© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.
Their idea combined solar power with wood-pellet heat in winter, mini-splits in summer, and propane for high-consumption household appliances.
Photo Credit: iStock
After receiving a hefty quote to connect to a utility provider, a Michigan couple planning a 2,300-square-foot manufactured home is reconsidering how to power the property.
A Reddit user explained that the build will be about 1,000 feet from the road, and the electric company priced the hookup at $11.50 per foot, or about $11,500.
That left them weighing whether to pay a one-time utility extension charge or invest in a dependable off-grid system.
The homeowner asked in r/solar whether an off-grid setup could make sense in northern Michigan. Their idea combined solar power with wood-pellet heat in winter, mini-splits in summer, and propane for high-consumption household appliances.
Based on their research with an AI tool, they expected to need a solar-panel array with a total capacity of 6.8 to 8.0 kW. Commenters, however, said that number appeared far too small if they expected to make it through the winter. “From experience, you’ll want more solar. I have a 9.9kw array and it doesn’t produce enough power for me,” a fellow Michigan resident advised. 
Homeowners weighing a utility hookup against rooftop solar can use EasyHome to see their potential savings from vetted installers in their area. Going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, and solar leases in particular can deliver hundreds of dollars in monthly savings without any upfront costs.
For an off-grid setup to succeed, it should be tailored to the property. In this case, considerations would include local solar output in northern Michigan, seasonal demand, and the house’s planned propane and wood-pellet appliances.
Redditors also urged the couple to size the system around worst-case periods rather than average consumption. They argued that winter’s lower solar production would make larger battery storage and a standby generator essential when demand stays high.
With energy prices through the roof, there’s never been a better time to go solar — and EasyHome can help you find the best prices from the best installers in your area.
EasyHome takes the guesswork and headaches out of energy upgrades by showing you estimated savings from a network of vetted local partners. To get started, just enter your ZIP and share a few details about your home — seeing your estimate is really that easy.
If you’re doing similar calculations, EasyHome‘s free explorer tool can help you compare vetted local installers before deciding whether to stay grid-connected or invest in a larger solar setup. EasyHome can also help readers explore backup battery storage options, so you can maximize solar savings and power your home when the grid goes down.
This couple is not alone in weighing whether off-grid solar makes more sense than paying for utility access. 
• In the rural South, the battery math bites when long outages make off-grid backup look tempting.
• A workshop owner’s off-grid budget hit $30,000 to reach about 100 kWh with DIY solar.
• An off-grid homeowner learned solar won’t cut it with 30 kWh of AGM batteries.
Get TCD’s free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

source