Going off-grid with no municipal services anymore

[Isuzu_man]

Wonder of die ander ook strontstories gaan wees?

[NewLandy]

I've experienced some of the "money pit" issues as people call it, but honestly, it's mostly time. This place need a lot, and I mean A LOT, of time. With time and man-hours I'm sure I can run this place with minimal financial input. The land is small enough that it doesn't cost a fortune to maintain, and I love that.

I farmed in Warmbad on 350 He., for many years. Pumps, fences, drains, housing, barn etc will never ever be "fixed", they are always in a state of "require fixing" no matter how much money, time you have!

The bad news for the plot owners is that the plot is often too small to provide a reliable income to constantly fix all the issues. One needs a second income to keep the plot from becoming a "maplotter" paradise.

[bigboy529]

OK so na alles, kom ek maak gou 'n lysie.

Met die intrek het ek die septic tank laat uitpomp. Hy het uitgeloop en ek het die ou in die dorp gekry wat dit doen. Hy het uitgekom en bevestig die tenk is drasties verwaarloos, en hy moes dubbel pomp.

Rekening: R2,000
Totaal: R2,000

Toe werk die tenk so bietjie en alles is mooi, en na 2 weke en 'n dag, ruik ons funny reuke van die tenk se kant af. Ek loop soontoe, tenk loop oor. Ek bel die ou, hy is volgeboek, so hy se my wat ek moet doen. In die reen staan ek toe maar met my goedkoopste klere, gryp 'n graaf en begin die tenk oopgrawe. Ek kry die outlet (dis een van daardie swart dome septic tenks, 1,000l volume) en daar loop niks uit nie. Ek lig die deksel, sien niks, en toe moes ek plan maak. Ek vat 'n 5l emmer en poprivet hom aan 'n besemstok vas. Daarmee begin ek emmer vir emmer, 5l vir 5l, die stront uit die tenk uithaal. Ek haal so klomp emmers uit tot my rug nie meer kan nie, dan grawe ek weer gat. Dan skep ek, dan grawe ek. So vat dit my 3 ure, maar daarna is die tenk leeg en die gat gegrawe. Ek kan die pype mooi sien en ek sien die volgende issue.

Daar is geen french drain gegrawe wat ek kan sien nie. Ek begin trek aan die 50mm pyp wat as afvoer dien en sien iets beweeg daar doer in die bosse. Gryswater loop net so tussen die bosse in. Dis nie noodwendig 'n probleem nie, maar dit moet reggemaak word. Bel die septic tenk ou, en hy kwoteer R30,000. Ja nee, die water moet maar bietjie nog loop. Dis nie baie nie en stink nie as dit werk nie. Niemand kom ook daar nie so dis fine vir nou, ek sal later 'n spannetjie inkry en my eie french drain bou.

Probleem is, die pype is verstop wat die water moet afvoer. Ek druk hier en trek daar, en niks werk nie. Ek verloor my humeur, figure in my kop dat "die ding werk anyway nie, ek kan hom nie meer opfoeter nie", gryp die saag en saag die pype so naby aan die tenk af as wat ek kan, terwyl ek nog bietjie pyp het om mee te werk. Daar sien ek die manne wat laas daar gewerk het, het 'n staal barrel nipple gebruik om die septic tenk met die afvoer te las. Die pyp is geheel en al toe-geroes. Roes so dik aangepak ek kry dit nie uit nie. Sny nog verder terug en sny die stuk af.

Gaan stort.

Klim in die bakkie.

Ry 20km na die dorp wat ek ken, koop 'n nuwe PVC las en ry terug. PVC weld die las aan die tenk se outlet vas en clamp die dik 50mm pyp bo-oor die las vas met 'n SS pipe clamp. Nou loop hy weer. 2 dae se werk, maar dis gedoen.

