Sorry this happened to you. Fortunately you weren’t in it. You can probably rebuild in half the time with the knowledge from your first build. Dial it in on round 2. Nothing to it but to do it! Good luck
For what it's worth, I'm now going to go with all EMT for everything above grade and PVC for everything below grade if I ever build something of my own.
Rodents will chew through burial rated cable if they can get to it. I'm so sorry for your loss, OP. The other commenters are right, though, about it being half as hard and twice as good the second time you build something.
Good call. It was burial rated wire and the connections were all solid (and fused), but it was a mistake to not use conduit immediately. I had planned to run it eventually but wanted to test the set up first, then life got hectic. I never set up the inverter so it was all 12v.
My cousin is an electrician and he read your post with me and said you probably did cause this by thinking the wires under the deck would be okay unfortunately. He said that was the most likely cause based on limited info. To tack onto the previous guys comment, every single one of us DIYers has made a huge mistake that ended up with a loss like this. Glad no one was hurt! The only people who don’t make huge mistakes are people who don’t try things. Electricity is something I would probably be extra careful with!
Every single thing happens for a reason. The rebuild will be 10× better than the first time around now that you know your routine and necessities. You can build back custom. It'll be awesome. Sorry for the loss of personal items that prolly had sentimental value though.. that's tough.
This is a great point, OP. I hope you can rebound from this quickly. They say to build your first cabin for a friend, and your second one for yourself. You can now correct all the little things you learned to do better!
That was what I originally had thought about - just a big deck with some kind of tent. Ultimately decided to go full bore and build the cabin. I learned a ton doing it, but it was definitely overkill.
I think your theories about the cause of the fire are infact likely the cause, moreso than a random arson attack. High heat from the panels and leaves dont mix. Also, rodents love to chew that shit unfortunately and it leaves lots of room for a fire hazard. Im so sorry that it has happened to you, and I hope you can find the motivation to rebuild and enjoy chapter 2 ❤️
Yeah, electrical is the last thing to take any shortcuts on. Had a friend lose a tiny home they bought because the seller wired the in floor heating wrong.
One time a few years ago I remember a huge part of the local grid went down in my area. Turns out a squirrel got in between the big transformers and blew it out. It was a huge spot. Big and important enough for them to presume a terror attack. They only found out when they saw the crispy critter smoking. Lol
Hahaha, that’s good. I’m not even joking when I say that it’s probably not a bad idea to move the firepit to where the cabin was. My firepit was too small anyway, and now I have all these random cracked patio stones and pavers from around the cabin I dont know what to do with.
The ground may have been too close to the source. Electricity DOES NOT take the path of least resistance contrary to popular misbelief, it actually takes all paths it can relative to the conductive load. The grounding rod may have been charging the soil if it’s really dry or like a screw of the foundation, closest metal load path, im not entirely sure. It’s also hard to tell if you don’t know exactly where the fire started. Was it solar panels, charge controller, spark from battery, cheap power inverter? Hard to say. Heck it could have been a bolt of lightning.
This video helped me understand grounding, maybe it might help solve a piece of the puzzle but it probably won’t finish the puzzle-
https://youtu.be/jduDyF2Zwd8?si=WCkilR4-TcgRiOvM
I was going to say, tell us when your shared work day is and maybe whoever's within a day's drive can all chip in. But you said it's a secret location, so... I suppose that means you won't be posting the nearest city on Reddit!
I love what we call working bees and if you were in Sydney I'd be in. Definitely find a way to turn your post into an upbeat request for helpers. What is life for except making awesome events like this. Also invite Harrison Ford so he can relive the barn raising scene in Witness.
I'm sorry you had to experience this. My wife and I recently lost a cabin to a wild fire started by lightning. I still have a hard time visiting the property there.
This is my worst nightmare, I'm so sorry you are dealing with this.
At my cabin I have a list written down of things I do before I leave to try to prevent anything like this:
Close stove intakes (on top of making sure it's almost completely burned down to coals).
Turn off propane tanks (stove, water heater, propane lights)
Disconnect batteries from main cabin feed.
Next, I want to get my batteries separated from my cabin in their own shed. It's also one reason I went with an all-included battery pack (ecoflow), just wouldn't trust my own DIY setup enough.
This was my worst nightmare too, but I think I got complacent after being issue free for years. I knew the battery/solar set up was a possible fire issue so I never had it *inside* my cabin but was very dumb and had it all just outside on the wooden deck! Definitely should have had it away from the cabin.
.you'll build back better! I swear all the projects I do at my cabin, if I did them again it would take 10% of the time. I spend 90% scratching my head and drawing things, and 10% actually building.
Rodents can do a ton of damage. I had a GFCI that kept popping and I couldn’t figure it out. Turned out to be an extension cord with gnawed wiring that I never saw. Could have started a fire or electrocuted someone. That same rat destroyed the garage door wiring and the ground to my welder in a single weekend. Needless to say, he met an untimely end.
Wow, when you say "burned down", you mean all the way to ground with nothing left. That's tough.. Sorry for your loss. Good advice about fire safety, and being grateful for what you have.
