# Just What does "OFF GRID" Mean........???



## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Just What does "OFF GRID" Mean........??? Really.......you hear "Off Grid" everywhere. It is held up as a badge of honor, a high level of achievement, the ultimate in prepping for survival.

But "WHAT" is off grid.......???


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## Dutchie (Mar 14, 2003)

Without electricity?


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Off the electrical grid.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

So.........your saying that a renter on the 53 floor of a New York City apartment building, is officially "OFF GRID" if he fails to pay his electric bill.......is that correct.....???


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Sourdough is throwing chum in the water.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

What about the
sewer grid
water grid
Federal-State-County-Town/City "Road Grid"
Emergency services (Fire-Medical) Grid


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Sourdough is throwing chum in the water.


Old-Old Sourdough saying, "Better to be the Chummier than being the Chum".


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## Murby (May 24, 2016)

Off grid usually refers to electrical power.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

You asked as if you did not know . You got an answer. Seems you just want to argue about it. Maybe you should have been honest about that in your first post.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

...Oil grid
tax grid

Lots of grids to get off of.

Most people use it to mean that there household is no longer connected to the electrical grid. 

Many survivalists and preppers expand that meaning to cover other grids. So it's best to understand who you are talking too and if you get the impression that they may be talking about more than the electrical grid you may want to ask for their definition of the phrase.

WWW


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

painterswife said:


> You asked as if you did not know . You got an answer. Seems you just want to argue about it. Maybe you should have been honest about that in your first post.


The goal is discussion.......the goal is not to make you HAPPY, or empower you to feel superior and or condescending. The goal and purpose of forums is discussion.

My idea of off grid is not the same as most peoples.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Sourdough said:


> The goal is discussion.......the goal is not to make you HAPPY, or empower you to feel superior and or condescending.
> 
> My idea of off grid is not the same as most peoples.


Well honesty in a discussion helps. Your post started the condensation. I pointed it out.


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

Are we condensing the condescension here?


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## Ohio Rusty (Jan 18, 2008)

I'm off the sewer grid ... (I have a septic tank)
Ohio Rusty ><>


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

You go, Nehimama!!!!!


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I am off the doing what people expect grid.


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## painterswife (Jun 7, 2004)

Many people have never been connect to a water or sewer system. Being off grid has always been the electrical grid.


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## wy_white_wolf (Oct 14, 2004)

Definition of off-grid
*: *not connected to or served by publicly or privately managed utilities (such as electricity, gas, or water)
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-grid


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

painterswife said:


> Many people have never been connect to a water or sewer system. Being off grid has always been the electrical grid.


Well..........notice that several that have posted feel it is not that simple.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I am not feeling it. 

Might be thinking it.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> I am not feeling it.
> 
> Might be thinking it.


Try READING the posts, all the posts , not just the post that support your "Closed" belief system.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I am having to repress laughter here, Sourdough. 

You said other people feel differently. No, they don’t. They THINK differently.

Feelings are emotional. To feel something can be a tactile event, too. Thoughts are cognitive. 

I made an editing comment based on your word choice.

Geez, I assumed you would see the humor, as you started the thread tongue in cheek.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

nehimama said:


> Are we condensing the condescension here?


Caustic Condescension Conflict


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> I am having to repress laughter here, Sourdough.
> 
> You said other people feel differently. No, they don’t. They THINK differently.
> 
> ...


SORRY......Me BAD today.
I'm going high speed to get some caches repackaged and two new caches assembled. I just kind'a run in the cabin and check things on the computer every wee bit. Guess I dropped the ball on your post......sorry.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Sourdough is throwing chum in the water.


Why would today be any different?


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

HDRider said:


> Caustic Condescension Conflict


Correct


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I believe that connecting on the web is being on-grid....no matter how one gets their electricity.


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## [email protected] (Sep 16, 2009)

some people go off grid to avoid paying electric bills.
then they spend a fortune on solar panels or wind mills to make electricity.
they reason that the "grid" uses natural and unnatural resources, while the very items they buy to make electricity are manufactured using the same resources..
......jiminwisclivingoffthesewer/watergrid.....


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

So, it’s a psychological game we play with ourselves? 

I think it is.


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## Vjklander (Apr 24, 2018)

We have well and septic, so off the grid there. We have a 5.5KW solar system tied to the grid, but we found during the derecho we can manage off the grid perfectly well.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Derecho? Left?


