Publisher's Synopsis
This short book provides the semi-technical, power-conscious homeowner a place to begin in the quest for home electric power. Both the essential principles and detailed information on how to build or maintain a home electric system off the utility grid are presented in an easy-going style. This book will help you to safeguard or develop your own home electricity supply: Step-by-step calculations lead you through your own electric system design, to determine sizing of solar panels, battery bank, solar charger, and inverter based on load estimation; Examples are given that can be used as templates for your electric system; Practical details on everything from wire size, outlet conventions, solar-panel junction box wiring, generator maintenance, and charger connections are well illustrated; Major factors are considered for wind, ethanol production, and streams as power sources; Basic electric theory is explained using basic mathematics; the use of formulas is made clear using examples; Electric system problems are described, with suggested remedies, including practical annoyances that are usually not covered elsewhere.