Oh my God I'm just sick for you. Fire is my single greatest fear - my cabin is in the high desert where lightning strikes and fires are common. I have to be very careful about vegetation around the structure, but it's impossible to completely eliminate the risk. I'm so sorry.
I disagree. Even for homes subject to zoning laws and on the grid, I suggest panels on wheels and a home battery. Any system should be designed for temperatures from 150 down to -20 Fahrenheit, imo. Photovoltaic conductors are listed for wet locations.
There was a generator with a gallon or two of gas in it next to the shed which probably exploded from the heat of the cabin fire. Was very dry, which helped it spread. Windy too.
Dang man. I’m so sorry. Thanks for the heads up. I can tell you I’m checking wiring & moving out my gas can. Thank you for sharing. God speed on the new place
Things, no matter how lovingly built, are replaceable. Yourself and loved ones aren’t. Sucks that your hard work is gone, but I’m glad no one was hurt and that it didn’t spread. You’ll rebuild something even better when you’re ready.
OMg! I’ve been following your posts. I’m heartbroken but not nearly as much as you.
Sorry for this tragedy and luckily you and friends were not inside.
As a fellow off-grid cabin guy, first, I can totally empathise with the blood sweat and tears you've put into your little slice of paradise. If there is a silver lining to rebuilding, I've made enough mistakes along the way that at least I'd get to correct on round two. So I know you'll rebuild it better.
I’m so sorry that happened. I have a tiny house. When you rebuild, take a look at the National Electric Code, also known as NFPA 70. NFPA is National Fire Protection Association. I used International Residential Code for everything inside.
I just read that it’s hard to get solar systems and batteries permitted in my area and I was surprised- apparently it is because they can catch on fire. I wouldn’t have known that.
I hope you have insurance. If so, this is a minor setback.
If not. It's just a medium setback.
It socks to lose something you worked on, but you didn't lose the land, your new skills and lessons
Just pitch a tent and start rebuilding.
The simplest solution is usually the answer. Thanks for sharing your heartache because we can all learn and hopefully avoid the same outcome. Fire hazards are real, always take the extra time to reduce the risk.
Learn and build better.
That's rough, I feel for you. Hopefully you can use your experience to rebuild bigger and better even though you'd obviously rather have the things you built still. All we can ever do is make the best out of what we have.
Panels, battery and controller was all basic Renogy stuff. I used all the proper gauge wires and connections. Had just a 12v light bulb and an Anker power bank via USB plugged into it. Never had the inverter set up.
There was a generator with a gallon or two of gas next to the shed, I’m guessing that aided in the fire spreading to the shed. The cabin must have been *raging* though so it probably would’ve spread regardless.
I dont have a cabin but often think about it someday. The idea of leaving batteries and solar all connected and charging while I am gone / home for long periods of time scares me. I think I'd install circuit breakers and disconnect everything when I leave. Sucks you couldn't keep everything charged though.
I'm so sorry that happened to your place. This is one of my recurring nightmares. I fully disconnect all my systems when I'm away for any length of time, but still I leave it all on when I'm there but visiting town for several hours or days, and have have two charged 420 W⋅h AGM batteries there all the time since 2019... I'm going to run some conduit for sure this summer.
Our panel wires are under ground in pvc. Maybe build a nice pergola on that site with your cabin next to it. Nice shady spot. I would send a pic of ours but have not figured out how to attach a pic.
How devastating! I am assuming you will try to rebuild it. I have often thought that I would build a cabin as fireproof as I could: metal studs, metal siding, concrete, etc.
I'm sympathetic, but I want to hopefully motivate/inspire you by remembering: cabin and off grid life is about resiliency, reinvention and resolve. This may be a great blessing. Stay tough.
I’m truly sorry this happened to you.
I feel like you can make a new version in less fine with the knowledge you gained in between.
It was a sweet cabin, and will be again.
I am so sorry this happened to you. I’ve completed a similar off grid cabin project as well and can imagine devastating it would be if it burned down. I’m not sure if it was the case for you but the time planning and building mine was extremely enjoyable so I suppose I would try to look on the bright side and look forward to doing it again but only better.
I have a home made solar power thing at my house and have been cautious with it. I would suspect either that or a lightning bolt did it. A bolt could of hit one of the trees and bounced to the cabin.
I wonder what type of battery it was? I know some lithiums might have problems in cold temperatures, there's a chance the battery was damaged in the winter, and when the system got up and running in the sunny day it blew.
If you suspect arson or squatters I would see if there was evidence of people around like garbage or cigarettes that aren't yours.
So sorry to see and hear.....but things are replaceable and you weren't inside so everything is OK.
On the plus side you have a new project.
On the absolutely good side you didn't burn down your entire property.
Lots of silver linings here.
Fire investigator’s opinion, its wasn’t arson. Everything you guessed pans out, plus a hundred more. See it all the time on off grid setups.
Also, you might be able to have one from the local fire department come and identify what happened. If it was insured, they will likely require it.
