The BP Solar advantage Premium Performance Crystalline High Performance Crystalline Laser Grooved Monocrystalline Premium Enhanced Multicrystalline • World leading efficiency—ideal for maximizing power and reducing installation cost • Market leading energy generating kWh/kWp performance demonstrated in third party tests • Leading commercial laser cell processing provides a power boost over other technologies • Superior power tolerance • Standard 25 year power warranty and year materials and workmanship warranty • Superior energy generating kWh/kWp performance • Excellent efficiency and reliability through enhanced cell processing technology • Superior power tolerance • Attractive dark frame appearance • Standard 25 year power warranty and year materials and workmanship warranty Performance Crystalline Enhanced Monocrystalline and Multicrystalline • High power performance achieved through enhanced cell processing technology • High efficiency and reliability for diverse grid and off-grid applications • Widest selection of module sizes from to 160 W • Specialized frame and voltage options for small modules • Standard 20 or 25 year power warranty.* High Performance Thin Film Advanced Millennia™ & Apollođ Thin Film Technology ã Most cost-effective power output where space is not a constraint • Market leading thin film efficiencies • Superior energy generating kWh/kWp performances • Aesthetic appearance: glass over uniform black substrate easily fits into a building’s design • Standard 20 year power warranty for Millennia™ and 10 year power warranty for Apollo® Superior technologies and the widest choice of solar electric solutions Wherever and whenever you need power, BP Solar has the right solution for you As a world leader in solar energy, not only does BP Solar offer the widest range of products and technologies to meet your energy needs, we're also located close to wherever you need us Our extensive, highly experienced distributor network is ready to serve you, wherever you are, offering quality products and the highest level of customer support As a premier solar manufacturer with three decades of experience backed by one of the largest energy companies in the world, the BP Solar name is synonymous with quality, reliability, performance and trust BP Solar means choice the natural source for electricity ® BP Solar means performance BP Solar means solutions www.bpsolar.com * Modules 50w and below have power warranties of 20 years or less USA Alternative Solar Products California Toll Free: 800.229.7652 Phone: 909.308.2366 E-mail: mark@alternativesolar.com Internet: www.alternativesolar.com Atlantic Solar Products, Inc Maryland Toll Free: 800.807.2857 Phone: 410.686.2500 E-mail: mail@atlanticsolar.com Internet: www.atlanticsolar.com Dankoff Solar Products New Mexico Toll Free: 888.396.6611 Phone: 505.473.3800 E-mail: pumps@dankoffsolar.com Internet: www.dankoffsolar.com Hutton Communications - Georgia Toll Free: 877.896.2806 Phone: 770.963.1380 Fax: 770.963.9335 E-mail: sales@huttonsolar.com Internet: www.huttonsolar.com Effective Solar Products - Louisiana Toll Free: 888.824.0090 Phone: 504.537.0090 E-mail: esp@effectivesolar.com Internet: www.effectivesolar.com Intermountain Solar Technologies Utah Toll Free: 800.671.0169 Phone: 801.501.9353 E-mail: orrin@intermountainsolar.com Internet: www.intermountainwholesale.com Polar Wire - Alaska Phone: 907.561.5955 Fax: 907.561.4233 E-mail: sales@polarwire.com Internet: www.polarwire.com Solar Depot, Inc - California Toll Free: 800.822.4041 Phone: 415.499.1333 E-mail: info@solardepot.com Internet: www.solardepot.com Sun Amp Power Company - Arizona Toll Free: 800.677.6527 Phone: 480.922.9782 E-mail: sunamp@sunamp.com Internet: www.sunamp.com Schott Applied Power Corp California Toll Free: 800.777.7075 Phone: 707.923.2277 E-mail: sales@appliedpower.com