Solar-powered refrigerators
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #102 • November/December, 2006
In Issue #99, I discussed the importance of using the most energy-efficient appliances you can buy for any remote cabin or off-grid solar application. I also...
7 Solar Water Heating System Designs
By Michael Hackleman
Issue #65 • September/October, 2000
(Rob Harlan is a general and solar contractor with 25 years of experience with solar water heating systems in Mendocino County, California. Rob primarily designs and installs photovoltaic...
Build your own solar-powered water pumping station
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #91 • January/February, 2005
In the last issue, there was an excellent article by Dorothy Ainsworth on water pumping using mechanical windmills. In this issue I will address another form...
Hydronic woodstoves
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #105 • May/June, 2007
Do you realize there is an entire field of woodstoves that the general public rarely hears about, even though there are specialty woodstove stores in every...
Homemade electric power
By Jim Van Sant
Issue #131 • September/October, 2011
Ever wonder how you could live off the grid when the sun isn't shining on your solar panels?
Our homestead alternative energy system is based on 12 volts...
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...
Job site solar power
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #144 • November/December, 2013
Regardless of your favorite brand, standardize all
battery-powered tools to use the same battery pack.
If you are planning to live off-grid or are building something in a...
Portable solar power
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #134 • March/April, 2012
Fold-up solar modules now available in many sizes
As the cost of solar cells has declined, the industry has started to increase the physical size of individual...
Solar Building Design
By Steven Heckeroth
Issue #63 • May/June, 2000
Solar building design has been used since ancient times. In the more recent past, it has been more or less ignored as impractical, complicated, or too expensive. Incorporating...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Get the most out of your vehicle and your maintenance dollar
By Len Torney
Issue #116 • March/April, 2009
Let's face itwe all own vehicles. Our rural lifestyle pretty much leaves us dependent on our vehicles for all of our daily transportation needs, as well as the...
Grid-down battery devices
By Jeff Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #163 • January/February, 2017
Most of my past articles and my just-released new book titled, Lights On, drive home the importance of having multiple battery-powered devices during an extended power...
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...
