My issue with the Springfield house is bottle LPG might run out i a cold snap. I'm 250 miles away.
The Hippie Ridge Camp situation is different. There we are currently 100% electric.
I do have some solar power and a small windmill that can fill a big storage battery for short spells. At the moment these work, but are not automatic in the system. I also have diesel generator power at 5400 AMPS. A 600 gallon tank serves us for months.
By the end of this year, my plan is full solar/wind power. Electric off the pole is the backup.
High on the south west flank of a mountain side ( at least what we call Mountains in MO) it gets plenty of good wind. And awesome sunlight.
We also have 60 or so acres of white oak, Hickory and ash for the fireplace. Thereby reaching to both ends of technology. One is wood fired iron skillet and the other extreme of solar powered microwave.
Working on this for 10 years now. This year is comes together.
I have found the key to the off grid solar system is the batteries. I used lithium batteries from a Nissan Leif. 21kw. and 2400 watts of solar panel, Midnight controller and a power jack 10,000 watt inverter with 60k surge. So far its just like home. When I add the electric fridge. I may add another battery pack, but likely un necessary if I add timers to the hot water tank and fridge to minimize night time drain. I did research on wind generators and decided not to.
1- you have to divert the load when not charging, you can't simply turn it off like solar, so it requires more specialized parts and expertise.
2- in high winds the diversion load and brake may not hold and it will self destruct.
3- efficient ones that work ( not from eBay or Home Depot ) are large and expensive.
4- they make a lot of noise.
5- it takes more wind than they advertise to make them work.
6- mounting them is a lot more work than solar.
7- they have moving parts that will ware out.
I feel like that you can add solar and batteries into infinity to get what you need easily. Where I am now, I think the batteries would hold for a week of using lights, water pressure pump etc. if I didn't use the hot water tank. The real test is staying there in the winter on an extended stay.
The issue I have now is water in the winter months. When I installed the new water tank last year I buried it 1/2 way in the dirt to keep it from freezing and it worked, but the underground pipe from the tank to the cabin froze. Going deeper is going to be tough. There are a lot of rocks everywhere. I thought about a bypass at the end under the cabin that just lets the water run all winter, piped outside and down the hill. Then when I leave drain the water from the walls and hot water tank. I grew up in Michigan, you would think I could figure it out. Just like you if I keep at it, someday it will be done.
