DIY Solar Power: How To Power Everything From The Sun Paperback – December 22, 2017

I found this work to be both comprehensive and easy to read and understand. I've been an electronics hobbyist for years, and I got interested in solar last year and built two panels from scratch. I spent far more time trying to research what I needed to know than I did in actually making it. I wish I'd read this book at the outset. It covers the entire subject in one reference that is best read, as the author suggests, from beginning to end. Having reached the end, one has a basic understanding of all the key concepts and how they fit together, the many different types of solar projects that can be undertaken, and at a nuts-and-bolts level needed for considering ones interests, deciding what is practical, planing a design, and getting the ball rolling.While it presents a lot of detail, it is written with the novice in mind as well, starting out, for example, with a basic explanation of electrical concepts that will be helpful in developing an intuitive understanding for the subject rather than just applying rules without knowing why. Similarly, it not only covers options for cell types, panels, and batteries, but it provides substantial understanding of how these options work and how they interact. Even though I'd researched the area pretty extensively, I still learned quite a bit that fills in the gaps, and reading it straight through as suggested served to cement a clear, overall picture of this content area enabling me to review what I've managed to do up to this point in contrast to alternatives I might have taken, and various paths I can take going forward to use what I've made. The table of contents and Kindle features like "search" and "notes" make it easy to locate specific interest areas again to go back and re-read in connection with a specific project.While it may be necessary to acquire a bit more information in some areas, for example if you decide to do your own cell tabbing frame construction as I did versus purchasing panels (which I would have done now in retrospect), you'll be able to do that much more efficiently and effectively having the knowledge imparted by this book. I would highly recommend it to anyone thinking about a solar project and, for that matter, anyone who just wants to learn more about this amazing advance in alternative energy that is beginning to flourish worldwide.

This is the second book I have read from Micah Toll. He has a talent for presenting information in a style which is clear, instructive and concise. The book requires no prior knowledge on the reader's part of solar power, electricity or electronics. It equips the reader with a solid foundation (including safety issues) for building useful solar projects.One of my relatives is considering construction of a new home with solar PVs -- either grid-tied or off-grid. This book has equipped me to understand the equipment, materials, design tradeoffs, safety issues and calculations for planning out my first projects.One surprise was the chapter on passive solar projects. I did not know it is possible to make a solar water heater that circulates water without any electricity whatsoever -- even for pumps!One small improvement would be to provide a few more recommendations and resources for finding parts which meet the requirements of those discussed in the book. I am still searching for a reliable way to locate parts on the internet without weeding through vast numbers of vague sites which turn out to not supply anything close to the desired component. I just joined Mr. Toll's Twitter feed -- @MicahToll -- and am hoping to learn more from it.

Great book for those just starting out in solar. I am experienced and still learned a few things. Well written and easy to understand.

I've bought several different books about PV and solar power. This is by far one of the easiest one to read and comprehend about using solar power. Highly recommend it! Lots of useful black and white illustrations!

Very good

i've have a career of forty + years as a Diesel Mechanic. i handyman everything I do at home. I've wired all my homes I built including routers and all sorts of data carrying projects. i can get by on my own very well but I also have had a lust for technical knowledge all my life. i used libraries constantly when there was no internet. What a blessing the internet can be if used properly. I am very thankful for Micah's book and books, I always want to learn fro the best especially when it comes to electricity. SAFETY I worked around 70,000 volts everyday, we lost one electrician from something that happened that wasn't supposed to happen. The price for these books is a lunch ticked price for most people, you cant get enough knowledge on electricity from 1 volt to 70,000 volts in solar setups or building your own storage source . This book will definitely make you safer and get you on the right step to competing a solar system. Thanks Micah for sharing your knowledge I have learned a lot. And yes I have tinkered with solar for quite awhile, I just wanted more knowledge to add to my resources and wasn't disappointed .