We forgot to mention that the federal rebate is 30 percent, which brings the total cost down to $25,930. Kind of a big thing to leave out 😅. Hope this helps. We appreciate your comments and for taking the time to watch our videos.

@adamd5013

Жыл бұрын

do you need a contractor to get the rebate?

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

@Adam D No actually, we don't. Thanks for watching. 🙂

@Poorehouse

Жыл бұрын

Adam, no - but the equipment has to be new. If you didn’t pay enough in taxes to take full advantage of the tax credit, you can roll the credit over to a subsequent year. Oh and any tools you buy to do the work are also eligible…

@adamd5013

Жыл бұрын

@@Poorehouse wow nice thanks for the details!

@crislopes4518

Жыл бұрын

Great vid! Exactly what I wanted to see. Question though..does that make it so you are completely disconnected from power company?(im on California so pge for me and I know people that have gotten solar power but still have to be connected to them) looking to buy a piece of land and build a small cabin and that’s my main concern. Thanks

Cost of an awesome solar setup $37,043. Cost of a supportive wife, PRICELESS!

To run an electric line 1 mile is $75000 or more. Solar is coming down quickly, and is a great option for off grid country living .

Your breakdown helps all of us understand how to pay for and build a system which allows anyone to have independent power. Some may baulk about the price, but the freedom of such an electrical unit is an absolute investment and, when the electrical grid fails (notice I said when) the investment is priceless. No down time. No waiting on big electric to come to the rescue. The independence: how we love to live. Free.

I love her statement at the end about being COMPLETELY SELF-RELIANT and not having to depend on anyone.

Cheap cheap cheap! I am of course not talking about your incredible system, rather you cost! That amount of power for 37k is truly a testimony to your level of competence! Great job!

I built my system for about 30k. Consists of 11Kw panels, 56Kw of batteries, 8K sol-ark all in one. I built the batteries from raw cells. the mounting was unistrut and well pipe, 2 are set up to track 2 axis, 2 are seasonal tilt, nessassary in Minnesota. I have had no issues with the all in one inverter, but something to be said for separate components too.

23:50 "Self Reliant" - This is my biggest reason for installing solar. Making your own power and not relying on the electric company. Love the channel

Great video! I've had my Victron system for 4 years now. Mine consist of 4 - 3000VA Multiplus inverters and three MTTP 100 - 50 chg controllers, 12 - 320watt solar panels and 12 Battle Born 24V batteries giving me 600ah of storage. My house is under 1000 sq ft so it provides me with all the 240V power I need to run the house and power equipment. I do use propane for heating, but thinking of doing away with it... I had one inverter fail and Victron reacted immediately and got it to the repair facility in one day! Unfortunately the repair facility didn't provide very good customer service and took over two weeks to repair it. I'm just 50 miles from their facility... So I bought a spare inverter! I live in the Wet Mountain valley in Colorado at about 8000 ft so I get plenty of sunshine.. Keep up the great videos! Steve

Wow! That is a great looking system! Thank you for sharing your build, experience, and expenses.

Nice! and Expensive! LOL! A suggestion and for your SAFETY add a Catastrophe fuse and disconnect at the battery box for redundancy! Don't just rely on the BMS system. And at the buss bars going to the batteries move your 4/0 wires from an end bolt to a center bolt on the buss bar to reduce further any chance of buss bar heating and even Amp draw during large voltage draws! Awesome system!

You guys should be super proud of yourselves you did an amazing job

You are the King and Queen of "Off Grid"...best I have seen. Well done.

Thank you guys for this video, we very appreciate it, we have plans to built solar panels and how much it could be if it will be DIY , that’s amazing you did count it already and said it!

Great video guys. Really interesting and informative. Loving the fact that you wanted to go overkill with the energy levels, and not just stick with a system that only just meets your needs

Just finished our off grid solar, we did it ourselves. Did it for well under $3k . Be interesting to see how it goes. Got lithium batteries super cheap as the Government in Australia changed the contract on building electric buses. So was 1000 cheap batteries, we got our share. Solar panels (450 W ) for $25 each with all free railings, wire and clamps to join battery’s with a free case to house them in. Just got to meet people in the know.

Love what you did. Everything was neat and look to be very well installed. Really liked the EMP Shields as they are really needed...

The base bars lol that’s just nuts. Y’all did a really good job 👍🏻

I love how you put this system together fantastic job

Your explanation was very informative. Thanks for taking the time to make the video. In my lifetime (74 years) I’ve found that quality equipment is worth the $$$.

I think you’ll be glad you put in good equipment in the long run. That’s always the best.