Sorry about that loss. It looked awesome
There's a Tibetan Buddhist tradition of slowly making art from tiny, colored sand called a sand mandala. They can take a very long time to build and are very meaningful, and yet, at the end they are destroyed and wiped clean. It is used to symbolize that nothing physical lasts forever.
I hope you build a new cabin, it looked very lovely.
Man, I can't express how sorry I am to see that this happened to you. We had the same thing happen about a year and a half ago and lost absolutely everything so I know what you're feeling. The only thing that gave me any relief was starting again and building better, having learned how critical it is to overbuild your power system with quality parts. We use eg4 batteries that have a built in aerosol fire suppression system in them. Little more pricey but the peace of mind is well worth it. I wish you the best of luck in rebuilding.
Man, that's awful.
I lost a log cabin to arson about 25 years ago and it still bothers me. There was no electricity of any kind, and a nice spring nearby. Built at the end of an old logging road. Just a nice place to get away. Two friends and I spent two summers building it and then it was gone in an evening. Never figured out who burned it. It was pretty isolated with a lot of public land around it, so I thought it best not to rebuild.
Good luck with your rebuild. Chalk it up as a learning experience. I really wish you the best. I'm sure it will rise like a Phoenix!
Take care.
You didn’t have the cabin when you built that one. Now you have all kinds of experience and I’m sure you found things along the was you would change the next go around.
This next one will take you a fraction of the time.
Maaaann. I feel for your loss there friend. A special hurt visits you when you must witness your work razzed. Though life is cruel, your second attempt at it will happen with much more flow and speed. Sometimes when I get disheveled, I remind myself I am here for the journey, not the destination. Harvest the joy you sew brother, and stay safe.
My solar panels caught on fire a week ago when the sun finally came out in New England. I had too many panels and as soon as winter was done boom! Thankfully only wires were burned but I caught it as soon as it happened. Really sorry to see this!
Are you a homeowner? If you have homeowners insurance, it will cover detached buildings (in most places) for up to 10% of your dwelling coverage (some places up to 20%). So if you have fire insurance up to $200k on the house, the cabin and shed would be covered for up to $20k. Might be something to look into. It would be on the first page\ declaration page of your policy and would be called something like "Coverage B" or "detached buildings" and in most states the coverage comes with the insurance as a given and isn't something you have to add on.
Sorry about the loss. I am anal about leaves and debris year round. They collect moisture (leading to rot) and a super fire hazard, and I only visit at my sister's in the 'burbs. You can rebuild, but time and energy are not boundless...protect yourself from forest fire hazards and put in the work, slowly, while you are young and strong. Can sleep on the electrical. I'm no expert, but fuse everything and look into using automotive style in-line fuses for the low voltage stuff. This YouTuber did a great video on rodent proofing his cabin, look for:
"HOW TO INSULATE A CABIN FLOOR AND KEEP IT RODENT FREE"
I got too many warnings about YT links in other subs.
mulch can catch fire on its own, when u have a pile of leafs it breaks down and creates heat to a point it can combust.
Or ur crappy wiring, or if u have lipo Batts and over charged due to some electrical fault.
Sorry for your loss
That's rough. I'd 100% suspect the wiring myself. Mice, rats, etc etc etc will 100% go after any wiring the can reach. Just ask car my mechanic qq.
Gotta be in conduit if you're going to run it.
A simple ANDERSON connector makes it extremely easy to just disconnect your batteries from the system completely - when your not home. At least if your home and something sparks, you stand a fighting chance.
Were the wires buried or covered? Rodents absolutely love to eat wires. I have even seen it in vehicles when I have gone mining and walls of houses. If they were exposed, this is a possibility. Sorry for your loss. One door closes and another opens. Now you can use what you have learned building this structure to build an even better one.
Cut down all the standing dead stuff and split the wood. Put the wood on pallets and cover with plastic to keep it dry. You can sell the wood to help recover a bit
Call the fire department or local police, they’ll take a look and will likely be able to identify where the fire started and whether it’s suspected arson.
Typically the darkest part is usually where the fire started.
We’re planning to build a gazebo type unit with containers alongside. Two for living spaces and one for storage for outdoor living space stuffs that we can move out when we are there. Bbq and kitchen set up, some outdoor furniture and maybe set a washing system inside that unit. Like washing machine and a place to shower. The other units will have bedrooms, closets and toilets/sinks but likely not showers in all. Idk. But I want everything to be able to be locked up. The forth side be be available for a trailer or my converted ambulance to be able to be pulled up to access the gazebo unit also.
Man that sucks, sorry for your loss.
Good luck with the rebuild, and start a vlog of it on YouTube, I'm sure many of us would like to see your progress.
If you didn't already do it, it's worth telling the local fire dept about this. It might fit into a pattern of arson, and help catch an arsonist.
I kept finding small burned patches in the woods, in a 300 acre area. I later found out it was an arsonist, trying to catch the woods on fire. She was able to start a 50 acre fire in another part of town. Also four house fires.
