OFF GRID TOOLS HOW TO
OFF GRID TOOLS INSTALL

The exception is a window AC unit, which is pretty much just plug and play. It involves wiring, plumbing for drainage, multiple site installations, and the ability to properly pressurize the refrigerant lines.

OFF GRID TOOLS INSTALL

I’ll level with you, you should only attempt to install your own AC unit if you’ve got serious DIY skills, as this isn’t a beginner project by any means, and can go wrong quite easily. The final level is off-grid air conditioners.

OFF GRID TOOLS HOW TO

It can definitely be done, but you’ll need a lot more tools and the knowledge of how to work safely with gas lines. You have to be confident in your plumbing, wiring, and gas line safety to attempt an installation. Water heaters, and especially gas/propane water heaters, are more involved and complicated. Most are ‘plug and play’ and require little more than putting them in place and attaching the power cord and water hookups. Refrigerators, washing machines, and other primarily electric appliances are the easiest.

With appliance installation, it’s almost always possible to do it yourself, though there are definitely different levels of difficulty for different appliances. Lots of off-grid enthusiasts and tiny dwellers pride themselves on their independent spirit and DIY mentality. You can definitely find bigger and smaller models, but you’re going to have to dig a little deeper and you won’t have quite the selection. Ovens/stoves, in particular, have several sizes that are standard, starting at 20 inches and going up to about 30”. Most major appliances such as stoves/ovens, washing machines, and refrigerators come in pretty standard sizes. Space is at an absolute premium in that situation, so you need to conserve every inch possible.įor those building cabins or other larger off-grid homes, you’ve got a lot more flexibility. This is especially important for people building or buying a tiny home (or any living quarters with limited space) off the grid. It may seem obvious, but you need to make sure the appliance you’re considering will fit in your home. There are certainly a few that are purposely built for off-grid usage, but the maintenance, in general, isn’t any more onerous than with traditional home appliances.Īnd when you’re miles away from civilization, this is a major plus.Ĭheck the manufacturer’s recommendations for specific needs and try to follow general maintenance schedules and guidelines to make your appliances last as long as possible. The good news from a maintenance perspective is that most off-grid appliances are simply highly-efficient on-grid appliances. You don’t want to overwhelm your well pump and pressure tank. If you’re on a well system, it’s a good idea to find out how much water each system uses per cycle and the rate at which it draws it. This adds another level of complexity to your home design and can increase your total water usage substantially. Some appliances, specifically washing machines, dishwashers, and hot water heaters, require plumbing connections to work properly. Surge wattage can be as much as two or even three times steady-state wattage. Your inverter may be powerful enough to run a particular appliance when it’s at steady-state wattage, but it might not be able to get it there. It isn’t foolproof, but it’s the most reliable way to find the tested power consumption of most appliances, given that many manufacturers don’t list this figure.Īnother factor to keep in mind is surge wattage. It shows you how much power that particular unit used on average in a year and what level of usage they used to calculate it.įor something like a washing machine, you can find out how much power one load of laundry uses by dividing the total annual power consumption by the number of annual loads they predict. If you’re running a solar system with a battery bank, there’s a finite amount of power available to you.Īny appliance you consider should be as efficient as possible. A good place to start with electric appliances is to look for an EnergyStar label. There are 5 main things to look for include:Įnergy efficiency is one of the most important factors when it comes to off-grid appliances. Off-grid appliances may look like your average home goods, but they have significant differences in how they’re made and operate. Even better, lots of great companies are coming out with products specifically designed for use with solar power systems.īelow you’ll find a breakdown of the most common types of off-grid appliances and what features you should look for in each one. Thankfully, many modern appliances are designed to be as energy-efficient as possible.

You want to find models that provide performance and convenience without sucking up too much power. Picking out appliances for your off-grid home can be a tricky proposition.

Off grid tools