Off Grid Electricity: 51 More Resources for Off Grid Living
Living Without Electricity, Fuel, Proper Gasoline Storage, Heating Options, Solar Panel Building and Repair, Water Power, Powerwalls, Heating, Cooling, Batteries, and more.
Bigclivedotcom. (2019). Inside a Grundig solar wall light. (rebranded). YouTube.
BRIGHT SIDE. (2019). What If There Was No Electricity for a Year. YouTube.
“A person can go without food for a couple weeks, water for a few days, air for mere minutes. But without electricity... it's hard to say. It all depends on where you live, what survival skills you have, and how much you depend on the conveniences of living on the grid. But let's see what will happen to humanity if electricity disappeared for, say, a year! So, there’s a bit of charge left on the phone, but your mobile data isn’t working. Nobody suspects that communication towers have shut down, which means no calls, not even emergencies! For now, all you know is, the Internet is gone! You don’t have any offline games either. Your phone is nothing more than an overpriced calculator now...”
Bushradical. (2020). Simple Solar Power System for an off grid Cabin. YouTube.
“Here is a VERY simple solar power set-up for your remote off grid cabin. By using a single car battery, a single 100 watt solar panel and an inexpensive charge controller, we can be ready to run a computer, or a few lights, or charge our hand held devices. And in the summer at a small cabin... that’s about all you'll need.”
But First, Coffee. (2017). Winter Home Hacks Everyone Should Know. YouTube.
“Winter has its perks...but let's not forget that it gets COLD. These Winter Home Hacks will help you keep warm in your home all winter long. So use these life hacks for winter to stay warm, combat the cold, prevent dry skin, and keep your house cozy all winter long. Whether you're looking for tips on buying the right space heater, want to learn how to make a free draft stopper for your door, or want to learn tricks for keeping the cold out, you'll like these cold weather life hacks for your home.”
Camping Together. (2020). Powerful to Cook - Homemade Wood Stove for Camp M-Stove Project Part-1. YouTube.
“I've made a wood stove that's small but powerful for cooking. The stove firebox was made using a stainless steel food container. A baffle plate is installed to maximize the heat of the stove top. Hope you enjoy this video. Disclaimer: Using a stove in a confined space can be very dangerous. When using a stove, be sure to ventilate properly and be prepared for fire or other safety accidents. I am not responsible for any loss or injury caused by carelessness.”
David Casler. (2017). Solar Power for your Ham Station AD #52. YouTube.
“Can you power your station from the sun? Absolutely! This video explains solar power from the panels and batteries to charge controllers and sizing.”
DavidPoz. (2020). Save $500/day when you DIY your own batteries!!! YouTube.
“I made my own DIY battery and it saved me over $500 compared to the big brands. I wanted a 12 volt, LFP (lithium Iron Phosphate, LiFePO4) battery. There are several brands to choose from such as Battle Born, KiloVault, Victron, Renogy, and more. They are built solid and if you have the money to buy one, they are worth it. Seriously. But, if you want more fun and the satisfaction of making things yourself, then you are like me. I want to DIY my own battery. Luckily, Battery Hookup recently started selling their own branded cells. These things are LiFePO4 cells, nominal 3.2 volts. They are 32700 (32650) cell size. I think this is the same size cell used to construct the big brands. I ordered a case of cells, and an empty case to put them into, LOL. Then I set about the trial and error process of how to assemble them. I tried a few different orientations in the case before settling on a nice 20p4s. Then I had more trial and error making the bus bars, and nickel connections. It seems simple now, looking back. Finally we did a capacity test and found these cells performed 15% better than expected! WOW! Awesome stuff.”
DavidPoz. (2020). Top 10 Questions Answered about DIY Battery. YouTube.
“Answering the top ten questions, comments, and concerns from my previous video about building my DIY Battery. Things like: Is there cold temperature protection in the BMS?”
Desertsun02. (2012). Homemade Pot-in-Pot Refrigerator "Off Grid Fridge" cools air up to 40F (evaporative cooler/chiller). YouTube.
“Pot-in-pot refrigerators (zeer pot coolers) will cool the air up to 40 degrees. No power needed. Uses only 2 or 3 clay pots, sand, water and a towel. Will cool the inner chamber up to 40 degrees (relative to the outside air). Uses no electricity. Will keep food fresh longer. Note: I tested it when it was 120 degrees out. If you use it when the temperature is 80F-90F, it will get down to 40F to 50F.”
Desertsun02. (2013). How to make a Solar Panel - Wiring, Soldering, and Cell Layout - Explained Simply! YouTube.
