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...
For a truly independent energy system, your choices are solar, wind, and water
By Larry Elliott
Issue #28 • July/August, 1994
Just as the words "backwoods home" conjure up images of farmhouses, livestock, woodstoves, tractors, and gardens, the words "independent energy" bring to mind a whole new set of...
Build a passive-solar food dehydrator
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #143 • September/October, 2013
The finished passive-solar dehydrator maintained a fairly constant temperature of 150° F throughout most of the day without any repositioning, which shows that this design can...
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....
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...
Power Up Light, Water, Communications in Emergencies
By Jeffrey R. Yago, P.E., C.E.M.
April/May/June, 2019
Preparing for any emergency or future disaster is never easy. What should you prepare against; what is the likelihood it will actually happen; how long will it take...
Installing your own small, remote off-grid solar system
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #116 • March/April, 2008
A typical residential-size solar system installation will involve properly sized and installed AC and DC electrical wiring to reduce the risk of electrical fire, a proper...
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...
Prepper power! Part 2
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #137 • September/October, 2012
I discussed in Part 1 the many reasons why preppers need to think more long-term about providing reliable electric power. I also mentioned that while it's...
Solar power for farm and ranch
By Jeffrey R. Yago, P.E.
It may be surprising to learn that there are now all kinds of do-it-yourself solar powered devices specifically designed to make farmers and ranchers lives easier and safer. Many of...
Solar Power 101: Inverters
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #89 • September/October, 2004
This article is the third in a series of our beginner's course in solar electricity. Simultaneously we have instituted a Home Energy Information (www.homeenergy.info) section on...
Build your own battery charging station
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #142 • July/August, 2013
Completed charging station after sanding and painting
Let me guess the reason many of you do not use rechargeable batteries is that every time you need...
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...
Solar suitcase
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #150 • November/December, 2014
Completed solar suitcase project
From time to time, people call to ask what we have for emergency solar power suitable for a bug-out bag. Naturally, my first...
Use solar landscape lights for emergencies
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #141 • May/June, 2013
Solar-powered landscape lights in dark room.
Note different light patterns and brightness.
People own all kinds of household items that can be used to make life easier during...
Solar Power 101 — Batteries: Part 2
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #88 • July/August, 2004
This article is the second in a series of what will be a beginner's course in solar electricty. Simultaneously we have instituted a Home Energy Information...
