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Old 10-30-2019, 04:11 PM
 
Location: in a galaxy far far away
19,209 posts, read 16,696,914 times
Reputation: 33347

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Quote:
Originally Posted by CrownVic95 View Post
I was about to ask where on earth you are getting this stuff. Then I looked at your user name.

A lot of people are NOT living without electric power by choice. Not here on earth in developed countries.

This thread has lost its way....or, put more succinctly....been hijacked by reincarnated John Quincy Adams voters.

Have at it....and farewell.
Yes, of course. When you can't have a genuine discussion about the possibilities of living with alternative energy, you resort to going after the most obvious. Gives me a chuckle because I live in California so hence the screen name I chose when I joined the site. lol

But since you don't believe me, here are some properties that are real beauties and completely off the grid.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4...19147310_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...16147795_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...83277439_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...50122340_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...91851726_zpid/
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Old 10-30-2019, 05:27 PM
 
Location: Paradise CA, that place on fire
2,022 posts, read 1,740,223 times
Reputation: 5906
Quote:
Originally Posted by mgforshort View Post
We lost power today, Saturday at 6:00 PM in Paradise. There is no wind, wasn't any all day. The prediction was that it might be down until Monday. We get calls from PG&E several times a day, also e mails. It doesn't mean squat, even I can tell that the lights are out without listening to their messages.

I'm posting this while the big Generac is running in the garden shed. Usually we get landline phone and Internet access from Comcast/Xfinity for the first 10-16 hours because they must have some sort of backup, then it all goes down, regardless of having a private generator or not.

The only reliable thing we have as far as communications go is our Dish Network satellite television.
I will update this when the power returns.
Update: we got back our power today, Wednesday, Oct 30 at 3:30 PM. This means no power for about 93 hours - down for almost 4 complete days. We had landline phone and Internet access for the first 16 hours, then everything went down. I don't understand why isn't a reliable backup available for Comcast/Xfinity. I did call it in, but the service rep in Jamaica didn't know more than our Airedale.

By turning the big Generac on and off we only used it for 40 hours, approx. 10 hours per day. At night I turn it off, but I must rise and reactivate after 4-5 hours because the refrigerator gets warm and I'd rather spend our cash on natural gas than buying more groceries.

About the winds, well, we had very strong winds for half the time, and barely a breeze the other half. I could watch television news with the Dish Network and the list of schools closed is too long the type it in here. Even a college.

We supposedly could get $ 100 credit on the next billing, every household affected, from PG&E. I hate to see that money wasted on us when Bill Johnson could use another bonus with the holidays coming.

Last edited by mgforshort; 10-30-2019 at 05:42 PM..
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Old 10-30-2019, 07:50 PM
 
28,115 posts, read 63,672,505 times
Reputation: 23268
^^^ Not as bad as you... just under 40 hours and 19 before with another suppose to happen but did not.

No one here had Internet except me...

The old rotary dial landline with DSL and my UPS lasted through out...

It was strange turning on the laptop and not seeing a single wifi when there is normally a sea of wifi… the list just goes on and on... all those with Comcast and ATT didn't do well... many cell providers also went dark... Verizon was the exception... speaking for my location.
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Old 10-30-2019, 07:55 PM
 
28,115 posts, read 63,672,505 times
Reputation: 23268
Quote:
Originally Posted by HereOnMars View Post
Yes, of course. When you can't have a genuine discussion about the possibilities of living with alternative energy, you resort to going after the most obvious. Gives me a chuckle because I live in California so hence the screen name I chose when I joined the site. lol

But since you don't believe me, here are some properties that are real beauties and completely off the grid.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4...19147310_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...16147795_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...83277439_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...50122340_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...91851726_zpid/
I visit friends in Davenport... totally off grid* 7 miles on dirt roads up from highway 1 deep in the redwoods...

It does hold a certain appeal and they love it... his wife grew up off grid on acreage there.

The reason for the asterisk is about 25 years ago the phone company laid cable to this remote corner under the rural phone act... so in the middle of no where they have a landline... kind of surreal.

They have solar, small hydro, naturally fed spring water, wood heat and a small propane tank that lasts about a year... simply breathtaking with a pacific ocean view to boot...
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Old 10-30-2019, 08:04 PM
 
Location: On the water.
21,736 posts, read 16,350,818 times
Reputation: 19831
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultrarunner View Post
I visit friends in Davenport... totally off grid* 7 miles on dirt roads up from highway 1 deep in the redwoods...

It does hold a certain appeal and they love it... his wife grew up off grid on acreage there.

The reason for the asterisk is about 25 years ago the phone company laid cable to this remote corner under the rural phone act... so in the middle of no where they have a landline... kind of surreal.

They have solar, small hydro, naturally fed spring water, wood heat and a small propane tank that lasts about a year... simply breathtaking with a pacific ocean view to boot...
Davenport?! You are friends with one of the two households that comprise that town? ... ok, joke ... there’s 3 ... maybe 4. Great spot, you’re right!
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Old 10-30-2019, 08:13 PM
 
Location: Paradise CA, that place on fire
2,022 posts, read 1,740,223 times
Reputation: 5906
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultrarunner View Post
^^^ Not as bad as you... just under 40 hours and 19 before with another suppose to happen but did not.