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> So, it’s a psychological game we play with ourselves?
> 
> I think it is.


Yes, I think that is accurate. I think it is a matter of pride to be off grid. There is some amount of envy involved, for those dreaming of being "off Grid". I think a big thing is feeling trapped and a victim of the utility companies, a feeling that you can never be truly FREE as a human if you are chained to the utility companies, like a slave.


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## Vjklander (Apr 24, 2018)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Derecho? Left?


A few years back. Over 100 and high winds for 2 weeks we were without commercial power. Me, my wife and 3 preggers. Oh joy.
Left?? Right!!?


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## montysky (Aug 21, 2006)

I remember as a small child my Great grandparents talking about what a great day it was when they went ON the grid! But like them we are part on the grid and part off the grid, I don't think anyone that lives in the country can be fully on it. There is a old water wheel on our ranch that wasn't been touch in over 80 years but putting my back and sweat into I could get it up and running and generating power if we need it. But adding a solar power system is in the planning stage.


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## damoc (Jul 14, 2007)

Off grid is meaning not to be connected to and dependent on utilities does not mean you cant have internet or social media
as they are just a luxury and it does not mean you have to live like a cave man.

Off the grid generally refers to being unfindable by not having credit dards, drivers lic ,use of social media, cell phones etc.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

damoc said:


> Off the grid generally refers to being unfindable by not having credit dards, drivers lic ,use of social media, cell phones etc.


I forgot about that "Off the Grid".

And so it appears there are several concepts of what it means to be "Off Grid".


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## shawnlee (Apr 13, 2010)

The question is too open ended to be answered in a meaningful way, although the discussion it creates might be beneficial .


Asking what off grid means is like some one saying its hot outside...…..which is no meaningful measurement of heat as it changes from one person to the next.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

I disagree. I think that 85% maybe 90% plus......consider "Off Grid" to mean off the electric power grid. I doubt anyone will admit it, but my guess is that this thread has caused a few to reconsider their idea of "Off Grid".



shawnlee said:


> The question is too open ended to be answered in a meaningful way, although the discussion it creates might be beneficial .
> 
> 
> Asking what off grid means is like some one saying its hot outside...…..which is no meaningful measurement of heat as it changes from one person to the next.


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## farmrbrown (Jun 25, 2012)

damoc said:


> Off grid is meaning not to be connected to and dependent on utilities does not mean you cant have internet or social media
> as they are just a luxury and it does not mean you have to live like a cave man.
> 
> Off the grid generally refers to being unfindable by not having credit dards, drivers lic ,use of social media, cell phones etc.





Sourdough said:


> I forgot about that "Off the Grid".
> 
> And so it appears there are several concepts of what it means to be "Off Grid".


That's true. There is the traditional definition, mainly off the electric grid, possibly along with water and sewer.
Then there is a more specialized meaning of living 'under the radar' with no economic ties like bank accounts, internet, cell phone or even driver's license, etc.

But not paying the power bill and having it shut off really doesn't count, lol.
The wires and meter are still connected to "the grid".
Many municipalities also REQUIRE those connections otherwise your home is declared uninhabitable.
A woman in the Cape Coral area of Florida went thru that recently.

https://www.fox4now.com/news/cape-woman-known-for-off-the-grid-stance-is-evicted-from-home




Sourdough said:


> I disagree. I think that 85% maybe 90% plus......consider "Off Grid" to mean off the electric power grid. I doubt anyone will admit it, but my guess is that this thread has caused a few to reconsider their idea of "Off Grid".


Could be. It doesn't really have to be a mandatory definition for everyone. It's a matter of personal choice as to how far they want to take it.
JMO.


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## Sourdough (Dec 28, 2011)

farmrbrown said:


> Could be. It doesn't really have to be a mandatory definition for everyone. It's a matter of personal choice as to how far they want to take it.


I would even take it to include "Off The Road System" Grid. In fact I think many in Alaska and Canada would consider Fly-in property to be the only real off grid.


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## shawnlee (Apr 13, 2010)

I guess there are 2 possibilities...the dictionary definition and whatever it means to some one...……

Even the dictionary definition is not cut and dried...…..

Hence my conclusion, unanswerable.....but certainly educational and debatable, which also makes it entertaining......


