How-To Articles

10 Things to be aware of when buying bare land for off grid living

10 Things to be aware of when buying bare land for off grid living

If you’re just starting the process of buying bare land in NZ, and you’ve not done it before, there’s a lot to think about! It’s important to do your due diligence when buying land, so to make things easier, we've listed ten things that...

May 16, 2023Rachel Simpson
Read more
Top Tips from Off-Gridders

Top Tips from Off-Gridders

Our Facebook group, GridFree NZ, is full of off-gridders with plenty of knowledge about all the different areas of off-gridding, so we pulled together some of their advice to help you...

May 10, 2023Rachel Simpson
Read more
How to Prepare for Living Off-Grid in Winter

How to Prepare for Living Off-Grid in Winter

Getting ready for your first winter off-grid? It can be a bit daunting heading into it, so in this article we list some recommended tasks to complete before winter really sets in. 

May 2, 2023Rachel Simpson
Read more
Generators for Beginners - Basics + What to Buy

Generators for Beginners - Basics + What to Buy

Are you going off grid, have never used a generator, and have no idea what to expect? Here’s a rundown of some generator basics to help you get a feel...

Apr 26, 2023Rachel Simpson
Read more
Off Grid Toilet Options

Off Grid Toilet Options

Going off grid and trying to plan your toilet system? Here are some common plumbed and no-plumbing toilet options and considerations for each, so you can work out the best off grid...

Apr 17, 2023Rachel Simpson
Read more
Getting Power to a Rural Property NZ

Getting Power to a Rural Property NZ

Have you just purchased a lifestyle block? Maybe you’re moving onto family land that has no services? Getting power to a rural property is usually the first task, so that you can progress all...

Mar 20, 2023Rachel Simpson
Read more
How do I know how much solar power I need?

How do I know how much solar power I need?

If you’re going off grid and asking yourself “How do I know how much solar power I need?,” this article is for you. We'll show you how to calculate how...

Mar 6, 2023Rachel Simpson
Read more
How to Cook Off-Grid

How to Cook Off-Grid

One of the main things we tell people when they’re looking to power a full time off-grid lifestyle is that our solar kits aren’t designed to handle cooking – so...

Feb 10, 2023Rachel Simpson
Read more
What are the best methods to heat water off-grid?

What are the best methods to heat water off-grid?

Electric hot water cylinders use a LOT of power, so it's best to heat water off grid with an instant gas hot water camping shower, a woodburner and wetback, or...

Dec 16, 2022Rachel Simpson
Read more
Is off-grid solar right for me?

Is off-grid solar right for me?

If you're asking whether an off grid solar system is the right choice for your lifestyle, the first thing to understand is the difference between off-grid and grid-tied solar.

Apr 26, 2022Rachel Simpson
Read more
Going Off-Grid Q+A: Getting the Internet Off Grid

Going Off-Grid Q+A: Getting the Internet Off Grid

Going off-grid does not at all mean going without internet - as seen with our founder, Craig who frequently does Zoom calls from his off-grid cabin! There are a few options people use to...

Jan 20, 2022Rachel Simpson
Read more
Off-Grid Solar 101 - How Does an Off-Grid Solar Power System Work?

Off-Grid Solar 101 - How Does an Off-Grid Solar Power System Work?

So how does off grid solar work? It’s a pretty simple process! The solar panels collect energy from the sun’s rays, which is stored in the batteries, so the energy...

Mar 23, 2021Ethan Simpson
Read more
What Not to Run on Solar (and What to Use Instead)

What Not to Run on Solar (and What to Use Instead)

If it’s your first time off-grid and you’re used to city power, there are a few changes you’ll have to make to adapt to solar power. If you’re already off-grid...

Nov 30, 2020Ethan Simpson
Read more
5 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing your Solar System

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing your Solar System

If you're not well versed in solar, it can become complex and confusing pretty quickly, so it's easy get started down the wrong path without realising it. To help prevent any...

Oct 22, 2020Rachel Simpson
Read more
30 Common Solar Power Terms, and What They Mean

30 Common Solar Power Terms, and What They Mean

We know learning about solar power energy and how it all works can be confusing, so we’ve put together a breakdown of the most common solar power jargon. If you...

May 13, 2020Ethan Simpson
Read more
What to Know BEFORE You Go Solar

What to Know BEFORE You Go Solar

Switching to solar power means clean, renewable energy, and ending your reliance on the grid. It also means going through some big lifestyle changes, but it doesn’t have to be a...

Mar 3, 2020Ethan Simpson
Read more
Off-Grid Solar Basics for Going GridFree in NZ - 102

Off-Grid Solar Basics for Going GridFree in NZ - 102

Thinking of going off the grid with solar energy? We’ve created this complete guide to help you! Off grid living means you have no connection to the electric utility’s distribution...

Aug 12, 2019Ethan Simpson
Read more
Why are Off-Grid Solar Quotes So High? (and Why They Don't Need to Be)

Why are Off-Grid Solar Quotes So High? (and Why They Don't Need to Be)

Off-grid solar quotes are so high because they’re designed to work on even the lowest sunlight hour days. But they don’t need to be. A simple change in your habits...

Jun 24, 2019Ethan Simpson
Read more

More Off-Grid Resources

Join our GridFree NZ community on Facebook to connect with others looking to venture or live off-grid, just like you.
Check out GridFree customer installation stories to see how other people went solar. Subscribe to our Youtube channel for more how-to videos and installs behind-the-scenes. Have a question you didn’t see addressed above? Contact us.