Terlingua Dreams

Terlingua Dreams
Governors Landing Campground - Lake Amistad - Del Rio, Texas

Thursday, June 27, 2013

A Solar Cabin

Went to run several errands around town that included a stop at the P.O. Box, the recycling center, the bank,  Dairy Queen (for a mocha molatte), Walmart, the Derksen Buildings lot, and Stripes. Today I drove mom's mini-van.

The last couple of times I have been to the Derksen Buildings lot...they had sold out of almost all their inventory.  Today I noticed a new addition complete with solar panels, dish TV, air conditioning, a screen door and all windows outfitted with mini blinds.  There was also a truck parked to the side of it as if someone was living in it.









I thought it was pretty neat specially for Terlingua...though I doubt those solar panels could run an air conditioning all day.  Have no idea what it costs but I found it interesting nonetheless.

Gas went down .02 cents at our local Stripes.  $3.31 if you use a credit card...$3.19 if you use their store card.





Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.



UPDATE
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Just got off the telephone with Kyle Rentch of Derksen Buildings in Del Rio, Texas (830) 279-5867.  He said a cabin like this is going for $18,000.  It comes with four, 24 volt batteries that give him 17 hours of electricity. Those batteries are inside of the cabin.

This particular cabin is 12 x 28 with an 8 foot porch but it is specially built since the standard is a 6 foot porch.  The living quarters is 12 x 20 inside and this particular model has an inside bathroom though they do not usually build them with one.

He runs his air conditioner all day at 70 degrees and powers his TV, printer, computer and a coffee machine with his inverter from the solar panels.  How neat is that?  You can buy yourself a little cabin with less than it would cost you to buy a new car.

Told him I had featured him in my blog.  Though this is not the first time I do so as I find their buildings to be competitively priced and well built.

19 comments:

  1. If a Honda 2000 generator will run a small AC and those 5 panels on the roof were big enough...
    Then there is night time...

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  3. I beg to differ Barney. There are a lot of 48V mini split systems now available that do not require the massive battery bank that you speak of nor an inverter. However, that is only during daylight hours and a tracking system. If you want the A/C at night then a big battery bank would be required.

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  5. I have updated this blog post to include price and additional details.

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  6. Rob, Barney, Ed - I know little about solar panels and what they can or can not run.

    I thank you all for your input though :)

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  7. With those 10 panels if they are 700w and that roof could take that many plus even larger watt panels that's 7000w at 18.7 volts an hour put that into good size battery bank and a 48volt inverter and you will some power out in the boonies...

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  8. I think that would be a cool little cabin for two for a weekend or maybe even a few weeks of vacation. If you had a favorite piece of property, it would definitely be more cost effective than an RV (I'm guessing).

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    1. I agree with you Dave...it would make a great little getaway cabin in a little piece of property...for me in Terlingua of course :D

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  9. Now if'n it was me.....I was gonna post this earlier but forgot what I was gonna say. If'n I was gonna move to a off grid location, I would be look'n for something exactly like "your" little cabin. Of course you know the old Billy Bob would build his own....or modify that one. You know....add a couple inches of insulation to the inside, a very simple addition. Put up a "sturdy" shade barrier on the south side. Then I would sit out there on "da porch" sip'n up a cup an' do some think'n.

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    1. Where Billy Bob is involved there is always some kind of "modification" :)

      I am not sure...will have to probably call Kyle back but I believe this one is insulated.

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    2. Well yes it's insulated....unless the inside is unfinished. But here is what I was talk'n bout...the construction is 2x4 studs. Only 4 inches insulation. Add two extra inches of styrofoam. If the walls are unfinished, it's a simple installation. Same as 2x6 studs.

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  10. Looking at all those panels I'd bet an AC would run just fine off of them. Problem would be having enough batteries to allow the owner to run the AC at night.

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    1. The A/C in the back of the cabin seems small enough that it would not use as much energy as a regular A/C ?

      I frankly would be satisfied just having A/C during the day and at night running a small fan. Heck with something like this I could even live in Terlingua during the summer :D

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    2. MsB, Ron sets up cabins like that down here. Of course it all depends on how much $$$ you want to throw in one as to what you get. He doesn't do turnkey like that the people pay him to add what they want or can afford. Wouldn't be a bad way to go, but BB's idea about the 2 inch foam is a real good one and would actually come out better than 2x6 wall in insulation value.

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