/r/OffGridLiving

Photograph via snooOG

Off Grid Living serves as a gathering place and resource for individuals who share an interest in disconnecting from the grid, whether by choice or necessity.

Off the Grid or off-grid is a characteristic of buildings as well as a lifestyle designed in an independent manner without reliance on one or more public utilities such as the electrical grid, gas, city sewer, and so forth. Off grid living allows for varying levels of self-sufficiency, which is advantageous for multiple reasons such as geographical limitations and environmental impact. Generally, an off-grid property must be able to supply energy and potable water, and ideally would also manage food, waste and wastewater.


We welcome all how-to's!


Related and Useful Subreddits:

/r/OffGridLiving

41,282 Subscribers

3

Thought I'd share a budget friendly MPPT charge controller I got recently, which goes up to 600W charging at 12V and 1200W at 24V... 😳 In the video I share my solar system, which I'll be expanding over time, curious what are your thoughts on this charge controller. 👍🏻

2 Comments
2024/11/27
18:36 UTC

1

Where can I find a place to live.

Hello, I am looking to go off grid for "Personal" reasons (partly because of the up and coming promises from recent events) I'm currently in the USA, Specifically lower east Florida area. (around Tampa but lower). I have a Jackery with 2x200w Solar panels for basic electricity, I'm very good at conserving it and the panels more than keep it full with my basic needs. I also have a decent tent and some supplies. I have prepared myself for a long time, studying, camping trips, fishing, hunting, etc for this day as not only is it a passion of mine, but also seemingly becoming more and more necessary. My issue is I currently do not have many funds, less than $500 in fact. I own a small truck I can navigate with though with my funds gas will be in issue among other things.

I need a place I can camp out in, preferably for extended periods of time with fresh water to drink (boil ik) and stuff to hunt/trap/whatever. I'm fine with moving around but would rather make it last as long as possible. I would have to find jobs wherever I go to make money so not too far from civilization if possible (though if I can fully live off land and stay there for 1year+ then that's fine too)

Where can/could I go to make this happen? all of florida is basically hard to find a place, to park my truck and be able to live in the woods, including the fact that the water here is always dirty and undrinkable even after boiling, and with my funds I can't make it cross country.

I've been looking and looking and can't seem to find a solution. What can I do?

3 Comments
2024/11/25
21:56 UTC

3

Wood stove recommendation.

I am building an off grid yurt. 700 sq ft and I might be adding an attached 200sq ft yurt as a bedroom. I've been told to double the square footage when thinking about heating a yurt. I also want to be able to cook on top of it with my cast irons and tea pots. I don't want a cook stove, just the ability to cook on top when needed, desired. So, any recommendations for a wood stove with a flat top that'll heat 1800 sq ft?

3 Comments
2024/11/25
17:11 UTC

48

New off grid bathhouse

The footings are in. I’ll be building an off grid bathhouse over the next several months. Water collected from the roof will be used for a shower and toilet. The system will only be operational nine months of the year. Anything to consider?

15 Comments
2024/11/21
23:04 UTC

8

Arkansas

Considering the move from Utah to Arkansas. Want to do more off the grid/escape the man living. Anyone suggest Arkansas?

7 Comments
2024/11/19
17:38 UTC

12

Maine

What’s your guy’s opinion on Maine? Building or zoning issues? Unforeseen issues you ran into that you weren’t prepared for? Sorry in advance if this is a dumb question.

3 Comments
2024/11/17
20:03 UTC

12

a Plastic Trash to Fuel Device

Been working on a plastic to fuel pyrolysis reactor for some 3-4 years in my spare time...
so far so good, all test runs and prototypes look quite promising.
much has been learned and i (and few friends who help with specialised stuff )
decided its about time to make this thing available for the normal enduser.
The approach is/will be very open source and information will be made public as usual.

For that purpose i am finishing up the design to make it "user friendly" over winter
and plan to throw out a few of them.. sort of a croudfunding ..

PyrolOil MK I

A Plastic to Fuel device to make OffGrid more viable.
Remove plastic trash and reduce microplastic pollution of the plant.

more info and a wall of text:

https://offgridenclave.com/pyrolysis/

My utube videos about the prototype/concept and such
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyk0pfNIqIY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ-HaKRkD_k

7 Comments
2024/11/17
09:33 UTC

11

Being off grid, lots here probably raise their own produce. What do you think about the current push for local food?

