First-Timer Installs Off Grid Solar Power System (Timelapse)

[@otoolepw]

I remember watching your previous video. How you managed this on your own with little to no knowledge is still one of the greatest mysteries of the universe. What an achievement. Inspirational stuff! 👍🏼

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Thank you 😊 just lots of research and reading (had to push past the boredom of it all as it’s not naturally my thing!) fell asleep and dropped a manual on my face many, many times 😂

[@PandaJ]

​@@The_OffGridFamily what was the website that you use to plan your panels on the roof etc??

[@srowlands248]

Good to see you back again, I’ve missed you lot over the past few weeks.

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Thank you, we’ve dropped to a video every fortnight at the moment as life is so busy 😫 We are hoping to do that consistently 😊👍 Thank you for your support 😊

[@srowlands248]

@@The_OffGridFamily I think you’re both very brave and lucky and I’m very jealous of what you have. I know that I’m not capable but really do admire what you’re doing and how all the while sharing your life with us, keep up the great job and I look forward to hearing from you next time.

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Thank you for your kind words 😊 We’ll keep them coming 👍

[@timclarke8565]

Greasy pole.... 😂

[@srowlands248]

@@timclarke8565 🤪🤪😂😂🤪🤪

[@william1UK]

What a Great video showing some struggles but with great success and loving family's way of amazing life #Brilliant ❤️

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Thank you, what a lovely comment 🤩 Glad you enjoyed it 👍

[@kermitjr]

Phenomenal job! My only request: can you link to all the products you used in the notes section? (with affiliate links if you want!) 🙂

[@happyglampers9053]

Brilliant. If i see a t shirt that says' pondering', i'll buy you and me one 🙂 Quiet clearly you have a mindset that says 'whatever I'm building, i want to understand how it works'. This is very commendable, especially when you may come across issue in future. Having some electrical knowledge, I'd suggest that the grease is for protection when being stored. Load of tosh saying it'll help going into the ground! And as for using a breaker to hammer that in, I'll be pinching that idea, fantastic!! Keep up the great work 🙂

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Thank you, I’m sure Fraser would definitely wear it 🤩 Thanks for your comment and ongoing support. It’s always appreciated 😊

[@Mickeyd-f4x]

Well Done You ❤👏👏

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Thank you 😊

[@lez075]

Hey, I wanted to get off the grid and I was thinking about using US5000 Pylontech batteries, that's how I came across your channel. I wonder if you know a place where I could understand better what do I need. My initial idea was 13 x 550w solar panels + 3 batteries US5000 Pylontech (4.8kw each) and I don't know what inverters and charge controllers should I install. I live in Majorca, Spain so many more daylight hours, sun and less cloudy than in the UK I guess.

[@Thunderst0rn]

Nice work! If you could redesign the system with the knowledge you have now, what would you change?

[@iandale]

I do like how you did it your way. Remember professionals of the future will be quoting your video to prove each other wrong 😂😂😂

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Thanks, we just hope what we’ve shared is useful to anyone thinking of doing the same 😊👍

[@ALTNABREAC]

What would you do if you had a firmware problem and had no internet?. Thanks

[@mySeaPrince_]

