Not a question

[plongson]

but a statement...
It looks like I will be assembling my panel array next week. Had the pole set and concrete poured last week and I should have some free time to get it built and erected...I sure hope! 10-235watt on the end of a 8"x12' stick. Pretty excited to get this house to the move in stage. I'm sure it will be "Do-able" energy wise with just me and my wife and will eventually need more panels and batteries, We also have a big @^# genset! Power isn't even close, so grid wasn't even an option.
Here is a picture...

[Volvo Farmer]

More panels?  We have a family of four living with about 1500W of solar array.  You might be surprised  how far you could get with what you already have if you work a little on conservation.  By the looks of those trees, I'm guessing high desert Southwest?  I bet you get pretty good sun there!

[plongson]

Hey Volvo, good eye you have...The place is on 20 acres outside Cedar City Utah, not too far from town but too far from the grid, so here we are...LOL Actually we are VERY excited to cut the cord. My wife and I have been on the property (on and off) for seven years in an RV with solar, our own well and so forth so we are already accustom to "the life", but now just in a place with more Sq/Ft. I too believe her and I will have plenty of power but on the occasions we have family or company over, we can switch on the genset and look like normal folk. HA HA.

I'm all over anything with software, that is what I do, but I just need some time to get accustom to my new system to maximize all the options. Be sure, you have not seen the last of me here, I'll have a ton of question.

Paul

[Vic]

Paul,

You new place looks beautiful,  and quite large as well.  Looks like a fun project.

You nay not need A/C, or an Evap Cooler may work well in that climate.   Here have discovered A/C,  and that can take a bit of power in the Summer/Fall.

Have Fun,  Vic

[plongson]

Vic, we didn't even install an AC. After spending many summers on the place there are only a few weeks that are too hot and then only in the afternoon. It always cools off at night and stays nice until late morning. My big concern is heating. I got a real efficient fireplace inset stove rather than a conventional wood fireplace. I installed a force draft furnace and thermostat that runs on propane, I'm just worried about the power it could draw in the dead of winter. We followed recommendations and have very few north facing windows and tons of windows on the south. Everything opens up to get a breeze for summer cooling and the opposite for winter...We did our homework as far as roofing windows and insulation so we are confident it should be comfortable.

There is going to be compromises no doubt, there is no way this place could stand on it's own if one is not energy frugal...that's the challenge and that is the fun of it. We didn't want to live like a pioneer on the trail but still have our cake and eat it too. 

[Volvo Farmer]

Ewww yuck, forced-air heat is the pits.  If you can find any way at all to put in-floor heat in that place, you will be so much happier.  We were so broke when we built our house that we couldn't afford a boiler so we heat the whole 1200 sq ft downstairs with a conventional water heater and a Grundfos circulation pump.  It's completely silent, electricity-frugal and doesn't blow dust all over the house. We also put in a bunch of south facing windows and you will be amazed at how well that works in the winter. We burned about 1.5 cords of wood upstairs throughout  last winter and have a very similar climate to Cedar city.  Careful about your window choices though, some of that low-e stuff doesn't let the right wavelengths in to heat very well.

[plongson]

HaHa...Too late now, It's already in...

[plongson]

Got the array up...Fully assembled on the ground and used a boom truck and bucket on a back-hoe. Pretty exciting...

[Westbranch]

how mucH concrete is in the ground?

[plongson]

3.5x3.5x8 feet deep