living off grid

cambasque

I am about to move back to ireland and can only afford an off grid property, which I don't mind really....are there many off gridders out there ? if so, can anyone share ideas, tips etc. I would really appreciate it. i have a pretty small budget so please keep that in mind

sheesh

how is an off grid property cheaper?

indeed what do you mean by an off grid property?

cambasque

sheesh wrote: »

how is an off grid property cheaper?

indeed what do you mean by an off grid property?

Well there are no services ...i.e. The electricity hasn't been connected for more than 5 years....so that means it would cost a lot to get it connected...

Fries-With-That

Living off grid is do-able, but will also cost you money.

If you're planning on moving into a cottage with no services you'll have to provide, water, septic and power.

Rainwater harvesting is probably your best option, and better for you if there is a stream on property that you can supplement your rainwater with.

Septic is a major expense, I'd be looking at composting toilets and humanure

Electric power will have to be a 3 pronged approach, Solar, Wind and a stand by generator.

If you can keep your power consumption down to lights and low power tv etc you should be able to manage with 12v systems.

I plan on building a shed on my mountain holding with camper van accessories (fridge cooker lights) to avoid the cost of connecting electricity.

Google search the words in bold type.

cambasque

sounds pretty good mountain holding !:D
I am going to go with a compost loo, i have built them before , so no bother there ....I was really wondering what is the cost of buying solar panels, or a small wind turbine, 12v goods/products, hand cranked items maybe ? any ideas or leads i would appreciate !

Fries-With-That

cambasque wrote: »

sounds pretty good mountain holding !:D
I am going to go with a compost loo, i have built them before , so no bother there ....I was really wondering what is the cost of buying solar panels, or a small wind turbine, 12v goods/products, hand cranked items maybe ? any ideas or leads i would appreciate !

Shop bought small turbines are expensive for the power output, solar panels are getting cheaper all the time.

There are several forums worldwide that deal with living off grid and are a mine of information.

cambasque

Yes i have found them online, i was hoping to find out some prices etc. just to see what would you get for your euro really. my needs would be very small...a light or two, possibly cell phone etc. i suppose there is no second hand market over there ?Is there a forum an irish forum for people living off grid, or do you know if there are many people living off grid over there?
your project sounds interesting, will it be full time or just for weekends?

Stressica

If you find a forum for irish people living off grid, please share

Fries-With-That

Stressica wrote: »

If you find a forum for irish people living off grid, please share

Why would it have to be a forum for Irish people living off grid.

The information you're looking for is available, take what's available and apply it to your situation.

I haven't met or heard of anyone in Ireland living off grid, so by that yardstick the forum for Irish people living off grid would be a very lonely place.

I'm sure there are several people interested in how best to achieve a low cost sustainable habitat for themselves and their families, but that might not mean necessarily living off grid.

I think anyone trying to achieve an off grid lifestyle in Ireland is going to encounter difficulties, using the resources currently available to minimise these difficulties is to me the first step in achieving an off grid lifestyle, therefore research, research, research are the 3 golden rules.

If you can't grow vegetables, harvest water, wire a light, or use a hammer, then these are the kinds of things you should be teaching yourself before you contemplate an off grid lifestyle.

dharma200

I have friends who live off the grid in co clare they might answer, will leave a message to them to look at the thread...

cambasque

Thanks dharma....that would be great...

Stressica

Of course it doesn't have to be Irish, I just thought it would be cool from an Irish persons perspective , that's all

You make some very valid points though about research and being able to do certain skills, which is what I'm starting on at the moment, hopefully within 5 years, Ill be at a very good place.

cambasque

I can attempt to do most things.....not too strong on electricity but i van manage à basic solar system.....i would be very interested in a small wind turbine as well. I could only dream about self suffiency but i can never imagine being able to produce everything.....not physically possible for me personally.

Stressica

If we dont dream, our dreams wont ever come true, cheesy I know but Ive been watching too much little house on the prairie today
What I would say (and what Im planning on doing) is grow as much veg/fruit as possible and learn things like canning and preserving for winter ( a good freezer is a must)

Chickens for eggs + broiler chicks for meat.

Milk wise, Im looking at getting a goat.#

I already do a lot of fishing so next is hunting, just rabbits and a pheasant or two at first and hopefully one day a deer.

On the energy front, I haven't thought about that.. yet

cambasque

Stressica wrote: »

If we dont dream, our dreams wont ever come true, cheesy I know but Ive been watching too much little house on the prairie today :

That is still going then?! I weaned myself off tv a long time ago.....dont miss it at all...


Good for you....keep on dreaming!!!!:)

Fries-With-That

cambasque wrote: »

I am about to move back to ireland and can only afford an off grid property, which I don't mind really....are there many off gridders out there ? if so, can anyone share ideas, tips etc. I would really appreciate it. i have a pretty small budget so please keep that in mind

When you buy this property,you'll know more about what you need to make it habitable/comfortable.