I think we all recognize that the current food system leaves much to be desired. More and more platforms, like mine, are emerging with the goal of encouraging people to support local food sources. A common barrier I hear is that many people say they simply can’t find local food. What do you think? How can we push back against the dominant food system? How can I help others see that there are efforts underway, and people are really trying to make a change?

The platform I’ve created offers a space where users can form communities to buy and sell local food goods, but it’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation—these communities need to grow in order to work effectively. My excitement is growing because, just recently, the first community was created on the platform, and I can’t wait to see how others begin linking up their goods.

In five years or less, I truly believe the way we access food could look drastically different from what it does today. The potential for change is there, and it starts with all of us working together. What do you think the next step should be in helping spread the word and build more local food systems?

5 Comments
2024/11/16
06:07 UTC

18

Best place to live??

New to this.

Sorry if this has been asked before but out of curiosity, where in the USA would you guys say is best for off grid living.

Things I’m considering is location to natural resources (I.E hunting / fishing, weather etc ).

Somewhere where you genuinely could just live of the land and never see another human being lol.

21 Comments
2024/11/15
04:47 UTC

16

How does one find a place?

Does anyone know of how to find a safe place to stay that isn't tied to your name/identity? For example if many of the promises ahead for some particularly targeted citizens come true and things become dangerous but you don't have a way to leave the country, where the heck do you go? Where would be a likely place you could safely build a little cabin and live off the land?

18 Comments
2024/11/14
23:10 UTC

0

I interviewed a man that lives in a tree house

0 Comments
2024/11/14
19:10 UTC

4

i have money for homestead but i would need a job is there some online job thing that will or maybe hauling trash or being a farmhand but i’m from the suburbs so i would probably be semi useless; any help is appreciated

3 Comments
2024/11/13
22:23 UTC

2

Smallest Power Station

Hi, I'm looking for small power station with ability to be charged with solar panel. By "small" I mean smaller than e.g. fossibot f800. My requirements are:

- AC 230v output
- around 200W output
- must be safe (I do not know about different battery packs, but it seems like I need one with LiFePo4 batteries)

Do you know anything that will cover those needs?

4 Comments
2024/11/12
13:20 UTC

3

Which incinerating toilet to choose?! 😳 help!

I’m in Washington State, which is great that there are a lot of off grid options, but they are VERY specific on toilets. My choices are basically the Cinderella Comfort or Incinolet for 4 people. Both electric. We are going to solar anyway so that’s fine, but for $4k without install I want to make sure it’s the right decision. Thoughts and experience please would be super helpful!

4 Comments
2024/11/12
04:27 UTC

2

There must be a unified resistance.

I'm sure there must have been many calls for action and resistance in this sub and others before, but there must be a unified message calling for an united effort of separation to communities reliant solely on food and shelter, focused on principles of frugality and coherence with nature.

The more that stop contributing to the modern machine, the merrier. Be it collective efforts to live off-grid, or other alternative methods of survival, more of us deeply preoccupied with climate and sustainable living must unite to create independent communities that may one day become an example to others worldwide. Be it through eco-villages or other communal efforts, if you are truly concerned, you must do your part. For any in Portugal or abroad willing to contribute, I am willing to accept volunteers or inquiries on our mission, be it that we own a large area of northern countryside willing to be used for survival and promotion of sustainable living, and as I mentioned before, the more the merrier. Thank you for reading.

(edit: this post has been removed by r/collapse and r/offgrid moderators for anti-revolutionary ideology, I appreciate any messages of support, and my proposal is truthful thank you)

7 Comments
2024/11/12
03:13 UTC

0

I'm building a cheap, portable aircrete mixer and pump. Would be good for off grid. It's powered by 79cc go kart engines.

0 Comments
2024/11/10
03:02 UTC

1

Chicken enthusiast

Check out r/chickenhead for you chicken photo fix.

0 Comments
2024/11/08
21:42 UTC

3

scrap metal & pallets project (off grid homestead)

0 Comments
2024/11/07
19:48 UTC

0

American Decline

Has America taken its first major step towards the end of being the top world leader with this past election? How long will it take for those who put party over country or those who decided to protest by voting for a third party or not at all to start seeing the costs of their decisions on their families, neighbors, and country?

