Free course

Off-grid from zero

Twelve lessons in the order the decisions actually come: the life, the land, water, loads, batteries, wiring, heat, the building, waste, backup, money, the first year. Each one is the reading, the tools, the numbers, and the three things to do before the next. Work through it at your pace; it remembers where you are.

0 of 12 done
  1. 1Is off-grid actually for you?Decide with your eyes open: what the life costs in money, time, and attention, and what it gives back.
  2. 2Picking the land (before you fall in love with it)Learn the five questions that decide whether a parcel can be lived on at all, and how to answer them before you sign.
  3. 3Water comes firstSize how much you use, pick the source that fits the land, and plan storage and treatment before anything electrical.
  4. 4Loads before panelsBuild an honest list of what runs on electricity, in watt-hours per day, because every other power number comes from it.
  5. 5The battery, the inverter, and the voltageChoose the bank chemistry and voltage, size it for autonomy, and match the inverter to the loads and the surge.
  6. 6Wire it so it does not burnLearn the fusing, wire gauge, and grounding rules that make a DC system safe, and draw the diagram before you buy a single part.
  7. 7Heat: the system that decides your winterMatch the heat source to the climate and the building, size it to the heat loss, and plan the fuel a year ahead.
  8. 8The building itselfChoose a foundation, roof, insulation, and entry that fit the climate and the systems, and learn which permits come first.
  9. 9Sewage, greywater, and the toilet questionPick a sanitation approach that is legal where you are, sized to the household, and honest about the work it takes.
  10. 10Backup, spares, and the habit of maintenanceSet up the generator, the spare-parts wall, and the maintenance calendar so the first failure is a nuisance, not a cold week.
  11. 11Money, permits, insurance, and taxesPut real numbers on the build, understand what the county and the insurer will ask for, and avoid the first-year money leak.
  12. 12The first year, and the shakedownMove in with a sequence, test every system before winter, and know what breaks first so the second year is easier.
By emailGet one lesson every three days

Twelve emails, each with the lesson, the reading, the tools, and the three things to do. Stop anytime.

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