Excellent video... I assume the marks you mentioned are from the tape.. May I suggest vegetable based washing up liquid and a worn out kitchen scourer used gently.. Alternatively also as a practice use the tape on something and generate the same situation and test various smelly products in theory your favourite petrol should work BUT it will have effects... 200 volts I assume DC is much worse than AC and that is Lethal. Even though I have qualifications in electronics and electrical engineering I still stick to a 12 volt system. Maximum voltage is 24 volts at the panels. I've found the push together connectors do corrode at the point of contact (tube/ pin) if outdoors. Even though loads are used outside they are definitely not waterproof. Easiest solution is to lengthen the cables to get inside. Regarding lightening protection the more the merrier.. If you're feeling really wild.. bond all the roof sheets together and earth using a couple of scaffold poles in the ground with a scaffold poles going to the roof and use scaffolding clamps to electrically connect them. With some metal roofing they use the rain water pipes as additional conductor's. Something I have actually seen in a house loft.. is the solar panel mains inverter grid connection box invaded by bee's or wasps.. I don't know if it attracted them but the box was replaced and I suggested a overly large fine mesh box so there was good ventilation to stop it happening again. I don't know that much about Lithium (quite a bit but it's a big subject) but there is a YT channel called Sail Life.. Mads is into technology and bought a number of individual Lithium batteries that are the actual batteries with separate BMS (I think it could be about 5kw but easily expandable) it's a while since he bought them and he recommended the company. I think it was last week's episode he referred to them again as he has had them a couple of years and has just sailed across the Atlantic and is putting in some fans as it's really hot there.. and mentioned the company and said the price was good.. something to consider in the future. On the gardening front (if you're not growing any)... May I suggest planting Lolo Rosso lettuce seeds.. they're not bitter and I think the slugs and snails don't like them.. also other dark leave varieties they seem to leave alone. Kindest regards from... Bella 🐈 & Mark.

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Thank you, lots of good tips and advice to take on board there. How did you know about the slugs?! It’s been a nightmare this season 😫

[@mySeaPrince_]

@@The_OffGridFamily I didn't know about yours... I have them here 😻 I can send some if you need more 🐱 Do you have any friendly Hedgehogs? Or frogs and toads.. Remove anything from the area they can hide in or under and cut all grass really short... Birds are your friends. Then put upturned plant pots, buckets etc and collect each day... As I prefer not to kill things... I keep collecting them and take them the other side of the river.. I don't think they can swim... 🐱 Alternatively a ride in a vehicle ... at least 2 miles.. as they can find their way back... Mice can also find their way back... I find it amazing. I think I said before.. do another separate 12 volt system for lighting, radio and charging phones ... With my system.. I'm getting the bits together to make a 12 volt water heater dump load.

[@Qosmio1955]

@@The_OffGridFamily Beer. Slugs and snails love beer for some reason. Just leave dishes of flat beer outside and the little buggers will drink themselves to death...

[@footplate0]

It never seems to be the right way to do things. Trust your gut and go the safe way or the safer way, both are right and wrong!! By doing it yourself you know exactly where danger is and where it is safe, as you pointed out you didn't work on anything if it was live. You did best practice and turned everything off before your hand went near anything. Thanks for posting great recap.

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Wise words, thanks for watching 😊

[@lhffan]

Why not have your lynx power in in series?

[@woodybollox]

Hi. I would of thought as your pushing the rod into the ground it would scrap it clean that's my thought. Aren't lightning rods better pointed instead of flat cut off so it bleeds the charge buildup off better.

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Definitely if it was gravel, but we don’t hit gravel until 20m. Until that point, it’s just slippery clay 😫

[@joblack3991]

Hallo, in my opinion you are very clever and a good worker as DIY fan. As an experienced electronic eng that worked 30 yrs in Power Plants for Telecommunications I have some questions: 1- why did you decide to interrupt the negative cable (-) several times with a cartridge fuse (unreliable) up to the bus bar and then between the first and second bus bar with a battery switch. This choice introduces elements that significantly reduce the reliability and performance of your system. - Additional losses on fuse contacts, and cables; - Cartridge fuses are less reliable than bolt and hex type fuses - the battery switch is an extremely weak component because it only serves to provide continuity but on the negative pole it is absolutely useless, in fact it is also harmful to keep it on the positive pole too - to disconnect each individual battery, just place a resettable fuse on the positive side only... nothing on the negative. If you will follow these recommendations your plant will be more reliable and efficient. Good like.

