Off-Grid Survival Stories
How 2 gals survived living off grid in Nevada's High Desert.
Batteries: Our First Disaster
Living Off-Grid was never our intention...
I had just gotten a job at a power plant in the high desert of Northern Nevada. It was my very first job in the power industry.
Actually, it was my very first industrial job ever!
I convinced the plant manager I would learn quickly and that I work hard. So, he took a chance on a gal from the east with no experience.
And I was crushing it! They loved me!
Well...
OK, my boss loved me.
The guys (my co-workers) it took them a bit longer to warm up to me. But that's a story for another time.
There was just one problem...
The power plant was in the middle of nowhere!
See! I wasn't joking. The middle of nowhere!
My not so safe travels.
I lived over an hour away from my job. Not that big of a deal for the seasoned shift worker. For me, however, the twelve-hour days had me falling asleep on my way home.
That would have been just fine if I wasn't driving 75 mph down I80 at the time. I had to come up with a solution!
On the way to work one morning, I pulled over near the rural mailboxes on the main road. I had been tasked with getting the power plant's mail while my boss was on vacation.
And there it was! A "For Sale By Owner" poster for a house nearby. I called my sister (waking her up) and demanded she called them for us while I was at work. We had been living on a small horse farm at the time and I wasn't the only one concerned with my new sleeping habits.
Billowing Blue Smoke...
My sister and I ended up buying the 10 acre, off-grid property from a sweet older couple who wanted to move to Arizona.
They needed to get away from the harsh winters of the high desert. Which is made exponentially harder by living off-grid. I'll tell you more about that at a later date.
Not long after we started our off-grid adventure, an old friend of mine contacted me and wanted to come visit. He and I decided to go out for dinner. When we got back I noticed a bunch of blue smoke billowing out of my battery shed!
If you have ever been to northern Nevada's high desert, you know there are no trees to obscure your view. I could see the smoke pouring out of my battery shed for way longer than was good for my health!
I could also see 3 figures running in and out of my batter shed. One of which belonged to my sister.
I could not drive fast enough!
With my friend holding on for dear life, I slid my little 2 door blazer around the last corner on the gravel road and into my driveway.
By the time I got there, the fire had been put out and my wonderful neighbors (who had so heroically come to our rescue) were jumping in their trucks to go back home.
Sunset at our 10 acre off-grid property.
What I wish I had known.
Before I finish my story, I would like to tell you upfront that I am an affiliate for the product I will be talking about next. I want you to know right off the bat so you don't feel "sold". I will make a commission off any purchases you make.
I wish I had stumbled upon this product back then...
It would ave saved me thousands of dollars!
You see, when the wiring to my newly inherited solar system caught fire, I thought I had to buy all new batteries and replace the whole system.
So, that's what I did.
Not long after coming up with a down payment for the property, paying moving costs, and already have invested some cash into needed repairs; I found myself charging very expensive batteries and wiring to my credit card.
After all, I needed electricity!
What I didn't know is...
You can actually recondition old batteries!
You see, some of he batteries had not been completely damaged in the small (but extremely smoky) fire we had. They could have been saved!
And that would have saved me a lot of money!
If you're interested in saving money by recondition old batteries, check out this video:
You don't have to live off-grid to save cash by not having to buy new batteries. Think about all your home care equipment that uses batteries. Or even those older car batteries.
I truly wish I had known I could recondition batteries back then. I would have been able to save up money to buy new when I was ready, like I had planned. Rather than using a credit card and paying the high interest rates!
If you are trying your hand at living off-grid, I salute you!
I am grateful for my experience in Nevada's high desert. The skill set I developed is invaluable as is the personal growth I experienced.
More stories to come,
Amanda
PS ~ Here is a Free Report "The 3 Best Batteries For An Off-Grid Energy System" for you to jump start your off-grid solar system.
PSS ~ And if you are having issues with equalizing your battery, check out this report: "What Is An Equalizing Charge, Why Is It Needed, And How to Apply One To a Lead Acid Battery"! It's full of great information on how to keep your batteries young.