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new home construction

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Tooltime66:
Has anyone built a off the grid home and delt with the home inspectors with things like not installing a furnace, water system that will include a 500 gal water tank in the basement.  A electric system that is slightly out of the norm?

Frank S:
A lot of this is going to be dictated by the area you are planning to build.
  But you mentioned electrical a little out of the norm You should at least  follow the minimum NEC standards for all wiring.
  if your local codes prescribe certain things must be met then in order to get your house through final inspection you will have to meet those.
   
  If this is to be a cabin or what may be called a weekend secondary dwelling not used as a primary domicile there may be way rounds, a lot will depend on your state county or city inspectors.

Tooltime66:
I understand the following the rules set in place.  About the electrical codes.  What I have going on is working for me.  My 3000 watt inverter is running one leg of of the standard box, running laundry, kitchen and bathroom out lets.  This inverter is only on when needed.  The other leg is supported by my 1500 watt inverter that on when ever we are home.  this is for all the lights, bedroom and living room outlets.  Maybe I am the only one that is doing this.  But, this has been working real well for me for going on two years.  If I were to build a house for off the grid I would have two boxes.  Maybe I should change over to two boxes even if I dont build. 

Tom

thirteen:
Depending on your area they are starting to want to know if there is a fire if you are off grid. Fire Departments want the disconnect to be visible and marked  for their safety. With two inverters you may have to have a single disconnect disconnecting both inverters at the same time. Loan institutes may require a furnace installed for their protection for resale if something happens.  If you change over now to two boxes you would have them for your new house if you get to build one. Insurance is another question to ask about. I cannot get insurance at a reasonable cost for I am to far out for emergency coverage.  Going there and asking is one thing having them come look at things is another. 13

Frank S:
Tooltime66 : what you have essentially is a standard electrical system with a substituted electrical supply not all that different from taking a  house when the grid power is down and using a generator to power it

 If you had stack-able inverters that could be mastered & slave connected you could have 240 out of your system if you needed.
 
 If I were to think about building a totally off grid home or shop from scratch . I'm pretty sure I would mount a switch gear box for 48v nom. for lighting and other things and one for the 2 line split phase  for standard grid service powered by inverters / generator Or grid supply if the need or want arose. probably run parallel conduits through out the building that way  I could have low voltage + 120/240 any where I needed. also this would satisfy most  code inspectors if the wiring was done correctly
 as far as a furnace these largly depend on geography. It has become generally accepted that some form of centralized heating system and in many parts of the country  cooling  is now required.
 the same with water and sewer it is increasingly difficult to receive building permits without  having the plumbing  installed and to be connected to a supply and waste  (sewer) disposal.
  Even in the most remote county areas in most states now will require either a certified septic system or be connected to city/ county sewer system. 

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