[@gavincrouch]

Lol, greased pole to make it go in the ground easier, that was funny. It is indeed there to prevent oxidation. For the panels, just connect up the combiner box and then connect each panels MC connector one at a time with all breakers open (off), so connect from box up to panels NOT panels down to box, all connections will be (should be) open circuit until you flip the switch. Doing it at sunset is safer than day if you are concerned, at night you risk not seeing on the roof and falling, so not exactly safer than day or sunset. Great job! a little nuts doing it solo though.

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Haha yes a bit nuts but we got there in the end 😂

[@davidellis1355]

Ok I love this and taking family off grid is my dream, where do you stand legally?

[@ttkddry]

Main thing is you managed to overcome the child disease issues and now the setup is working. I am looking forward to see the production numbers for a year in use

[@The_OffGridFamily]

We’ve been up and running two years now so could share those stats if that would be of interest? 😊

[@ttkddry]

@@The_OffGridFamily it would be nice to see the VRM stats on how much you produce and consume and which are the period where you need to fire up the generator

[@The_OffGridFamily]

That’s something we could definitely do 😊 Have you seen our Winter Power Challenge videos? They might answer some questions in the interim: kzbin.info/aero/PLlXqAOxkGhb5F1XEMwU8AOhOIFX7l09hx

[@bloodynorahvan2203]

New content needed!

[@randomjasmicisrandom]

Your solar installation is way beyond anything I could have attempted, it’s seriously impressive. As for the end piece about moving away from technology, that is nonsense. It’s off grid living, not iron age living.

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Thank you 😊 Very true about off grid life, but you would be amazed how many people tell us we aren’t off grid because we have a breadmaker 😂😂👍

[@lipsee100]

I did my own off grid ,and compared to you made a good job of fitting the panels on the roof using Unistrut,,,but made a complete hash of feeding to wires into the combiner box...Anyway congratulations ,,it looks so goood,,,better them mine..

[@The_OffGridFamily]

As long as it works, we’re all winner 😊👍 No electricity bills is all that matters!

[@lipsee100]

@@The_OffGridFamily Electricity is fan(bloody)tastic,,,and its even better when free

[@mySeaPrince_]

@@lipsee100 Over 35 years off-grid here... 😻

[@Just_An_Idea_For_Consideration]

What are white rectangular boxes below victron power distributor? please provide links

[@tanishqbhaiji103]

6:05 Loose MC4 connector, please tighten it properly or water will get inside and it will be a shock and fire hazard. Recommend MC4 wrench as it clicks when you reach the proper torque spec.

[@marcobrian1619]

IV watch your struggles in this set up..... Your ture follers will help with the "best thay know" advice The rest just take the piss...... Even I have taken advice off your self's and learned. Solar has been around for years with simple gti's. But now the concept of DIY solar with battery and inverter.,....it's so new, we are all learning off each other No body knows the truth, as each set up is totally different. Yes IV worked on some "professional" installation. But there bang panels up wire in set GTi up or whatever......clear off. All our systems regardless of size or power are all different with our own requirements and how we use it.....been part off grid or just running a light n radio in shed.... Or full on off grid, or even building and going for the grid cut off. What you two have done with what you know is bloody remarkable. Hats off to you.

[@The_OffGridFamily]

Thank you 😊 we hope that by contributing to the discussion that we help someone somewhere who’s trying to do the same thing 👍

[@marcobrian1619]

@@The_OffGridFamily definitely.....you guys have taken on so much with little knowledge, IV taken on the same but ABIT more knowledge, but no funds. So shall we say I'm playing the energy companys at there own game.. Really wish you all best and a great future..... It's summer so plenty of power.

[@andypayne1571]

Forget the comments, dig out the info you want and ignore the rest. Most of these people who comment negatively in a passive aggressive friendly advice fashion I personally think are just trying to show off and make out they are the font of knowledge in that area. I'm an electrician and every now and then I go onto a forum to look something up I'm not sure about or haven't seen and you just get people quoting regs at each other and saying "I'm surprised you didn't know that it easy or obvious" Twats most of them😁

[@andypayne1571]

@@buyingselling4889 someone's tired.