Solar Generators - Trash or Treasure?
In the last several years, the market has been flooded with many so-called "solar generators". They are basically tiny, portable solar systems and are often touted as your key to energy independence or security. But do the facts bear out these claims? Are "solar generators" ever useful for anything? In other words, are they trash...or…
Poor man's super efficient off grid refrigerator
In years past, almost all conventional refrigerators and freezers were terribly inefficient, making them useless to folks living off the grid. The only feasible off grid options were expensive DC models (such as Sunfrost or Sun Danzer). While these models are super efficient and work very well, it just wasn't much of an option for those of us on…
Choosing the Right Backup Generator
Okay...I'll admit it. I'm all about energy independence, and fuel powered generators are totally dependent on some source of fuel. However, even an energy independent homesteader should have a good backup generator on hand, and then use it as little as possible. How so? Generators and Energy Independence? It's a principle called redundancy. Another way…