Tune in for the final episode and hear Aaron interviewed by a listener.
E244: Off-Grid Solar System Fundamentals for Bug Out Locations

Rhodes of Iron Edison drops back in. He shares with us the fundamentals of an off-grid solar system. You’ll get the basics of what you need to know to start planning solar power for your bug out location or “vacation cabin”.
Retrofitting or building an off-grid home can be very confusing, especially when it comes to how to get electricity. (And don’t we have enough to fool with preparing for whatever comes next?)
There’s so much to consider preppers often threw up their hands in frustration. And they then put the entire topic off for another day. This then holds them back from they’re goal of getting a bug out location or bug out vacation home.
And done incorrectly, whether to large or too small, can be a budget killer. Building a battery-powered home with solar or other alternative energies is already a big expense. The project requires care and careful planning.
But the fundaments of an off-grid solar system are relatively easy to grasp. It just takes someone with in-depth knowledge to break it down into bite-sized easy to understand parts. And they need to be someone who can keep us out of the necessary weeks.
Fortunately, we know a guy.
So Rhodes is back to give us just that: An easy to understand fundamentals episode.
Off-Grid Solar System Fundamentals Topics Covered:
- Building a bug out location or viewing this as a vacation cabin, which is the best way to think about this
- Breaking off-grid solar systems down into it’s three major parts
- The one major mindset that will change the way you understand off-grid homes
- The process of determining loads
- How to size batteries
- The upside down lease with bad math
- Lead Acid Batteries
- Lithium Iron Batteries
- Nickel Iron Batteries
- Determining how big of a solar system is right for you
- Estimating loads
Episode Resources:
- Iron Edison Website
- Previous Episode with Rhodes – E240: Basics of Solar Power and Scams That Will Make You Mad