Thanks for the reply. I didn't think you could get to it, but you did, and I appreciate it. Good luck in all your future endevors.

You guys are way ahead of the curve by the way you planned this solar array. Well done. So much work, you have to feel proud. You guys are so sweet together

@Lee-pz6ef

Жыл бұрын

How long can it last

Wow!! Well done.. "eesh", the price though is Mega! I'm sure though that you are very proud of undertaking the project yourselves & the system's capabilities. Literally a Power plant.

"We like power". Brilliant!! Nuff said!!

I'm surprised you didn't go for the lynx distributor.. no off grid system is complete without EMP shield. Nice touch! Love it!!

Very proud of what you are doing. The children are having the best life.

Thanks for a great video overview of your really nice solar system. The $37K was a fraction of what it would have cost if you hired professional installers to give you that MUCH POWER. You chose top-of-the-line equipment and really laid it out superbly. You can now enjoy it for many years to come. Bravo!

love it, it’s beautiful. I love Victron and only use them as much as possible. Our off grid systems are completely self reliant. From Utah to Illinois. The key for us is the winter, clouds and snow and sunny angle. we have to design for that. Then summer is easy. And for us that cold is a big deal to as you recognize having to keep the batteries warm. Love all the details!!!! Awesome

Fantastic job!! You BOTH should be very proud.

Great Video!! I have not built mine yet, but will do so as soon as we move to the property, and this video is a fantastic guide! I want to make a suggestion. If you accidentally dropped a wrench down behind the battery case, you would have a nice firework show if it landed on those buss bars. It might add some safety if you put a wood or plastic cover above the buss bars to avoid a falling object shorting out your batteries.

I have schnieder SW+ dual and 4 victron 150V/ 100, battery bank is are tesla car batteries , 8 modules total storage so 43,152 watt hours, we plan to add 2 more batteries and expand to 10,000Kilowatt. So far price is right around $40,000. we have hurricanes to duck here..

I was surprised that you didn't mention a shunt, which would allow you to see all the voltage in the batteries, in and out, etc. Victron makes a proprietary one and a generic one that would work for your setup. Very cool setup and I am envious! The other advantage of DIY is that you saved money but also understand your system completely. Well done!

Well done on doing your own rack for solar panels. I am just about finished with my 19kw off grid system, for the materials of a good metal solar rack it was going to cost $14,000. I decided to just build them out of pressure treated wood for less than $3k, this also gives me the flexibility to move each rack of 5 panels slightly to the east or west for testing which way is the most efficient for providing power throughout the day.

Love you guys and how you were able to put this together as a couple, wow! Well, I'm thinking of doing this to my house in the Caribbean and would love your help on installing a 10k system with 220v to power my ac and washing machine.

Look into adding the Victron smart shunt. It will monitor and report battery utilization and SOC to the Cerbo GX so it can control the entire Victron entire ecosystem based off of the battery data. Just a couple hundred more bux, but will prove very useful for you. Great work!

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

I'll have to look into that thank you.

@norsk54472

Жыл бұрын

I second this suggestion

@Juma.O

Жыл бұрын

This will be the best to help in monitoring your battery power. Victron shunt

@car2069

Жыл бұрын

THIS 100%!!! Install a smart shunt between the two bus bars. It will keep track of the state of charge and perfectly report it to the Cerbo.

@nbarnard

Жыл бұрын

@@aboulderlifeoffgrid did you check out the smart shunt from victron? I use a couple of them, for monitoring solar production (non victron charge controllers), and for battery levels. The built in relays are an integral part of my system too, shutting down various components when levels get too high etc.

Great video! I am also on a DIY fully off-grid system and have upgraded all of my electric appliances and even have full AC and heat running off of my system. I will be adding videos soon but have not had time as of yet. Our system has 800ah of batteries and 13kw of inverters and runs our entire house with zero issues including electric range, oven, washer/dryer, 5x mini spit AC/heaters, etc. Thank you for sharing!

I would love to see an entire parts list so I can start picking and choosing once I get my house purchased. I fully intend to do something just like this and I'm big on lists and comparing costs of parts in a deep dive. Love to see this kind of video so thank you for all the current info

@MiArtStuff

9 ай бұрын

It's a great tim to start a christmas list

I’ve enjoyed watching you guys build the solar system. What a great job! Looking forward to the next project!

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for always joining us! It means so much.

A very profound statement I heard that holds true in life : "How you do anything, is how you do everything." The attention to detail and thorough research done commands respect. The future planning along with allowing for a system that will be outputting far below it's true abilities extends it's life expectancy as well. This was truly enjoyable to watch, and easily earned my "Like" and "Subscribe" . Great video !!!

