We just closed on a 1.5 acre wooded lot that is 2.5 miles from Michaux state forest. An RV pad for now and eventually an off grid cabin is the plan.
Any good (and cheap) landscape/excavators out there?
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DAMN Michaux base camp
DAMN Michaux base camp
Bruce
Re: DAMN Michaux base camp
congrats! Looking forward to seeing it
Ken
Die young as late as possible, remember who you were before the world told you how it should be. -- Barry Morris
Die young as late as possible, remember who you were before the world told you how it should be. -- Barry Morris
Re: DAMN Michaux base camp
Sweet. Time for an Enduro cross track.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
2012 Ktm 500xcw
I work hard but live better.
I work hard but live better.
Re: DAMN Michaux base camp
Exactly
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
2012 Ktm 500xcw
I work hard but live better.
I work hard but live better.
- juddspaintballs
- DAMN Grand Poohba
- Posts: 1753
- Joined: Wed Nov 14, 2012 8:32 am
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Re: DAMN Michaux base camp
It's relatively easy to build an inexpensive off the grid A-frame house. Set posts, string joists, tie up rafters, sheath. You can use SIPS for the roof even. No pad needed. If you put an RV pad there first, that can become your driveway later.
If you're truly building an off the grid cabin, designing it as a DC system instead of an AC system will be a lot easier and efficient. LED's run on DC, phones/laptops charge on DC, radios run on DC, etc. The Honda inverter generators charge 12v battery systems at a reasonable rate. There are plenty of 12v water pumps you can find in the RV realm. Look up the Lovable Loo for your toilet needs unless you feel like wasting a bunch of water on flushing. I highly recommend a propane tank or two. You can do wood heat if you want, but VENTED propane backup heat is a smart idea. You can also have propane heated hot water, a propane stove, and even a propane powered fridge. I guess you could even have propane lighting if you wanted. A 5000 BTU window AC will typically run on a Honda EU2000i generator if it gets too hot in there for fans (fans also can run on DC power). If you're doing solar and batteries or wind and batteries (or both), you'll need to have a very secure way to keep your batteries from being stolen. With an A-frame raised off the ground a bit, you can store them under the cabin and build an enclosure to keep them secure. Just make sure the enclosure is vented. With a raised A-frame, you can also put gutters on it and capture all of the roof water (use metal roofing) in 275 gallon totes under the cabin.
Just some ramblings...
If you're truly building an off the grid cabin, designing it as a DC system instead of an AC system will be a lot easier and efficient. LED's run on DC, phones/laptops charge on DC, radios run on DC, etc. The Honda inverter generators charge 12v battery systems at a reasonable rate. There are plenty of 12v water pumps you can find in the RV realm. Look up the Lovable Loo for your toilet needs unless you feel like wasting a bunch of water on flushing. I highly recommend a propane tank or two. You can do wood heat if you want, but VENTED propane backup heat is a smart idea. You can also have propane heated hot water, a propane stove, and even a propane powered fridge. I guess you could even have propane lighting if you wanted. A 5000 BTU window AC will typically run on a Honda EU2000i generator if it gets too hot in there for fans (fans also can run on DC power). If you're doing solar and batteries or wind and batteries (or both), you'll need to have a very secure way to keep your batteries from being stolen. With an A-frame raised off the ground a bit, you can store them under the cabin and build an enclosure to keep them secure. Just make sure the enclosure is vented. With a raised A-frame, you can also put gutters on it and capture all of the roof water (use metal roofing) in 275 gallon totes under the cabin.
Just some ramblings...
Jed Gregory
1090 Adventure R
1090 Adventure R
Re: DAMN Michaux base camp
Good stuff Jed. I haven't really done a lot of research but I will. First is a gravel drive with RV pad, that will eventually be the cabin site. Nothing huge, 12x20 maybe 24x24 max. We have a non vented propane fireplace at home and I like that idea, also can heat water with propane. We do have access to electric, but, probably won't use it. Also the site is perked but an outhouse with compost toilet is planned.juddspaintballs wrote: ↑Mon Apr 24, 2017 3:31 pm It's relatively easy to build an inexpensive off the grid A-frame house. Set posts, string joists, tie up rafters, sheath. You can use SIPS for the roof even. No pad needed. If you put an RV pad there first, that can become your driveway later.
If you're truly building an off the grid cabin, designing it as a DC system instead of an AC system will be a lot easier and efficient. LED's run on DC, phones/laptops charge on DC, radios run on DC, etc. The Honda inverter generators charge 12v battery systems at a reasonable rate. There are plenty of 12v water pumps you can find in the RV realm. Look up the Lovable Loo for your toilet needs unless you feel like wasting a bunch of water on flushing. I highly recommend a propane tank or two. You can do wood heat if you want, but VENTED propane backup heat is a smart idea. You can also have propane heated hot water, a propane stove, and even a propane powered fridge. I guess you could even have propane lighting if you wanted. A 5000 BTU window AC will typically run on a Honda EU2000i generator if it gets too hot in there for fans (fans also can run on DC power). If you're doing solar and batteries or wind and batteries (or both), you'll need to have a very secure way to keep your batteries from being stolen. With an A-frame raised off the ground a bit, you can store them under the cabin and build an enclosure to keep them secure. Just make sure the enclosure is vented. With a raised A-frame, you can also put gutters on it and capture all of the roof water (use metal roofing) in 275 gallon totes under the cabin.
Just some ramblings...
Of course a lot depends on SWMBO But she wants the off-grid thing.
Bruce