A Comprehensive Look at Ron Melchiore’s Off-Grid Living
If you’re interested in off-grid or emergency energy solutions, this review is especially useful for you. Ron Melchiore is a true independent homesteader who has mastered the art of self sufficiency and off-grid living, so you could say he knows a thing or two about creating a reliable solar power system.
So, when I heard he decided to share with us some of his secrets through the Modular Backyard Power Plant, I couldn’t help but place an order for this treasure trove of knowledge and practical guidance: Modular Backyard Power Plant.
It’s the same ingenious modular system he’s been using in his homestead since he decided to ditch the grid power. Over the years, Ron perfected this concept and came up with something I think is pure genius. The modular design is what makes the biggest difference because anyone can adapt it to their specific energy needs and expand it as necessary. The core of the setup is the solar system, which uses solar panels to capture the sun’s energy and convert it into electricity for your home, effectively replacing or supplementing traditional power equipment.
The Modular Concept: Flexibility and Independence
Ron’s design solves a common problem many face with off-grid power: producing just the right amount of energy without unnecessary complexity or expense. With this modular backyard power plant, you can build only one or two modules to start, then recharge and expand your battery bank as your power needs grow.
Building Your Self Sufficient Backyard Power Plant
One of the things I noticed and love about The Modular Backyard Power Plant is the freedom it gives you. You receive detailed blueprints and additional information for building the system yourself, making it accessible even if you’re not an expert. Our ways of living are different, and so are our electricity needs. That’s why I started with the first module, knowing I could add a second or third module later if needed.
After placing my order, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a full set of videos via email before the physical guide arrived. These step-by-step video instructions for each of the three modules were a game-changer. I downloaded them onto my tablet and headed straight to my garage, or as my wife calls it, my man cave, ready to build.
Before starting, I gathered all the materials from the complete list included in the guide. The guide explains the role of each component—from solar panels and batteries to the inverter and wiring—and why each is crucial for building an expandable, efficient off-grid solar power system. Everything was easy to find, and the author provided recommendations to get the best price without sacrificing quality. The total cost for materials was about $2,400, which is much less than you’d pay for any comparable generator or power equipment.
Easy Assembly with Clear Instructions
With the materials in hand, I followed the guide and videos. I expected the project to take a long time, but to my surprise, I finished the first module in one day. The videos made it feel like Ron was right there with me, guiding me through every step. I had no confusion about which parts went where or how to connect the battery bank and inverter properly.
I tested this first module, called the 3-Day Blackout Power Plant, by running my fridge and charging my phone and laptop. It worked perfectly, providing enough power to meet basic needs during a blackout.
The second module, the One Week Blackout Power Plant, was next. I thought it wise to have it ready since the last blackout I experienced lasted about five days. Ordering and assembling this module was even quicker; I didn’t need the videos this time and followed the physical guide. Assembly took less than half an hour.
I tested the second module running my fridge, TV, and microwave simultaneously, and everything worked flawlessly. I’m confident I won’t need the third module, so I haven’t built it yet.
Why This System Is a Must-Have
For me, this modular backyard power plant is a fantastic find. It offers peace of mind for just-in-case situations or everyday use. I highly recommend it if you want to become more independent and avoid relying on the power grid. This system is a big step toward creating a self sufficient backyard, which is crucial for sustainable living—allowing you to grow food, install power resources, and live more independently.
Main Advantages of Using the Modular Backyard Power Plant
The Modular Backyard Power Plant offers a range of benefits that make it an excellent choice for anyone looking to increase their energy independence and protect their home from power outages. Here are some of the key advantages of this system:
- Flexibility and Scalability: The modular design allows you to start with one or two modules and expand your system as your energy needs grow, giving you complete control over your power setup.
- Cost-Effective: Compared to traditional generators and other solar power systems, this setup offers a more affordable option without compromising on quality or performance.
- Ease of Assembly: With detailed instructions and step-by-step videos, even those with limited technical knowledge can assemble and install the system efficiently.
- Reliable Power Supply: The combination of solar panels, battery bank, and inverter ensures a steady supply of electricity to your house during blackouts or grid failures.
- Self Sufficiency: This system supports a self sufficient backyard lifestyle, allowing you to reduce dependence on the power grid and increase your independence.
- Environmental Benefits: By using solar power, you reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a cleaner environment.
- Optional Expansion: The design includes optional components that can be added later, such as USB charging ports or additional battery capacity, making it adaptable to your specific needs.
- Comprehensive Support: The package includes not only the blueprints and materials list but also valuable data and knowledge to help you understand and maintain your system.
- Peace of Mind: Knowing you have a reliable power source in your yard helps you feel more secure and prepared for emergencies or unexpected power disruptions.
- Minimal Maintenance: The system is designed to require minimal upkeep, saving you time and effort in the long run.