Internet: www.appliedpower.com Southwest PV Systems - Texas Toll Free: 800.899.7978 Phone: 281.351.0031 E-mail: swpv@southwestpv.com Internet: www.southwestpv.com Talmage Solar Engineering, Inc Solar Market - Maine Toll Free: 877.785.0088 Phone: 207.985.0088 E-mail: sm@solarmarket.com Internet: www.solarmarket.com CANADA Powersource Energy Systems Alberta Toll Free: 888.291.9039 Phone: 403.291.9039 E-mail: info@powersourceenergy.com Internet: www.powersourceenergy.com Powersource Energy Systems British Columbia Toll Free: 888.544.2115 Phone: 250.544.2115 E-mail: info@powersourceenergy.com Internet: www.powersourceenergy.com Powersource Energy Systems Ontario Toll Free: 866.730.5570 Phone: 705.730.5570 E-mail: info@powersourceenergy.com Internet: www.powersourceenergy.com Trans-Canada Energie - Quebec Toll Free: 800.661.3330 Phone: 450.348.2370 E-mail: rozonbatteries@yahoo.com Internet: www.worldbatteries.com The BP Solar advantage Premium Performance Crystalline High Performance Crystalline Laser Grooved Monocrystalline Premium Enhanced Multicrystalline • World leading efficiency—ideal for maximizing power and reducing installation cost • Market leading energy generating kWh/kWp performance demonstrated in third party tests • Leading commercial laser cell processing provides a power boost over other technologies • Superior power tolerance • Standard 25 year power warranty and year materials and workmanship warranty • Superior energy generating kWh/kWp performance • Excellent efficiency and reliability through enhanced cell processing technology • Superior power tolerance • Attractive dark frame appearance • Standard 25 year power warranty and year materials and workmanship warranty Performance Crystalline Enhanced Monocrystalline and Multicrystalline • High power performance achieved through enhanced cell processing technology • High efficiency and reliability for diverse grid and off-grid applications • Widest selection of module sizes from to 160 W • Specialized frame and voltage options for small modules • Standard 20 or 25 year power warranty.* High Performance Thin Film Advanced Millennia™ & Apollo® Thin Film Technology • Most cost-effective power output where space is not a constraint • Market leading thin film efficiencies • Superior energy generating kWh/kWp performances • Aesthetic appearance: glass over uniform black substrate easily fits into a building’s design • Standard 20 year power warranty for Millennia™ and 10 year power warranty for Apollo® Superior technologies and the widest choice of solar electric solutions Wherever and whenever you need power, BP Solar has the right solution for you As a world leader in solar energy, not only does BP Solar offer the widest range of products and technologies to meet your energy needs, we're also located close to wherever you need us Our extensive, highly experienced distributor network is ready to serve you, wherever you are, offering quality products and the highest level of customer support As a premier solar manufacturer with three decades of experience backed by one of the largest energy companies in the world, the BP Solar name is synonymous with quality, reliability, performance and trust BP Solar means choice the natural source for electricity ® BP Solar means performance BP Solar means solutions www.bpsolar.com * Modules 50w and below have power warranties of 20 years or less USA Alternative Solar Products California Toll Free: 800.229.7652 Phone: 909.308.2366 E-mail: mark@alternativesolar.com Internet: www.alternativesolar.com Atlantic Solar Products, Inc Maryland Toll Free: 800.807.2857 Phone: 410.686.2500 E-mail: mail@atlanticsolar.com Internet: www.atlanticsolar.com Dankoff Solar Products New Mexico Toll Free: 888.396.6611 Phone: 505.473.3800 E-mail: pumps@dankoffsolar.com Internet: www.dankoffsolar.com Hutton