In the second of my No-BS series I tackle the solar power hurdle, drawing on my decade long off grid journey. The No-BS Guide to DIY Solar focuses on creating a robust and extremely powerful solar system similar capable of being scaled from the tiniest off-grid application all the way up to full household systems on an attainable budget. Unlike many of the DIY Solar books out there, this guide is built from first hand experience and addresses issues as broad as wind resistance, mounting solutions, turbine integration, and sourcing used components. This book consists of 142 pages broken down into seven chapters which are: Safety, Tools, Planning, Panels, Wiring, Charge Controllers, Batteries, AC Inverters, Shopping Tips, Wind Integration and Diagnosis The guide walks you through determining your energy usage and needs, storage amounts, locating panels and many, many other topics. Although a seemingly daunting task, this book makes it easy with plenty of pictures, careful explanations and a sprinkling of humor. This book will be useful to everyone from the novice to the expert alike.

The Guide to DIY Powerwalls was the first of a 3 part series I started in May of 2020 during the height of the Pandemic that focused solely on creating a robust and extremely powerful power storage system similar to the Tesla Powerwall but on a shoestring budget. One of the requirements would be its easy intergration into other off-grid technologies. The search led me to discovering how to repurpose large and relatively inexpensive batteries from wrecked Electric Vehicles (EVs). This book consists of 113 pages broken down into seven chapters which are: Safety, Planning, Teardown, Preparation, Deployment and the P3 (Portable Power Pack) Builds. The guide walks you through determining your energy usage and needs, storage amounts, locating suitable batteries at the best price and converting them into a usable battery bank. This guide illustrates the conversion of a Ford C-Max battery module, but the principals apply to almost any EV battery out there. Although a seemingly daunting task, this book makes it easy with plenty of pictures, careful explanations and a sprinkling of humor. This book will be useful to everyone from the novice to the expert alike.

"The Mind, Once Expanded, Never Returns To It's Original Dimensions." - Thomas Jefferson Much like the previous "No-BS" guides, the premise is to look at the hurdles to the personal independence of off-grid living, plod through the options that are currently available and then boil all that information down. The plan is to make the information as simple and accessible as possible, so that can be digested by the reader; and employed in a manner that best suits their needs, budget and abilities. This guide will be tackling the 'Big Five' logistical issues facing people wanting to create an off-grid home & life. These are: 1) Power 2) Water 3) Sanitation 4) Climate Control (Heating and Cooling) 5) Food Storage (including refrigeration) Again, while this sort of information is available currently, it's spread all over the internet, consisting of videos, blogs, articles, and who knows what else. Like most of these topics, a lot of what's out there is long, wordy, confusing and in some cases conflicting. "A smart man learns from his mistakes, a wise man learns from the mistakes of others and monkeys learn through repetition." This is something I've demonstrated an ability in, to take complex subjects and present them to the various learning styles in a way that everyone can process, understand and implement for themselves. And these lessons encompass both the good and the bad. I've owned my tiny house since 2013 and this guide will be written in plain talk using real world, No-BS lessons I've learned over the last 9 years dealing with the above five subjects. Some of these lessons have had steep (and expensive) learning curves, but better to learn from my mistakes than to wander in blindly and repeat them. Whether you're looking to reduce your daily grind, take a break from the big city, or just want to reclaim some of your privacy that's been lost in the digital age, then this is going to be the guide for you. Earth & Water was the last of a 3 part series I started in May of 2020 during the height of the Pandemic. This book consists of 131 pages broken down into seven chapters which are: Water, Power, Climate Control, Refrigeration, Sanitation, Legal Ramifications and Tips. The guide walks you through planning these critical areas with plenty of pictures, careful explanations and a sprinkling of humor. This book will be useful to everyone from the novice to the expert alike.