En dit was net die septic tenk. Hierna was dit issues met die dak, die elektries, die boorgat, pompe, aircons, ens. ens. ens. Ons grassnyer het ook overheat en die weed eater het vinnig vinnig opgegee. So dit alles sal ek nog vertel, daar's nog BAIE stories

Klink maar vir my na 'n #### storie

Ek weet nou nog nie waar al my plek se french drains is, ek is net 100% seker van een, want dit is 'n nuwe een wat ek gebou het saam 'n septic tank wat ek ingesit het.

Ek het 8 toilette en 6 septic tanks op my erf, vir een of ander stupid rede het amper elke toilet sy eie septic tank, selfs toilette van dieselfde huis wat redelik naby aan mekaar is.

My plek was die voorige eienaars se vakansie huis, ek het al so die idee gekry hulle het nie veel hier gekom, hulle het net kontrakteurs gekry om die werk te doen en dan die rekening betaal sonder om veel te worry wat gedoen is of hoe goed of sleg. Die kontrakteurs het seker maar elke keer gemaak nes hulle wou en wat vir hulle die meeste geld kon maak, so kom ons sit sommer net 'n nuwe septic tank in, die mense sal betaal.

[Toxxyc]

So, die volgende een. Die krag. Ons kry toe mos nou COC saam met die koop, soos die wet vereis. COC se dat alles reg is en mooi loop. Geen probleme nie. Ons is bly, dis goeie nuus.

Tot ons hier kom.

Eerste ding wat ek opmerk is dat die geyser nie werk nie. Sit hom aan by die DB, geen warm water nie. Soek die isolator - daar is nie een nie. Pluk die multimeter uit, maak die doppie oop, en toets. Niks krag nie.

Terug DB toe. Maak die DB oop, sit die breaker aan en toets. Hy toets krag. So iewers is iets nie lekker nie.

Ek sit alles op die DB aan, insluitend die swembadpomp se breaker. Skielik het die geyser krag. So kom ons agter die swembadpomp en die geyser is omgeruil op die labels. Maar die COC se alles is reg gemerk. So begin ek die COC bevraagteken, en kyk bietjie nader.

Die groot breaker wat van die transformer af inkom, die mains, is 63A. Toe sien ek die oond se breaker is ook 63A. Dit moet vervang word. Gepraat van die oond, besluit ek toe om maar sommer die oond te koppel op sy isolator ook. Soek die draad, daar is nie 'n draad nie. Die COC se dat die oond se connection mooi en reg toets. Raait.

Trek 'n lekker dik stuk draad in, en sit die breaker van die oond af terwyl ek met die isolator speel. My vrou kla die microwave werk nie. Daar sien ek die helfte van die kombuis se plugs is ook sommer op die oond se breaker gelaai. Magtig.

Elkgeval, ons lewe maar so. Oond is gekoppel. Nou soek ons 'n buitelig se skakelaar. Ek sien hom loop so teen die dak aan die buitekant van die huis en daar gaat hy die dak in. Klim in die dak. Kry die draad, sien hy is op 'n ligskakelaar gekoppel, maar die gloeilampe is seker maar dood. Ai.

Terwyl ons so kokkenodge, sien ek die downlighters se drade. Speakerdraad. Sommer so spinnekop-connect. Nou moet ek 'n elektrician kry om die drade te vervang en vir my 'n nuwe COC te gee vir die huis. Hy gaan sommer 'n once-over doen. Lekker geldjies man, dis mos speletjies om elke week 'n paar duisend rand ekstra uit te gee.

[spicydave]

So, die volgende een. Die krag. Ons kry toe mos nou COC saam met die koop, soos die wet vereis. COC se dat alles reg is en mooi loop. Geen probleme nie. Ons is bly, dis goeie nuus.

Tot ons hier kom.

Eerste ding wat ek opmerk is dat die geyser nie werk nie. Sit hom aan by die DB, geen warm water nie. Soek die isolator - daar is nie een nie. Pluk die multimeter uit, maak die doppie oop, en toets. Niks krag nie.

Terug DB toe. Maak die DB oop, sit die breaker aan en toets. Hy toets krag. So iewers is iets nie lekker nie.

