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The overarching goal here is to reduce the costs of operating this 5-acre ranch which includes a house, shop, and greenhouse by using solar power. This is not an attempt to go off-grid or to create a grid-tie system, though any suggestions along those lines will be appreciated. This event is a planning (and learning) exercise with no construction being conducted though some experimentation may be undertaken.
During this event here are some related topics that will likely be discussed:
There will be no sign up sheet, membership requirements, or entry fees. An RSVP is not required but a rough head count would be appreciated.
Prepping in General: The news media is always about sensationalism, not reality. Even the "reality" tv shows have little or nothing to do with prepping (not to be confused with survivalism). Prepping is like buying insurance, you hope to never need it but you shouldn't go without it. The most basic prepping is the 72 hour emergency preparedness actions recommended by the Red Cross and various government agencies. Because of the long term effects of recent natural disasters, these agencies are increasing their recommendations to two weeks and, in one case, six months. The Mormon church has long recommended storing one year of supplies. SW Idaho is far from immune to natural disasters such as floods, storms, epidemics, and even earthquakes. that could keep you from getting to the grocery store for days or weeks. You don't have to fear a "zombie apocalypse" to embrace emergency preparedness.
FMI: search "Emergency Preparedness"
Prepping Groups in the Boise Area: There are several prepping and related groups in the Boise area. There have been some attempts to start groups on Facebook and Meetup.com with varying levels of success. These have names such as Homesteading, Aquaponics, and such. There are some private, even neighborhood, groups of people who just want to socialize with like-minded people. There are several militias but they're more at the survivalist end of the spectrum. There are specialty groups like Amateur Radio (HAM) operators who practice emergency communications and, when called upon, support true emergencies such as Search and Rescue. And then there are governmental and non-governmental groups who plan, train, and promote emergency preparedness and participate in actual emergencies.
FMI: search for your county's "Hazard Mitigation Plan"
Boise Preppers: This is a fairly new attempt to provide a focal point for preppers in the general Boise area, specifically those close enough to be willing to drive to meetings and local events. It's also intended to be a source of local information relating to prepping and emergency preparedness. In the event of a true emergency local preppers will have a place to look for information aimed specifically at their needs. This group has a presence on Facebook and at Boise Preppers, which is still under construction.
The following equipment will be available for inspection:
1. Which way is magnetic north and which way is true north?
2. What direction should the panels be pointed to get the most power when it's needed?
3. What tilt angle should the panels be at?
4. Where on this property should the panels be mounted?
5. How much power can we expect from these panels considering the location?
6. How many panels will be needed to run the greenhouse fan?
7. How many batteries will be needed to run the fan?
8. Can the panels be used to produce heat without charge controllers, batteries, or inverters?
9. How much cooling can be expected from the panels?
10. What is the most cost effective way to produce cooling for the house?
11. What other things can be done with these panels to reduce the operating costs of the ranch?
12. What would need to be done to provide power to the house if the grid goes down?
13. What other solar projects would you recommend for this ranch?
While there are many charts and recommendations on the internet they may not apply to this specific application which is why they need to be debated.