Electric house, bad idea?

Any system that is totally reliant on one supply leaves you open to all sorts of market manipulation, discuss?

[@WalkingTrashcan]

Currently i’m using solar for electricity, wood for heat, propane for cooking and refrigeration and gas (petrol) for backup electricity. I live on Vancouver Island in Canada. Similar climate to you in the UK. I’m raising a family and boy is it ever a struggle to make sure I have firewood, propane and gasoline constantly on hand to make sure everything is up and running. I’m working to get us onto fully renewable energy but it’s slow going. Sometimes it feels like a small luxury to go to a friends house who is powered using mains electricity. You can put your laundry in the dryer and it’s dry in an hour hahha. Mains power is pretty affordable and reliable here so it mostly makes sense to use it but about twice a year theres a big storm and vast swaths of people are in the dark for 6-48h. For me, It’s hard work to be off grid but I feel it’s worth it and I enjoy working toward being self reliant.

[@TheInfoworks]

The way I see it is that contentment in the life you lead is vital, so having a well organised firewood processing system is vital on so many levels. Less chance of being bullied by the corporate bandits, cheers

[@WalkingTrashcan]

@@TheInfoworks they’ve outlawed wood burning fireplaces in the city nearby (which is understandable) lots of tightly packed houses generate sooooooo much smoke and poor air quality. We are on the outskirts of the city and there is a push to outlaw it in our area too. Kinda scary since that’s our only source of heat at the moment.

[@bootsowen]

@@WalkingTrashcan That outlawing the wood burning is tricky! They have done that here in parts of England, most built up areas. But there are loopholes for special stoves. Here enforcement relies on someone ratting you out. I guess from what I have experienced of the US and Canada the law is different and enforcement agents there go looking for work, even in the liberal west. They make wood burning illegal, but not burning oil for the same purpose. we are on grid here, but have all of the off grid stuff: solar power, batteries, off grid LPG cooking, wood heat, rain water: along with mains water, gas, and electricity. Do both, pay less for the mains. Resilience works both ways.

[@TheInfoworks]

Exactly, pragmatic, resilient and stoic. @@bootsowen

[@DavidKetley]

Hi Andy, lots of interesting comments. As you are aware I have lived off grid for more than 28 years and agree that it is useful to have several sources of energy and heat. My advice would be have systems in place but also have back ups for each system as well ie, 2nd generator etc also try and build up a supply of spares like starter motors . If you are proactive and makes lists of all essential spares you can pick up items from eBay and scrap yards relatively cheaply. My other advice I would give is also look at other means of cooking and maybe have a sheltered bbq with a good supply of home made charcoal and maybe a selection of bushcraft camping stoves, stick stoves,fuel block burners and small bottle gas burners.

[@TheInfoworks]

indeed, and a big stock of dry firewood and more in the drying process, plus loads of tools. Self reliance and resilience Don't trust governments and corporates, cheers

[@zjzozn]

95% electricity. Plus wood stove as back up and cold days. Plus ESS 👍

[@TheInfoworks]

Definitely a Victron solar battery ess system and a wood stove for heating and cooking, cheers

[@sksx9269]

Id love to have a conversation with you about this, perhaps by phone. Seems impractical in the comments box. Left handed 2 finger dyslexic typing on a phone micro keyboard.

[@TheInfoworks]

Sam, I'll be traveling down to Brighton in April, you're in Suffolk, or maybe I have that wrong, cheers

[@bootsowen]

If you have a conversation by phone only two parties can learn from it. However disjointed it may be, the comments section can be a wealth of knowledge if people use it!

[@sksx9269]

​@@TheInfoworks Thanks Andy I'm in Essex, not to far from me, may see you there

[@TheInfoworks]

Sam, I think I'll spread the course info using shorts this year, Owen gave me a smart phone a while back, that makes them easy, cheers @@sksx9269

[@wayoutwest-workshopstuff6299]

We are often asked why we don't go off-grid here in Ireland, but I've watched too many people spend a lot of money on a system that doesn't quite deliver what they need, or ends up on the ground in a gale. Our electricity is ridiculously good value and reliable - and is probably 'greener' than anything we could do ourselves. That won't stop me experimenting though - because it's all so interesting. But to do it in case there's a serious collapse in supply? I'm sure that will happen too, but it will trigger so much fear and violence that having a generator won't make much difference. Just enjoy today, I say, and if we're lucky we might get another one tomorrow..

[@TheInfoworks]

Tim, yes I agree that totally off grid is an expensive option, but half and half makes sense to me. The power in the UK is run by a bunch of rogues and bandits and the regulator is right in their pocket, so a bit of independence is desirable especially if it's part of your dream hobby, cheers and all the best with the momentum wheel.

[@dingnextstop]

If at all practical I see a Wood Burner as the only real back up for heating and possibly cooking, all be it restricted. Summer sun is great if you have Solar and decent battery bank plus warmer weather means no need for heating, solar water heaters on roofs are an option again in summer? We seem to be looking back in the past for good ideas which I welcome whole heartedly, how about reinventing the steam engine?