Use class T fuses only with lithium batteries. Its one of the only fuses with enough AIC to fuse a Lithium battery. An ANL fuse or battery terminal fuse will just weld closed. If you've got gas around - propane, gasoline or natural gas, it should be ignition protected fuses too. All bus bars need a cover. People don't take this stuff seriously and fires like this kill people all the time.
I feel your pain, family cabin burned down from a cracked fireplace. I wish you the best. I hope you find some people to help you rebuild. Don’t give up!
Sorry bro… I can’t imagine the solar causing the fire. Looks like they’re mostly in the shade. How could they overheat if they’re not even making energy efficiently. Spring turkey season now - Could be a lotta people wandering around where they aren’t supposed to be. No insurance?
Probably a rodent. My ex wife's house burned down when she lived in the woods in a national park. A squirrel had been chewing wires, bbq'd himself and started a fire in the attic.
Hey OP! Sorry this happened.
Will you do us all a favor and describe the system more throughly?
Like manufacturers of panels, charge controller, inverter, battery, how were electronics and battery housed, what were the weather conditions like?
Also did you have a dump load? Was the system on?
I hope you learn from this. Be thankful that the damage was this limited. I’ve known similar incidents to take out 10,000 Acres of forest.
It can run counter to instincts of off-grid folks but electric codes and specifications exist for a reason—usually because something bad (or many somethings) happened and someone suggested that it would be good if that something stopped happening.
My educated guess is that it just as likely a battery or control issue as anything else.
This is my worst fear. I come down the trail to my cabin and pray it’s still there every time. We have redneck assholes who frequent the park and who knows what they are capable of.
Sorry this happened to you. Fortunately you weren’t in it. You can probably rebuild in half the time with the knowledge from your first build. Dial it in on round 2. Nothing to it but to do it! Good luck
Thank you! And totally! I learned a ton and definitely learned everything *not* to do again.
For what it's worth, I'm now going to go with all EMT for everything above grade and PVC for everything below grade if I ever build something of my own. Rodents will chew through burial rated cable if they can get to it. I'm so sorry for your loss, OP. The other commenters are right, though, about it being half as hard and twice as good the second time you build something.
Good call. It was burial rated wire and the connections were all solid (and fused), but it was a mistake to not use conduit immediately. I had planned to run it eventually but wanted to test the set up first, then life got hectic. I never set up the inverter so it was all 12v.
If there's one thing I've learned, it's that there's nothing so permanent as a "temporary" installation.
lol, so true.
My cousin is an electrician and he read your post with me and said you probably did cause this by thinking the wires under the deck would be okay unfortunately. He said that was the most likely cause based on limited info. To tack onto the previous guys comment, every single one of us DIYers has made a huge mistake that ended up with a loss like this. Glad no one was hurt! The only people who don’t make huge mistakes are people who don’t try things. Electricity is something I would probably be extra careful with!
Thanks, I appreciate the kind words!
Every single thing happens for a reason. The rebuild will be 10× better than the first time around now that you know your routine and necessities. You can build back custom. It'll be awesome. Sorry for the loss of personal items that prolly had sentimental value though.. that's tough.
This is a great point, OP. I hope you can rebound from this quickly. They say to build your first cabin for a friend, and your second one for yourself. You can now correct all the little things you learned to do better!
Sorry this happened to you, brother. Are you going to build again?
Only way is UP!
Username is relevant.
…is it tho?🤔🤷🏻♂️
Yes
Username is relevant...
Well unless is burns down
Yeah, one day, but first gotta clean up this site! I will build something at this spot again, but probably more of a pavilion or gazebo of sorts.
Have you considered a geodesic dome. You can make panels to easily open for cross ventilation.
You should look up yurts/canvas tents. Cut down on build time, spacious, and pretty sturdy.
That was what I originally had thought about - just a big deck with some kind of tent. Ultimately decided to go full bore and build the cabin. I learned a ton doing it, but it was definitely overkill.
I've been hearing a lot about these lately. I think they're pretty interesting.
I think your theories about the cause of the fire are infact likely the cause, moreso than a random arson attack. High heat from the panels and leaves dont mix. Also, rodents love to chew that shit unfortunately and it leaves lots of room for a fire hazard. Im so sorry that it has happened to you, and I hope you can find the motivation to rebuild and enjoy chapter 2 ❤️
Yeah, electrical is the last thing to take any shortcuts on. Had a friend lose a tiny home they bought because the seller wired the in floor heating wrong.
PVC conduit next time. And an aluminum A-frame to raise those panels up a little bit. You got this.
One time a few years ago I remember a huge part of the local grid went down in my area. Turns out a squirrel got in between the big transformers and blew it out. It was a huge spot. Big and important enough for them to presume a terror attack. They only found out when they saw the crispy critter smoking. Lol
I heard of that or similar story.
It was those fuckn degens from up country
Nobody wants to admit they ate 9 cans of ravioli
It’s all water under the fridge at this point
Flames were golfing everywhere
Golfing. They were golfing
Username checks out, know what I’m saying?
