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Small Cabin Forum / Member's Projects and Photos / Our 15.75 x 30 NM Mountain Cabin
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MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2010 15:25
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We built our cabin over two years with most of the work done in the summer. It's off grid with solar PV power, a water cistern, a composting toilet, wood burning stove and propane wall heater.
porch
porch


MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2010 15:30 - Edited by: MtnDon
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from last winter
last winter
last winter


MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2010 15:33
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interior shots; it's all one room
living end
living end
bedroom end
bedroom end


MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2010 15:34
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The PV array is located 325 feet from the cabin because of the pines.
3 - 208 watt modules
3 - 208 watt modules


Anonymous
# Posted: 21 Oct 2010 17:26
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i came to this site because of your know-it-all posts.

Gary O
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2010 20:01
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Very profesh, MtnDon.
Did you sub any work out?
Really like the pine interior with the darker (mahogany?) trim.
Looks to be a two roomer, 30 something by 16?

Is that a generator enclosure in the back?

Quoting: Anonymous
know-it-all posts

I could sure use some of that..............

Gary O
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2010 21:42
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Kryminee,

Quoting: Gary O
30 something by 16?


The title might just be a clue......
I'm goin' ta bed

hattie
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2010 21:53
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Oh that is beautiful. I absolutely LOVE the ceilings. Gorgeous! It's cozy and beautifully finished. Great Work!!!

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2010 22:18 - Edited by: MtnDon
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Thanks for the kind words.

I subb'd out the installation of the metal on the main cabin roof, I did the porch and power center. I also had the same guys do the bottom, the 3/8" plywood on the underside of the floor joists. They also installed the insulation between the floor joists from underneath, then did the plywood. Everything else right from the design I did myself or with aid from my wife or son.

The darker trim is actually redwood. Both the redwood and pine received miniwax polycrylic clear satin finish.

Basically a 30 x 16 (I call it 15.75 because that's what the actual exterior measurement is) it is one big room with chests of drawers as a bed 'space' divider, plus a 3 ft x 7 ft bathroom.
door to the bathroom
door to the bathroom
peeking through the door, toilet would be to the right
peeking through the door, toilet would be to the right
kitchen area, bathroom at the end, incomplete
kitchen area, bathroom at the end, incomplete
propane fridge and range, sink
propane fridge and range, sink


MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2010 22:23 - Edited by: MtnDon
Reply 


The "bump" on the exterior end in the second photo above, is for the solar PV equipment. The charge controller in it's own compartment to the left, batteries in the middle (and isolated from the elctric/electronic components) and the inverter in it's compartment to the right.
three separate section for PV equipment
three separate section for PV equipment
charge controller, wiring almost done
charge controller, wiring almost done
batteries. Lots of space for larger ones in the future if neede
batteries. Lots of space for larger ones in the future if neede
inverter & input breaker
inverter & input breaker


MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2010 22:31
Reply 


Lastly a detail shot of the shower end of the bathroom showing the ceiling and shower curtain track. The original plan was to install the SunMar composting toilet in here under the window at the opposite end. However, we've grown to like it outside in the shed. We have a porta-potti inside for night use.

The VC Aspen wood stove is superb. We have the fresh air inlet kit for it. I also installed a small muffin fan on the outside inlet. When starting a fire, once the tinder (pine needles) is lit we close the stove door and flip the power to the fan on. Makes it very easy to start a fire. Once it's going we turn off the fan. There does not seem to be any impediment to the normal stove operation. This might void the stove warranty; not sure. But we've had no issues with it.
shower track and ceiling
shower track and ceiling
copper sheet metal under stove
copper sheet metal under stove


MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 21 Oct 2010 22:33
Reply 


Quoting: Gary O
The title might just be a clue......



LOL

Rob_O
# Posted: 22 Oct 2010 19:13
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Glad to see you here

Xplorer
Member
# Posted: 23 Oct 2010 13:34
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Nice write up & very interesting. Lots of good ideas. Sorry the build thread on the Jeep is old & no longer works...wanted to read that too. I had a Cherokee that I built up abit. Very sorry I sold it & thinking of buying another one & making it even better.

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 23 Oct 2010 16:16
Reply 


Yes, that is one of the problems with links; sometimes they go dead.

If you want to start an off topic topic on Jeep, 4x4's or whatever, make a note here and I'll look for it.

cabingal3
Member
# Posted: 10 Nov 2010 00:37
Reply 


very nice place.it has everything a person may need.

Pylonman
Member
# Posted: 9 Dec 2010 17:02
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I like your place.
The battery box is neat and tidy.
Where did you find the shower curtain track?

MtnDon
Member
# Posted: 9 Dec 2010 17:29 - Edited by: MtnDon
Reply 


Thanks. I've seen too many "rats nests" of wires and cables. When it's neat and tidy it is always so much easier for anyone to do any service work.

FYI, copper straps and other shapes are available through Storm Copper. Lots of sizes and they have an ampacity table on the website too. I bought the standoffs for the two buss bars from them as well (can't see them in that photos, but they are red plastic or nylon or something, with threaded inserts for mounting.



I got the curtain track and hardware from Curtain Fair. It's a small outfit, one man I think. Don't even bother to try and email him for anything. Use the phone. Be persistent if you leave a message, he is sometimes slow in returning calls. But he does have a lot of stuff that is hard to find and I did get everything even after UPS lost a package.

I used the hand bendable track. He sells "kits" but also individual pieces. His kits had more rollers than I needed and I had to push him a little to get individual parts, but he has them listed.

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