Ek sit alles op die DB aan, insluitend die swembadpomp se breaker. Skielik het die geyser krag. So kom ons agter die swembadpomp en die geyser is omgeruil op die labels. Maar die COC se alles is reg gemerk. So begin ek die COC bevraagteken, en kyk bietjie nader.

Die groot breaker wat van die transformer af inkom, die mains, is 63A. Toe sien ek die oond se breaker is ook 63A. Dit moet vervang word. Gepraat van die oond, besluit ek toe om maar sommer die oond te koppel op sy isolator ook. Soek die draad, daar is nie 'n draad nie. Die COC se dat die oond se connection mooi en reg toets. Raait.

Trek 'n lekker dik stuk draad in, en sit die breaker van die oond af terwyl ek met die isolator speel. My vrou kla die microwave werk nie. Daar sien ek die helfte van die kombuis se plugs is ook sommer op die oond se breaker gelaai. Magtig.

Elkgeval, ons lewe maar so. Oond is gekoppel. Nou soek ons 'n buitelig se skakelaar. Ek sien hom loop so teen die dak aan die buitekant van die huis en daar gaat hy die dak in. Klim in die dak. Kry die draad, sien hy is op 'n ligskakelaar gekoppel, maar die gloeilampe is seker maar dood. Ai.

Terwyl ons so kokkenodge, sien ek die downlighters se drade. Speakerdraad. Sommer so spinnekop-connect. Nou moet ek 'n elektrician kry om die drade te vervang en vir my 'n nuwe COC te gee vir die huis. Hy gaan sommer 'n once-over doen. Lekker geldjies man, dis mos speletjies om elke week 'n paar duisend rand ekstra uit te gee.

[PJ SA]

Is the electrician that did the CoC not your b*tch for a while and you can get them back to do it all properly for free?

[Toxxyc]

Is the electrician that did the CoC not your b*tch for a while and you can get them back to do it all properly for free?

Thing is, the electrician can say it was all fine, because it was done in April, and that the tenants changed stuff. Then it'll be a he said she said thing, and there's just no energy left for all of that.

[PJ SA]

Thing is, the electrician can say it was all fine, because it was done in April, and that the tenants changed stuff. Then it'll be a he said she said thing, and there's just no energy left for all of that.

Ah ok didn't realize it was so long ago

[New]

Thing is, the electrician can say it was all fine, because it was done in April, and that the tenants changed stuff. Then it'll be a he said she said thing, and there's just no energy left for all of that.

If the allegation is that the tenant damaged the property, risk of ownership is still on the Seller and the Seller should then, strictly speaking, hoes for a new ECC. But I know in your particular scenario it is maybe not worth the fight...

[bigboy529]

Not worth the time, stress, ### en hare, but in a ideal world it would have been nice to give the electrician all his hell. Sad thing is, even if it was a registered electrician which it's most probably not, even if you lay a complaint against him at the professional body, absolutely nothing will come of it in our country and he will just continue in his ways next week, month and year.

In our area we had a so called electrician who wasn't professionally registered, he did a lot of work for people, |BS-ing then out of lots of money, he also gave fraudulant CoC's. Eventually some people drew the line when he started giving LP gas CoC's as well, cases was made against him, but till today absolutely nothing happened to him. He left the area, but I bet he is still operating just the same in which ever new area he is now.

BTW talking of issues never ending on a small holding, yesterday my borehole pump gave in after a lightning strike we had last weekend which took out TV's, DSTV, gate motor, fence energizer etc.
Our local electrician who came to test for me before we pulled the pump said it often happens that a pump still works for a week or 2 after a lightning strike before finally giving in, so I'll see what the insurance say.

