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Keep a logbook

A simple daily log turns guesses into evidence. It shows when a battery is ageing, when water use creeps up and when a pump is about to fail.

How

1. Use a paper notebook by the monitor or a shared spreadsheet; whichever the household will actually keep.
2. Log daily: date, weather, morning state of charge, kWh generated and used, tank level, fridge and freezer temperatures.
3. Log events: maintenance done, faults, generator hours, parts used, canning batches with recipe, pressure and time.
4. Keep manuals, wiring and plumbing diagrams, warranties and installer contacts together, with copies off site.
5. Review the log monthly at the family meeting and look for trends.

Do these first

• living-5
• living-7

Sources

1. Boiling Water Bath and Pressure Canning (Publication 348-585). Virginia Cooperative Extension, accessed 2026-11
2. Balance-of-System Equipment Required for Renewable Energy Systems. US Department of Energy, Energy Saver, accessed 2026-11

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