“This "how to make a solar panel" video shows how to connect everything together including all wiring, soldering and cell layout (using tabbed solar cells). Full easy instructions. If you are using "untabbed" solar cells watch my video on "Solar Cell Tabbing." (Tabbing is very easy to do). Items can be bought as a kit on ebay. for about $48.00 you can get 40 solar cells, tabbing wire, bus wire, flux pen and even blocking diode. I used lead free rosin core solder from harbor freight. Cost about $2.50. Soldering iron is just a basic 30 watter. The third (and final) video will show how to encase/enclose the panels in either a plywood box or metal framed case.”
Desertsun02. (2017). DIY Air Heater! - Brick-Pile Radiant Space Heater! - Survival/SHTF Heater - 400F - uses NO electr. YouTube.
“Homemade Air Heater! The 13-Brick "Brick Pile" Radiant Space Heater! Easy DIY. Heats up in 20 or 25 mins and produces heat for hours. Temps up to 400F or more. Survival, SHTF, emergency or everyday use. Works basically on the same principle as the flower pot heaters but retains and radiates a lot more heat and heats for a much longer time. To use: place fuel under the brick "pyramid." Then light it and let it burn until the bricks are hot (that takes about 20-30 mins if you use 2 small tins of 70% isopropyl alcohol (a bit longer if you're using candles)). Once the bricks are hot you can extinguish the flames and it radiates heat for hours (for 3 or more hours). *For the fastest and hottest heat use isopropyl alcohol (70%). I use 2 small metal containers to hold the alcohol. (I made them using campbells style soup cans cut in half.) I usually just fill them 1/4 to 1/3rd full at a time and they burn for 20 or 25 mins. After doing that just once, the bricks can be close to 400F and they will produce noticeable heat for several hours. Once the bricks are cold just fire it up for another 20 to 30 mins and you're good to go for another few hours. Details: weight of each brick is 5.4 pounds (so 13 of them is 70.2 pounds). I used a metal working platform to hold the bricks. It's rated to hold up to 350 pounds. Seems to work well. As shown in the video, this brick heater can also be used as a stove and works great as a ceramic plate or cup warmer. Finally, always use caution when burning the alcohol or candles. Never leave it unattended when it's lit.”
Dewan Md Rashed Khan. (2016). The Zero Electricity Air Cooler made by Plastic Bottles. YouTube.
“Most homes in Rural countries are going over 45° Celsius during the summer. Re-purposing used soft drink and water bottles, The Eco-Cooler works without electricity to reduce temperatures up to 5° Celsius. Zero electricity air cooler has come up with an idea to keep rural housing in any country Cool using re-purposed plastic bottles and no electricity in time for the hot summer months and the advertising awards season. The video explains how the Eco-Cooler works with the same cooling effect as a person blowing air with pursed lips.”
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse. (2018). DIY 400 Watt 12 volt Solar Power System Beginner Tutorial: Great for RV's and Vans! *Part 1.* YouTube.
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse. (2018). 12v Solar Charge Controller Buyers Guide - Beginner Friendly! YouTube.
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse. (2019). DIY 24v LiFePO4 Solar Battery Bank! Beginner Friendly, 2.4 kWh, Cheap, Full Tutorial! YouTube.
DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse. (2020). Hand Truck Solar System: 2.4kWh LiFePO4, 2.4kW Inverter, ATS, 1.4kW AC Charger, 1.8kW PV Input. YouTube.
Epever. (2019). The Ultimate Guide to DIY Off-Grid Solar Systems – 01 - Introduction. YouTube.
“Hello and welcome to our EPEVER tutorial series. At these tutorials, we learn how to install an off-grid solar system. This series is developed with a variety of audiences in mind including individual users, installers and solar sector companies to enhance your skills and knowledge around how to implement and maintain the solar system by yourself. We will go step by step to give you a clear understanding of the main concepts of a solar off-grid system such as charge controllers and inverters. Each part is explained by the details so that the end of this tutorial series, you will be able to wire everything by yourself and start running your own system. You won't need any prior knowledge about these systems. We will cover everything step by step.”
Epever. (2019). The Ultimate Guide to DIY Off-Grid Solar Systems - 02 - Solar Off-Grid System Components. YouTube.
“In this video, we talk a little bit about the different components of an off-grid solar system including Solar batteries, Solar charge controllers, Solar inverters, DC and ac switches, and wirings.”
Epever. (2019). The Ultimate Guide to DIY Off-Grid Solar Systems – 03 - Batteries in solar off-grid systems. YouTube.
“In this video common battery types in solar systems and installation tips are discussed.”
Epever. (2019). The Ultimate Guide to DIY Off-Grid Solar Systems - 05 - Charge controllers. YouTube.