Communications - Georgia Toll Free: 877.896.2806 Phone: 770.963.1380 Fax: 770.963.9335 E-mail: sales@huttonsolar.com Internet: www.huttonsolar.com Effective Solar Products - Louisiana Toll Free: 888.824.0090 Phone: 504.537.0090 E-mail: esp@effectivesolar.com Internet: www.effectivesolar.com Intermountain Solar Technologies Utah Toll Free: 800.671.0169 Phone: 801.501.9353 E-mail: orrin@intermountainsolar.com Internet: www.intermountainwholesale.com Polar Wire - Alaska Phone: 907.561.5955 Fax: 907.561.4233 E-mail: sales@polarwire.com Internet: www.polarwire.com Solar Depot, Inc - California Toll Free: 800.822.4041 Phone: 415.499.1333 E-mail: info@solardepot.com Internet: www.solardepot.com Sun Amp Power Company - Arizona Toll Free: 800.677.6527 Phone: 480.922.9782 E-mail: sunamp@sunamp.com Internet: www.sunamp.com Schott Applied Power Corp California Toll Free: 800.777.7075 Phone: 707.923.2277 E-mail: sales@appliedpower.com Internet: www.appliedpower.com Southwest PV Systems - Texas Toll Free: 800.899.7978 Phone: 281.351.0031 E-mail: swpv@southwestpv.com Internet: www.southwestpv.com Talmage Solar Engineering, Inc Solar Market - Maine Toll Free: 877.785.0088 Phone: 207.985.0088 E-mail: sm@solarmarket.com Internet: www.solarmarket.com CANADA Powersource Energy Systems Alberta Toll Free: 888.291.9039 Phone: 403.291.9039 E-mail: info@powersourceenergy.com Internet: www.powersourceenergy.com Powersource Energy Systems British Columbia Toll Free: 888.544.2115 Phone: 250.544.2115 E-mail: info@powersourceenergy.com Internet: www.powersourceenergy.com Powersource Energy Systems Ontario Toll Free: 866.730.5570 Phone: 705.730.5570 E-mail: info@powersourceenergy.com Internet: www.powersourceenergy.com Trans-Canada Energie - Quebec Toll Free: 800.661.3330 Phone: 450.348.2370 E-mail: rozonbatteries@yahoo.com Internet: www.worldbatteries.com d L Liste U verter n Watt I 1,800 Soon! e ailabl Av www.usbattery.com P RECYCLED POWER At U.S Battery, we’re committed to doing our part in keeping the environment clean and green for future generations, as well as providing you with premium deep cycle products guaranteed to deliver your power requirements when you need them Don’t settle for anything less than U.S Battery products! Home Power #77 • June / July 2000 1675 Sampson Ave Corona, CA 91719 (800) 695-0945 / 653 Industrial Park Dr., Evans, GA 30809 (800) 522-0945 HOME POWER THE HANDS-ON JOURNAL OF HOME-MADE POWER Issue #88 April / May 2002 Features 10 High Desert Solar California energy crisis? Yehuda Shapira decided to help out by paying for half of a 5,760 watt of grid-intertied photovoltaic system The state of California paid for the other half of this system that pumps electrons into California’s grid backwards through Yehuda’s meter 22 Solar Thermal 34 Homebrew Drainback Jay Peltz has only basic plumbing skills, but that didn’t keep him from building this fully successful solar drainback water heating system You can too 62 Get Out of the Kitchen Jennifer Barker has been a missionary for solar cookery for years Here, she explains the basics of different ovens, cooking techniques, and even offers some recipes Yum! GoPower 92 A Boy and his Car Not willing to let his 95 years stifle his hands-on history, Frank Silveria converts an ’87 VW Jetta to electric Lights, Camera, Solar! DJ Johnson sets an example and spreads the word by installing a PV system on his home, and simultaneously filming an educational video series for broadcast on public television Solar Remote Telephone Rob Savoye powers both ends of his radio-telephone with PV His stand-alone base unit runs on a portable system hiding unobtrusively in the woods Home Sweet Dome J Oliver wanted an off-grid dream home in the woods, just like anybody He came up with an energy and financially efficient solution— an inflatable-form concrete dome 54 70 Playing Woodwinds In one day, Dan Bartmann & Dan Fink built a fully functional wind generator (including the alternator) from wood Whether your goal is an educational model or functional power, you’ve GOT to check out this project! 