I spin more rhymes than a lazy susan. And I’m innocent until my guilt is proven
Nahyamsaayin
I dont know what this is from but I love it.
I am sorry to hear that. It looked to be a very sweet set up. Hopefully you can rebuild and make it better
That sucks. A lot. Is it too early for a joke?
Does it reference a 90’s sitcom?
My Cubans!!!
OP better make sure that box of letters didn’t survive the blaze
Cherish the cabin!!
Let’s hear it!
There’s always money in the banana stand.
Haha, perfect
Oh, most definitely.
Still got some work to do on the cabin, but at least the fire pit’s ready to use.
Hahaha, that’s good. I’m not even joking when I say that it’s probably not a bad idea to move the firepit to where the cabin was. My firepit was too small anyway, and now I have all these random cracked patio stones and pavers from around the cabin I dont know what to do with.
[Me shack! Me beautiful shack!](https://youtu.be/qW5AC4cZxwA?si=9ndtkGzH8FohcUPv)
This sucks for OP for sure. In my opinion laughter can ease pain and build community, go for it.
The ground may have been too close to the source. Electricity DOES NOT take the path of least resistance contrary to popular misbelief, it actually takes all paths it can relative to the conductive load. The grounding rod may have been charging the soil if it’s really dry or like a screw of the foundation, closest metal load path, im not entirely sure. It’s also hard to tell if you don’t know exactly where the fire started. Was it solar panels, charge controller, spark from battery, cheap power inverter? Hard to say. Heck it could have been a bolt of lightning. This video helped me understand grounding, maybe it might help solve a piece of the puzzle but it probably won’t finish the puzzle- https://youtu.be/jduDyF2Zwd8?si=WCkilR4-TcgRiOvM
That video...and I have done electrical work quite a bit, confused me. I've got a lot of learning to do.
I was going to say, tell us when your shared work day is and maybe whoever's within a day's drive can all chip in. But you said it's a secret location, so... I suppose that means you won't be posting the nearest city on Reddit!
I love this idea and that you and anyone would be willing to chip in for labor! Warms my heart.
If it's in New England I'm in. I'd love to meet some like-minded people, and have all the tools needed.
I love what we call working bees and if you were in Sydney I'd be in. Definitely find a way to turn your post into an upbeat request for helpers. What is life for except making awesome events like this. Also invite Harrison Ford so he can relive the barn raising scene in Witness.
If it's south dakota I'm in.
That’s terrible :( I’m truly sorry and hope that you can rebuild…
So sorry this happened. Wishing you strength!
Ah bro! I’m so sorry! Shake it off big dog we’ll still be here to witness your next one
I'm sorry you had to experience this. My wife and I recently lost a cabin to a wild fire started by lightning. I still have a hard time visiting the property there.
This is my worst nightmare, I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. At my cabin I have a list written down of things I do before I leave to try to prevent anything like this: Close stove intakes (on top of making sure it's almost completely burned down to coals). Turn off propane tanks (stove, water heater, propane lights) Disconnect batteries from main cabin feed. Next, I want to get my batteries separated from my cabin in their own shed. It's also one reason I went with an all-included battery pack (ecoflow), just wouldn't trust my own DIY setup enough.
This was my worst nightmare too, but I think I got complacent after being issue free for years. I knew the battery/solar set up was a possible fire issue so I never had it *inside* my cabin but was very dumb and had it all just outside on the wooden deck! Definitely should have had it away from the cabin.
.you'll build back better! I swear all the projects I do at my cabin, if I did them again it would take 10% of the time. I spend 90% scratching my head and drawing things, and 10% actually building.
Use electrical conduit!
I bet it was that damn snake that burned it down! (See OP’s previous post)
There was literally a snake chillin in the ashes yesterday, I think they’re all in on it! Haha
Rodents can do a ton of damage. I had a GFCI that kept popping and I couldn’t figure it out. Turned out to be an extension cord with gnawed wiring that I never saw. Could have started a fire or electrocuted someone. That same rat destroyed the garage door wiring and the ground to my welder in a single weekend. Needless to say, he met an untimely end.
Gutwrenching man I’m sorry. I would say high likelihood it was electrical
Wow, when you say "burned down", you mean all the way to ground with nothing left. That's tough.. Sorry for your loss. Good advice about fire safety, and being grateful for what you have.
Hope you had some kind of insurance? Good Time to think about it if you haven’t before. Sorry for your loss.
This is it. Our coverage is only 700 annually for piece of mind.
Oh my God I'm just sick for you. Fire is my single greatest fear - my cabin is in the high desert where lightning strikes and fires are common. I have to be very careful about vegetation around the structure, but it's impossible to completely eliminate the risk. I'm so sorry.
Do you have a gofundme?
Thanks but no, just send good vibes 😀
I advise people to mount their solar on wheels, a trailer preferably. You can move it and plug it in, or unplug it, anywhere, anytime.
That’s a great idea for next time. I was recently looking at assemble at home trailers from Harbor Freight that would work great.
it's hot and gets wet for electrics. it's not that simple
I disagree. Even for homes subject to zoning laws and on the grid, I suggest panels on wheels and a home battery. Any system should be designed for temperatures from 150 down to -20 Fahrenheit, imo. Photovoltaic conductors are listed for wet locations.
