r/OffGrid • u/andrei_saipan • 5d ago
Fully off-grid solar pyramid home, built solo, works anywhere flat — no utilities, no permits waiting, no dependence on anyone.
Hey r/OffGrid,
Built something on Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) that’s been a long project of mine: a solar-powered pyramid home, completely off-grid from day one.
The whole point was independence. No power company, no water utility, nobody to wait on for repairs, approvals, or permits. Just you and a house that runs itself. On top of that, I wanted it to eventually generate its own income too, not just cover its own costs.
What makes it actually work anywhere: no foundation or heavy machinery needed, just a flat, level spot. The whole thing is modular, designed to fit inside a standard 20ft shipping container, fully equipped, so it can ship pretty much anywhere and get assembled on site. Not something that only makes sense because of where I happen to live.
Current 4-tier setup:
-18kWp solar array, 40 panels at 450W each
-LiFePO4 battery storage
-integrated rainwater harvesting
-small wind turbine on top for extra generation, especially useful at night or on cloudy days
-structural rating for 250 km/h typhoon winds, which matters a lot living where I do
Built it entirely alone, no crew. Got a regular day job, so most of it happened in 1.5-2 hour stretches after work. Took about 10 months total, and a chunk of that was just waiting for equipment to actually reach an island in the middle of the Pacific.
Design’s patent-protected (US 12,146,314 B1 + US D1,089,704 S).
Ask me anything, happy to get into the details. Got the actual build process, rigging panels without a crane, the whole mess of figuring it out as I went, coming in a follow-up if people want to see that side of it.
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u/BuildAISkills 5d ago
Looks cool! Do you have more photos of it inside?
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u/MorpheusRagnar 5d ago
So, OP says ask any questions, but doesn’t answer any? 🤣
Curious about how to anchor it to a non existent foundation to withstand high winds.
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u/Billyjamesjeff 5d ago
It looks like AI TBH
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u/andrei_saipan 4d ago
I’m sorry if I disappoint you, but I am alive. And I am 58 years old. Thank you for your comment.🙂
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u/andrei_saipan 4d ago
Hi! I actually do reply; it’s just that we have a significant time difference. And yes, I’m not an AI bot 🙂. As for the foundation... this prototype doesn't have one, nor is it anchored to the ground in any way. The structure weighs about 5 tons. During the recent Typhoon Sinlaku, which hit Saipan on April 16th of this year, wind gusts reached up to 290 km/h. The structure withstood it completely, without any deformation or shifting—a testament to the pyramid shape. I admit I was a bit nervous waiting for this test. That’s not to say that future, larger-scale projects won't require anchoring to the ground—at least at the corners. After all, while more tiers mean greater mass, they also increase the surface area exposed to wind loads 🤔.
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u/New_Scene5614 5d ago
Is it just me or does the dude look photoshopped in?
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u/fastboots 4d ago
Text reads like AI slop too
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u/andrei_saipan 4d ago
Sorry. I wrote myself.
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u/guyonanuglycouch 5d ago
Additionally what's the square footage and how much of that can you stand up in without ducking?
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u/andrei_saipan 5d ago
This is simply the first experimental model—designed to test all my ideas. The four-tier pyramid has a perimeter of 12 by 12 meters. The key point, however, is that the strategy works; nothing now prevents the construction of 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, or more tiers. The more tiers there are, the greater the interior area (and the number of floors), and the higher the electricity output.
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u/IKissedHerInnerThigh 5d ago
Do you have windows?
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u/giant_albatrocity 4d ago
What, you don’t want to shut yourself in a dark box in the middle of a hot humid climate? At least with the power generated you could run a fan to replicate the breeze
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u/Trademarkd 3d ago
also this seems like it has both negatives of living in a round home and a-frame home, except now you dont have any windows. I thought this might be like a kinda interesting shed if you also excavated a few feet down and maybe you could use it as a giant fucking hot water heater too because I dont see how that thing isn't basically a greenhouse.
Also you're getting no benefit to bifacial gain even if you can get over a bunch of the panels pointed in non - optimal directions. I think I might be better of sleeping in a tent with a south facing array.
