Valle is wide-open country. Many parcels around the AZ-64 and US-180 junction are a long way from a utility line, which makes off-grid solar, battery banks and backup generators the normal way to power a home or cabin. That is core work for Fortified Solar & Electric.
Out here the design questions are wind, lightning and winter. Ground mounts have to be anchored for open-country wind. Arrays and battery buildings on exposed ground need serious surge protection and grounding. And the battery bank needs a spot that stays above freezing, because lithium batteries should not be charged when they are frozen. We also retrofit older off-grid systems with modern inverters and lithium batteries.
How big an off-grid system does a Valle cabin need?
It depends on what you run and when. A weekend cabin with lights and a fridge is a very different system from a full-time home with a well pump and power tools. We start with a load list and size for winter, when the sun is lowest.
Most full-time systems also include a backup generator for long stretches of cloudy or snowy weather.
Can you upgrade my old off-grid system to lithium batteries?
Often, yes. Many older systems can move from lead-acid to lithium (LiFePO4) batteries, but the inverter/charger, charge settings and battery communications must be compatible, and the batteries need a place that stays above freezing for charging.
We check what you have and tell you which parts are worth keeping.
Is it cheaper to go off-grid or to bring in a power line?
That depends on how far the nearest line is and what the utility would charge to extend it. Around Valle, line extensions can be long and expensive, which is why many owners choose off-grid solar.
Get the line-extension estimate from the utility, and we'll price an off-grid system to compare.
What we do here
