need help choosing a complete kit for "backyard cabin"

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luvthewoods
luvthewoods Registered Users Posts: 2
in Off Grid Solar & Battery Systems #1
very small hunting cabin in the back of my property used for occasional evenings and/or overnight stays year round. 16'x16' room has ceiling fan with light kit and two other wall outlets. porch has ceiling fan and two porch lights. my home is less than a mile away so no power is necessary, just a bonus. would like to run one of the fans and/or the lights for a few hours, brew a pot of coffee in the morning, maybe charge a phone or laptop. can this be done for around $1000? thank you for your help, john.
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: need help choosing a complete kit for "backyard cabin"
    luvthewoods wrote: »
    very small hunting cabin in the back of my property used for occasional evenings and/or overnight stays year round. 16'x16' room has ceiling fan with light kit and two other wall outlets. porch has ceiling fan and two porch lights. my home is less than a mile away so no power is necessary, just a bonus. would like to run one of the fans and/or the lights for a few hours, brew a pot of coffee in the morning, maybe charge a phone or laptop. can this be done for around $1000? thank you for your help, john.
    Brewing a cup of coffee, maybe. For a pot of coffee, a small propane burner would make more sense.

    You need to get an idea of how much power those ceiling fans use (temporarily wire each through a Kill-a-Watt meter maybe). And you should plan on replacing any incandescent bulbs with LEDs or CFLs. If there are no efficient bulbs that will fit the fan assembly (check IKEA for CFLs with small diameter bases), then consider putting in a separate light fixture.
    If you will be wiring to the outlets, make sure that nobody plugs something large (like a heater or a toaster) into them.
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • luvthewoods
    luvthewoods Registered Users Posts: 2
    #3
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    Re: need help choosing a complete kit for "backyard cabin"

    Here is a pic of the building
    image.jpg (143.2 KB)
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  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
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    Re: need help choosing a complete kit for "backyard cabin"
    luvthewoods wrote: »
    Here is a pic of the building

    That is one fine looking "cabin", from the outside anyway!
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
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    Re: need help choosing a complete kit for "backyard cabin"

    you know i've often wondered just what local and county officials say concerning these cabins. (obviously not for my county as it is highly populated and regulated) do they scrutinize you for mandatory plumbing, water, inspections, etc.? where is the line usually drawn and i'm sure this varies from place to place as i thought of a small place just to get away so to speak that would be cheap, but i don't see how this could be cheap? in the area around me (outside my county) i don't see cabins or cottages and what might qualify as such is high priced like a home would be. many just list mobile homes and who knows if the land comes with the purchase of these as any land rentals are ridiculous in price for the middle of nowhere. i guess i'm a bit confused with all of how these things work.

    for that small room even one of the metal buildings may work and be cheap to buy and erect, so to speak. heck, the shipping containers are popular too if you can invest in the time to work it.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #6
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    Re: need help choosing a complete kit for "backyard cabin"

    Niel, it's real estate; there are no rules. It's whatever whoever can get away with. So many variations from place to place that no one can say anything for certain.

    Three different agents I know have said the same thing vis a vis solar and buildings; people expect it on cabins and think it's worth less if it's not there, but they don't think it adds value to a utility-connected house. Go figure. :confused:

    Land costs are all over the scale depending not only on where but when. As you know I'm pretty close to this stuff lately. Despite the fact the house here is about the only sale registered in three years, many of the other properties still have ridiculously high prices. And when it comes to "getaway" locations, they are the most volatile because that's the first thing people will cut back on if economic times are bad. When times are good, money chases and forces prices up.

    As for building costs, the two biggest factors are simplicity of design and what local codes must be met. If it's any help, square buildings cost less to build than any other type of floor plan. And yes, I'm building something right now while flirting with pneumonia. :p
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #7
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    Re: need help choosing a complete kit for "backyard cabin"

    Get camp stove and make coffee with a Colemn stove top Mr. coffee instead, and put it into either q thermos or insulated carafe.

    A regular coffee maker will put a big strain on a small system, both in total WH load, but as with peak load as well.

    Tony
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  • Rybren
    Rybren Solar Expert Posts: 351 ✭✭
    #8
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    Re: need help choosing a complete kit for "backyard cabin"
    niel wrote: »
    i guess i'm a bit confused with all of how these things work.

    Around here, it depends a lot on the province and county. When I first started looking for a camp, I found a beautiful lakefront lot less than an hour's drive from home. My plan was to put a tent trailer on the property until I got around to building a cottage. Unfortunately, the local country regs prohibit this type of use. They require that a septic system or holding tank be in place before even using a tent on the property. They advised me that the trailer would be towed if the inspector found it on the property. When I checked the archives to see if that was an idle threat, I found a large number of cases where they had enforced the rules.

    The place that I eventually bought is in a different county and doesn't require a septic system (if there is no pressurised water system) and still allows "pit-type" outhouses (I have two at my place).

    My advice is to do your homework.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
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    Re: need help choosing a complete kit for "backyard cabin"

    gee, i don't know if i want to go through that much trouble. odd, i only get opinions from canada and not any from the states, but it's more than likely the same crap shoot.
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  • Rybren
    Rybren Solar Expert Posts: 351 ✭✭
    #10
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    Re: need help choosing a complete kit for "backyard cabin"
    niel wrote: »
    i only get opinions from canada and not any from the states,

    I did live in the states for five years. Does that count? :D
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #11
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    Re: need help choosing a complete kit for "backyard cabin"

    i guess that counts.
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