How safe is our national power grid?

Fargo, ND – Have you been considering becoming independent from the local power grid and avoiding those monthly bills? Did a large branch just fall in your backyard and wipe out your power lines and you’re wondering what to do? Would you like to be able to survive a national power grid crisis while others sit in the dark?

Well, you’re not alone. Many of your neighbors are taking some easy steps to enjoy life “off the grid”:

Go with 2×6 wall studs, good insulation and 4×8 plywood panels. Slope all plumbing back towards a drain or cistern.

Get yourself a couple of 170 watt solar panels on top, the right batteries in protected storage underneath, a good charge controller, a 2kw inverter, lots of fluorescents and LEDs, a ceiling fan, 12V water pump from a cistern, propane hot water and stove, an in-wall fanless propane heater with a thermostat for those nights when you don’t want to stoke the airtight wood stove, and a 30 gallon propane tank. Be able to turn everything on with a couple of switches.

Your “off the grid” system will act just like a house on the grid, including toaster, microwave, coffee maker, vacuum cleaner and all (used judiciously to conserve power).