Bonus for a solar house: when it’s hot outside, the sun is usually shining…
It’s on the to-do list… Primary heat comes from the wood stove, but I also have a heat-pump “mini-split,” that provides both auxiliary heat and air conditioning, and it’s very kind to my batteries. It will get painted a bright color with varnished “legs” and custom-made cushions. A trick I learned from the contractors, a wheelbarrow makes a great “redneck recliner.” Had to have one.
#Little house off grid generator#
The sun shines most days here in San Diego County, but a rarely-needed generator provides backup. Solar power, well water, and a septic system make Sábado self-sufficient (with a little help from a propane tank and satellite internet… ) Sixteen deep-cycle batteries keep the lights on at night. You work all week, and when you get to Saturday, you get to do whatever you like!ĭon’t miss other awesome stories like this – join our FREE Tiny House Newsletter for more! Off-the-Grid Bungalow/Cottage in SoCal Being a retired guy, I named the place Sábado – Spanish for Saturday – because Saturday is the happiest day of the week, and retirement is the Saturday of life. Living on the site in my 16-foot vintage travel trailer (once featured in the Tiny House Newsletter), I designed the buildings, supervised construction, and did some of the finish work.
15 solar panels and 16 big batteries supply all the power needed to run the house and the detached 350-square-foot woodshop. Literally in the shadow of 230-kilovolt power lines, this 850-square-foot bungalow is completely off the grid.