I love living off the power grid. For six months each year I leave the power grid and rough it with a propane refrigeration. satellite TV, 32 inch flat screen TV and Internet. I'm currently testing out several solar means of cooking.

More about solar power. Anyone who tries to tell you that solar power is free doesn't have a clue. What solar allows one to do is to live off the power grid. It's been estimated that there is a 20 year payback.

Six months out of the year I live off the power grid in North Eastern Arizona. November through April I am back on the power grid in an RV park in the swap meet capital of the United States, Quartzsite Arizona. 

I am blessed to be able to spend six months in a  mild Arizona climate at 6000 feet and six months in the far warmer and lower elevation part of Arizona.

Three years ago I spent six weeks on my high desert property with two portable solar panels, a 15 W and a 100 W connected to a small storage battery. Both solar panels had built in controllers. I used the smaller one to charge my MP3 player and cell phone. The 100 watt panel plus small inverter powered my computer. I used lanterns for light.

Two years ago I bought three 120 W solar panels and had them installed along with four deep cycle battery. Of course there is a lot more to solar power than just panels and batteries. There are controllers and inverters and lots of wire.

Last year I added another three 120 W solar panel and four more deep cycle batteries plus an expensive and upgraded controller. The setup was temporary in nature and three of the solar panels were located close to the ground, very inefficient.

This summer I invested in lots of expensive 6 and 4 gauge electrical wire, electrical boxes and a system interrupter. All panels are now properly installed on the roof of my storage shed and the batteries are charging away.