It’s my dream too Joseph since I was a kid. I always thought it would be in CO though. I have a lot to learn about battery banks, but so far that is the plan. I currently have a 24 volt 900 watt windmill. A good friend of mine sells solar systems, so I may use that too. I also have generator heads that I can hopefully power with wood gas.
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there’s a good “solar guy” on youtube that uses solar and wind to power his house. He lives on the outerbanks in NC. His youtube name is OBXsolwind I believe. He has a lot of good information on getting a system up and running.
CO is nice, I lived there for about 4 years in a city called Durango, CO in the southwest corner.
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bill I have been off grid for15 years now its not all bad
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What’s the diameter of your turbine?
Victoria’s aerodynamic sister…
All made in my shop.
Stephen
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Interesting Paul, will you be at Argos?
@wobigtd , This is similar to what I bought. Mine is still in the box. Now I have a place to put it up.
http://www.amazon.com/900W-24-Volt-Residential-Generator/dp/B00773O53G
@sabbadess, All I have is questions for you. You have answers to questions I haven’t even thought of yet.
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Bill,
The picture across my wind page is a nice backside shot.
She may look old but I gave it jet engine style turbine disks so it always runs true and in plane. I didn’t want to see wobbly blades going by…until it spun around hit me, bending the buckets. Ooops!
Stephen
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I got this done Sunday and yesterday. It’s a 16x20’ floor. I insulated it with R19. I am thinking about applying epoxy over it to seal it off and have a durable surface.
I used my air compressor and framing nailer running off of 3 batteries and an inverter.
Unfortunately it started raining just as I finished it and can’t provide a better picture.
I’m building this first because it gets so dam cold in the camper at night. Nothing seals up well and the furnace runs poor at best.
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This is the little cabin we are building to get us through this winter. Yes it is small but should suffice until I have time to build a bigger one. I am using 2x6’s for the walls to get a R19 value. I feel it should be warm enough for a Minnesota winter and a small wood stove. I am building a loft in it. This should provide some storage space for us. Yes I know I should have done headers above the window, but…
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A wood stove will keep it nice and toasty in there. I heat 2400 sq feet with one every winter, (not too big) I have never used my furnace for heat. Michigan Winters are quite similar to yours, you may be just a tad colder.
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Isn’t it nice to build by your oun “code”. That is your “Freedom in Minnesota”
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Hey Bill, looks good. 2 things you may want to consider, vapor barrier under(plastic on ground), and double plate on top to help with snow load. nice to have a place to stay that is easy to heat. Al
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Yes Al, I’m building knee walls up on top for a loft. I will have a 10/12 pitch steel roof and that should help with the snow.
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Hi Bill,
Nice job on the framing, however it’s easier to build your inside corners when the wall is laying flat on the deck. Don’t forget to include the thickness of the wall sheathing, etc when building the corners so you’ll have adequate nailing space on both adjoining walls. Yup, another hmmm moment for me. A double top plate will help with the loading on your headerless window openings, especially since they are small openings and on the end walls. Don’t forget to insulate them before you close them in. Hmm, how do I know this, lol.
The 10/12 pitch will shed the snow load nicely.
I know you’re not going to want to hear this, but screening on the under side of the floor after insulating will keep the rodents, especially mice, from nesting and pooping there. The smell gets bad after a while. Another hmm for me, too.
Airtight is good, but also dangerous (especially with this small a volume) with a wood stove or any other fuel burning cooking and/or heating appliances. I strongly advise an outside air source for these. Maybe a fresh air heat exchanger type device. Please install smoke and CO detectors before your first night of heating and sleeping.
Be safe,
Pepe
Bill, I just want to add that the double top plate adds resistance to bending along the length of the wall.
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Thanks Pepe,
That’s the reason I post things on here because people have such great suggestions for me. I hope to only use this for two years while I build the main cabin. This will then become a work shed. But I will still use your ideas.
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Hi Bill…bet you have never enjoyed building something as much as your cozy cabin. Reminds me of the show little house on the prairie. They raised a family in a small log cabin and there was plenty of love and happiness in there lives. Sure you are going to experience the same. Good luck and be safe.
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Thank you Bill for the above comment. I never know how much to say on here don’t want to offend anyone, or come off as a know it all. It’s just some of us have had to struggle in life, and do every thing on our own. Learned through lots of mistakes,and just want to pass on what we have learned, and to help others. 
Al
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No worries Al. Don’t have to be sensitive with me as long as you provide a solution as well. I am not a house builder or a metal fab guy. So I will take all the suggestions I can get. On the job training is the best way for me to learn.
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It isn’t BIG enough!!! You need to make it at least 4x the size! That is like the size of the “office area” of a proper toolshed. 
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better figure out how to get the internet up there.
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