@rustyneuron

9 ай бұрын

It is kindof another way of saying "Whatsoever you do unto the least of these, so also you do unto me." I'm not religious, but grew up that way and your comment reminded me of that. I usually say "if its worth doing it is worth doing right".

KK, Very nice vid. Thank you. My new install is going to be 1/4 your size. I just need power for 2 freezers and 2 fridges, few lights and small power for laptop or radio if trees take out power lines/ black out conditions. All other stuff in my house is giant tank of propane for water heater, and cooking. Wood burning stove for house heat in winter. Nice vid...thank you again for current prices.

Comment: Wow, this Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series seems impressive! It's great to see a portable power solution that offers such a massive capacity and fast recharging time. The waterproof technology and comprehensive protections are definitely important features for outdoor enthusiasts like us. Thanks for sharing this recommendation!

Thank you for the information. It is all so complex to me.

Incredible! DIY for such a large project and that too in a perfect manner, no words. Very well done, wish you well with the system

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much. It's been working out great. 🙂

First time viewer and loved your videos and personas!!! subscribed and home to see more from you two :D

Wow!! You two are amazing!! Yes it did cost a lot but worth every penny. And the amount you saved on all the hard, hard work you put in is incredible. Not to mention the knowledge you have. Great job!!

@dontbanmebrodontbanme5403

Жыл бұрын

The knowledge is key, because systems break. When they do, they won't have to be paying someone an arm and a leg to come out and fix it for them. They know how to do it themselves.

Really enjoyed this video. Many thanks for sharing your information. You guys are adorable and so cute together.

Thank you for sharing your journey. I have enjoyed following along and I’m very happy for you to have lots of power for your family.

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

Thank you Larry. 😊

I just noticed that thos video wqs posted on my birthday. Thank you. Great job on the video too😁

Awesome job breaking down the cost and details of your solar/electric system. It’s good to know what goes into being off grid and what it takes to diy. 🙏👏👏👏

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

Hey Robles Metal Art! Thank you Sir!

Great work!! That $80k contractor cost sounds legit. Think about home contractors like a carpenter or AC installer. They normally charge labor rates at 100% of material costs.

I fully get the cost of this set. We have a family house in AZ off grid ,we use 24 volt and we use split systems to spred the amp loading. Good video on what it truely costs. I would reccomenda shield on the battery buss bars to avoid a accidental arc from somethng crossing them.

Awesome setup, great information. Thank you. keep up the amazing work.

Also I recommend building your own batteries if you build more. A seplos 280Ah mason kit with grade A Eve cells runs about $3400 ($237/kWh) and they have communication and can automatically control battery heaters.

this gave me, alot of ideas for my setup at some point.

Nice setup. It makes me want to build portable powerhouse with deployable solar for mining. I think with double the batteries and a generator to offset needs we could run most of the season on solar.

Wow that's a lot of power! Our inverter is 6,000 watts, and it does everything we need to live off grid, and to run all of the power tools to build our house. The propane for our gas stove will cost us less than $200 a year, and we can take the tanks in ourselves to have them filled.

Thats a nice system you guys put together! Those batteries are the way to go.

You have the good stuff…congratulations. You nailed it

Just add in a suitable Victron SmartShunt. You already have a nice split between the battery storage and charge/consume. It will fit in really easy and tells you the state of charge of your batteries accurately enough.

my current estimate of a 10kw panel system with 20KWH at 51v (4p4s of 200ah 12v lifepo4) with 2x all in one hybrid inverters that are daisy chained together for 16kw is just under 20k usd (DIY) in NC, i save a bit by roof mounting.. since the house is in the open and facing north.. giving me a solid EAST / WEST sun exposure, I do appreciate your video, i have been checking the solar diy market on and off for a decade.. and with lifep04 prices dropping like a rock, and solar panels 300-330 range prices at 150ish new .. its seems to be a pretty optimal time to get in. with the hope of getting ROI in 8 or so years after the rebate ( basically assuming i save 1800 / year on utility, using my current monthly consumption as a guide, but 10 would still be fine, as the lifespan on these things should be 20+ years)

That is amazing! Just think, you never have to make another electric payment.

You are a inspiration for me. Thanks. Give a hug for the kids.

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

Will do! Thanks for coming along on our journey.

I've got a similar DIY system solar myself. Instead of two Victron inverters. I went with a large 15K single phase 240v inverter. I'm able to produce 240V split phase with the use of an autotransformer. For your batteries I'd ditch the wood box and go with a server rack. You can buy them with bus bars from signature solar out of Texas.

3:00 the showmanship. That is why I like and subscribe. I look forward to seeing what you become.