11 Comments
2024/11/06
22:45 UTC

1

Housing for all seasons

So, I'm in the planning stages, and trying to use as little electricity as possible, get through summers with box fans and winters with a wood stove of some kind.

Problem is, our summers (Northeast Texas) can get around 100 F on a summer day, and in the 20s on a winter night, with February and March being even worse, with huge winter storms. So I'm going to want no walls in summer, just screens, and really good walls in winter.

I'm thinking about some kind of removable wall panel system, but haven't imagined a good way to do that yet. Any of you seen anything like that you could suggest? I really don't want to build two houses and move twice a year.

11 Comments
2024/11/06
11:56 UTC

8

Day 5 Tiny Off Grid Home

It’s probably a good idea to preface this by saying I (48F) have never been camping in life and know nothing of this lifestyle.

I woke up Day 5 anxious. Cold. Uncomfortable. Cramped. Feeling like I was suffocating.

I reached for my bottle of water. Ants. I should probably start naming them. Every one of the millions of them if we’re going to live together.

I woke up early and just tried to breathe, relax and enjoy the birds. And… nature calls.

Going to the bathroom has now become an inconvenience. Every other day… I’m making a huge mess. I’m getting messy. I feel like I’m doing this wrong. Then I remind myself to offer grace as shitting in a box is not something I’ve previously done.

This little Tiny House tucked into the brush of a Canyon was something I dreamt of. I have PTSD in a huge scary, lawless city. I just wanted to go “off grid.” I didn’t know that ultimately it’d mean literally.

I chose this rental because I was forced to downgrade. I considered many options including homeshares so I want to be clear I CHOSE this. I CHOSE the inconvenience because I felt that I required a more structured lifestyle and I felt the work and effort this lifestyle would take would force a routine on me. That and so my bestest, goodest companion can live out her final months digging in dirt and chasing squirrels.

BUT

I am having a day of doubt and extreme fear. Not just in this space but I know nobody here and don’t know where anything is so that inflates my unease in the space. I have yet to try to cook a meal only as the fridge is out of order and waiting on new one. Sometimes I feel like I cannot breathe in this tiny place. I do not know how the space will handle a fried cheeseburger.

The wildlife at night is a bit scary. I know I’m ok unless whatever it is breaks through the screen. Mostly it’s just lots if scurrying and my dog attacking the planks of wood which is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen at her age.

The temperature shifts are dramatic and another thing I have to learn. Freezing at night, frying during the day. I do have a heater snd a/c which function. It’s about knowing when to turn them on.

Anyone interested in reminding me of the pros of this lifestyle. The pros of a sustained, independent, low cost living space during such uncertain times. Any tips for acclimation? Anyone residing in a small off grid place, tips to not feel so trapped? General support? I very much want to make this work and would love to from others.

14 Comments
2024/11/05
22:25 UTC

25

Off grid community opportunity.

Community opportunity.

For all you asking, Where, How to get community, homesteading experience....

71 yr old hippy. 50 years off grid, homesteading, community experience. Variety of skills and experience. Willing to share for an exchange of energies.

On Big Island of Hawai'i. 21 acre organic farm . 12 folks.

I need help doing stuff. From machete the jungle to gardening to building upkeep, harvesting fruit and avocados etc.

1 mile from Ocean, 4 miles to clothing optional black sand beach.

I have a 10x10 structure for a helper.

How can we be mutually beneficial ?

37 Comments
2024/11/05
16:42 UTC

14

How tough is the off grid life?

I know the answer is different for everyone so let me explain the situation that I'm looking to get into.

The location would be 20-30 minutes away from a populated town with my medical/shopping needs that gets mild winters (I have a few locations picked out that fit my budget.)

I would like to live in a small shelter that's powered by solar energy. I'm thinking of a basic insulated shipping container, but this is looking to be more expensive than I originally thought so any advice or ideas for my shelter would be appriciated. I have cats, so giving them space inside would be ideal, but I'm going to give them a caged area to play outside.

I'd get my water via a 500 gallon container that I would refill as needed (probably once a month) from town, my food would be rabbits and other hunted meat (the areas that I'm looking into are wooded and have plenty of squirrels/ground hogs/deer ect...)