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Seen people say they are off Grid, they were off the Public Electrical Grid but spent thousands using other ways of Generating Electric. Wind and Solar they did ok until December . No Wind or Sun Light, used a Propane Generator.

We lived off Grid but had Gas Lights and Refrigerator but could have done just fine with Solar but I was brought up using Gas. We caught Rain Water for our Water use and had an Outhouse.

If I was younger I would build a place using Solar and Batteries. Pretty easy.

big rockpile


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## Evons hubby (Oct 3, 2005)

I spent several years without public utilities when I moved to Kentucky. no power, no phone, no water, sewer was an indoor outhouse. (55 gallon barrel under the house) no credit cards, no bank loans, no job most of the time. We were pretty much off grid. Burned wood for heat and cooking, kerosene lamps for lite, but we all had a lot of fun. We ate well, made our own music and wine. We went through good times and rough spots wouldn't trade them years for all tea in China, but sure wouldn't want to do it today. I'm too old and decrepit now, wouldn't be able to fix a meal for myself much less take care of everything else.


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## doc- (Jun 26, 2015)

Yvonne's hubby said:


> I spent several years without public utilities when I moved to Kentucky. no power, no phone, no water, sewer was an indoor outhouse. (55 gallon barrel under the house) no credit cards, no bank loans, no job most of the time. We were pretty much off grid. Burned wood for heat and cooking, kerosene lamps for lite, but we all had a lot of fun. We ate well, made our own music and wine. We went through good times and rough spots wouldn't trade them years for all tea in China, but sure wouldn't want to do it today. I'm too old and decrepit now, wouldn't be able to fix a meal for myself much less take care of everything else.


Jerry Apps is a Wisconsinite who grew up on a farm in the 30's/40s and writes about it regularly-- sounds a lot like your experience- rough life but good memories. Happiness is not a destination, but a way of travelling. http://www.thecountrytoday.com/Coun...rmhouse-carries-good-bad-memories-br-div.html


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## 50ShadesOfDirt (Nov 11, 2018)

I am off-grid, and never was connected to the electrical grid at this location; swore off utilities when they hopped my fence, turned off the power to change to a "smart" meter, and I lost computer work ... all without telling me it was happening. I realized the power (pun intended) they had over me, and worked towards freeing myself from that control. That was insult added to injury, after I saw over the years how the bill kept getting padded with more surcharges (line charge, fuel charge, etc.) ... I don't know if the airlines started all this fee carp with baggage charges, or the utilities did with fuel charges, but it felt designed to separate more of their profits from my wallet.

I did spend the money to become my own utility, and gladly, as I'm in control of every aspect of it ... the power goes out for my neighbors, and we find out about the outage a few days or weeks later; out in the country, that power outage can last weeks, because there's just too few of them per acre, and they are the last to be serviced (yet they pay the same rates). Yes, the KW charge is mostly cheaper from the utility, but the feel good per watt return is better at my off-grid location.

I haven't bothered calculated things, because I'm not ever going back to the bad old days, but I feel that as more solar panels come online, and my experience and efficiency increases, my costs are going down. Everyone else's on-grid costs are going up (unless you were lucky enough to add solar and have the utility buy KW's back from you). We don't stint on the electricity, we just produce and consume as the fuel allows (solar, propane/diesel, etc.), with multiple ways to produce it and backup behind backup systems.

We think nothing about being our own utility; even my kids know how to monitor things, and switch power between systems as the need arises. We are also mortgage-free, handle our own septic/composting, water well & cistern, etc. It's just another system on a farm of systems, with more being added as we do new things ...

The gravy on top of all of this is that, once having added solar to the homestead and getting off-grid, I've added solar to many other things. The BOV (truck w/ topper) is now solarized (inverter, 12v solar batteries, etc.), and I'm thinking about more solar stuff for the chickens (light, water-deicing, etc.), property low-voltage lighting, wellhouse ... if it will stand still, I'll solarize it! it's second nature now ...


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## IndyDave (Jul 17, 2017)

What does "off grid" mean?

My conclusion is that if you ask 5 different people, you are going to get 6 different answers.


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## GTX63 (Dec 13, 2016)

Define-
Crowded
Chilli
The 2nd Amendment
Cold Weather
Pitbulls
Green Eggs and Ham


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