[Archman]

Great idea. Hard work, but you won't regret it. We did this move three years ago and has been the best decision of my life. We bought an 8.8ha section of the mountain outside of our town. At that stage there was absolutely nothing. We had to slash a path through the undergrowth to find a place to build. Luckily I could borrow a friend of mine's 1953 Fiat bulldozer to build a road. We put up a light steel framed house with burned pine cladding, so it disappears in the mountain forest (three months from finished slab to being livable with me, father-in-law and six labourers). I took a 36 month loan for the solar. Because we are very isolated, I needed redundancy so went with the Schneider system (12kw inverter, 35kwh battery bank and 36kw solar array). I paid this off last year so essentially power is now free. I also installed a 22kva FAW generator that is activated automatically by the system's AGS when needed (which is rarely). Our water is pumped and then gravity fed. For safety we have extensive beams and cameras around the house, but also several hidden solar powered GSM cameras around the property on likely approach paths which is and extra degree of assurance. The money I now save on the solar payment has even enabled me to have my access road (which is rather steep) tarred this year. If it is within your ability, don't think twice about making such a move. Beholden to no man...!

[Toxxyc]

So, a little story time.

I am adamant about carrying my gun with me when I'm here on the smallholding. It's still a farm, and it's still dangerous, even with fencing and electric fencing and in a "safe" area, etc. etc.

So yesterday, with all the rains we've had, the little seasonal stream through our property is flowing nicely. It's been flowing for a few weeks now so the rocks are nice and slippery and the kids like to slide down them down the stream, for the ~30m or so that there's a complete rock-lined stream. Wife promised them they can "go for a swim" so they get their swimsuits and decide to walk down to the river. It's about 70m or so from the house, so not even far.

I decide to go ahead so long with the brush cutter and clear the path, because with all the rains the grass took over and it's not lekker to walk there. Lantanas are also not helping (and I need help in getting rid of these, so if anyone knows, let me know). I get out, safety glasses and ear protection on, start the 57CC Husky with the grass blade and start cutting. About 10 minutes later wife and kids arrive. Turn off the cutter and let them pass, all three dogs in tow.

I start the cutter again and start cutting. Not 2 minutes later my German Sheperd and our Dashchund/Jack Russel cross come streaking up the path. I look up, and see wife with the two kids in tow. Pale white, like they've seen ghosts. I switch off the cutter and figure they found a snake or something near the water. Take off my earpro and see my wife's in distress, something is not lekker. When the machine stops making noise I ask her "what's wrong".

"HUGE VLAKVARK" is the answer I get (huge warthog).

Now I know there's a nice big warthog on the property, and she loves our land because it's been deforested in areas. I also know that in the past month, she gave birth to five little piglets, as I've seen them on numerous occasions. I also know she's not a happy camper and maybe even a tad too cocky for my liking. I also know my dogs love to explore, and I know for a fact they probably agitated her and her babies, and that's why she showed herself.

At first I thought she just scared wife and kids, but then I heard her coming. I could hear the distinctive snorting of a charging warthog (not the first time it's happened to me). Wife and kids ran up the path behind me, and before I knew it I dropped the ear protection, had my gun in hand, and cocked it, aiming dead in the middle of the path.

Now there's a BIG Lantana bush covering the path where you have to crouch a bit to get through. I crouch and aim at the opening. I could hear her coming up this path, and I just held it. Not 2 seconds after my family is behind me, the hog rushes up the path, about 8m from me. I take aim dead in the middle of her forehead (where the eyes and ears form a cross, where you're supposed to hit them) and I remember thinking just one thing - "she has babies, make sure that the shot is required before you take it so the babies aren't left defenseless".

She kept coming.

About 5m from me I think "here we go".

A quarter of a second later she's 4m from me, and I take up the slight first stage of the CZ 85's trigger. As my finger curls to start sending Federal 147gr HSTs at 1,000FPS toward the warthog, it's like she sees me, realizes the danger, and freezes.

She promptly took a ####, turned around, and ran off. I waited for a few seconds to ensure she's actually retreating, and I can hear her breaking brush a little deeper into the veld. Safety on, pick up the ear protection and hook them over the brush cutter's handlebars. Keep in mind all this is with a full harness and a brush cutter hanging off me.