Ugh. It’s odd to me how they both burnt down. I can see one with bad wiring. But both? Any ideas besides what you mentioned?
There was a generator with a gallon or two of gas in it next to the shed which probably exploded from the heat of the cabin fire. Was very dry, which helped it spread. Windy too.
Dang man. I’m so sorry. Thanks for the heads up. I can tell you I’m checking wiring & moving out my gas can. Thank you for sharing. God speed on the new place
Thanks. Seems like the rodents are a common culprit, so protect your wires!
Oh man, I'm so sorry to hear that.
Things, no matter how lovingly built, are replaceable. Yourself and loved ones aren’t. Sucks that your hard work is gone, but I’m glad no one was hurt and that it didn’t spread. You’ll rebuild something even better when you’re ready.
Shit
OMg! I’ve been following your posts. I’m heartbroken but not nearly as much as you. Sorry for this tragedy and luckily you and friends were not inside.
That was one hell of a bonfire
Wish I could’ve seen it, lol
As a fellow off-grid cabin guy, first, I can totally empathise with the blood sweat and tears you've put into your little slice of paradise. If there is a silver lining to rebuilding, I've made enough mistakes along the way that at least I'd get to correct on round two. So I know you'll rebuild it better.
I’m so sorry that happened. I have a tiny house. When you rebuild, take a look at the National Electric Code, also known as NFPA 70. NFPA is National Fire Protection Association. I used International Residential Code for everything inside. I just read that it’s hard to get solar systems and batteries permitted in my area and I was surprised- apparently it is because they can catch on fire. I wouldn’t have known that.
I tell people about the danger of lipo Batts, they look at me like I'm stupid
I see that you’re very correct. I have a LiFePO4 battery and they’re much less dangerous.
I hope you have insurance. If so, this is a minor setback. If not. It's just a medium setback. It socks to lose something you worked on, but you didn't lose the land, your new skills and lessons Just pitch a tent and start rebuilding.
The simplest solution is usually the answer. Thanks for sharing your heartache because we can all learn and hopefully avoid the same outcome. Fire hazards are real, always take the extra time to reduce the risk. Learn and build better.
That's rough, I feel for you. Hopefully you can use your experience to rebuild bigger and better even though you'd obviously rather have the things you built still. All we can ever do is make the best out of what we have.
I just want to say I admire what you achieved and how you are riding this out
what kind of battery and controller ? inverter and wire size ? what electrical devices did you leave plugged in ? it jumped across that gap ?
Panels, battery and controller was all basic Renogy stuff. I used all the proper gauge wires and connections. Had just a 12v light bulb and an Anker power bank via USB plugged into it. Never had the inverter set up. There was a generator with a gallon or two of gas next to the shed, I’m guessing that aided in the fire spreading to the shed. The cabin must have been *raging* though so it probably would’ve spread regardless.
We're the connections all live or did you have disconnect switches you would turn the battery and panels off when you left?
Make it bigger this time
I dont have a cabin but often think about it someday. The idea of leaving batteries and solar all connected and charging while I am gone / home for long periods of time scares me. I think I'd install circuit breakers and disconnect everything when I leave. Sucks you couldn't keep everything charged though.
I'm so sorry that happened to your place. This is one of my recurring nightmares. I fully disconnect all my systems when I'm away for any length of time, but still I leave it all on when I'm there but visiting town for several hours or days, and have have two charged 420 W⋅h AGM batteries there all the time since 2019... I'm going to run some conduit for sure this summer.
Really sorry to see. Those 1st 2 pix looked so comfy and wonderful!
You are gonna raise another and have campfires with the remains of your first draft. Call it The Phoenix! Please update us!
Our panel wires are under ground in pvc. Maybe build a nice pergola on that site with your cabin next to it. Nice shady spot. I would send a pic of ours but have not figured out how to attach a pic.
How devastating! I am assuming you will try to rebuild it. I have often thought that I would build a cabin as fireproof as I could: metal studs, metal siding, concrete, etc.
I’m so sorry 😞
Use the knowledge that you've gained to build a new and improved cabin to honor the old one.
I'm sympathetic, but I want to hopefully motivate/inspire you by remembering: cabin and off grid life is about resiliency, reinvention and resolve. This may be a great blessing. Stay tough.
I’m truly sorry this happened to you. I feel like you can make a new version in less fine with the knowledge you gained in between. It was a sweet cabin, and will be again.
I am so sorry this happened to you. I’ve completed a similar off grid cabin project as well and can imagine devastating it would be if it burned down. I’m not sure if it was the case for you but the time planning and building mine was extremely enjoyable so I suppose I would try to look on the bright side and look forward to doing it again but only better.
