Converting a Gasoline-Powered Rototiller to Electric
By Glenn Willis, Jr.
Issue #87 • May/June, 2004
Several years ago my sister and her husband had an 8-horse gas-powered rototiller that went belly up. They fussed with it a bit, but couldn't get it...
Making and using a solar cooker
By Joe Radabaugh
Issue #30 • November/December, 2004
Solar cooking is a delightful alternative to conventional cooking methods. The solar cookers available today really work and they deserve serious evaluation by a much larger audience. For...
Solar power trailer Part 1
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #108 • November/December, 2007
Many of us like to go camping, but as we age it's much easier if we have a bathroom, kitchen, refrigerator, microwave oven, television, DVD player,...
Powering medical equipment during a utility blackout
By Michael Hackleman
Issue #70 • July/August, 2001
Most people consider blackouts a nuisance. However, for some folks, a blackout can be paralyzing or even deadly, particularly if a critical piece of medical equipment lacks electricity....
Keep those gadgets working after the power goes out
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #84 • November/December, 2004
The recent 2003 northeast electric grid failure taught the residents of many large cities what most rural residents learned years ago: Lights, air conditioners, televisions, stereos,...
Solar system codes — Build it right!
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #154 • July/August, 2015
Here, multiple homemade solar modules have caught fire and burned.
The further you go into the mountains or rural countryside, the more some people think building codes...
Sunny Solutions for north slope applications
By Michael Hackleman
Issue #61 • January/February, 2000
Solar-powered pumps have proved their worth for many installations worldwide, anywhere under the sun. However, in the northern hemisphere, a year-around spring located at the base of a...
Solar-powered chicken coop
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #132 • November/December, 2011
Pre-manufactured chicken coop with roof-mounted solar module
I am sure many of you have raised large flocks of chickens for years as a normal part of rural...
Phantom solar — The crucial invisible system needed before you install solar
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #78 •
Are you planning to install a solar photovoltaic system to reduce your utility bills? How would you like it if your first solar electric power system had invisible...
Are hydrogen-fueled cars pie-in-the-sky?
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #103 • January/February, 2007
Hydrogen-fueled cars is a topic of much discussion these days. People who want to see the U.S. freed from dependence on foreign oil often assume the...
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...
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...
Generators alone are not enough
By Jeff Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #157 • January/February, 2016
When talking to fellow preppers at self-reliance expos across the country, I am always impressed by how many already have long-term food supplies, stored water, medical...
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....
Walden Pond — the solar version: Part 2
By Jeffrey Yago, P.E., CEM
Issue #100 • July/August, 2006
In the last issue I provided the initial steps required to design your remote cabin or retreat for off-grid power. We also reviewed the types of...
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...
