When my partner and I began our journey into the world of resilience and off-grid living, one of the most significant issues we tackled was power for our homestead. We had trials and our fair share of errors, but we managed to create a system that fits our needs. The hardest part in the process was not having a single resource that told us how to go from a solar panel to being able to turn on a light in our home. Sure, tons of resources explain what solar panels are and how to set them up, but a lot of these resources are not geared toward those living on the outskirts of the law.
Electrical codes are on the books to make a safe and healthy environment for inhabitants of a dwelling. The problem some off-grid folks face is not wanting an inspector or agent of the government anywhere near their property. This is where I step in. I am by no means an expert in electrical engineering — but I have had a fully functioning solar-powered house for almost three years. In saying all of that, I’d like to make the following personal disclaimer:
I am not an expert in anything electrical. I am showing you how I set up my solar panels easily and safely. I would not recommend anyone follow these steps to set up their own off-grid solar array, because it would be a shame if the government found out that you could live off the sun and not pay ridiculous amounts of money or taxes to energy conglomerates. Definitely don’t follow any of the following steps. Also, seriously, when working with electricity, take every precaution possible. Do your research and find an expert that can talk you through the safety hazards.
But First, Some Housekeeping
If you are new to the world of electricity, it might be nice to understand some of the terms I will be using in this article. My goal is to make this as painless as possible.
Amp: Amp (A) is short for Ampere. Amps measure the amount of electrical charge flowing past a given point in one second. Simply put, amps measure how much of an electrical current is being drawn through power cables.
Volt: Volts (V), short for voltage, measures how strongly electricity is being pushed through a circuit—the number of volts tells you the amount of pressure being exerted.
by puma82 