[@TheInfoworks]

I think we need to wean ourselves off the modern certralised power systems built to make the corporate world rich at your expense, cheers

[@bootsowen]

We have the kitchen range burning all winter, it is a decent source of heat, and is always ready for cooking. Firewood is work, but you take it for free when it comes. Solar is great in the summer and either side, but even at the moment in the middle of winter we still get a little bit and that is better than nothing. I have a half useless battery bank, but I run it daily in good weather and keep it topped up all winter, if the grid goes down there is enough in it as an emergency supply for a few days for the fridge, and the gas boiler. It is better to try doing something than nothing.

[@fattossa]

My friend has a totally mains electric house...i spoke to her about this. And she said....how often do we have power cuts ? Its prob once every few years for a hour or two...so she said its not worth bothering for that. I myself think more like you Andy as its best to be prepared.

[@TheInfoworks]

Yes, things change rapidly, I don't trust the corporate world, cheers

[@bootsowen]

You see Andy, the easy thing about the electric house is that you have only one bill! A person with a fire or stove has to pay for coal or wood and has to have somewhere to store it. Have you seen the price of firelighters? And aren't firelighters more polluting than the fire itself? Then the ashes: forever cleaning out the fire and bagging up the ash to go to landfill. And you have to pay a fella to clean the chimney! what we want is good clean energy! I heard today that they got nuclear fusion going (in oxford maybe) enough to boil 70 kettles in 5 seconds! Joking aside, the concept of resilience is very interesting to me. Most people do the "work for money for stuff" thing. Outsource everything and pay for it. Understand nothing except your little part of the world, your job, it defines what you are. So is money the root of resilience? You have seen my way, similar to yours, of trying to figure stuff out. If someone wants money from me for something, then why? What do they have to offer that I don't and how can I change that. When we moved in here 10 years ago I bought a washing machine at a car boot sale for £20, it was missing the filter plug, it took me a while, but the thought of paying £7 for another plug wasn't to my liking, so I made one out of a bit of a spice jar and some screws and got the machine going. Learning a bit about washing machines... look where that got me. Others have said it in these comments, free firewood and a saw and axe equals free heat. Learn how to clean your own chimney. Learn what wood burns well in autumn, spring and winter for the best return on heat for the season. Learn how to season your wood. (if only there was a book about this!) I could go on forever: Learn how to do it, learn how to make it and learn how to fix it. Have a backup for the backup. I think I'll go and have a draught of icy cold carbonated water from my mains electricity powered, mains water, CO2 subscription, under the counter kitchen tap!

[@TheInfoworks]

Owen there you go, self reliance and skills are a lifetime event, the old you get the easier it gets, cheers

[@bootsowen]

I do what I can. @@TheInfoworks . I was thinking while watching the video that there are those who rent their places, they are at the whim of the landlord who will always err on the side of simplicity (for them), so there are probably a lot of folk who have no say. Doesn't mean that they can't have a sneaky grid tie solar connection, or as I have don a few times in rented places, install a stove and remove it before moving out.

[@TheInfoworks]

Owen, exactly, it's about the will to do things rather than following the proscribed route, cheers@@bootsowen

[@andrewmckenzie8481]

I love this Andy. Just stumbled upon your channel. Redundancy, Redundancy, Redundancy.

[@TheInfoworks]

Hi, thanks for the comment, yes we work hard at helping people to help themselves, It's a way of fighting back against corporate greed, cheers

[@mjp0815]

An electric house is a great idea off and on grid. Simply because there are so many ways of generating of electricity. Electricity is a very useful type of energy, it can even give you clean water, heat your home and charge your car. For cooking and heating (survival) there is coal as a Backup, just keep a few 100 kgs in a shed and leave it there. It won't go off. Batteries and solar is quickly becoming cheaper, if you have a field, why not fence it in with solar panels and keep some chickens?... Happy days.

[@TheInfoworks]

Yes in theory, but a diverse range of energy is important in an uncertain world, cheers

[@robertaitken9012]

Rayburn. Logs. Solar Panels (2012 pay back) Chain Saw. Truck. Free Logs Sorry showing off One drawback I notice .Last month or so of living.

[@TheInfoworks]

It's the life of calm that is brought by being as self reliant as possible, and living with the natural world. I see life as the every day things, not the seemingly exciting life portrayed by the corporate world, to their benefit and your determent, cheers

[@lipsee100]

Hi Andy,, OK wel I have solar with a battery,, in summer it runs my house compleatly..In winter its never going to prevade anywhere near enough output,,but because I export power in the summer that has allow me the finance thoughout the winter months ,,just got my Feb bill and Ive used all my credit up and owe £6.... Over and above that I use a woodburner,,not every day ,but when it suits me...plus I have gas central heating... I would like to fit a rain water recovery system,I mean afterall water is the life blood of the world evryone needs water ,if you have your own stock so much the better...regarding small petrol generators,, Petrol itself does not last long ,certainly less then a year,,, so it is possible to convert petrol gennis over to gas,,which can be kept over long periods.. I think a small 1800w genniy should be surfitant in an emergency... ( I never did get the NOCO working ) regards