Want to take advantage of solar power in your home? Whether you’re looking to save on your energy costs by adding a few solar components or you want to build a solar-powered house from the ground up, Solar Power For Dummies takes the mystery out of this energy source and shows you how to put it to work for you! This friendly, hands-on guide is packed with tips for making your home more energy-efficient though solar power—and helping the planet at the same time. You’ll see how to survey your home to determine your current household energy efficiency and use, and evaluate where solar power would best benefit you. You’ll also calculate what the return on your investment will be before you make any decisions. Once you’ve decided on a project, you’ll see whether it’s best to hire a contractor or do it yourself. We leave no stone unturned—you’ll also discover how to: Choose and install your best solar system Handle small to large solar projects Heat and cool your house with solar energy Install exterior solar lighting Handle swimming pool, water heater, or ventilation solar projects Create greenhouses or solar rooms Build, buy, or sell a solar home Finance your solar investments Take advantage of tax rebates and incentives associated with solar power Avoid the worst solar mistakes Featuring ten of the easiest and cheapest do-it-yourself solar projects, Solar Power For Dummies is the fun and easy way to meet your energy needs with this clean power source!

Off Grid Solar is a pocket guide and quick reference for anyone looking to build an electrical energy system using free sunshine available to us all. Are you a self-reliant builder who is ready to become energy independent? Are you an inquisitive builder who wants to know how solar energy can power your life indefinitely?

The bestselling alternative energy reference book in North America—now in an updated edition Want to take advantage of solar power in your home? Whether you’re looking to save on your energy costs by adding a few solar components or you want to build a solar-powered house from the ground up, Solar Power For Dummies, 2nd Edition takes the mystery out of this energy source and shows you how to put it to work for you! This new edition gives you hands-on tips and techniques for making your home more energy-efficient though solar power—and helping the planet at the same time. Plus, you’ll get all the latest information on changes to federal, state, and local regulations, laws, and tax incentives that seek to make solar-power adoption more feasible. Expanded coverage of the technology that underpins full-scale solar-power systems for the home New small- and mid-sized solar products, projects, and applications Rik DeGunther is a design engineer who started his own energy consulting firm Featuring ten of the easiest and cheapest DIY solar projects, Solar Power For Dummies, 2nd Edition is the fun and easy way to meet your energy needs with this clean power source!

Popular Mechanics inspires, instructs and influences readers to help them master the modern world. Whether it’s practical DIY home-improvement tips, gadgets and digital technology, information on the newest cars or the latest breakthroughs in science -- PM is the ultimate guide to our high-tech lifestyle.

Solar Energy is a wonderful concept. Take free energy from the sun and use it to power electrical equipment. No ongoing electricity bills, no reliance on an electricity socket. ‘Free’ electricity that does not harm the planet. Generating electricity from sunlight alone is a powerful resource, with applications and benefits throughout the world. But how does it work? What is it suitable for? How much does it cost? How do I install it? This best-selling, internet linked book answers all these questions and shows you how to use the power of the sun to generate electricity yourself. Now in its eleventh edition, this book assumes no previous knowledge. It explains the advantages of solar energy and the drawbacks you need to take into account. As well as explaining the underlying principles, it provides a step-by-step guide so that you can successfully design and install a solar energy system from scratch. The website that accompanies this book includes online solar calculators and tools to simplify your solar installation, ensuring that building your system is as straightforward and successful as possible. Readers can also get in touch directly with the author to ask questions and get further support with their solar projects.

Revised and Expanded Edition - Includes CD-ROM with Custom Design Software For the past ten years The Passive Solar House has offered proven techniques for building homes that heat and cool themselves, using readily available materials and methods familiar to all building contractors and many do-it-yourself homeowners. True to this innovative, straightforward approach, the new edition of this best-selling guide includes CSOL passive solar design software, making it easier than ever to heat your home with the power of the sun. Since The Passive Solar House was first published, passive solar construction expert James Kachadorian has perfected user-friendly, Windows-compatible software to supplement the design process explained in the book by allowing homeowners/designers to enter the specifications of their design and see how changing a variable will affect its energy efficiency. This is the building book for a world of climbing energy costs. Applicable to diverse regions, climates, budgets, and styles of architecture, Kachadorian's techniques translate the essentials of timeless solar design into practical wisdom for today's solar builders. Profiles of successful passive solar design, construction, and retrofit projects from readers of the first edition provide inspiration to first-time homebuilders and renovators alike.