46 Features 98 Bits, Pieces, & Gizmos Mike Brown tells us where to get all those random parts needed to build an electric vehicle On the cover: Erich Stephens and Gene Plunkett install PVs on DJ Johnson’s house as a TV camera crew films Guerrilla Solar 82 Guerrilla 0019 This guerrilla overcomes grid deficiencies to get his 240 watts of PV and two MicroSines to perform More Columns 116 Choices, ethics, quality, and the code in renewable energy systems Get Out the Lead Soldering how-to Things that Work! 88 Top-of-Pole PV Mount Direct Power & Water’s PV mounts are quick and easy to install, and strong too 124 134 Advertising: Phone: 800-707-6585 or 541-512-0201 Outside USA Fax: 541-512-0343 The Wizard E-mail: hp@homepower.com Web: www.homepower.com Ozonal Notes Card sharks, loan sharks but power sharks? How trading energy as a commodity has opened it up to fishy trading Insulation Handbook Insulation is one of the most important elements of residential energy efficiency Richard Bynum’s book is a nonbiased encyclopedia Rain Dance? Subscriptions and Back Issues: 800-707-6585 VISA / MC 541-512-0201 Outside USA Power from the feds, not to them Book Review 104 Regulars 106 Word Power Mythical units 108 Power Politics Macro-Enronomics 101 112 Independent Power Providers Tracking the elusive Xantrex Taming the wild Trace From Us to You 80 HP’s Subscription Form 81 Columns Access Data Home Power PO Box 520 Ashland, OR 97520 USA Kathleen sings an ode to the rains & snow that provide their electricity during the winter months 118 Homebrew 74 Code Corner Access and Info Home Power’s Biz Page 120 Happenings—RE Events 126 Letters to Home Power 138 Q&A 140 Writing for Home Power 142 Index to Advertisers Printed by St Croix Press, Inc., New Richmond, Wisconsin Legal MicroAds 144 Paper and Ink Data Cover paper is 50% recycled (10% postconsumer / 40% preconsumer) Recovery Gloss from S.D Warren Paper Company Interior paper, Pinewood Web Dull, a 55# 50% postconsumer, ECF, manufactured by Crown Vantage, a peroxide/oxygen based mill in St Francisville, Louisiana Printed using low VOC vegetable based inks Home Power (ISSN 1050-2416) is published bi-monthly for $22.50 per year at PO Box 520, Ashland, OR 97520 International surface subscription for US$30 Periodicals postage paid at Ashland, OR, and at additional mailing offices POSTMASTER send address corrections to Home Power, PO Box 520, Ashland, OR 97520 Copyright ©2002 Home Power, Inc All rights reserved Contents may not be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission While Home Power magazine strives for clarity and accuracy, we assume no responsibility or liability for the use of this information This paper is recycled and recycleable People If your power bills are rising And they’re gettin’ sky high, You might check for sharks In your power supply If your lights keep going out And you’re tired of their lie, You might check for sharks In your power supply If your pension plan is worthless And you wonder why, You might check for sharks In your power supply If the air you breathe is dirty And it’s makin’ you cry, You might check for sharks In your power supply If it’s energy you’re wantin’ And the sun’s still in the sky, You won’t find no sharks In that power supply! See Power Politics and Ozonal Notes for more power shark information Go solar—nature’s power-shark repellent! –Rappin’ Richard Perez for the Home Power crew Home Power #87 • February / March 2002 Jennifer Barker Dan Bartmann Mike Brown Sam Coleman Marika Febus Dan Fink Rick Germany Eric Grisen Pete Gruendeman Kathleen Jarschke-Schultze DJ Johnson Stan Krute