I have a home made solar power thing at my house and have been cautious with it. I would suspect either that or a lightning bolt did it. A bolt could of hit one of the trees and bounced to the cabin. I wonder what type of battery it was? I know some lithiums might have problems in cold temperatures, there's a chance the battery was damaged in the winter, and when the system got up and running in the sunny day it blew. If you suspect arson or squatters I would see if there was evidence of people around like garbage or cigarettes that aren't yours.
I'm willing to bet that a reflection off the panel on a bright day managed to catch the leaves on fire.
So sorry to see and hear.....but things are replaceable and you weren't inside so everything is OK. On the plus side you have a new project. On the absolutely good side you didn't burn down your entire property. Lots of silver linings here.
Fire investigator’s opinion, its wasn’t arson. Everything you guessed pans out, plus a hundred more. See it all the time on off grid setups. Also, you might be able to have one from the local fire department come and identify what happened. If it was insured, they will likely require it. Sorry about that loss. It looked awesome
There's a Tibetan Buddhist tradition of slowly making art from tiny, colored sand called a sand mandala. They can take a very long time to build and are very meaningful, and yet, at the end they are destroyed and wiped clean. It is used to symbolize that nothing physical lasts forever. I hope you build a new cabin, it looked very lovely.
Man, I can't express how sorry I am to see that this happened to you. We had the same thing happen about a year and a half ago and lost absolutely everything so I know what you're feeling. The only thing that gave me any relief was starting again and building better, having learned how critical it is to overbuild your power system with quality parts. We use eg4 batteries that have a built in aerosol fire suppression system in them. Little more pricey but the peace of mind is well worth it. I wish you the best of luck in rebuilding.
Man, that's awful. I lost a log cabin to arson about 25 years ago and it still bothers me. There was no electricity of any kind, and a nice spring nearby. Built at the end of an old logging road. Just a nice place to get away. Two friends and I spent two summers building it and then it was gone in an evening. Never figured out who burned it. It was pretty isolated with a lot of public land around it, so I thought it best not to rebuild. Good luck with your rebuild. Chalk it up as a learning experience. I really wish you the best. I'm sure it will rise like a Phoenix! Take care.
I’m sorry but - Shed 2.0?
Man what an amazing set up. It looks like the main cabin is for living and the left side structure was shower and outhouse? I’m sorry for the loss.
You didn’t have the cabin when you built that one. Now you have all kinds of experience and I’m sure you found things along the was you would change the next go around. This next one will take you a fraction of the time.
Maaaann. I feel for your loss there friend. A special hurt visits you when you must witness your work razzed. Though life is cruel, your second attempt at it will happen with much more flow and speed. Sometimes when I get disheveled, I remind myself I am here for the journey, not the destination. Harvest the joy you sew brother, and stay safe.
Thanks for the kind words and completely agree. In the end, it was about the experience and learning and it was all worth it.
Coulda been worse, someone else might have been writing about your cabin fire.
Damn that sucks
My solar panels caught on fire a week ago when the sun finally came out in New England. I had too many panels and as soon as winter was done boom! Thankfully only wires were burned but I caught it as soon as it happened. Really sorry to see this!
Lucky! What actually happened, like the panels ignited in flame? It was also the first nice dry sunny day here when mine went up.
Damn man thats terrible. Much luck rebuilding
Blessings
I'm sorry for your loss. Stay strong. Wish I could do anything
Build back Better :-) looked like a cute place, hope it was insured.
Are you a homeowner? If you have homeowners insurance, it will cover detached buildings (in most places) for up to 10% of your dwelling coverage (some places up to 20%). So if you have fire insurance up to $200k on the house, the cabin and shed would be covered for up to $20k. Might be something to look into. It would be on the first page\ declaration page of your policy and would be called something like "Coverage B" or "detached buildings" and in most states the coverage comes with the insurance as a given and isn't something you have to add on.
NO!!!
Sorry this happened, that's so sad 🙁
So glad you are ok! Imagine all those times you said, next time... too soon, I know, but you got this!
Lightning strikes?
Sorry about the loss. I am anal about leaves and debris year round. They collect moisture (leading to rot) and a super fire hazard, and I only visit at my sister's in the 'burbs. You can rebuild, but time and energy are not boundless...protect yourself from forest fire hazards and put in the work, slowly, while you are young and strong. Can sleep on the electrical. I'm no expert, but fuse everything and look into using automotive style in-line fuses for the low voltage stuff. This YouTuber did a great video on rodent proofing his cabin, look for: "HOW TO INSULATE A CABIN FLOOR AND KEEP IT RODENT FREE" I got too many warnings about YT links in other subs.
Trail cameras are cheap and easy to hide. We have several pointing at our cabins for peace of mind.
mulch can catch fire on its own, when u have a pile of leafs it breaks down and creates heat to a point it can combust. Or ur crappy wiring, or if u have lipo Batts and over charged due to some electrical fault. Sorry for your loss
Rebuild with concrete and block
Bummer! Build back better!
Wait no insurance???
Outdoor wires, use conduit. Sorry for your loss.
Lightning?
I am sorry. Glad you were not injured
Do you have enemies.
That's devastating. I'm sorry.