By choosing the Modular Backyard Power Plant, you discover a practical and innovative way to measure and manage your home’s energy needs, all while staying aware of your environmental impact and enjoying the freedom that comes with energy independence.
With this setup, in case of a blackout, you won’t be at the mercy of power companies or stuck waiting in line for fuel. The modular design, combined with the battery bank and inverter, ensures you can power essential lights, electronics, and even electric heat if needed.
This article is one of the most thorough reviews of the modular backyard power plant you’ll find, providing a detailed look at the product, its components, and real-world performance. If you want to explore off-grid power solutions and protect your home’s energy needs, this system is definitely worth researching.
Click here to get your Modular Backyard Power Plant!
This article was first published on Self Sufficient Projects and updated by Ask A Prepper Staff.
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Great presentatation
remember to consider all parts of the process
generation, delivery, adiquite parts , sizing, proper materials
consumption, load, usage what is the total usable items yu can run
calculations are criticle
if you have 12vlts, and you need 24 , then conversion is necessary
if you need 120 and you have DC 12 or 24 then conversion is essential
if you have 12 amps and you use 20 then you have meltdown
and if yu use 120vac rated items , lites, motors and you try to run 12/24 vac , then you have failure
adequite installation is essential
just like Creation , design , and maintanence
YOU were designed by a loving , just, disciplined , structured God , only one , and you cannot change the law of creation . no matter what you do
same with electricity
if you fail to properly install , or set up , or build , you have failure or corrupted design features which fail
Production at one level , has to be converted properly at another level , step up , step down , DC conversion to Ac or Ac Conversion to Dc
Just like God made you , all the desease , hurt, death , distruction is a byproduct of failure to follow Gods Design , made in the image of God , Changed or corrupted by the sinful rebellion of mankind , Choose Life , choose To learn the truth and the true ways of God , Read , Study , practice the Bible , Seek out and you shall be free
Fix your commas pal , you are a grownup , aren’t you?
Maybe reading too many verses, you forget about English, are you an American? Think you are part of the website monitors that are trying to drive website traffic.
You are a big boy. Figure it democrat shill. Taking someone to task for contributing useful dialogue? Go over to cnn and write there.
Dear Hunter
Sounds like you really are Hunter Biden……….. pal.
We don’t need punctuation or grammar police here. And all the smart folks “got it” just fine. We appreciate his efforts to assist those who need that level of info.
How about you look up introspection and superiority complex and get back to us?
Sounded like a reasonable deal. I ordered it and my card was charged 5 times. Had to cancel and replace card. Be careful. Sorry, I always trusted this site and thought the articles were good. No more.
Yes there needs to be a backup warning like past Friday where the comment section was omitted, likely on purpose, no explanation to the preppers.
Well that is just a taste of what is happening to our 1A free speech in this America.
Backyard power, if many people don’t have homemade power when the grid goes down. Will people be able to tell whether we have daylight savings or not?
Is it Mexico, Arizona, Texas and Hawaii that use standard time than daylight savings? Why in modern days do we still have to follow an arcane law?
Texas changes times. Yukadoo!
If power outage is long term, people need to learn fire starting, containment and cooking over fire. Basic survival and first aid are not optional.
Hi Chaplain Dan
Well, they better be stocking wood too, and before it’s needed cause when and if something like that presents, EVERYONE will be out A. Hunting critters, B. Gathering woods, C. harvesting growing edibles, D. fishing.
And by then the NWO current Obama led govt may have made dipping a bucket into a stream for water illegal too, with eyes in the sky watching for just that.
Some think somehow they can do that “after” the shtf, and they are mistaken. And, there is only just so much wood laying around that is usable right then. And if someone did drop a deer for food, he might be killed for it so someone else can steal it from him to take home to their starving kids. This live off the land thing is GREAT for a short while. Eventually, the creepers in the city will spread out to the boonies.
They want population control and they’d get it if they turn out the lights and power and blame it on Putin or China or X class solar event, etc. They would of course turn off ALL utilities, backup generators or not.
We knew in the Marines a starving enemy cannot fight for long, and thusly utilities were shut down to force “energy redirection” away from fighting and to basic survival.
I was a tiny Grasshopper when grandma told me “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
Grasshopper you should be an aunt you think like me you are no longer grasshopper contact me!
Fridays post was weird and just plain wrong.Bad information
to say the least. That must account for no comments.
What would an EMP do to this, make it unusable or should I have a backup one not connected to anything. Thinking about worst case scenario and what is needed. What happens to solar panels if connected to inverter and battery storage. Are more needed after an EMP? Newbie here so I hope I don’t sound too ignorant, trying to learn.
Yes, you would need power equipment stored in a faraday cage.
Did you put in your book about how much it would take to run electric heat as well as refrigerators??
