Off Grid Solar Power: How to Design and Install a Mobile Solar System for RVs, Vans, Boats and Tiny Homes (DIY Solar Power)

Maybe one day when I can afford to I am hoping to take the house off the grid completely. I am unsure if it's legal in the UK but I know that rural areas and farms can so I don't see why not. I will one day own the house when the worst happens to a relative I am looking after and I know I can't afford to pay gas and electric. So I plan to use inheritance to put solar panels on the house with a small wind turbine and a petrol and gas dual fuel generator. This book helps a lot. I am trained to level 2 as an electrician so that helps a lot and I have a Bsc in vehicles and transport. My dissertation was "Alternative fuels for vehicles" so it helps that I know a lot of stuff explained. This book does have a lot of calculations for working out how much power you will get from how many solar panels and how much power you get from different times of year or light and where your home is positioned. My home is lucky to be south facing. I have already worked out what I need but this book will help. It also gives advice for RVs and mobile homes. It's a useful book but some math knowledge would be useful to work out what is needed. Going off grid you need to calculate all the stuff you use that uses a lot of power such as kettles, microwaves, cookers, hobs, washing machines or dryers which all use a high wattage. Plus you need to have a fully charged battery bank for night time use or winter. I also plan on coming off gas and using a heat pump to heat the radiators and the water. That will probably use 1500kw when it is on. I will need around 5000 watts from the he solar panels to run the house and the high watt appliances can't be all on at once. Good book though.

Good publication all round. Easy to read, diagrams Easy to follow. A good reference book.

The principle of installing one's own power source from the sunlight is excellent and should save a lot of money and carbon over the years. The components, issues, principles and procedures are explained, with helpful photos. A solar array could be fitted to a house, cabin, car, boat or other vehicle. I particularly like the emphasis on safety - what to wear, when not to do the work, how to make sure you have what you need, when to ask for help. Some points the authors might address in the next book - I looked to see if there was an update to my edition, and there isn't. In Ireland, the law requires all electrical work to be carried out by a qualified and registered electrician. The book assumes we are doing the work personally. I feel we should be advised to check for legality. On 82% the advice is that if we're not comfortable installing the system we've bought on a house roof, it's time to call a professional. We're also recommended to get a pro to test the system before it goes into use, and to check it occasionally over the years. How many pros are going to be willing to do this, when they did not get the job of buying the parts and installing the system? They would want to inspect every item, fastening point and circuit before signing off on this. How long would they keep you waiting? At an early point, 14%, the diagrams for on grid and off grid have the opposite labelling. This is a minor error, easily seen by the reader, but it means I can't, as a non expert, guarantee the accuracy of all the other diagram labels. In Ireland, UK and other places, we now have the option to generate solar power at home and sell it into the grid if we generate more than needed. This requires extra circuit equipment and can be a source of income for farms, householders etc. Even though the theme is off-grid power, I feel it deserves a mention. With vehicles and boats especially, I would warn that black panels could get scorching hot on a sunny day and should not be touched once installed. The book will be helpful for student electricians; and for householders, farmers, boat owners etc. who are thinking of getting a solar array. They will understand the benefits and drawbacks, and will be able to talk to building contractors or electricians with some degree of understanding. I am not qualified to say whether the book is all anyone would need to install solar panels. I read a Kindle version. This is an unbiased review.

This is a great book. Easy to read and understand. A definate go to book for anyone to set up their solar system. Well written no wittering!! *********

Easy to read and understand the basics and how to set up a working system

another book on solar power i havent finished reading it yet and will do an updated review when i have read book

Thank you it’s spot on

Great read very informative and easy to follow along, ideal for the beginner.

Good read. Taught me alot

I read this author's comprehensive book on home solar power and found it user friendly and extremely informative. I am happy to say this book on mobile solar power is equally comprehensive. So if you are are curious about solar power or want the knowledge necessary to install your own mobile system, this is the perfect guide. It explains the principles in easy to follow language. It gives you everything you need to know to evaluate your power needs and the basics to decide if solar power is something for you to pursue. It is also a comprehensive guide for making installation decisions. If you are considering mobile solar power, read this first to make informed decisions.

If you are looking at any form of off-grid solar, this book is almost a must read. It lucidly explains all the details, starting with a basic introduction to electricity, enough to really comprehend all you need regarding your solar plans. The only areas where I think you might want to expand beyond what the book offers is to be very sure that solar thermal is not an option you should be considering. In the right places it is very powerful for 95% efficiency wins out over 22% efficiency any day. In some cases, you might want both. The other area is batteries. I am not wild about Lithium Ion for stationary applications, and the book does not discuss other battery technolgies in depth, but there are tubular gel batteries, NiFe batteries, coming soon Seasalt batters, and a number of other options which actually way outperform LiIon. Some have life expectancies double or triple that of Lithium Ion. Also, I think the book should include some more information on the sustainability/recyclability issue, which is becoming bigger by the day. One example is CdTe thin film technology. CdTe is so potentially toxic, you might find yourself stuck with a huge recycling problem when all is said and done. Having said that, in all of the basic considerations for planning off-grid solar this book is an absolutely solid place to start to the point that even if newer options come along the knowledge from this book will help you evaluate them much more easily.

worth the purchase

a very clear easy to understand solar book