My income would be a rabbit farm that I would eventually expand to have other animals that are easy to grow and door dashing as needed. I would sell the meat and hides/wool, also I would sell other things that Ive gathered (like broth from the bones of what I hunt, epoxied nick nacks from nature that I thought were cool, antlers,) that stuff. I don't expect to have many reoccurring expenses, just the property tax, water, starlink internet, supplies for my rabbit farm, health insurance, other food I can't produce, and maybe some other stuff I'm forgetting.

I'm not expecting to have an as easy life as living in a town working 40+ hours a week, but it's a life I want to get away from.

47 Comments
2024/11/04
20:41 UTC

0

Seeking Like Minded People to Build a Self Sufficient Off Grid Community

Hi everyone,

I’m on a journey to build a life centered around self-sufficiency, traditional values, and community support, and I’m reaching out to see if there are others who feel the same way.

The vision is a homesteading community of around 50 people, where we can live separate from the pressures and pitfalls of modern society. The goal would be to establish a place for people who value living simply, supporting each other, and practicing a Christian way of life. Think along the lines of bartering, trading, and pooling our skills and resources—everything from growing our own food to building and maintaining our own homes.

Some specifics about what this would involve:

•	Location: Ideally, rural land where we could farm, raise animals, and live sustainably.
•	Skills and Roles: Everyone would contribute, whether that’s through farming, carpentry, alternative energy, food preservation, or education for our children.
•	Values: A focus on traditional Christian values, with a shared commitment to a simpler, more fulfilling life centered on community and faith.

If you’re interested in exploring this or have experience with similar communities, I’d love to hear from you. Please share any advice or resources too, especially if you’ve done something like this or have knowledge about homesteading and community building.

Looking forward to connecting with anyone interested in creating this kind of life!

This should help you find people who are aligned with the vision and interested in organizing or joining this project.

4 Comments
2024/11/04
19:22 UTC

3

Toilet assistance please

We have a cabin in central MN. No running water, no septic, no bathroom and thus…no indoor toilet. We have a shed/outhouse combo that is comprised of a slightly elevated sitting space small enough for one person (obviously?!) to sit on a toilet seat, so their business in a hole that is about 3’ x 3’ wide, and about 3’ deep.

The cabin is primarily used by 1-2 people at a time, for hunting in the fall/early winter, a solitude weekend or two in deep winter, and outdoor work in spring/summer. Only males go up to the cabin, so all #1 is done in the woods; #2 is done in the outhouse. Total number of #2 visits over the course of a year might be ~20. Not much. Every few years we call in a septic clean-out truck and they suck out the “stuff”. (They’re never happy about it because it’s too thick; not enough liquid.) This set up works fine, but the shed is older and mice a plenty (set traps often but since we are rarely up there seems we’re always losing the battle), so it’s a little creepy doing your biz out there. For the first 30 seconds I sit on that hole I imagine something crawling up and biting me on the butt!

Given our infrequent use of the cabin and land I have no interest in paying someone to dig a well ($10k - $20k I’m told), a septic tank (cost?!), and then paying for an addition to the cabin to house a bathroom (likely another $50k all in).

We are thinking about building a new 40’ x 60’ garage or pole barn on a concrete slab, to house trailers, toys, etc. Thinking this might be the time to create a potty that doesn’t make me feel like crawling out of my skin when I sit down. Have investigated various “compostable” toilets but seeking real life advice from Redditors.

I don’t understand how wrapping up poop in plastic bags and disposing of it can be sold as “compostable”…when all you’re doing is throwing it in the garbage. My goals would be:

  • Ease of installation/maintenance
  • Relatively odor free
  • Ideally turn the poop into compost material. This isn’t about trying to create a garden or anything - would just prefer to help nature a bit by reusing our waste. We have oodles of land.
  • Low cost
  • Not “too” gross to handle/clean things

What do you recommend?

13 Comments
2024/11/03
18:56 UTC

5

Trina 300 watt panels on marketplace for $45 each.

300 watt Trina panels for $45 each on Marketplace. What do people think of this deal? I figure I need 8000 watts to keep my system (EG4 6000W inverter and 14KWH EG4 battery, ordering today) and the 525 Watt panels from San Tan would take up less space, but I have the space... But these on marketplace are 1/3 the cost (for 8K watts) and local.

5 Comments
2024/11/02
19:42 UTC

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