People keep telling new off-grid folks to start with solar and I think that's backward
Been living off-grid for going on 12 years now up in the Appalachians, and I keep seeing this advice online that bugs me. Everyone says buy solar panels first, but I've watched THREE neighbors start that way and quit within a year because they ran out of money for batteries and inverters. The real basics people miss are water collection and wood heat. When I started back in 2013, I spent $600 on a good used wood stove and $200 on a rainwater catchment system before I ever touched a solar panel. That setup kept me going through my first winter when I couldn't afford the rest of the electric gear. Solar is great, but it's a luxury compared to having clean water and warm shelter. Why do so many folks push the expensive shiny stuff first instead of the actual survival parts? Has anyone else seen new people burn out this way?