I retreat to our gate (about 15m away) and get inside. The second I closed the gate she came rushing back toward us, and stopped short of the outer fence (our place there is double fenced). I'm immediately pissed off, because now she's looking for trouble. Holster my pistol, remove the brush cutter and dump everything on the ground. Walk inside, get my Winchester Ranger 120 shotgun, remove the rifled slugs I keep in it and stick it full of SSGs. 10 of them, and number 11 in the chamber.

Screw that pig. I understand the need to charge the first time but charging us while we're moving away, and after that time? I don't need an aggressive pig where my kids are playing.

Walk out, open the gate, go out and listen. I could hear her snorting a bit further, and the brush is REALLY thick so I retreat to open ground so I can at least see her if she charges. Shotgun has a 28" barrel so it is slightly unwieldy in brush, but in more open veld it points and shoots like a dream. I follow her sound in the brush and eventually I can hear it fading in the distance. She's gone.

We skipped swimming in the river for the day.

Takeaway is this - always carry your gun. ALWAYS. You never know when you might need it. Also, there's an aggressive pig on my property. I'll keep an eye on her as the babies age, and if she continues with this nonsense I'll talk to her with the .30-06. She'll compensate for the trouble with some cabanossi or salami, perhaps even a slow-smoked shoulder. We'll see.

[New]

Usually, when dealing with 2 legged varke, it is not a good idea to shoot a warning shot. But in this instance maybe sacrificing an expensive hollow point into the ground near distressed mommy vark might have convinced her to keep her distance in future?


But what a story!

[Mal Hannes]

Yes good writing

I have issues on my little plot but not this.

The water sounds like such a good place for the kids to play.

[bigboy529]

Nee wat, so vark soek om salami te raak, wys haar wie is baas.

In terms of the Lantana, some people sprey them with poison and then they die off, but the dead fugly thing still stands in the veld which I don't like.
It's more labour intensive, but we cut them off as close as possible to the ground and then doctor the remaining stump with Kaput which you can buy from Obaro. Just also remember it will take at least 2 seasons to start winning them, of course it helps a lot if your neighbours also do theirs.

[spicydave]

Hier by my het dit 2x jaar gevat maar het die Lantana's gewen ...

Pik en graaf ...

[Toxxyc]

Usually, when dealing with 2 legged varke, it is not a good idea to shoot a warning shot. But in this instance maybe sacrificing an expensive hollow point into the ground near distressed mommy vark might have convinced her to keep her distance in future?


But what a story!

I learned something about myself during this experience. It's happened before and I could not explain it (previously with a big aggressive dog, and also once with a very peculiar noise in the house. Some people flee, some people fight, some people freeze.

I learned yesterday my reaction in all these situations is the one and same - I stand my ground, and I'll kill whatever comes close. With the noise in the house (turned out to be a slowly oscillating fan that moved a closet door open and closed in an otherwise dead quiet house), as well as with the Boerboel that charged my wife and then newborn first kid, I stand my ground, gun ready and I'm ready to shoot when the need arises. That's it. I don't shout, I don't yell, I don't run, I don't freeze, I stand my ground and defend it.

With the dog we had a bit more time, and I considered a warning shot, but that was in the middle of a tarred road, in a built-up area, and I was worried about where the bullet would go, and the issues it might sprout, so I kept trained on the dog until he moved away.

With the warthog I considered a warning shot as well, but I did not have the time. By the time it was safe to point the gun, the hog was there. I did not want to move my sights away for a warning shot and risk having to find the target again after I had it.

Nee wat, so vark soek om salami te raak, wys haar wie is baas.

In terms of the Lantana, some people sprey them with poison and then they die off, but the dead fugly thing still stands in the veld which I don't like.
It's more labour intensive, but we cut them off as close as possible to the ground and then doctor the remaining stump with Kaput which you can buy from Obaro. Just also remember it will take at least 2 seasons to start winning them, of course it helps a lot if your neighbours also do theirs.

Thanks. Yeah I've been going at them with Glyphosate, which seems to do the trick, and then I also cut them down with the brush cutter. The bigger ones need to be snipped with the big snippers, and it takes time. Most annoying is the thorns all over them. Hurts like hell to grab them without gloves.