“In this video, solar charge controller is described. MPPT and PWM controllers are introduced as main types of solar charge controllers, and differences between two, are covered.”
Epever. (2019). The Ultimate Guide to DIY Off-Grid Solar Systems - 06 - What is an inverter and how it works. YouTube.
Erik. (2017). Fixing broken solar panel glass. YouTube.
“Fixing a solar panel with broken glass using a silicone encapsulant and a bit of trial and error!”
ESpeakers. (2019). David Blume: "Alcohol Can Be a Gas, Parts 1 and 2." YouTube.
“Founder and Executive Director of the International Institute for Ecological Agriculture, David Blume is an authority on biofuels, permaculture, and biointensive and organic gardening.”
Exploring Alternatives. (2018). Top 5 Tiny House Heating Options for Winter Living - Off Grid & On Grid.
“We're sharing the best options for heating a tiny house, the pros and cons of each heat source, and the product links below if you want to learn more! Choosing a heating option for your tiny house can be overwhelming. There are so many options out there! To start, you'll want to ensure you have a well insulated tiny house, and an HRV system (heat recovery ventilation) to ensure you're always getting fresh air in your house without losing precious heat energy. Next, you'll want to use a BTU (British Thermal Unit) calculator to enter the climate and volume details for your tiny house so you can find out how big or small your heating system needs to be. At this point, it's a good idea to also decide if you want to be on the grid, off the grid, or have the ability to do both. Once you have this information, you can start considering options like a wood stove or fireplace, a propane heater, electric baseboard or wall heater, a solar air heater, or in-floor radiant heat.”
FrugalRepair. (2020). I Installed a Power Plant Myself | HUGE DIY Solar Panel System. YouTube.
“I have wanted to get solar panels for a while but I didn't think it was worth it. But prices have come way down, and I also wondered if I could do it myself. This was one of my most challenging projects yet, but so rewarding! Now we have no electric bills and we even make money every month.”
G Bear’s Off Grid Ways - A Homestead In the Desert. (2019). Off grid electricity and wiring 101. YouTube.
“Covering proper wiring, need or don't need fuses or cut off switches, controllers, inverters, batteries, voltages vs. Amps and watts, the amp hour rating, battery life, and more. Grab a pen and paper, take notes!”
Gene’s Green Machine. (2019). Spin Bike RC Motor Pedal Generator. YouTube.
“Pedal powered TV! See a spin bike pedal generator power a 32" flat screen TV as well as a 55" flat screen. See how simple it is to build in this video.”
Grain. (2018). How to Make Solar Panels Yourself with Epoxy Glue. YouTube.
“How to protect solar cells with epoxy glue.”
GreatScott! (2018). 100W Solar panel || DIY or Buy. YouTube.
“In this episode of DIY or Buy I will show you how I created a 100W solar panel by myself. Along the way you will learn how to wire up solar cells and how they are usually wired up in a commercial solar panel. At the end we will then evaluate whether the DIY version is cheaper to produce.”
GreatScott! (2018). Solar Battery Charger (LiPo/Li-Ion) || DIY or Buy. YouTube.
“In this episode of DIY or Buy I will have a look at a commercial solar battery charger. That means I will conduct a few tests with it and afterwards create my own DIY version that improves the functionality of such a solar battery charger. And after finishing testing the DIY boad, I will conclude whether DIY or Buy is the winner. Let's get started!”
HAXMAN. (2020). Don't buy a new Generator until you watch this! YouTube.
“I just bought a Duromax 13000EH dual fuel generator to prep for hurricane season. I'll unbox and start it up as well as put it up against a Generac GP5500 and Predator 3500 generator to test loudness. I plan on using this generator as a backup generator for my house.”
HomeMadeModern. (2017). Building a Solar Powered Workshop. YouTube.
Jehugarcia. (2017). Simple DIY Powerwall using $1 LG 18650 eBay Cells. YouTube.
Jehugarcia. (2019). 600,000mAh DIY Power Pack build. YouTube.
Joe Shepard. (2010). Low Wind Military Turbine. YouTube.
“Low Wind ruggedized turbine developed for the military. Uses special bearings, special blades, and other specialized components. High performance generator. UL-Certified/CEC unit designed to be quiet, powerful, and quickly portable.”
Just Have a Think. (2020). Liquid Air Batteries. Literally energy from thin air. Seriously. Literally! YouTube.
“Energy storage from thin air sounds a bit too good to be true, but the beauty of this potentially transformational technology is the simplicity of a design that utilises tried and tested components that have been reimagined and re-engineered to perform a vital function for electricity grids, now and in the future.”
Just Have a Think. (2020). Perovskite Solar Cells: Game changer? YouTube.
