AZ ranch

[Western]

Well that outhouse beats a Pinon tree!!

You may get by with a "swamp" cooler over AC, that is what I used when I lived in Colorado. Of course it's hard to beat AC when it's 110 outside.

The Solar quote for me was over $30k!! That was 95% house use, they also had smaller systems for light use down to $15k if I remember correctly. For me it wasn't' practical since I wasn't' "off grid" and I would never recover the cost to benefit like you will.

 

[mjncad]

Flagstaff and Prescott are far nicer and prettier than Mesa where you currently live.

Please keep the pics and posts coming.

 

[saltman]

Great place, and ideal of solar. I did a system for my 1700 sq foot home that's 100% off grid. My experience is that you will need about 1/2 of the power that would recommend because of your location. I have a total of 2000 watts of panels in the high desert of Southern CA. and run all regular ac appliances full size fridge, washer, dryer, propane central heat. Normally I can make double the power I use. High elevation and cool weather are ideal for solar.

Go with a reputable solar company that supplies all the materials and design and do the system installation yourself and you will save a lot. I went with Backwoods Solar they have been doing solar for 25 years unlike the electrical contractors who just started doing solar in the last few years plus they are off grid guys so they will not sell you a 30,000 dollar system to run a cabin. Solar prices are down now from when I did my system but with the tax rebate I spent less than 15,000.00.

I would guess at your elevation all you will need is a few ceiling fans to keep you cool in the summer.

Good Luck and have fun.

Derik

 

[BoFuller]

Great place, and ideal of solar. I did a system for my 1700 sq foot home that's 100% off grid. My experience is that you will need about 1/2 of the power that would recommend because of your location. I have a total of 2000 watts of panels in the high desert of Southern CA. and run all regular ac appliances full size fridge, washer, dryer, propane central heat. Normally I can make double the power I use. High elevation and cool weather are ideal for solar.

Go with a reputable solar company that supplies all the materials and design and do the system installation yourself and you will save a lot. I went with Backwoods Solar they have been doing solar for 25 years unlike the electrical contractors who just started doing solar in the last few years plus they are off grid guys so they will not sell you a 30,000 dollar system to run a cabin. Solar prices are down now from when I did my system but with the tax rebate I spent less than 15,000.00.

I would guess at your elevation all you will need is a few ceiling fans to keep you cool in the summer.

Good Luck and have fun.

Derik

Thanks for the info. I think a part of this "project" is to realize that we don't really "need" all the power we are used to consuming. Maybe I'm developing a little bit of "green", but I'm positive we can do with a lot less power than we're used to in the city. We can learn to wait on running one thing until we are done running something else. It's okay with me if there is not unlimited power everytime I want to do something. We'll learn to get by with less, and to distribute it through the day or week. And if we really do need more than the solar/batteries can handle once in awhile, then we fire up a generator.
I think you are right about the fans. Being in the trees, on top of a hill, at 6100 feet, I don't think A/C is going to be a critical necessity.

 

[Dallas_Lilly]

Pinion pine in the first picture. They don't grow tall and straight like most pine, but more of a bushy type of tree. The other major tree species there is juniper. They are the ones with the twisted trunks. We like them. We were going to leave them completely alone as in the first picture, but a local told us to trim them around the base to keep down the rodent population, so we got to trimming immediately.

Not only rodent control but fire control. Gound fires stay on the ground if they do not have fuels to climb up the trees. Are you piling the remains from trimming and burning?

 

[BoFuller]

Not only rodent control but fire control. Gound fires stay on the ground if they do not have fuels to climb up the trees. Are you piling the remains from trimming and burning?

We piled it all up a week or so ago. Next weekend when I go back, I will trim off what's good for firewood and then burn the rest.

 

[saltman]

I totally agree the first thing with solar is conservation. You may only need 1,000 watts of power which would be very affordable. My system is 100% reliant on the sun, so this winter was a good test with all of the rain we got because of conservation and using high energy items when the sun was out and saving the batteries for cloudy days and nights I made it through no problem and never went below 50% with the batteries.

Do you have wood rats up there? how about Mountain Lions and antelope squirrels?
Rattle snakes?

Great location!

 

[tommu56]

I have a small system at my cabin not portable but at 600 watts it is doable for your trailer for starters.

The how to do off grid

Home Power Magazine: Solar | Wind | Water | Design | Build

were I got my parts

Backwoods Solar Electric Systems

I used all outback for inverter and charge controller

You have to be realistic on what you want to power

we do run microwave, grunfus well pump (read $$$) some lights

tom

 

[BoFuller]

I totally agree the first thing with solar is conservation. You may only need 1,000 watts of power which would be very affordable. My system is 100% reliant on the sun, so this winter was a good test with all of the rain we got because of conservation and using high energy items when the sun was out and saving the batteries for cloudy days and nights I made it through no problem and never went below 50% with the batteries.

Do you have wood rats up there? how about Mountain Lions and antelope squirrels?
Rattle snakes?

Great location!

I have spent about two weeks there so far and I have not seen any of the above critters. There are elk, antelope, javelina, and coyote that I know of, and I'm sure there will be some rattlers when it warms up.

 

[mjncad]

I think you are right about the fans. Being in the trees, on top of a hill, at 6100 feet, I don't think A/C is going to be a critical necessity.

Where I live now is 5,100 feet in elevation, and where I used to work at is ~6,000 feet in elevation near Golden, Colorado. It got plenty hot in summer there, so I suggest you plan for AC in your electrical load requirements. If you don't need AC...great; but if you do and didn't put in enough capacity up front, you may be kicking yourself down the road.

