if this is possible.

TIA