This could be my last post. Today I delve into my battery bank hook-ups and it doesn’t matter how many times I do it, I fear it. There are over 600 amps at 48 volts with exposed terminals all over the damn place and I’ll be in there messin’ with a crescent wrench and trembling hands. I can see the arc-of-death flashing up the wrench and melting it and me in the process already.

I am going to have to be extra careful. Mind you, I have been so bloody careful so far, I haven’t gotten anything done! This chore is a year overdue. But, you see, it is hard to get electrocuted if you stay the hell away from everything electrical. And so I did (exception: flashlights, computer and movie screen). ‘Let deep cycle batteries lie’. That’s my basic ‘working-with-batteries’ motto.

But there is no hiding today. A neighbour wants the old batteries and is coming over to get them. Embarrassingly, the new ones have been sitting around expectantly for over a month. And I have no more excuses. My procrastination (fear) has been exposed and is now getting visitors. If I had any way of avoiding this, I would, and this blog would be about something else.

Ravens are a popular theme.

It occurred to me the other day that I should maybe teach more in these blogs. Be more informative, you know? More How-to stuff. As I learn a lesson or two and become fairly sure about it, I should share that knowledge with would-be off-the-gridders eager to learn at the feet of the master? Right? The problem is that I have yet to become fairly sure about anything.

Most of it is all still a mystery.

Well, I am pretty sure about advising the burning of dry fir for your firewood if you can get it but some old hands do recommend dry Alder instead so maybe the jury is still out on that one? I am pretty damn sure that building the cabin is not #1 on the to-do list, infrastructure is. Makes for much easier building when it is the cabins turn. But everybody builds the cabin first and so, even tho I am pretty sure about that advice, few seem to agree with it. I strongly advise having two of everything at the very least. But I would have advised that for the cul-de-sac resident as well.

So, what the hell do I know? Marry well is the only really good advice I can give. Maybe being the Yoda of off-the-grid living is not going to be my calling. But I will advise this: when working with deep cycle batteries, wear thick gloves, use insulated tools, work slowly and hope for a sacrificial fool/anode to come along and do it for you.

I hope to be able to report back tomorrow.