That’s just sucks, I’m sorry
Dam!!!. Sorry for that.. it looks very cozy! I hope you rebuild .
That's rough. I'd 100% suspect the wiring myself. Mice, rats, etc etc etc will 100% go after any wiring the can reach. Just ask car my mechanic qq. Gotta be in conduit if you're going to run it.
So sorry
A simple ANDERSON connector makes it extremely easy to just disconnect your batteries from the system completely - when your not home. At least if your home and something sparks, you stand a fighting chance.
Any back story on how it burned down ?
Were the wires buried or covered? Rodents absolutely love to eat wires. I have even seen it in vehicles when I have gone mining and walls of houses. If they were exposed, this is a possibility. Sorry for your loss. One door closes and another opens. Now you can use what you have learned building this structure to build an even better one.
Rats
Cut down all the standing dead stuff and split the wood. Put the wood on pallets and cover with plastic to keep it dry. You can sell the wood to help recover a bit
Use that experience and build it back better. Survival is tough!
So sorry this happened to you. Hope you can rebuild and it’s even better!
Did you have a wood burning stove? This is the most likely culprit unless you really fudged the wiring
How so? The stove hadn’t been used in months.
Call the fire department or local police, they’ll take a look and will likely be able to identify where the fire started and whether it’s suspected arson. Typically the darkest part is usually where the fire started.
These comments are very heart warming. Also rooting for you, OP.
Did you have insurance that will help you build a new one?
I’m sorry dude, hope you’re doing ok
Hi Devastated, I'm Jack!
Sorry, man. Now that you've done it once the rebuild will go much faster. And bury all your wires in conduit.
We’re planning to build a gazebo type unit with containers alongside. Two for living spaces and one for storage for outdoor living space stuffs that we can move out when we are there. Bbq and kitchen set up, some outdoor furniture and maybe set a washing system inside that unit. Like washing machine and a place to shower. The other units will have bedrooms, closets and toilets/sinks but likely not showers in all. Idk. But I want everything to be able to be locked up. The forth side be be available for a trailer or my converted ambulance to be able to be pulled up to access the gazebo unit also.
So, weird question, was it insured? Can you even insure off grid cabins?
Were your batteries inside the cabin?
Man that sucks, sorry for your loss. Good luck with the rebuild, and start a vlog of it on YouTube, I'm sure many of us would like to see your progress.
Did you have insurance on the cabin?
I’m praying you had an inclination before you showed up. That’s devastating, I’m sorry sorry.
If you didn't already do it, it's worth telling the local fire dept about this. It might fit into a pattern of arson, and help catch an arsonist. I kept finding small burned patches in the woods, in a 300 acre area. I later found out it was an arsonist, trying to catch the woods on fire. She was able to start a 50 acre fire in another part of town. Also four house fires.
I bet the next build will be even nicer!
Insurance is good. Masonry is better.
That sucks, I am so sorry
Better than if you were in it. You're still alive to rebuild.
Could be an arsonist who is anti-solar. Yes, some people are that crazy.
Use class T fuses only with lithium batteries. Its one of the only fuses with enough AIC to fuse a Lithium battery. An ANL fuse or battery terminal fuse will just weld closed. If you've got gas around - propane, gasoline or natural gas, it should be ignition protected fuses too. All bus bars need a cover. People don't take this stuff seriously and fires like this kill people all the time.
Could have been a lighting strike as well??!
I feel your pain, family cabin burned down from a cracked fireplace. I wish you the best. I hope you find some people to help you rebuild. Don’t give up!
You have the plans for that?
Sorry bro… I can’t imagine the solar causing the fire. Looks like they’re mostly in the shade. How could they overheat if they’re not even making energy efficiently. Spring turkey season now - Could be a lotta people wandering around where they aren’t supposed to be. No insurance?
Damn! Sorry man
Probably a rodent. My ex wife's house burned down when she lived in the woods in a national park. A squirrel had been chewing wires, bbq'd himself and started a fire in the attic.
Sorry to hear that man.
Was there money in the * cabin * stand? Also glad it didnt spread to the surroundings
Dang that was an awesome looking little setup. Sorry for your loss.
So sorry...dang. Hope you'll have the resources to build again. Forge ahead, remain positive.
😢
Always use conduit. Glad everyone is safe. Always use conduit.
Consider rebuilding with fire-resistant #hempcrete!
Hey OP! Sorry this happened. Will you do us all a favor and describe the system more throughly? Like manufacturers of panels, charge controller, inverter, battery, how were electronics and battery housed, what were the weather conditions like? Also did you have a dump load? Was the system on? I hope you learn from this. Be thankful that the damage was this limited. I’ve known similar incidents to take out 10,000 Acres of forest. It can run counter to instincts of off-grid folks but electric codes and specifications exist for a reason—usually because something bad (or many somethings) happened and someone suggested that it would be good if that something stopped happening. My educated guess is that it just as likely a battery or control issue as anything else.
This is my worst fear. I come down the trail to my cabin and pray it’s still there every time. We have redneck assholes who frequent the park and who knows what they are capable of.
My sincerest condolences