Onan Spark-Ignited Two Cylinder Generator Set
Model GNAA 60 Hz
Propane – 7.0 kW, 8.8 kVA, Standby
6.3 kW, 7.9 kVA, Prime Power

Onan Spark-Ignited Two Cylinder Generator Set

My old generator was also an Onan. A four cylinder 15KW J-Series which really was overkill for my setup. I still have it, and sometimes miss it, as repairs were easy to do on my own.

Onan 15KW J-Series Propane Generator

Everything on the new one is highly electronic and you practically need a degree to do much more than change the oil and spark plugs. It’s been relatively dependable however, and uses much less propane to do the same job. If I were to do it over however, I’d prefer a smaller version of my old J-Series generator.

My Amish Coal Bin / Generator Shed with an Onan Two Cylinder, 7.5 KW Propane Generator New in 2006.

My Amish Coal Bin / Generator Shed with an
Onan Two Cylinder, 7.5 KW Propane Generator New in 2006.

Components of My Trace / Xantrex SW4024 Power Panel:

Xantrex SW4024 Sine-Wave Inverter.
Xantrex DC250 250-amp breaker with enclosure for SW4024.
Sine-Wave AC Power Inverter w/high efficiency
and bi-directional operations.
60 amp AC pass-thru power at 120 VAC.
Adjustable three stage, temperature compensated
battery charging with 250 amp DC disconnect breaker.
Battery Temperature Sensor.
60-amp AC disconnect / bypass breaker in box.
Inverter Conduit Box.
AC and DC wiring in conduit.
Negative / Ground Bonding Block.
Powder coated steel back-plate
(40″ H x 43″ W x 1″ D).
500 amp / 50 mV shunt (for remote metering).
Solar Boost 50 Charge Controller with
24 VDC nominal, Digital Display.
Auto-Toroid 3000 VA Step-up Transformer for 220vac water pump.
System Monitor: Bogart Engineering 2020 Tri-Metric meter.
Delta LA302DC Lightning Arrestor, for DC protection.

The 12 solar panels I use to power my off grid home

Here are the 12 solar panels I’m currently using to power my off grid home:
6 AstroPower AP-120 Solar Panels (now GE Energy) on top, and
6 Evergreen 115 watt, 12vdc Solar Panels on the bottom.

Kodiak Coal Stove:

Kodiak Coal Stove

I built a coal bin inside the right third of the generator shed that holds about three and half tons of anthracite coal. The back side of the shed is conveniently located along the edge of my road so the coal truck can easily fill the bin from the back window of the shed.

First Coal Delivery from Champlain Coal Company

Throughout winter the stove burns about a five gallon pail, or roughly 40 pounds of coal a day, and you just can’t beat it. The stove holds up to 120 pounds of coal, and the fire burns uninterrupted for hours and hours at a time. Unlike burning wood, the temperature in the house hardly ever varies. Cleaning is a snap, and the ash is great to have around when my road gets icy.

Coal Bin Inside My Generator Shed

I use a Sunfrost RF16 Refrigerator & Freezer that runs straight off the battery bank on DC power. It’s really been a workhorse running continuously for the last seven years without missing a beat. The Sun Frost refrigerator employs an array of design innovations to achieve its exceptionally low energy consumption. The cooling system on the Sun Frost is top mounted. This configuration reduces energy consumption several ways. The heat generated by the compressor and condenser (black coils on the back of many refrigerators) does not re-enter the refrigerator and also with a cooler running condenser, the efficiency of the cooling system is increased.

Sunfrost Refrigerator & Freezer / RF16

Fewer Solar Panels
The Sun Frost refrigerator typically reduces refrigerator energy consumption by a factor of five compared to the typical household refrigerator currently in use. The accompanying cost of the solar power system is similarly reduced. The Sun Frost RF16 12 volt DC model consumes 15 KWH per month, or an average of 42 amp hours per day. Producing the 110 KWH needed to run the typical refrigerator on a solar power system would require an investment of around $12,000 in hardware, batteries, and inverter. A Sun Frost RF16 will reduce this cost by a factor of at least six because of its increased efficiency and the elimination of inverter losses. Inverters convert DC battery power to 120V AC at an energy loss of about 10%.

