How to Convert Your Home to Off-Grid

Determine Power Needs

• 1

  List your actual power consumption by month for the last 12 months, taking information from your monthly power bills.

• 2

  Read the wattage or amperage information from your well pump, clothes washer and dryer, dishwasher, stove, furnace, lights, television, computer and all other electric and electronic equipment that normally use household electricity. In the alternative, gather the information through use of a clamp-on amp meter. Record this information in the first 2 columns of a 4-column chart with the headings Item, Rated Amps & Watts, Hours Used Per Day and Total Watts Per Day.

• 3

  Convert all amperages to watts by multiplying amps times volts. Enter the result next to the watts for that appliance. Usual household current is 110 or 120 volts.

• 4

  Estimate the number of maximum hours per day each appliance is used. Enter that number in the next-to-right column.

• 5

  Multiply watts by hours and enter the resulting number in the right-hand column.

• 6

  Total the right-hand column. Then multiply by 1.10 to allow for line loss and ghost loads. The resulting number is your current estimated power consumption.

• 7

  Compare this figure to the highest figure on your list in Step 1. Use whichever is higher, the final number in Step 6 or the highest figure in Step 1. This will help determine the requirements for your off-grid system should you make no changes in current power usage.

• 8

  Determine what high-energy appliances you will need to replace with energy-efficient models or with ones that use a different source of power. Readjust your power consumption chart to reflect these changes.

Choose Off-Grid Power Generators That Fit Your Location

• 9

  Look at sources of hydroelectric power close to your home. A nearby creek that has a good flow of water all year and high vertical drop is ideal.

• 10

  Observe wind around your home. Sites fairly close to the home with daily wind speeds of 8 miles per hour or more may be suitable for wind generators.

• 11

  Look at the roof of your home and at space around your home exposed to direct sunlight to determine suitable sites for solar panel installation.