backwoods cabin with no power

[borrowed time]

I'll start this again, have had a local group to my retreat and they said I should get some info out on this.  Have well, generator, 12 volt system, 12 volt water pump, along with 120 volt electric lights, organic toilet, lp gas refrig, gas heat that needs no electric, I leave heat and refrig. on all year. If anyone needs info I will be glad to give what I can. Been at this almost 5 years.

[Savage_99]

Tell us how you do it. 

I have the 'camp' in VT but it has electric power.  It has a well and propane gas heat is on all winter.

[borrowed time]

Started out with a well insulated cabin with loft for sleeping. (1) heat. LP gas stove from Fleet Farm, many vendors have them. The thermostat is controlled by mini-voltage that the heater itself makes. If I knew that the current economic situation was in the works, a wood burner would have been installed, but that can still be done. (2) generator is Honda 2000 which is good for a little over 15 amps. Pricey, but economical to run, and quiet. Actually an inverter. (3) 12 volt system  are outside lights, some inside lights, 1 bathroom light. A regular long-run trolling motor battery runs this and is charged anytime the generator runs, charger is hooked up all the time. (4) inside water system is 12 volt irrigation pump from Northern Sales, hooked with pressure system to kitchen and bathroom. It will run even with generator off, of course. The small shed I have for generator has a 120 gallon tank that I fill right from the well, this is where the water supply goes to the 12 volt pump. Well has a Grundfoss pump that is easy start for the generator, needs no control or pressure system, hook up hose and turn on and fill, shut off. Water in well drains in a check valve to 20 feet down to prevent freezing.

(5) gas refrigerator came from Canada, my gas man got it for me. Largest one made, uses only about 30 gallons LP a year. Big freezer, wonderful unit. No noise, compressor, or fan. If I had LP where I live, I would have it in a minute in my house. So efficient is does not even need be vented out. I have a CD alarm and it has never went off. It actually heats the cabin when outdoor ambient is not below 48.

I have a ten gallon hot water heater that I changed element to 1500 instead of 2000 watts so generator can handle it. Also have 5500 btu air conditioner that the generator handles with ease, not with heater on though. With my generator, you have to watch when you run the larger items, but no problem for me. A larger generator hooked to LP would solve that problem.

Sun-Mar toilet is organic, vented out with 12 volt fan, easy because no water or septic, no odor, but am not sure long-term I would want it if I lived there.

 All the separate wiring I did when the cabin was built, used brown electric outlets for 12 volt, white for 120 volt. Electric system works just fine. Taking a shower, 12 volt pump kicks in about 3 times.

[borrowed time]

To add to this subject, I have a 500 gallon LP tank that uses about half a tank in a year, with the heat on and refrig on all year. Heat is set to about 42 degrees in winter.

[Rex in OTZ]

I have experenced cold spots in cabins in the area where I live, lofts can be quite cold if not done correctly, useing a fan helps distribute the heat throughout the cabin, the most recent experence was in mid March we arrived at the cabin approx 21:30 started the Perfection drip oil heater set on 3/4 setting at -45F Ive slept just 8 feet away and was uncomfortable in a sleeping bag on the bottom bunk of the bunkbed (I eventually slept in my Carheart Extremes that night in the sleeping bag) I had a water bottle on the floor and it was slushy in the am the thermometer above the cupboards read 28 degrees farinheight. the area around the heater was sizzling hot but the floor and back corners were still very cold the windows had frozzen condensation on them and dident thaw off till mid-day, one them heat powerd air fans is a good investment so you dont have to run your heater so hard to saturate the building with heat.

[borrowed time]

Yes, I thought about a 12 volt fan to move a little air, good idea. I am probably going to put another battery in to help the 12 volt system. Our loft stays warm enough fro the fridge we have to open a loft window when temperature is around 45.

[efremtags]

you should consider solar hot water. Usign gas powered genset to heat electrical wate heater is as innefficient as it gets. A small gas on demand heater will provide ample boost in winter or wood stove with heat exchanger (outdoor boiler is ideal).

I am on the grid, but I plan to heat my water next year using solar. I already have a heat on demand boiler and wood furnace.

[borrowed time]

I would have too many trees and not enough sun for solar to be practical, but the wood stove and water heater is the way to go, I think. I had this setup in my other house, with a tank that the water circulated in before entering the water heater. I used to own a refrigeration business for over 30 years, I used to sell thermostore water heaters that used hot gas from commercial condensing units to heat water, now that really works, and saves units in hot weather.

[efremtags]

You should check out a 12VDC solar fridge as well. Steca makes a very very efficient fridge and can be configured as a freezer also. You could run the solar off the property line where you have clearing above your trees. Doesn't take too much to run, and could be run from AC with a 12V power suppl. Might save you some LP for heating.