You will also be in a better position to decide how to prioritise your spending,your location will also have a bearing on what your priorities are going to be

You might be lucky and find a property with a stream for water supply.You might have enough ground to grow veg or willow for firewood or basket making.

If you're just looking for general advice as to what kind of things you're going to have to plan for when you choose this lifestyle a good place to start would be The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency by John Seymour.

My ear is always open and like all the posters on these threads would have no problem dispensing any knowledge we have.

brightsparks16

If you are planning to live off grid in Ireland you should look up a company called hybrid energy solutions I know they provide gensets to the telecoms industry and to people living on islands. I have seen them on telecoms site's that my company service's . Hope that helps

CamperMan

our off-grid home in Sweden... solar energy with a standby generator, rain water collection and water from a well, composting toilet, etc..

cambasque

love the picture, thanks for sharing, about the same size as mine...yours looks much better, i am still renovating !
do you feel like you can grow a lot on your plot, it's the average size of a modern plot in most of europe.

CamperMan

Hi,

in the short growing season we do grow a fair bit in the garden, peas, beans, carrots, parsnips, spuds, sprouts, kohl, onions, leeks, various herbs, tomatoes, berries, apples, etc. etc., all on 1300 sq m

Animord

This guy did it in Kerry for a while, he doesn't update the blog anymore and he was getting pretty angry by the time he stopped - the most interesting information is at the beginning of the blog. Might be some help though.

Fries-With-That

Animord wrote: »

This guy did it in Kerry for a while, he doesn't update the blog anymore and he was getting pretty angry by the time he stopped - the most interesting information is at the beginning of the blog. Might be some help though.

What guy in Kerry,have you got a link to his blog ?

Animord

Fries-With-That wrote: »

What guy in Kerry,have you got a link to his blog ?

Whoops, dunno what happened there.

http://www.ecopunk.org.uk/

sheesh

have a look at these guys met him about 9 years ago for a multimedia project i was doing he still seems to be going

http://kerryat.com/

At the time they were already doing courses had composting toilets and had constructed a solar panel so it tracked the sun and wind turbines and they were nearly self sufficient in food.

Animord

They are offering courses that start on Saturday the first of August, I think the last time there was a Saturday 1st of August was 2009 so I think maybe they are defunct.

sheesh

aww!

Brian Larkin

Im off the grid to an extent ie solar power,well water ect..it can be done in
Ireland,buy a run down cottage away off the main drag and set up your system,
I got four solar panels into eight 70 watt leisure batteries and a 500 watt inverter,
thats plenty for us,we use the 12 volt power out from the charge controller
for led lights,phone charging,dvd player ect..we have wood stoves for heat and fetch and cut our own wood,I am on my laptop now with the inverter on and my phone as a wi-fi hotspot,it can be done,but you need to get out into the sticks !

AntrimGlens

Hi just came across this thread. I live off grid but it wouldn't be your typical off grid situation.
I built a 3100sq ft house last year with geothermal hp and ufh and lots of glazng for solar gain and all power is supplied by a 15kw hydro turbine coming from a spring on the farm, all drinking water is also supplied by this spring and waste is filtered through a reed bed soakaway and into an existing field drain. Kill my own lambs and cattle for meat, keep hens and have a small pond which i'm going to dredge & restock with trout.
so yes it can be done but the cost of this would be prohibitive to anyone who wants the more traditional "off grid" lifestyle.
We were building the house anyway so just incorporated as many green, renewable and cost effective options into it at the time. We're considering getting an electric or hybrid car at some stage but just unsure of the resale value of them and lifespan of them, obviously we have the free power to charge it so will be keeping an eye on that one.

allthedoyles

http://www.pandtnatural.com/

cambasque

brianlarkin, you sound like you are doing it ....what part of the country are u in ? i am wondering with the solar gain how it will work out...antrimglens your place sounds sweet but rightly said wy out of my budget !

Brian Larkin

Hi folks,There are us and uk forums on the intreweb that are good for ideas about
living off the grid,mind you florida are not too keen on people being self reliant,
I got my solar panels passed onto me,used and a bit batterd but do the job.
my regulator came from a uk company 12v 30amp.of course you have to be a jack of
all trades to live this way,fix things yourself,keep chickens,goats ect...give up the 9-5
get off wellfare, think outside the box....

Brian Larkin

Hi cambasque,solar panels have a built in diode built in and the regulator/charge controler does what it says on the tin,ebay is a good source for solar gear ie 100watt
panels I got my 500watt inverter in a well known motor shop Halfords 90euro.
hope this helps.

Refeek Maher

This is really interesting, what part of Ireland are you living off the grid?

Have you thought of a diesel generator running off of waste vegetable oil? There would be some work in filtering the WVO and the initial cost may be a lot, but you might be able save in the long run and even generate 3 to 5 kW.

chopper6

If you wanted a solar panel to just heat water for washing etc what exactly would you need and is ireland suitable in terms of sunlight etc?

