7 Solar Water Heating System Designs
By Michael Hackleman
Issue #65 • September/October, 2000
(Rob Harlan is a general and solar contractor with 25 years of experience with solar water heating systems in Mendocino County, California. Rob primarily designs and installs photovoltaic...
Solar charge controllers — myths, hype, and facts
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #153 • May/June, 2015
Most people with a basic understanding of solar power are aware they need a solar module and a storage battery to power an electrical device using...
Solar system codes — Build it right!
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #154 • July/August, 2015
Here, multiple homemade solar modules have caught fire and burned.
The further you go into the mountains or rural countryside, the more some people think building codes...
Build a community assistance recharging station
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #152 • March/April, 2015
Many preppers are starting to realize they cannot do it all on their own. True security during a major disaster or civil unrest is much more...
Grid-tied, Grid-connected, Off-grid. What’s the difference?
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #140 • March/April, 2013
Several weeks ago I received a call from a woman in Florida complaining that they just had a power outage lasting several days and her solar...
Design calculations for overshot waterwheels
By Rudy Behrens
Issue #18 • November/December, 1992
(For good background information for this article, the reader should read "Waterpower for personal use" in Issue No. 16 and "Design calculations for overshot waterwheels" in Issue No....
Job site solar power
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #144 • November/December, 2013
Regardless of your favorite brand, standardize all
battery-powered tools to use the same battery pack.
If you are planning to live off-grid or are building something in a...
Add solar power to your truck camper
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #93 • May/June, 2005
The recreational vehicle (RV) world is having a major comeback with the influx of baby-boomers. Today's travel trailers, 5th wheels, and motor coaches now include everything...
Just for Kids: Sun-kabobs and solar sizzle
By Lucy Shober
Issue #28 • July/August, 1994
Click on pictures for printable, full-sized versions to color.
Picture yourself in this dreamy scenario: It's a hot summer afternoon. The sun is beaming through the shade trees as...
Solar-powered chicken coop
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #132 • November/December, 2011
Pre-manufactured chicken coop with roof-mounted solar module
I am sure many of you have raised large flocks of chickens for years as a normal part of rural...
Build Your Own Car Wash
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #133 • January/February, 2012
Completed car wash in operation
If someone told me a year ago that I would have a commercial car wash behind my garage, I would have laughed....
Solar Power 101 — Batteries: Part 2
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #88 • July/August, 2004
This article is the second in a series of what will be a beginner's course in solar electricty. Simultaneously we have instituted a Home Energy Information...
Solar Power 101 — Batteries: Part 1
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #87 • May/June, 2004
This article is the first in a series of what will be a beginner's course in solar electricty. Simultaneously we have instituted a Home Energy Information...
Water: a safe supply when you’re off the grid
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #71 • September/October, 2001
That remote mountain property seemed like a steal until you found out you could not drill a well. Four years ago we were approached by a...
Sunny Solutions for north slope applications
By Michael Hackleman
Issue #61 • January/February, 2000
Solar-powered pumps have proved their worth for many installations worldwide, anywhere under the sun. However, in the northern hemisphere, a year-around spring located at the base of a...
Installing your own small, remote off-grid solar system
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #116 • March/April, 2008
A typical residential-size solar system installation will involve properly sized and installed AC and DC electrical wiring to reduce the risk of electrical fire, a proper...
