What does it really take to power a home off-grid without sacrificing everyday comfort? For many homeowners, off-grid living can feel out of reach. For Kevin, it started with experimentation, curiosity, and a goal to see just how far an EG4 Energy Storage System could go. What began as a backyard solar project eventually grew into a fully off-grid home built to support real life without compromise. His story shows what’s possible with the right equipment, real-world testing, and a commitment to building a system that supports everyday life. Here’s Kevin’s story.

I started experimenting with solar power in 2020. I bought a cheap inverter, made my own battery from LiFePO4 cells and a BMS, and got some used solar panels locally. I laid the PV panels out in the backyard, propped up against some 2x4s, much to the delight of the neighbors! I also set up an Emporia energy monitoring system to understand my consumption. 

I quickly confirmed the AC compressor was using around 60% of all our energy. The surprise was the fridge in the garage, which used the second-highest amount of energy over the course of 24 hours. I ended up connecting the solar system to just the AC compressor, and this did indeed knock our electric bill down by over 50%. 

Then I found someone selling a whole system from a house they were moving out of 45 Panasonic 330-watt panels, four imported 10 kWh batteries, and a supposedly 12 kW inverter. I quickly discovered it was actually an 8 kW AC output but a 12 kW PV input unit. I found this unit to be vastly superior to my first inverter, but it was very protective of its output and would not run against the AC compressor. So, I set it up to run the rest of the house and left the AC compressor on the other inverter. 

Around this time, we were discussing building our ideal home, and I pondered the possibility of taking it entirely off-grid, just to see if it could be done. It seemed possible with the newer inverters and the reliability and cost of LiFePO4 batteries. I discussed this with my other half, and she said, “Kevin, that sounds cool if you can do it. Just be sure that when I hit a switch, whatever it controls turns on.” I am pleased to announce I have been able to uphold that promise for over 18 months without a single unexpected power failure. 

The system, as designed and installed for our new home build, consist of an 18kPV and three outdoor wall-mount batteries. Those are what EG4 Electronics had available at the time. 

I started chatting with a senior member of the EG4 team, who had set up a small external beta group to do some extended real-world testing. One of the new products in development was the GridBOSS; I added a prototype GridBOSS and a second inverter to my system, along with four of the new indoor wall-mount batteries. We now had the power to genuinely run the house with little regard for managing energy consumption. 

In 18 months, I have not used a generator to supplement the system, only for testing generator input and the Chargeverter. I have, however, added more batteries and more PV panels. One thing I have learned is that Florida is not always quite as sunny as you might think. There are occasional multi-day overcast events, and this really increases energy use during the summer when it is still hot and humid. 

As of April 2026, my system consists of 2 EG4 18kPV inverters with 20kW of connected PV paired to an EG4 GridBOSS, 200 kWh of storage and an EG4 Chargeverter. The home includes standard all-electric equipment and is well insulated with ICF and spray foam insulation. It also has a pool pump and heater, two Bitminers, and an EV charger, with all heating and cooling via heat pumps. This is not a home that was specially designed to be off-grid; rather it is a normal home paired with an Energy Storage system that allows it to be operated entirely off-grid with no changes to our lifestyle. 

Kevin’s journey shows that off-grid living does not have to mean compromise. With the right design, equipment, and ongoing refinement, it is possible to power a modern home, support everyday routines, and maintain the comfort and reliability people expect. His experience is a real-world example of what an EG4 Energy Storage System can make possible.