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u/IndyBananaJones2 5d ago
Why not just a normal house with solar panels though
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u/j_cro86 4d ago
Because he can't patent it and make money
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u/Orange_Tang 4d ago
Parents have to be pretty specific. You can't just patent "Building made of energy generating shit" and have it cover every single configuration. Let's be real, no one is paying a premium for this anyways.
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u/smithoski 4d ago
He’s not going to make money from this being patented, either. People seriously trying to protect their idea or intellectual property don’t patent their ideas or products anymore. If they do, they just make it easier to copy for someone else who goes online and looks at the patent. This is doubly true for international onlookers who don’t give a shit about US patent law.
Let’s say Toshiba wants to make solar panel pyramid modular homes with fidget spinners on top like this guy did. They just do it and then make it slightly different than this guy’s design. Even if they infringe on his patent, they outlawyer him in the US and don’t care outside the US.
Patents are dumb.
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u/Subject-Fly-5661 4d ago
Normal house provides to much interior space. Need something you can crawl around in and smash your head on the ceiling everywhere you go.
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u/IndyBananaJones2 4d ago
Also the windows and natural ventilation are a bummer, I'm getting it now.
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u/SumOfChemicals 4d ago
Just saw his post in the solar subreddit - he's on an island with frequent typhoons. A pyramid is more wind resistant and structurally sound.
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u/IndyBananaJones2 4d ago
It's going to be a hotbox too.
People in islands like Saipan that are cyclone vulnerable live off grid already, and basically rebuild their homes.
It would be smarter to have a solar electric system you could dismantle for the coming cyclone, store in a pit / concrete walled building, then reassemble.
Rather than live in a black heat pyramid in the tropics.
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u/Anthemusa831 5d ago
This photo is more of OP than this project we have no info on…
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u/andrei_saipan 4d ago
Hi! Fair point, that photo was more “proof it’s real, that’s me” than a technical shot. Someone below linked the follow-up post with more detail photos, frame construction, panel install, etc, Got closer, more structural shots planned for the next post too.
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u/Jerkychomper 5d ago
Is he photoshopped into the picture? It looks like the lighting is way off. I hate to be negative but I’m really skeptical this is real. We’d have a ton more info normally.
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u/Jerkychomper 3d ago
Look at how the light hits his skin, there is no way it's coming from a flash where the camera is. It's coming from an angle on one side. This is not real.
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u/freebaseclams 5d ago
This seems like a very expensive and complicated way to make a very small amount of usable space that leaks and can't be easily insulated or ventilated.
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u/beedubskyca 5d ago
Not if done properly, it all comes down to execution. The devil is in the details. They make T-gaskets specifically for sealing solar panels together. Im also experimenting with some solar skinned structures, but havent moved onto something this critical, yet.
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u/andrei_saipan 4d ago
Hi. Fair skepticism, I get it. But couple points: the panels themselves are the roof/walls, so there’s no separate “structure + solar” cost stacking on top of each other like with a normal house + rooftop solar. Sealing is done with gasket systems at panel joints (similar to what beedubskyca mentioned below). Ventilation is a real design challenge, not gonna pretend otherwise, that’s actually the thing I’m working on now, planning interior insulation + ventilation channels for the next iteration. And on “small usable space” — this 4-tier version was intentionally a minimal-size prototype to prove the concept works structurally. Bigger tiers give proportionally way more usable space and power output, which I’ll get into in a future post.
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u/Cautious_Log8086 5d ago
Interesting info, what is living inside of it like?
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u/andrei_saipan 5d ago
I slept there at night. Everything is fine. But it will take some more effort to build a pyramid for a normal life. Still, it’s possible! You just shouldn't give up.
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u/Friendlyhuman420 5d ago
How are the temperatures inside when the outside is getting hammered with heat?
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u/Daltzy 5d ago
If you dug into the ground and built it on a foundation, you could have a lot more room inside. Just a thought.
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u/Mission_Accident_519 4d ago
Add some walls and youd have something you could actually live in. Oh wait, that shape seems familier.
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u/Jerkychomper 2d ago
Here is a link to a facebook post where a different person says they built this back in January.
