I’m in the process of writing my very first how-to ebook, working title “A Solar Electric System On the Cheap, On the Fly, and Off the Grid”. Long-time TUAK readers know the Secret Lair has gone through two solar power systems, the first one having taught me the limitations of scrounging and how sometimes “minimum” really means “not enough.”
Here’s a first draft of the intro:
In 2006 I moved into the desert, away from all the city’s amenities. I sponged off the infrastructure of some friends while building my own little cabin in the boondocks.
Since I’m no professional builder and had no money, the project took years. At first my plan was very simple: Basically just a private little shack with an outhouse. But the longer it took, the more elaborate the plans became. Running water became available, which made an actual flush toilet possible, which meant I had to dig and build a septic system. It added months to the project, but hey! Indoor plumbing! What’s not to love?
See, when you pare things down to necessities you find that most modern conveniences, while not strictly necessary for life, are each such improvements that they almost may as well be. Would you live without running water if you didn’t have to? Me neither. How about electricity?
You don’t realize how much electricity makes possible until you go without it. Lights at night, sure. But how about connectivity? Communications? Entertainment? Do you even have a way to charge a cellphone battery? If not, you’d better be careful not to need emergency help. I’m a writer – I used to do it for a living. I’m typing this in my cabin in the desert, several miles from the nearest power pole. I’m using a laptop computer, and will transmit the document over a modem to a satellite. My original plan to go without electricity didn’t last long.
But how to do it? Solar electric systems are impossibly expensive by my (completely broke) standards. Plus, I didn’t know anything about how to install one. If the Solar Power Fairy had dropped all the crated parts into my yard one night, I’d still have been stuck for how to put it together. And the Fairy doesn’t seem to make housecalls around here. So this is a story of learning curves, and luck, and finding out (sometimes painfully) what I’m willing to do without and what I’m not. If you have any ideas about off-grid living in your own future, you might be able to profit from my experiences and mistakes.
The book will be brief and simple. It will cover the concept and components of a solar electric system, a description of the Lair’s first system, details on how and why it failed, simple instructions on what’s really needed for a minimal system, and a description of the Lair’s current system (which actually works.)
Solar power systems can include a lot of bells and whistles I don’t plan to cover – this is intended for someone planning to actually construct a simple system themselves. If you’ve got the money for the bells and whistles, you can afford to have a pro install them for you.
So my question: Does that sound like something anyone would actually drop a couple of bucks on? And what else would you expect to see in the contents? Comments (very) welcome.
I’ll buy it
I’ll buy one, if only to learn what I should attempt myself, and what I should pay to have done. Thanks!
I’d buy one. As far as what I’d like to see in it, why you picked what you did each time, what you would do different, and possibly a series of systems one could set up for various price points (if you have $500, use A, B, C; if you have $1000, go with D, E, F, etc.
Perhaps a list of sources of material and/or further info.
Any books you found helpful (or not).
Scrounging tips.
Inasmuch as you dah writer and I ain’t, I bet you’ve already got the above covered,
Oh, how about an eplanation of why, when I put up a panel in my bedroom window a week ago, there ain’t been no @$%^ sun since then? A measly 5 watts is all I ask and even that is too much. grumblemumble
It sounds like a book I’d buy.
Since we recently purchased a smallish patch of land with grass and young pecan trees, a 112 year old house remodeled 10 years ago on the inside, I’d be very interested in any ideas or leads on learning more in, at least partially, converting to some solar electricity. I’ve the shop and tools for quite a bit of work myself, but, need ideas on whether it will be worth it.
I’d buy it, too. If I had an ebook reader. I’d buy it just for your writing style and the fact that you’re writing from experience, not just producing “facts” out of your ass the way some how-to writers do.
I’d also suggest (if you can do it without getting too complicated) reflecting a bit on the problems of the other solar power system — the real, official, professionally installed one over at Landlady’s place that also didn’t work worth a damn. I don’t mean spend half the book on it. But just make the point that even if you have $12 or $15k to spend and you hire an “expert,” this whole business is tricky and can go very wrong on you.
Id buy it for sure would love to have that basic knowledge on hand
Yes please. I managed to happen upon your blog by way of Kevin I believe and just finished reading the whole thing cover to cover as it were. Throughout though, I constantly wished for a mo thorough discussion of your solar setup. It always seemed like something that should be easier and cheaper than all the experts make it out to be.
Also to Claire, if you have a computer, you do have an ebook reader as most publishers have a desktop client these days. And further, depending on how legally grey you feel like getting, you can convert most ebooks into a PDF.
I’d buy it. I’d note most folks considering offgird anywhere are seriously looking into wood heat – and you have some interesting experiences with woodstoves, fires, and what to do or not. Might fit in well with the theme…
Joel, Where I live the sun doesn’t shine often enough to make solar a cost effective option by any reckoning. I’d still be interested in your scrounge it, build it, hook it up yourself techniques. A lot of what I have is salvaged “junk” someone else threw away. Learning how someone scrounged up a solar power system would be interesting to me.
I’ll certainly buy one! And will promote it widely as well. No plans to build anything like that myself, but I have a number of friends who just might be tickled to learn about it. 🙂
Hell yes I’d buy!
Me too!
Montanasmama
Hell yeah! First hand experience is the bestest.
Yep.
Add my name to the list.
I will be building a solar system someday and it would be best to get the real skinny from some who actually knows rather than the other way around. [see comment by Claire above]
stay safe,
g
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