[@TheInfoworks]

Phil, good to hear from you, hope all good and all sound well. Yes a broad spectrum of energy is required, perhaps a generator driven by the small diesel tractor would be a good "last choice" back up. That way it is multi functional, cheers

[@Avlec1000]

I think your points about energy security and cost are very salient. Anyone who is planning on going 100% electric should consider those points carefully. I suspect that most households in the UK who have a gas boiler would not be able to use it if there was a power cut. There are ways to generate your own electricity should the grid fail. You can buy a relatively inexpensive petrol generator for £200-300 it wouldn’t power your whole house but you could keep the fridge, freezer, and boiler running if you’ve got everything setup beforehand. With regards to cost there are ways to reduce the cost, obvious ones like use less power, install solar, install batteries and switch to a tariff with cheap off peak rate (if you can afford the up front cost)

[@TheInfoworks]

Exactly, dead right, and for small up front cost of a solar course (Brighton or Boston) you can learn how to install a solar battery system. Improving skills is the path to Self reliance, cheers.

[@sim6699]

For the average house, a solar panel system of around 500w would even fit on a flat balcony. Grid tie inverter most of the time but switching to an mppt charge controller in emergencies to charge 200ah of lifepo4 at 12v with a 1000w interter for powering the refrigerator and boiler for short electricity outages, then just the fridge and charging power banks for lights. If you're house doesn't have a fireplace, perhaps in a flat, you're out of luck since heating and cooling uses the majority of the energy we require to live. Perhaps heating up steel balls outside a very primitive form of heating decades ago could be adapted somehow. If you're living in a flat in a big city, you will not have a garage or shed to store fuel for a generator. Guess technically diesel could be stored given it's a thin oil difficult to burn accidentally but then perhaps the answer would be using a Chinese diesel heater as they're cheap, reliable and fuel efficient with diesel containing lots of energy in a small footprint. I think the push to electricity everything often under the name "Smart" is like going into communism where everything is controlled since electric cars, smart meters, free speech, new electric car chargers connected to the internet can all be controlled. UK police spend 80% of their time on convicting hate speech and this week the new online safety bill passed allowing the government to convince so called misinformation (whatever they deam it to be) for upto 1 year per offence in prison. Does that sound like freedom of speech.

[@TheInfoworks]

We've hit a nerve there, best stay clear and don't rely on any organisation, cheers

[@Woodyjims-shack]

Great advice Andy. Solar is great but this last year has been poor. Wind is intermittent also. We heat with firewood using oil as a backup. No jenny just batteries. Winter is the challenge👍

[@TheInfoworks]

Jim, yes winter is a problem, but we've had a couple of windy weeks to help things along, growing your own firewood certainly helps. 70% on annual energy consumption created on the property is a win in my book, cheers

[@johnkey2834]

Hi Andy you are 100 percent right, as you know when you were here I have a oil Rayburn that uses no electricity, a wood burning fire which uses no electricity so when the power does fail I will still have heat and can cook on the LPG cooker which also works without electricity. I hope you are well and I we will ring you up in near future to buy a another one of your excellent books as one of my brother's had the last one you sent me, speak to you soon John key

[@TheInfoworks]

John, good to hear from you, yes your place takes the spirit of things and it's out of the flood risk area, cheers

[@teddycunningham7568]

Diverse power sources are necessary. Thanks to your videos and book i am well on the way to a solar electric home powered by used panels and 4 1000ah forklift batteries all at a very low cost . Thanks for all you do.

[@TheInfoworks]

Teddy, it's splendid to hear of your progress, keep at it, cheers

[@adrianstout2345]

Ideally huge solar system, hho splitter with compressed storage to run generator at night 💡

[@TheInfoworks]

Do you think some for of gasometer would work, or would the hydrogen react with something in the water? Cheers

[@mattcotton4413]

Any experience of bio digesters to produce and store methane safely to use as a natural gas source? Composting to create a fertiliser for the garden or veg patch takes significant time and a bit of space but to use the same material to produce a source of gas and as a byproduct, fertiliser in a shorter time frame seems a win win?!

[@TheInfoworks]

Hi Matt, I'm sure these systems work well in warmer parts of the world, and produce valuable gas, Here in the cold east coast multiple compost heaps work well as long as the same site is used. There's a build up of the helpful fungi and bacteria, cheers

[@WalkingTrashcan]

I’ve thought about doing something like this for poop. Another youtuber Jaimie Mantzel build one years ago and powered a cook top with the gas. Apparently it’s pretty common in central America.

[@bootsowen]

Hi Matt, I have daydreamed about the gas generator, but I went the compost route first, once you see how little waste your body generates and do the sums you might find that you barely have enough gas to cook a hot meal a day. The compost on the other hand is a very decent manure for the garden and takes up relatively little space. I guess you need some space to use it, but you could always use it to fertilise other peoples gardens.