Reliable
The cooling system of the Sun Frost refrigerator contains a minimal number of moving parts. Both the DC and AC compressors incorporate highly reliable, hermetically sealed, brushless motors. The efficient thermal design of Sun Frost refrigerators also contributes to their reliability. The top-mounted cooling system runs at a lower temperature than most, which prolongs the life of the system’s lubricants and reduces mechanical strain on the compressor. The cooling system should provide well over 15 years of trouble-free operation. Worth the price, but each one being custom built, they are not inexpensive. The RF16 DC model I own currently lists at $3,215.

Thunder Mountain Land Sales is a small, customer-oriented company offering unique southern Adirondack recreational properties at affordable prices…

Drama of Adirondack Morning © Liang-Wu Cai, 1997

Hello, my name is Lou Hall. I’ve been living in the woods on the NY / VT border for the past 17 years and totally “Off the Grid” for the last 11. I make all my own electricity with solar panels and a propane generator. My home is a half mile from the nearest paved road and about the only man-made sounds I hear throughout the day come from an occasional plane passing overhead, or a train whistle in the distance.

Foggy Lake

I’ve been in real estate since 1992 and opened Thunder Mountain Land Sales in 1998. Since then I’ve bought and / or sold nearly 4,000 acres in the Adirondack Park; but I don’t just sell the woods, I live in them too. So I have a pretty good idea what makes a piece of land desirable, especially if the property is in a remote location, and you’re planning on living off the grid year-round.

The availability of real estate in Upstate NY makes it possible to find the property you want at a price you can afford. In the beautiful Adirondack Mountains of Upstate NY, you can find exclusive Lake George real estate, private Adirondack lakefront, off grid land for sale, camps, cabins, secluded acreage and more.

Algonquin Mountain © 1998-2000 Greg Smith

At Thunder Mountain Land Sales, we specialize in the acquisition and sale of unique Adirondack land. Recreational properties, and real estate in Upstate NY offering picturesque, feature-packed parcels in prime locations with quiet wilderness. Discover pristine Adirondack lake front, streams, ponds, mountain views, big-game hunting, walking trails, and excellent building sites.

Whether you seek a sportsman’s retreat, a weekend getaway, or the perfect place to spend the golden years, we think you’ll be pleased by our selection of beautiful Adirondack properties and real estate in Upstate NY.

Drama of Adirondack Morning © Liang-Wu Cai, 1997

Best Advice to Clients:

Find an agent you have confidence in, based on experience, and stick with him.

We’re only a phone call away to serve all of your Warren, Washington and Essex County NY real estate needs. Property tours are available 7 days a week.

We hope to hear from you.

Lou Hall Sr

Thunder Mountain Land Sales
http://www.adkland.com
Buyer & Seller of Fine Adirondack Lands
In the Lake George Region of Upstate NY
Land Tours Available 7 Days A Week
Phone: 518.854.3294

In hindsight, I made two mistakes in the beginning. The first was to start out with a string that was too small. The second was to add new batteries to that string after a year or two of service on the older batteries. I was advised against it, but was thinking more with my wallet than listening to the experience of others. I can’t complain too much as I’ve gotten about eight years use out of them, but the real rub isn’t that they haven’t lasted long enough, it’s that throughout the years of use they were never dependable enough to store energy for more than a day, and on cloudy days I’d always end up having to run the generator more than I should have to augment the limited strength of the batteries. The real problem? Propane has gotten expensive as well as wear and tear on the generator which can’t be overlooked.

The string of batteries I’ve been referring to consists of 16 – 6v, 220 ahr Trojan T-105 Batteries, wired for 24 volts and commonly used in golf carts. They found their way into the off grid arena some years ago and are a popular option among PV system installers. They’ve been good batteries, don’t get me wrong, I just shouldn’t have combined the old string of eight with the new eight. Also, if I had the money at the time, as well as the knowledge, I would have chosen stronger batteries.

My wish list includes either a new string of Rolls Surrette 4KS-21PS

Rolls Surrette 4KS-21PS

or the HuP Solar-One Batteries.

HuP SolarOne Batteries

I’ll be the first to admit I have zero-point-zero experience blogging, but as with everything else on the web, I’ve found that jumping into the deep end is about the best way to learn. The main thing I’d like to do here is create a community of sorts, where people from all-walks, who are interested in living off the grid, can reach out and learn from others who are already doing it. So fire away with any questions you may have, or feel free to start your own topics about off grid living or alternative energy.

Lou Hall

Thunder Mountain Land Sales
http://www.adkland.com
Buyer & Seller of Fine Adirondack Lands
In the Lake George Region of Upstate NY
Land Tours Available 7 Days A Week
Phone: 518.854.3294