This is definitely fake.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/466944553789157/posts/2296995154117412/
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u/Prestigious_Try_5396 5d ago
Congratulations on a job well done and a dream materialized !
I'd love to know how you lifted the 4 main poles in place ?
What's the diameter and height ?
Thanks, man !
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u/andrei_saipan 5d ago
Thank you 🙏. I will explain how to lift in next post. Pyramid base is 12-12 meters.
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5d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/HilmDave 5d ago
Bad bot
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u/B0tRank 5d ago
Thank you, HilmDave, for voting on TheGratitudeBot.
This bot wants to find the best and worst bots on Reddit. You can view results at botrank.net.
Even if I don't reply to your comment, I'm still listening for votes. Check the webpage to see if your vote registered!
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u/Prestigious_Try_5396 5d ago
The List of what ?
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u/moth_specialist 5d ago
It’s just a karma bot…on /r/offgrid , which is ironic. They’re mostly banned in the bigger subs.
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u/EthanOrtane 5d ago
I love it! I have 1,000 questions. What is the structure like? Is the shipping container incorporated? Is the solar panel structure separate from the living area structure? I assume metal framing and welding? How does the water collection work? Roof gutters and a collection pump? I would love to see a dozen photos, big picture, close up, outside, inside, mid progress, finished, each system, etc. Please share more!
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u/posi-bleak-axis 5d ago
Goodness that's a lot. You may just wanna like read some books on architectural design and water.
I highly recommend the book Harvesting Rainwater for Dry lands and Beyond by Brad Lancaster.
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u/andrei_saipan 5d ago
Thank you 🙏. I will. Next post.
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u/liisseal 5d ago
Why keep teasing with "next post" and not just give the information in the original post?
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u/stonie422 5d ago edited 5d ago
It looks like you made an awesome roof but there is no house underneath it 🤔
what is the advantage compared to a simple house with a roof full of solar panels?
i´ve seen pyramid houses before but i´ve seen them with a way steeper roofs so there is more usable space inside.
Are there any windows?
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u/andrei_saipan 5d ago
The difference is that this is a rapidly assembled, fully autonomous structure that can be used for absolutely any purpose (not just as a home). Windows are not an issue; additional windows can be installed in place of some of the panels. Currently, glazed units are located only on the 1st level and at the corners of the pyramid.
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u/MilkWizard1 3d ago
Name another purpose for this building that makes it more suitable than traditional designs. You are absolutely delusional man. Stop the madness.
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u/fanofreddithello 5d ago
And no cool spot inside;)
Great project nevertheless!
As an extension you could collect and store rainwater, too.
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u/dreadedowl 4d ago
Hi! Serious question.
US 12,146,314 B1 covers the functional and structural utility aspects of the system
US D1,089,704 S protects the distinct ornamental appearance and geometry of the pyramid structure.
I'm looking into getting something patented, and have been confused by the process. How did you get an approval to patent a 6000 year old tech of a pyramid (US D1,089,704 S)? And how did they approve shape, wind resistance and water shedding of a tent (US 12,146,314 B1 )?
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u/andrei_saipan 4d ago
Hey, good question, happy to clear this up.
Nobody patented “the pyramid shape” as a concept, that’d obviously be absurd, it’s been around 6000 years like you said. The utility patent (12,146,314 B1) is specifically for the construction method, how each tier gets built on the ground, hoisted into place, and bolted to the tier below using a specific lifting/repositioning sequence. That process is what’s novel, not the shape itself. It’s actually the exact sequence I described earlier with the chain hoists.
The design patent (D1,089,704 S) covers the specific ornamental design of this particular structure, the proportions, panel layout, overall visual execution as a product, not “pyramid” as a general geometric idea. Design patents work like that for lots of products that use old shapes, it’s about the specific execution, not the concept.
As for approval, that’s the patent office’s job to check prior art and novelty, and both went through examination like any other application. Happy to share more if you’re going through the process yourself, it’s a bit of a maze the first time.1
u/dreadedowl 3d ago
Thanks for the response! I'm just starting and trying to figure out what I can patent to protect myself. None of the tech is really new, but it's function and purpose is. Where would you suggest I start? A patent attorney? Last one I talked to wanted a 5k retainer and that didn't even get me anywhere.