I ordered the physical book, The Modular Backyard Power Plant along with the digital option for the The Modular Backyard Power Plant with the three extra digital books. When my invoice showed up in my email, it listed the physical book only. I called ClickBank and talked with customer service about it. After some confusion on their part, they promised the digital book with the three other digital books would be sent to my email within 5-15 minutes. That was 9 hours ago and I’m still waiting.
This is the second time I’ve had to fight with your order processor and it’s beyond old. Please fix this asap or I’ll lodge a complaint with my credit card processor, cancel the credit card charge and this is will be the last time I expose myself to your Bait and Switch bullshit.
There’s only a couple of ways to power your essential appliances, like your fridge, freezer and furnace when the grid goes down. Either you have a conventional gas or diesel generator, which comes with its own problems for long term power generation. Or you have a battery back up system recharged by solar panels. Which is what this guy is promoting. With a little research and elbow grease you can set up a system like this by yourself. You’ll need at least one deep-cycle battery. Two are better. Solar panels and their attendant control units to give you consistent power from those selfsame solar panels. At least one inverter to change the DC to AC that your appliances can use. And once you have it all together have a licensed electrician certify it and then hook it up to your house electrical system. Better to have an electrician do that part of it. For safety and insurance concerns. If your insurance company finds out you’re messing with your house system you could lose your house insurance. You’ll also need an automatic switch that transfers from grid power to battery power once the grid goes down. Still going to cost you a few thousand dollars to get this all done. Don’t skimp on your batteries. They’re the heart of the system. And the most expensive part. And obviously when the grid is up your batteries are kept charged by grid power. I know this guy says he’s completely been off the grid for a long time but personally I’d be more comfortable staying with the grid and using this system for emergencies. Anecdotally I’ve heard horror stories that in some states, even if you go off the grid completely, the power companies still charge you. Some BS about administrative charges or something like that. Once they have their claws into you they don’t like to let go. That’s basically all there’s to it. It’s really not all that difficult. Remember to do your research and talk to an electrician. And as a postscript, if the grid goes down because of an EMP or a Carrington-style event, then this is all for naught anyways. Then we’re back to wood heat if you’re lucky enough to be able to install it. Takes a LOT of wood to cook and heat your home.
How can they charge you, the power companies, if you removed the power lines on your property? They can’t. They say you can’t close your services and require that the Electric/gas company comply during the winter… But I did. They tell you that you can’t live in your house without public utilities, But I don’t have any services from public utilities by my command, not their demand.
I make my own Brown’s gas as well as wood gas and run my Tri-Fuel generator just fine. When running my generator, I also recharge my battery bank to boost the charge level. I have both wind generator and Solar generator, and even a treadle sewing machine lower case (without the sewing machine) that I do use specifically to charge my USB and 12-volt battery banks. The Treadle powers a modified hand crank multi-voltage generator I got from China… and it actually works!
I have been doing this since 1997 and have not been relying on the grid for anything. I have been cited for not pumping my septic tank and having the condition of it certified by the County appointed contractors… So I told them they need to tell me where their septic system is on my property. So far they havent because there is no Septic or public sewer here. I have a Home-Biogas-2 unit here. It is above ground and it produces both fertilizer and Methane Gas which I use for cooking and running my 1000/800 watt inverter generator when I need to. I have had up to 5 queen sized inflatable mattresses filled with Methane gas from the Home Biogas unit and was able to keep my Home/cabin (Note it is a cabin if you don’t have services but a Home if you do) fully functional with energy throughout the winter. My property is right at the Wisconsin UP Michigan Boarder and that should tell you it gets very cold there.
Sounded like a reasonable deal. I ordered it and my card was charged 5 times. Had to cancel and replace card. Be careful. Sorry, I always trusted this site and thought the articles were good. No more.
A modular system is great idea. I have been using that concept since 1997. It is also good to have the modules attached to your power source incrementally and not part of a large packet of batteries. That way you don’t get careless in your power usage.
I do not use the SOlar/wind generator for my Missouri house to power USB devices during a power outage from the GRID as I have Power Banks for that purpose. I do not turn my computer desktop or laptop on during a power outage as I have Windows and iOS Tablets and phones that are regularly updated and synced for data backups. That way I always have a way to recover during outages. If I want to watch TV, or movies, I can do so from the tablets, and if I want to continue with online activities/communications, I can do those on the tablets. I have satellite access for TV and computer as well as 5G and my router can handle at least 5 connections which I allow my neighbors access during outages.
My suggestion is that people test their systems BEFORE there is an outage in their area. Find the limits of their activities and be multi fueled in their power generating capabilities. SInce I have allpowers portable solar batteries, I use them inline so that the power is used externally from the batteries until the last stage. That way it is a basic series of UPS systems and you don’t normally see any power depletion happen suddenly as you can independently recharge the depleted batteries faster and reconnect to balance the system. I was able to go for 2 weeks in a power outage before the power was restored in my Missouri house and still had power to spare.