Don Kulha Don Loweburg J Oliver Ken Olson Stephany Owen Karen Perez Richard Perez Jay Peltz Linda Pinkham Jason Powell Shari Prange Benjamin Root Connie Said Rob Savoye Joe Schwartz Yehuda Shapira Erich Stephens Michael Welch John Wiles Dave Wilmeth Ian Woofenden Rue Wright Solar Guerrilla 0019 “Think about it…” “People who are willing to give up freedom for the sake of short term security, deserve neither freedom nor security.” –Benjamin Franklin Yehuda Shapira ©2002 Yehuda Shapira Yehuda Shapira had his system components prewired and ready for an easy installation day The proud crew (inset photo, from left to right): Yehuda, Max, Dylan, Barry, and Danny alifornia’s high desert is an area rich in solar radiation Last summer, after years of “thinking about it,” all the planets lined up correctly for my family and me to build our renewable energy system Electricity prices were rising in California, the state’s renewable energy rebate program would pay for half the system’s cost, and a net metering law was in effect I was between jobs, and had the time and desire to design and build a photovoltaic system I’m a mechanical engineer working in aerospace, and I have tried my hand at a few RE projects over the years 10 Home Power #88 • April / May 2002 One was building a small homemade wind generator Another was a 10 watt panel that powered a laptop used in a month-long stay at Lizard Island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef I’ve wanted to put together a gridtied system for many years, and the time was right last summer The System The guiding principle behind my system was keeping it simple and practical to allow minimum maintenance and provide highest reliability The result is a 5,760 rated watt solar array The array consists of forty-eight, 24 VDC nominal, Solarex MSX120 panels wired in twelve parallel subarrays, each containing four panels The subarrays consist of two sets of two panels Each set has two series-connected panels, and the two sets are connected in parallel with each other The whole array is tilted at a fixed 34 degree angle from the horizontal for The Best Charger Made Today • Quickly Charges Up To ‘AAA’, ‘AA’, ‘C’ or ‘D’ Size NiCad Or NiMH Batteries • The Only Charger To Fully Charge All Sizes Of New High Capacity NiMH And NiCad Batteries • Intelligent Discharge Revitalizes NiCad Batteries • Also Works On 12V DC r Call fo FREE g Catalo $4995 Shipping Incl Need a renewable energy quick-start for the ole’ brain? Home Power Quick-Start Subscription Special Our last six available back issues, plus a one year surface subscription all for $45 inside USA (International extra) (Shipping $5 in US and Canada, $7 International) Home Power P.O Box 520, Ashland OR 97520 USA 800-707-6585 in USA, or 541-512-0201 VISA & MC 136 Home Power #88 • April / May 2002 3257$%/( %$1' 6$:0,//6 /80%(50$7(70  NEW ENGLAND SOLAR ELECTRIC, INC 401 Huntington Road, PO Box 435 Worthington, MA 01098 1-800-914-4131 This is the most popular book for PV remote homes It is written and published by New England Solar Electric Inc ‡ +DQGOHV ORJV ´ GLDPHWHU ‡ 6DZV ´ ZLGH ERDUGV EHDPV “Best all around book on wiring your PV system.” Real Goods Sourcebook “Our favorite book for Do-It-Yourselfers.” Windy Dankoff, Dankoff Solar Products $16.95 plus $3 PPS &DOO WRGD\ IRU PRUH GHWDLOV KS  KS  KS  KS   ([W     Z Z Z Q R U Z R R G L Q G X V W U L H V  F R P “This should become the bible for alternative (includes our $3 catalog) energy users.” Ken Cox, Trace Inverters Send $3 for our 80 page catalog and product guide Servel/Dometic Gas Refrigerators Trace Inverters Trojan Batteries Siemens & Solarex PV modules, Osram Bulbs Thinlite Fixtures Aquastar Hot Water Heaters AIR 403 Wind Generators Best book, most user friendly catalog, & best kits in the business 1RUZRRG ,QGXVWULHV ,QF ‡  6RQZLO 'ULYH %XIIDOR 1