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

10 ай бұрын

I forgot about that part 😅. Thanks.

Great video... thanks for the cost numbers!! Interesting that the 2 banks at differing angles provides you more than flat south facing panels...maybe because you're in the south. I feel for you on the lack of state of charge reading. Integrated amp hours is all that matters on those LiFe batteries, very difficult (impossible perhaps) to get a meaningful SOC from voltage only. Anyway, beautiful piece of work. Power on!!

Great video. Looking to follow your lead and get off grid completely. ❤

Solar will be the way to go and it will eventually be cost effective. I keep up with the tech and just do small 100 watt panels for lighting and greenhouse fans. I will be prepared for when the tech price gets reasonable. But 25K put into Vanguard VTI one year ago when this came out would be worth 32K today, so I can’t see the savings yet, but it’s coming. Thanks for the vids and updates.

Thanks you two did a very good job

Nice work on the video. Someone else may have mentioned it above. But those inverters are technically 10k va. That isn’t the same as wattage. Technically they are around 8kw inverters. Which definitely isn’t a low amount of power. I just figured I’d point that out. Victron for some reason rates all their inverters in VA. Again, great job.

Subscribed... headed to the build videos! Thank you!!

Thanks for the video. well done and edited. It confirmed that I will be able to do this same size considerable cheaper. Pressure treated for the array. Ive seen those same size/quality batteries for 1300-1500. I might even make my own which would shave more off. I think yall payed around .70 a watt for the panels which is ok but .50 and even lower is doable if you just dig more deals are always out there finding them is the task. I also think higher wattage panels means less panels which means less materials. Plus the more panels you have the more that could go wrong/get damaged etc. I see a lot of diyers that I guess just have plenty of money and go for the convenience of buying the easiest to obtain items. I see this time and time again. The frugal and deal diggers out there I know feel the same way. I kind find everything so discounted compared to a lot of people but I have a friend that is on another level and gets things for free all the time I have know idea how he does it but his house is full of materials, electronics, vehicles, etc that he gets from people just needing to get rid of it. Craigslist free is one of his sources he is on it non stop.

Great info, and nice system! You folks have a very down to earth relatable way of communicating. I have a grid tie solar system that supplies approx 100% of my electric demand and cost about $25k installed by pros. My prior average electric bill was $185 per month so my system is basically break even for the first 10 years, and I anticipate 10 years of “free” electricity after that. A significant factor for me is that I rely on the power company (no batteries) and I use natural gas for the stove, home heat, dryer, water heater. Natural gas used to be quite cheap, but here on the West Coast the price has soared, and now costs me more than my electric use. I applaud your foresight! You didn’t mention how you heat your house, I presume wood stove? The cost of batteries in off grid system looks to be the biggest factor. My take away from this cost analysis of yours is that the battery choice and budget are the most important decisions.

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

Wood stove mostly with a little portable heater sometimes. We're planning on radiant floor heating when we build our house in the near future. Thanks for watching. 🙂

Great job well done. Looking forward to your next step

Victron Lynx Shunt 1000 for battery monitoring or the Victron BMV-712 (this is what I have) with a 500A capacity. This takes away the need for the batteries to play nice with the Cerbo. And for the bus bars, Victron Lynx Power In or Distributor if you want to fuse each item. Each of these handle 1000A in total and you can combine them for extra connectivity. This is an awesome video and it looks like you have gone to a lot of trouble to get this up and going and it looks fantastic. Totally enjoyed watching this and viewed to the very end including bloopers! Warm greetings from Melbourne in Australia!!!

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

Great information. Thank you Adam!

@ericklein5097

Жыл бұрын

Wasn't the Lynx causing a bit of a rumble as most people found it should have only been rated for 500A?

Nice work. Something I don't see, though, is a Victron shunt. A shunt would allow you to monitor the charge and discharge rates of the battery bank. A Victron Shunt will work with the Cerbo GX and the Victron app. Victron shunts range in price from $130.90 to $374.00, depending on the model.

I know as I go through and make videos for my own system, I'm constantly reminded of the cost of my own system. It's hard to believe how much little pieces of metal and wire cost, but it's so gratifying to know that you're making your own power! In regards to knowing the state of charge of your batteries, one option would be to put a Victron SmartShunt in place which would give you the ability to monitor the state of charge of your entire pack of batteries. Voltage doesn't mean much in regards to LifePo4 batteries, but the smart shunt does a really good job of letting you know where you're at power wise.

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

Good to know! We'll look into one of those. Thank you!