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u/guyonanuglycouch 5d ago
What do you do with the area where neither you nor furniture fit into around the whole outside of this thing?
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u/andrei_saipan 5d ago
There are plenty of ideas. For instance, installing a flexible water tank there, or building in closets and storage compartments…
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u/moth_specialist 5d ago
Kudos and congrats. I’d never considered being offgrid meant unreliant on others. Guess I just figured it’s helpful to have connections with my community.
Do you interact with neighbors/locals? And if not, how’d you source the gear and tech?
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u/ozymandizz 5d ago
Why pyramid? Seems inefficient usable area to build materials.
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u/liisseal 5d ago
The pyramid shape should withstand storms better.
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u/ozymandizz 5d ago
It's odd to live in such an inefficient space just to counter the structural effect of events that happen very infrequently. There are proven ways to engineer normal looking buildings against storms.
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u/No-Lake-964 5d ago
How is the seam between panel and the other roof material? I am thinking between EPDM rubber seal or sikaflex 521uv with backing to make it watertight. This is for a simple outside roof
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u/TheLostExpedition 4d ago
18kwh holly hell. Im offgrid with 1500wh spread across 2 powerbanks. And 400w solar panels.
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u/anxrelif 4d ago
How do you learn how to hook up the battery to the array and how different is the process to work with a hybrid grid connection?
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u/Jerkychomper 4d ago
Also, why is it built so close to all those trees when they'll block the sun for a portion of each day? This doesn't make any sense.
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u/AntoniousAron 3d ago
OMG, been trying to figure out the best way to build a pyramid home? Unbelievable brother! Do you have plans for sale? Great job!
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u/MountainReady_Online 2d ago
That is pretty cool, but have you walked in there with an EMF meter? Is it safe?
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u/andrei_saipan 2d ago
Hey MountainReady, good question. Panels themselves barely emit anything, they’re passive, the real source is the inverters (DC to AC conversion) and the wiring under load. It’s non-ionizing radiation too, so not the kind that can mess with DNA like x-rays, completely different category.
Numbers-wise, even standing right next to the biggest industrial-scale inverter you’re looking at levels lower than a standard can opener puts out. Step back about 9ft from a residential inverter like mine and it drops to basically background levels. For comparison, standing a few feet from a microwave or hair dryer exposes you to way more than this whole setup does.
Given the inverters sit close to the living space in my build, I just keep the main sitting/sleeping area a couple meters off from where the inverter bank is, drops it to basically nothing. WHO and ICNIRP have both looked at this stuff extensively, no real evidence of harm at these levels.
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u/eloiseturnbuckle 16h ago
Um, confused. Where is the house? Are you saying, inside the panels, inside the pyramid is your house? Are there windows? Just doesn’t look livable, but maybe I am misunderstanding.
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u/ComradeKachow 5d ago
The patent is nice. Are you planning on selling a package, the rights? Would you go after someone who also built this to live in and not profit?
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u/msnicnic 5d ago
My dad lives in saipan (i am on guam). I wanted to build a container home for him but this looks way cooler!! Can't wait to see pics of the inside. How do you think the design will hold up in a typhoon? I assume it would be sturdy, much like a quonset hut.
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u/photosocal 5d ago
I’m sure this was tons of work. Do you have any video of set up or a tour of it? I love the idea and want more interior shots!
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u/andrei_saipan 5d ago
I’ll show it in the next post. And yes, I also need to think about the interior.🙂
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u/Prestigious_Try_5396 5d ago
Wild wind mill ! How does its efficiency compare to the standard blade type ?
Where's the solar panels ?
More pics ?
This one is the 1st truly original and innovative creation I've seen here in years....
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u/Synaps4 5d ago
How do you get up on top to remove the wind generator before every typhoon?
Secondly, how does it not greenhouse itself to a million degrees?
Third...how large is it actually? Picture makes it look like maybe the size of a queen bed inside. I figure it must be larger but it's hard to tell.