Doomsday Preppers; were they right?

One thing I love about my job is i meet some pretty unique individuals. Don’t get me wrong, ALL DMS Energy customers are awesome but due to the way energy plays an important role in everyone’s life, we get to sample every demographic of people who can write a dissertation to those who can build anything with their hands.

 

Each and every one of our customers has an interesting story and view on the world.

 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic came about, our off grid enquires have gone through the roof. People are looking with a fresh perspective at the value of energy independence. Some are role playing 'what if' scenarios and they keep coming up with one of the things they need to maintain their bare necessities is a reliable and consistent access to electricity.

 

We have been selling around 4 off grid systems per week quite consistently of late and this has ranged from new built homes, shacks to replacement and upgrades of existing solar systems. Off grid is the real buzz around the office at the moment. People are looking at energy independence with a new focus and a different set of motivating requirements. Reliable energy is coming in over the top of cheap energy. This has been the mindset of the prepper for years but it is now entering the minds of the wider community. All it has taken is one pandemic and the paradigm of everyone’s reality has shifted.

 

What is an off grid solar system and how does it work?

 

An off grid solar system is an electrical generation system that stands alone and is not connected to any grid or network. We use solar panels as the primary energy source. Solar panels days are amazingly efficient and cost effective. DMS Energy predominantly sells LG and Qcell panels which are considered the best in the industry bar none.

 

You will most likely need a generator, these should be diesel and if the off grid solar system is designed properly your site should require very little generator intervention but you still need one. This is to reduce the possibility to any downtime to your site but most importantly to protect your batteries as this is where the majority of the costs of an off grid system sit.

 

You will require a multimode inverter and this converts the DC power from the solar panels and batteries and converts it to AC power to run your house. This device also will charge your batteries from the generator during extended periods of inclement weather.

 

We also require batteries. These are important as these give us the ability to store any excess energy for night time use or when house energy demands exceed what the solar panels can produce during the day.

Think of it as a big bucket full of electricity. A properly sized and maintained battery bank should last 15 to 20 years. Our oldest off grid systems are 13 years old now and still purring along. This comes down to selecting the right battery technology and size for the site. Of the off grid solar systems that are not ours that we are repairing and replacing the most common issue is cooked batteries that were under sized or being charged from undersized solar arrays.

 

The most important part of getting the right off grid solar system for your particular requirements is the right designer and supplier. Due to every customer having different needs and electrical requirements they have to be custom designed, the design has to dictate the price and not the other way around. Off grid solar systems cannot be sold as an off the shelf system. I shudder every time i see these “shed packs” “shack packs” or “house packs”. Whenever you see the that you know you are dealing with amateurs who should not be taking any part in the off grid industry. The results from these box movers is typically terrible and they never ever come back to address any issues that arise.

 

DMS energy are famous for engineering all our products to suit our clients needs but we are known through out the state for our off grid solar expertise. Thats why we do more than anyone else as we provide consistent and reliable results. When it comes to off grid we are the the only thing standing between our clients sitting in the dark eating cold beans or living an uninterrupted lifestyle with all the electricity that lifestyle demands. We take this very seriously indeed. Concept to completion DMS energy are the north west coast leading off grid experts. If you want a properly engineered solution that suits your requirement for off grid solar call 1300 502 599 or drop us a line on our website or facebook. Look for dmsenergy.net.au or google DMS Energy on Facebook, you cant miss us.

 

Or if you have been duped with an under performing off grid system or bought one of these poor performing “packs” we would live to hear from you as we repair this sort of stuff all the time. DMS Energy we are happy to support any solar requirements that people may have.