Off-Grid Solar & Wind

Solar, wind and battery power that keeps working.

I repair, check, add on to and wire off-grid power systems on farms: solar panels, small wind turbines, battery banks, inverters, charge controllers, and the backup generator that ties it all together.

RepairBatteries going dead, inverter faults, a turbine that spins but won't charge.Price before I start

System checkBatteries, connections, settings and grounding tested. Best before winter.Ask for a price

Add-onsMore panels or batteries, a generator that starts on its own, power to another building.Free estimate

New systemsSized to what you actually run, and wired for barns and weather.Free estimate

What I work on

Solar panels, plus the wiring, combiner boxes and shut-offs
Charge controllers and inverters, including inverter-chargers
Battery banks: lead-acid and lithium
Small wind turbines: the controller, brake switch, dump load and the wiring down the tower
Backup generators that start on their own when the batteries run low
Solar out in the pasture: well pumps, waterers and fence chargers

Signs it's time

Batteries are dead by morning, or don't last like they used to
The inverter beeps, shows a fault or shuts off when something big starts
The generator runs a lot more than it used to
The turbine spins but doesn't charge, or sits still in a good wind
Lights dim or flicker when a pump or motor kicks on
Crusty battery posts, warm wires, or a battery box nobody has opened in years

What a system check covers

Every battery tested, so you know which ones are holding a charge and which are dragging the bank down
Connections cleaned and tightened. A loose battery cable runs hot and wastes power.
Charge controller and inverter settings checked against your batteries. Wrong settings wear batteries out early.
Panels and turbine output measured, to show if they're making what they should
Grounding and lightning protection looked over
Backup generator tested, including whether it starts on its own

You get a written list of what I found, most-urgent first, and a total price for anything that needs fixing.

Adding on or starting new

I start with what you run: pumps, fans, lights, the freezer, the welder. That sets how many panels, how much battery and how big an inverter you need, so you're not paying for more than you use or coming up short in January.

I handle the electrical side of wind turbines. If the blades or tower need mechanical work, I'll tell you and point you to someone who does it.

Battery banks hold a lot of power, even with everything switched off. If a battery box is hot, swelling, hissing or smells like rotten eggs, keep people and animals away and call me.

★ Why me

An off-grid system is batteries, inverters, charge controllers and automatic switching all working together. That's controls work, closer to a plant than a house. I spent 15 years as an industrial foreman in paper mills and chemical plants on drives, controls and plant power, and I build motor control panels for farms. My story →

On a service plan? Your plan's repair discount covers off-grid work too, and a system check can be added to any plan visit. See plans →

Tell me what's acting up

Call or text Eric Riggs

(607) 354-1012

Your first visit is free. Send a photo of the inverter screen or battery bank if you can. Where I work →