In this Video, by Kirsten Dirksen. Loren Amelang, shows how he Built and Automated his Off-Grid Smart Home, over the years... Check out the related videos below too...

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When Loren Amelang bought land outside of Philo, California in 1973, it was a place to "live like hippies on the weekend". Years later, his Silicon Valley employer put in fluorescent lighting and wouldn't let employees bring in their own lights so Amelang decided to move full-time to his off-grid property and to create a space where he would have total control over his environment. At first he lived in a tiny cabin he had built in the old sheep barn, but deciding he needed more room for his solar panels, he began building a home that would help him generate "free hot water, free power and a decent chunk of free heat". Read more... http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/c-programming-pioneer-hacksf-grid-diy-smart-home/

Loren Amelang responds to questions on his off-grid, DIY, smart home

kirstendirksen June 2013

In reply to all the comments on the video "C++ programming pioneer hacks off-grid, DIY, smart home", Loren Amelang has written more in-depth responses (below video).

> Do you think even if I was more fluent with things like C++ and DC lighting that I would be able to do anything close to what you have?

There are lots of startups making Lego-style electronic gadgets that most anybody can learn to use. But their market is more toys for rich suburban homes than survival gear for hard-core totally off-grid folks. This kind of thing:
http://www.makershed.com/All_Kits_s/20.htm
http://gigaom.com/2013/05/26/how-big-can-the-diy-and-maker-movement-get-sparkfun-wants-to-know/

You don't need C++ programming skills, there are simpler languages, or PLCs, or even old fashioned mechanical switches, but you do need to be able to hack things together somehow. Maybe even "re-purpose" the toy stuff. High level computing is fun to show off, but the important thing is where the energy comes from, not how you turn it on and off.

> Speaking of DC, is that the one Tesla came up with or is that AC?

Tesla and Westinghouse were AC, Edison DC. At this point, AC is far more convenient for powering big things at a distance (like my well pump at 300' away). But more and more of our toys are tiny things that can run from a USB cable and want DC internally. We waste lots of "phantom power" by feeding them from "wall warts". Same for LED lighting - houses need a low voltage DC system alongside the regular AC.

> What do you mean by wasting "phantom power" and feeding things from "wall warts"?

C++ programming pioneer hacks off-grid, DIY, smart home

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Video link...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5rM7QDi_5E#t=903

Published on Apr 2, 2012

On an off-grid property in Philo, California (Mendocino County), Loren Amelang built a home that would help him generate "free hot water, free power and a decent chunk of free heat".

The entire south side of his home is covered in solar capture devices: 1600 watts of photovoltaic power, solar hot water panels, a sunroom/greenhouse and a solar hot air collector. "The sunroom/greenhouse provides most of the free heat".

Putting his technical skills to use (he's a pioneer in C++ programming), Amelang wrote over 10,000 lines of code so that his home's water and electric systems could be operated more efficiently and automatically. An added benefit is the ability to control everything remotely, by even just a smartphone.

Since he built most of the home himself (the person he hired to do it decades ago, spent all the money and built half the house), Amelang has made it very custom. He avoided using aluminum and plastic (except for the insulation on the wiring) and he wired it for pure DC lighting (which makes sense with solar, but Amelang also likes how "peaceful" DC lighting feels).

Loren answers viewers' questions in more depth: http://faircompanies.com/forum/discus...

Original story here: http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/...