
In July 2015, IES sold and shipped its first, Large DIY cottage kit outside of Ontario.
This Cabin Is located very remotely in Radium, BC, Canada. The Frequency of use at this cabin is moderate to heavy. This family of 4 takes extended visits at all times of the year, having to deal with heavy snow accumulation and extended weather events with limited sun exposure.
The owners are happy to report that the system has required very little maintenance and they have had ample power during each visit.
The owners use propane to cook, a wood stove for heating during the winter, Fans for cooling in the summer, and solar electricity for everything else. There is a small back up generator on site for extreme scenarios, which have been rare.
The owners are happy with their system. They knew that they would be adding to the over all energy loads by building guest cabins and the workshop/garage. They are happy that they oversized the panel array. there are times when they are at the cabin for extended periods of time during snow storms. Once the sun comes out all those panels really get to work by charging the batteries .
The owners also knew that they had to learn the limitations of the system. Carefully picking times to run certain pumps or machinery so as to not trip breakers or put too much strain on the system. The owners are also very strict about energy usage and monitoring the depth of charge of the batteries. It is their goal to not go past 65% depth of discharge to ensure a long life of the batteries.
Client | BC Cottage Family |
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Designer | IES INC |
Scope | Off Grid, 4 Season, Family living |
Website | Refer to the IES Shop for DIY KITS |