No one here had Internet except me...

The old rotary dial landline with DSL and my UPS lasted through out...

It was strange turning on the laptop and not seeing a single wifi when there is normally a sea of wifi… the list just goes on and on... all those with Comcast and ATT didn't do well... many cell providers also went dark... Verizon was the exception... speaking for my location.
The heart of the matter is: once we lose the landline phone and Internet, the only way to receive fire alerts is through our Samsung cell phones, with service by AT&T. They do work, half of the time, but not as reliable as the landline used to be. By that I mean before the old-fashioned landline phones were replaced by Fios or DSL or WiFi.

Ultrarunner can explain if you care, but please, please, don't ask me. All I know is plug in here and pick it up there.

One year ago in the November 8th, 2018 Paradise fire we didn't receive any notifications. I saw the smoke, called the non-emergency police number, and the dispatch told me there is a fire near Pentz Rd and they are working on it.
Yeah. Sure.
After our deck was bombarded by the flying embers coming OVER the roof of the house, we got in the cars and left in a hurry - well, 1/2 mile of hurry, than gridlock. That was our "notification".

My point is that in an extreme disaster the need for landline phone and Internet access could mean the difference between death or survival. If PG&E and Comcast/Xfinity can't provide it they should quit and hand over the business to someone more resourceful.
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Old 10-30-2019, 08:19 PM
 
28,115 posts, read 63,672,505 times
Reputation: 23268
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulemutt View Post
Davenport?! You are friends with one of the two households that comprise that town? ... ok, joke ... there’s 3 ... maybe 4. Great spot, you’re right!
To reach them I take "Last Chance Road".

For years Last Chance was a through road to Big Basin but the park destroyed the road and placed boulders to block any traffic... stupid in the event of a fire... but, slowly, the park is buying up all the old homesteads so I guess it is only a matter of time.

When my friends wife was growing up the town they went to was Boulder Creek... but the park blocking the road means they now have to go to Santa Cruz... unless the mini-mart in Davenport proper has it...

Those in Davenport proper have water issues... the cement plant maintained the "Town" water but with the plant closing the future of the water was in doubt... my info could be outdated.

Her husband... my friend, grew up in Oakland and found total bliss living off grid... maybe 12 years now?

Property tax is nil... no utility bills... the best water ever and they have a sunny clearing surrounded by Redwoods... with other close nit neighbors forming a loose association to keep the dirt road passable in winter.

They do keep horses and the trail riding in the redwoods renews the soul... only downside is watch for poison oak in the sunny clearings...
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Old 10-30-2019, 09:10 PM
 
Location: On the water.
21,736 posts, read 16,350,818 times
Reputation: 19831
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultrarunner View Post
To reach them I take "Last Chance Road".

For years Last Chance was a through road to Big Basin but the park destroyed the road and placed boulders to block any traffic... stupid in the event of a fire... but, slowly, the park is buying up all the old homesteads so I guess it is only a matter of time.

When my friends wife was growing up the town they went to was Boulder Creek... but the park blocking the road means they now have to go to Santa Cruz... unless the mini-mart in Davenport proper has it...

Those in Davenport proper have water issues... the cement plant maintained the "Town" water but with the plant closing the future of the water was in doubt... my info could be outdated.

Her husband... my friend, grew up in Oakland and found total bliss living off grid... maybe 12 years now?

Property tax is nil... no utility bills... the best water ever and they have a sunny clearing surrounded by Redwoods... with other close nit neighbors forming a loose association to keep the dirt road passable in winter.

They do keep horses and the trail riding in the redwoods renews the soul... only downside is watch for poison oak in the sunny clearings...
Case in point: some people DO, indeed, seek the alternatives, eh? Beautiful!
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Old 10-30-2019, 10:12 PM
 
Location: in a galaxy far far away
19,209 posts, read 16,696,914 times
Reputation: 33347
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tulemutt View Post
Case in point: some people DO, indeed, seek the alternatives, eh? Beautiful!
They do indeed. Many people would be surprised to know just how many are doing it or planning it in the near future. Some are buying bare land and building up while others who don't want the bother are finding existing homes available. They're everywhere. I didn't realize there were so many until I started researching it.
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Old 10-30-2019, 11:32 PM
 
Location: On the water.
21,736 posts, read 16,350,818 times
Reputation: 19831
And then there are the RV full-timers ... over a million of ‘em
Quote:
A million Americans live full-time in RVs, according to the RV Industry Association. Some have to do it because they can't afford other options, but many do it by choice.Nov 12, 2018
1 million Americans live in RVs. Meet the 'modern nomads ...
https://www.washingtonpost.com › business › 2018/11/12 › million-america...
... and then there are those nutcases that full-time it on boats. How many? I really dunno. Wild guess? 50,000 or so between Florida, Washington, Oregon and California maybe.
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