“Perovskite mineral was discovered over 150 years ago, but it's only recently that scientists have been able to synthesise the properties of the material in laboratories using commonly available chemicals. And what they're finding is that it can give a big boost to the performance of existing solar cell technology. This week we take at look at how it works.”
Life Uncontained. (2020). Upgrading Our OFF GRID Solar! YouTube.
OFF GRID with DOUG & STACY. (2018). OFF GRID~ 3 WAYS TO HEAT when the POWER GOES OUT! YouTube.
“OFF GRID with DOUG and STACY live the pioneer life in the 21st century. Today we are discussing 3 ways to heat OFF GRID. Wood heat is superior to the other 2. It is a renewable resource and is generally easy to get. You can harvest it yourself like we do or purchase it cut and ready to burn. Propane heat is pretty good, there is a higher cost to operate and you can find it pretty easy. The heaters we use in this video last about 24 hours or so. Kerosene heat is way more expensive and a lot harder to get. In our area there is 1 gas station that has a pump and they ran out during this cold spell. You can also pick up 1 gallon and 5 gallon cans from big box stores but get ready to pay almost double for those.”
The Outsider. (2020). Off Grid Water Heater for Tiny Cabin Sled- DIY Heat Exchanger + Snowmobile Camper. YouTube.
“I put together a DIY off grid water heater, using a copper coil, and ammo can. I use the heat exchanger to warm the inside of my snowmobile camper, which I plan to do some winter camping with this year.”
PilotPatriot. (2019). How To Store Gasoline Long-Term / Emergency Fuel Storage. YouTube.
“Storing fuel is a huge part of being prepared for emergencies and natural disasters. In this video, we will talk about the best gas cans for storing gas long term and how to store gas properly.”
Plasma Channel. (2020). Lightning Generator Made Of Water (DIY Marx Generator). YouTube.
“It's time we look at water for what it is worth. Inherent electrical properties make it wildly useful for power transformation, and, high voltage generation. Recently, I realized an entire Marx Generator could be built using primarily water and plastic, and this is the journey I took.”
RV Adventure Couple. (2020). DiY 24v LifePO4 Battery - DIY 24v Lithium iron phosphate. YouTube.
“DiY 24v LifePO4 battery from 8 - 3.2v 150ah raw cells from aliexpress. The DIY Lithium Iron Phosphate pack has since been changed to a DiY 12v 300 ah LifePO4 pack that I will make a new video about because the aims inverter charger I had bought I sent back. The inverter charger wouldn't push the 30 amp service through the automatic transfer switch and kept tripping. I have since ordered the gopower 3000 watt inverter charger that can handle 50 amps through service, stay tuned for the new video and I hope this one helps.”
Scroll.in. (2019). Eco India: How the pattern of a beehive inspired the design for an affordable, natural air cooler. YouTube.
“Every week, Eco India brings you stories that inspire to build a cleaner, greener and better tomorrow. Our top story this week looks at an elegant and energy-efficient cooling system that uses cylindrical terracotta cones, arranged in a beehive pattern, over which water is allowed to flow. Could this technology potentially replace electric refrigerant-based AC units?”
Simply Electronics. (2016). Simply Electronics Basics. YouTube.
“Follow the SimplyElectronics Basics from the start. Great for beginners, and great as a refresher for those with some experience. Start at ohms law and work your way up!”
Steve Mould. (2019). Why all solar panels are secretly LEDs (and all LEDs are secretly solar panels). YouTube.
“LEDs and solar panels are both made of diodes. A diode is just designed to allow electricity to flow in one direction but because we make them out of semiconductors they can do all these other things.”
Tech Ingredients. (2019). Revolutionary Air Conditioner! YouTube.
“I explain the design and principles behind desiccant based air conditioning. This extremely efficient, DIY air conditioner is inexpensive to build and costs less than one half as much to run as a conventional, compressor based air conditioner.”
The Thoughts of Microdac. (2014). How to make a small EMERGENCY space heater. (Must have ventilation). YouTube.
“A small space heater using toilet paper, a coffee can and alcohol. A better idea is to NOT put the alcohol in the container until you are just about ready to use it. Of course, have everything handy. Take care in choosing the right kind of rocks. This is for emergency use only.”
Wow Things. (2021). Amazing Restoration Technique of an Old Lead Acid Battery. YouTube.
Wow Things. (2021). Amazing Technique of Electric Motor Rewinding. YouTube.
길티비. (2019). [Dad's Hobby]Rocketstove multi-purpose cooking stand. YouTube.
“Today, we made a multi-purpose cooking table using a rocket stove. It would be good to use for camping or rural housing. There was an inquiry in the comments about the blueprint, so I put it up.”