Solar hot water systems
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Photos by Patrick Redgate
Issue #118 • July/August, 2009
With continued shortages of wood for home heating, the Greeks built the North Hill section of Olympus in the 5th century B.C. This...
Solar Power 101 — Solar arrays
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #90 • November/December, 2004
This article is the fourth and final part of our beginner's course in solar electricity. Simultaneously we have instituted a Home Energy Information (www.homeenergy.info) section on...
Power-up bag
By Jeffrey R. Yago, P. E.
During any emergency or related power outage, the most important electronic device you need to keep operating is your cell phone, at least as long as cellular service is...
Emergency solar power for $950
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #73 • January/February, 2002
For less than the price of a desktop computer you can have the piece of mind that your lights and small appliances can operate for months...
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....
Solar power trailer Part 2
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #109 • January/February, 2008
In Part I of this article in the November/December 2007 issue, I described the many uses for a solar power system that could be made totally...
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...
How to select the right backup generator
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #82 • July/August, 2003
Now that the threat of terrorist sabotage to our utility infrastructure has been added to our basic concerns about storm related power outages, this may be...
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...
Handy Keychain Mini-Gadgets
By Jeff Yago, P.E., CEM
Winter, 2017
I believe when most people think of being prepared, they immediately think in terms of bug-out bags, stored food and water, guns, and generators. However, there can be less...
Solar-Powered Electric Fencing
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #147 • May/June, 2014
A new electric fence attached to older traditional wood fencing
More and more people are turning to electric fences as the cost of standard metal and wood...
Battery powered weekend retreat
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #83 • September/October, 2003
Blake McKinney owned several acres of beautiful deep forest wilderness along a fast-moving year-round fishing stream that was perfect for a planned weekend retreat. Mr. McKinney,...
Install a mobile, solar powered toilet
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #79 • January/February, 2003
When our solar business started to really increase, I found myself spending more and more time in my truck traveling down the highway to very remote...
Energy class: Part 1
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #111 • May/June, 2008
Each fall when my dad took us to the State Fair, we could always count on this fast-talking salesman standing next to his car with a...
Energy class: Part 3
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #113 • November/December, 2008
In Part I of this series of articles, we reviewed how home utility costs will be the next energy source expected to have major cost increases...
Keep the Ice On
By Jeffrey R. Yago, P.E., C.E.M.
Self-Reliance, Fall 2019
When I ask most people why they own or are looking to buy a generator, most will say it is to keep a refrigerator or freezer operating....