Brian Larkin

Refeek Maher wrote: »

This is really interesting, what part of Ireland are you living off the grid?

Have you thought of a diesel generator running off of waste vegetable oil? There would be some work in filtering the WVO and the initial cost may be a lot, but you might be able save in the long run and even generate 3 to 5 kW.

Im looking at a buldog 3.5k diesel online @ buyadeal.ie a bit pricey,I have a 2.2k petrol atm but runs rough due to whats called petrol these days lol...but its got a avr built in so safe for soft electrics,a ex military diesel might be good!

Brian Larkin

Even in overcast Leitrim we get a good output off solar panels,there mounted
on a old storage container facing south,as I said so long as your demand for power
is not great ie 12 volt we rarely flatten the battery bank.

Sh1tbag OToole

Is it possible to get planning permission for a house that's intended to be off the grid?

Brian Larkin

Sh1tbag OToole wrote: »

Is it possible to get planning permission for a house that's intended to be off the grid?

You buy a run down cottage with no planing permission on it,
with intent to fix it up, your solar power kit is outside the house
with a low voltage 12v cable running into the house,a small shed(temporary dwelling)
will do, with the panels on the roof,inside you have your solar regulator
and your battery bank..a well close by and water butts..a bottle gas cooker,
ect....ect...

Sh1tbag OToole

Brian Larkin wrote: »

You buy a run down cottage with no planing permission on it,
with intent to fix it up, your solar power kit is outside the house
with a low voltage 12v cable running into the house,a small shed(temporary dwelling)
will do, with the panels on the roof,inside you have your solar regulator
and your battery bank..a well close by and water butts..a bottle gas cooker,
ect....ect...

What if you wanted to build one on an empty site? Would they let you or would they laugh at you and say 'get out you eccentric twit'?

my3cents

Sh1tbag OToole wrote: »

What if you wanted to build one on an empty site? Would they let you or would they laugh at you and say 'get out you eccentric twit'?

I would have thought if you have correctly planned an off grid system then the planners would be happy enough.

hexosan

my3cents wrote: »

I would have thought if you have correctly planned an off grid system then the planners would be happy enough.

You've obviously never been through the planning process. You can have a pre planning meeting with them and they tell you the only thing they'll allow is ABC you go away complete an application with ABC submit it and get refused.
I have never had to deal with a larger shower of window licking, computer says "no" , robot monkeys. (You can probably guess I'd a bad experience)

I was put through a year of paper nonsense because a planner confused the definition of a word and when it was pointed out to her refused to back down.

dazed+confused

A planner has lots of grounds on which to refuse you. They are supposed to follow the "County Plan" and they could argue that your dwelling does not fit into that.

They are also looking out for future generations and in their eyes (but not ours) when you die nobody is going to want to buy a house that has no mains connections. There is a signifcant risk in their eyes that nobody will want your proposed house and so it could fall derelict. This is one of the things that planning laws are designed to prevent.

my3cents

I've been looking for suppliers of equipment for going off grid or rather more for a back up for grid failure because I want to start small and see if going totally off grid is viable for the way we live. Anyway without rambling on too much I was looking for a supplier of stuff and came across navitron.org.uk prices seem good but I've yet to check cost of delivery to Ireland but there's a bonus as there is lots of useful information to be found on their sites forum.

cambasque

i wonder then where is the best place to live in ireland off grid ? to get the maximum of sunshine hours for the solar panels? I was happily surprised Brian you do so well in Leitrim ... do u run much on your system, not being nosy !?

Tabnabs

cambasque wrote: »

i wonder then where is the best place to live in ireland off grid ? to get the maximum of sunshine hours for the solar panels?

The sunny south east I would imagine when land value, cost of living etc. is taken into account.

Kevhog1988

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAY7RyMoA4g

this is an interesting watch

cambasque

yes i have seen that....lovely video and i thought quite honest ...

cambasque

sunny south east, yes that would be the best plae, but i am drawn more to west cork/south kerry. my main needs are for a light at night to read, charging a laptop and hopefully a fridge, as you live out in the sticks a bit, shopping once a month would do me ...

Kevhog1988

cambasque wrote: »

sunny south east, yes that would be the best plae, but i am drawn more to west cork/south kerry. my main needs are for a light at night to read, charging a laptop and hopefully a fridge, as you live out in the sticks a bit, shopping once a month would do me ...

Where is the cheapest place in the country to buy land?? Also how would areas in the west fair for decent broadband??

my3cents

theemigrant wrote: »

Where is the cheapest place in the country to buy land?? Also how would areas in the west fair for decent broadband??

Strange how that would be a major living off the grid requirement for many people myself included. I'm well on grid here and make do with 3G so that would also do me for off grid.

Kevhog1988

my3cents wrote: »

Strange how that would be a major living off the grid requirement for many people myself included. I'm well on grid here and make do with 3G so that would also do me for off grid.

I'd be hoping to move home in the next few years but still do consultancy so phone signal and broadband is a must