@solarandwindinsouthtexasda1473

Жыл бұрын

Yes your correct my. Battery are diy sow I use renogy shunt I have 3840ah on a12v and 960ah on a 24v have you look into a raspberry it made work for you

You owe nothing to no one! Great job

Awesome project, I am totally jealous. Great work!

You 2 and your family are so awesome! As much as you spent, I'd give the battery people an opportunity to fix the issue or find a company that will fix the issue (free of charge) to endorse their product.

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

Yes. This is something we need to look into. Thank you. 😊

That's a great system 👍. Thanks for telling us about the federal rebate.

Enjoyed this episode very much. The face expressions - priceless. I am starting buying ( next year ) the goodies ( solar) to go of grid. Now, take your cost and x that with 18. That is what it will cost me. And i am in a suburb. Have gas stove already. Next month gas geyser will be installed.

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

Good luck in your solar adventure! Thanks for watching!

Wow! But we’ll worth it, wonderful y’all ,love it!!!!!

I have a very similar system. Same inverters, but 41x 455W panels, 70kWh of battery bank, 3x victron rs450/100 charge controllers, 2x victron power-ins, 2x victron lynx distributors, lynx shunt, cerbo-gx and sceen, etc. I DIY'd the batteries with EVE cells and Seplos kits (communicates with Victron fine). All-in I spent about $50k before tax rebate. The same system installed by a company here in Maine would have been $150k.

with kids and because i live in canada i would need 2 time the power storage. you guys have really nice power inverter.

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

9 ай бұрын

We have 4 kids. And we do need more power storage as well. Thanks for watching. 🙂

Awesome video. Thank you.

you need to install a shunt from Victron on the Negative main lead. this will allow you to program the total sizing of your battery bank and the Victron system will monitor the real battery power used verses power remaining. I was very surprised you did not install a shunt. the rest of your install is GREAT. you can never have enough electrical power

Thank you! Your both so awesome...

Actually Victron has a bunch of ways of communicating with your battery. It has RS485 and RS282 so you should be able to get it to work if you have the right setup but another effective method to monitor capacity is to use a Victron Smart Shunt which will monitor the energy in and out of your install. You do have to do a full charge to calibrate it. They also have two other shunts which might be better for your situation. I would take a trip to my fellow Aussie Andy's Offgrid Garage KZread channel where he's done a number of different communication setups including the smart shunt with his Victron setup.

It not sticker shock, it’s the investment to go DIY. Totally worth it for sure. What would you do different? Great looking system. Way to go! Thanks for sharing

@aboulderlifeoffgrid

Жыл бұрын

It's a pretty good price when you compare it to what an installer would charge. What I would do differently is make the panels at a 40ﾟ angle instead of a 36ﾟ angle. Also I think we would get a different brand of batteries that would communicate with the Victron equipment. But overall very satisfied with our system. Thanks for the comment.

Now that’s impressive guys ❤

Very nice, Thanks for sharing

Price does not meter if wife helps to build it :) God bless you And you placed smile on my face :)

Buen trabajo. Una sugerencia en la estructura para mejorar la resistencia a el viento racheado tienes que 1° hacer triángulos por qué son lo más resistentes, 2° poner tensores o cortavientos también en forma de triángulos. Espero que os sirva.

This is more expensive than I thought it would be, but I've only been looking at smaller systems. Wow! That markup for installation / labor was huge. Good on you guys for doing it yourself

@jasonhensley947

Жыл бұрын

The markup for off-grid is very high due to the lack of knowledgeable companies willing to do it. These systems are very complex compared to grid tie/back feed systems.

@vandalorian8777

10 ай бұрын

@@jasonhensley947no they aren’t, he did it in a complicated way. It can be done for half the price he paid

@reddemon1923

9 ай бұрын

@@vandalorian8777 Can you explain more? I'm new to the solar game and trying to educate myself. How could they have done it in a less complicated, less expensive way?

@BatMan-co1gy

7 ай бұрын

I saved a lot on mine by going with used panels from SanTan Solar. I got 40 used Kyocera 265W panels for $4,001.65 after shipping. they've been working great, they look great too.

The knowledge you gained will save you money should components need repair or replacement. I don't have solar but need generator power often. We have LP for stove, dryer, and hot water and 9000 watt generator for the whole house. Unless you need 20KW for backup or have one big house you could have when smaller. But, now you have enjoy.

You did a fabulous job.

Great Video Thanks, God Bless!

Looks nice! Your solar panels cost more than our whole 6,400 watt off-grid system. San Tan Solar in Arizona has great prices on solar panels, but shipping might be expensive.

For battery monitoring of knowing how much power is left, Put in a Victron Shunt and call it done! I love mine!!!!