 

[jayste]

Looks like the makings of a good long thread. Welcome to TBN by the way! This one is right up TBN alley because it involves cutting, slashing, burning, building, digging, burying, figuring, sweating and ....Oh, did I mention tractoring?!:laughing: Anyway, I had a thought on you water situation. While sharing the well down the road keep in mind that your tractor probably has a lifting capacity of 1000 lbs or less and water weighs around 8lbs/gal so plan on making a few trips for 2500 gal tanks. I know you're probably not figuring on keeping them filled to the rim all the time but just mentioning. As others have said you've got a great looking place there with a nice view. Sounds like solar will be the thing for you and your location. Two main requirements have already been met here.....We know your location and you've posted plenty of pics!:thumbsup::laughing: Again, welcome and "post away"!:thumbsup:


BTW, here's a link to another thread that might be handy as well. It's along the lines of Obed's thread because it involves the frontier and homesteading but this one includes solar energy, log houses (a little more than a cabin) and tractoring! Also, within it are links to other threads as well. It's by 3RRL (Rob and Loretta) and pretty informative.:thumbsup:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/projects/104037-3r-home-barn-project.html

 

[BoFuller]

Thanks for the link to 3R thread. I'll be busy reading that one as well as Obed's.
I found a couple of slightly used water tanks (2600 gallon) on Craigslist. I hope to pick one of both up next weekend.

 

[tommu56]

Thanks for the link to 3R thread. I'll be busy reading that one as well as Obed's.
I found a couple of slightly used water tanks (2600 gallon) on Craigslist. I hope to pick one of both up next weekend.

I use a IBC tank (300 gallons) to fetch water to bring it back to my cabin on a trailer you might want to look at that too.

I also collect rain water in one to use to flush the toilet my well only produces 20 gallons a day we save that for the more important tasks like cooking and showering!

tom

 

[BoFuller]

I'm looking at a water trailer with a 500 gallon tank. I know this would weigh over 4,000 lbs when full but the dealer said my L3400 would tow that okay. He just said to be careful going downhill. The well is down the hill so I would be towing all the weight uphill (1,000 feet over 3 miles).
If you all think that is way too much weight, then I am looking at a small dump truck (F800) that should be able to pull it okay.

 

[rdpecken]

Hi Bo.
It seems we are neighbors x2 !
We also have 40 acres in Sierra Verde, and live in Mesa most of the time.
Our land is about 5 miles north of I40 in the Markham Pass area.
Yes, we have seen rattlesnakes, packrats, javalina, elk, deer, and antelope.
I look forward to following your thread. I haven't started one here because I don't have a tractor yet! (Bummer...)
Anyway, you can see what we've been up to at our blog at ArizonaRanch.org - Building a Homestead Ranch in Northern Arizona
Here is the cabin we've been building for the last 3 years or so...
Good luck, and have fun!

 

[BoFuller]

Hi Bo.
It seems we are neighbors x2 !
We also have 40 acres in Sierra Verde, and live in Mesa most of the time.
Our land is about 5 miles north of I40 in the Markham Pass area.
Yes, we have seen rattlesnakes, packrats, javalina, elk, deer, and antelope.
I look forward to following your thread. I haven't started one here because I don't have a tractor yet! (Bummer...)
Anyway, you can see what we've been up to at our blog at ArizonaRanch.org - Building a Homestead Ranch in Northern Arizona
Here is the cabin we've been building for the last 3 years or so...
Good luck, and have fun!

Outstanding! We need to get in touch. I'm headed up next Thursday for a long weekend. How about you?

 

[BoFuller]

I'm looking at a water trailer with a 500 gallon tank. I know this would weigh over 4,000 lbs when full but the dealer said my L3400 would tow that okay. He just said to be careful going downhill. The well is down the hill so I would be towing all the weight uphill (1,000 feet over 3 miles).
If you all think that is way too much weight, then I am looking at a small dump truck (F800) that should be able to pull it okay.

I bought the water trailer today. I left it in Prescott until I go back to the ranch next weekend, so I can't take a picture of it yet. It is only a year old. The guy was desperate. I felt kinda guilty paying him what he asked for it. I think he could have gotten a lot more if he wasn't in such a hurry.

 

[BoFuller]

I'm looking at a water trailer with a 500 gallon tank. I know this would weigh over 4,000 lbs when full but the dealer said my L3400 would tow that okay. He just said to be careful going downhill. The well is down the hill so I would be towing all the weight uphill (1,000 feet over 3 miles).
If you all think that is way too much weight, then I am looking at a small dump truck (F800) that should be able to pull it okay.

Oh yeah, I bought a dump truck also. I got a 1980 F8000. It is probably way bigger than I need. As the responses on my CDL thread were stating, it would be far cheaper to rent one for what little I REALLY NEED one for, but it is sort of like my tractor - it is a toy I have wanted for 50 years, so I finally got it. It is rated for 27,500 lbs which means I will need a class B CDL I believe. I am going to check into possibly downgrading it to 25,500 and also check on the possibility of registering it for farm use. I can try. And if the insurance ends up being sky high, I just won't insure it and I'll only drive it on the ranch. The grandkids will love it! :thumbsup:
Also, like the water trailer, I left it in Prescott so I can't take a picture of it either.

 

[rdpecken]

Outstanding! We need to get in touch. I'm headed up next Thursday for a long weekend. How about you?

We just got back on Tuesday from a 5 day stay there, and I'm on call for work this weekend.
But I've emailed you my summer Ranch schedule, so maybe we can meet up sometime.
Good luck with your project. I already envy your toys!

 

[BoFuller]

Getting ready for another trip to the ranch. I got new chaps for chain saw work. I got a QA for my L3400 and Gearmore forks. Also a new QA bucket, but it may not go this trip. I only have so much room in my pickup. Picked up a whirly vent at HD to install on my "container" garage. Lots of projects for a 5 day weekend. I'm sure they won't all get done. I'll take pictures when I get up there.