Table of Contents
1. Introducing Solar Energy
1.1. Who this book is aimed at
1.2. The rapidly changing world of solar energy
1.3. Solar electricity and solar heating
1.4. The source of solar power
1.5. The principles of solar electricity
1.6. Understanding the terminology
1.7. Setting expectations for solar electricity
1.8. Why choose a solar electric system?
1.9. Cost-justifying solar
1.10. Solar power and wind power
1.11. Fuel cells
1.12. Solar electricity and the environment
1.13. In conclusion
2. Making and saving money with solar
2.1. The ever rising cost of energy
2.2. Installing electricity to a new building
2.3. Subsidies, grants and other financial incentives
2.4. In Conclusion
3. A Brief Introduction to Electricity
3.1. Don’t panic
3.2. A brief introduction to electricity
3.3. How to measure electricity
3.4. The relationship between volts, amps, ohms, watts and watt-hours
3.5. Low current and high current systems
3.6. A word for non-electricians
3.7. In conclusion
4. The Four Configurations for Solar Power
4.1. Stand-alone/off-grid
4.2. Grid-tie
4.3. Grid-tie with power backup (grid interactive)
4.4. Grid fallback
4.5. How grid-tie systems differ from stand-alone
4.6. In conclusion
5. Components of a Solar Electric System
5.1. Solar panels
5.2. Batteries
5.3. Controller
5.4. Inverter
5.5. Electrical devices
5.6. Connecting everything together
5.7. In conclusion
6. The Design Process
6.1. Short-cutting the design work
6.2. Solar energy and emotions
6.3. In conclusion
7. Scoping the Project
7.1. Designing grid-tie or grid fallback systems
7.2. Fleshing out the scope
7.3. Producing a power analysis
7.4. When you are ready to proceed
7.5. Calculating inefficiencies
7.6. When do you need to use the solar system?
7.7. Keeping it simple
7.8. Improving the scope
7.9. In conclusion
8. Calculating Solar Energy
8.1. What is solar energy?
8.2. Solar panels and shade
8.3. Solar array power point efficiencies
8.4. The effects of temperature on solar panels
8.5. Working out an approximate cost
8.6. Working out dimensions
8.7. In conclusion
9. Surveying Your Site
9.1. What we want to achieve
9.2. First impressions
9.3. Positioning the solar array
9.4. Identifying the path of the sun across the sky
9.5. Shading
9.6. Positioning batteries, controllers and inverters
9.7. Cabling
9.8. Site survey for the holiday home
9.9. In conclusion
10. Understanding the Components
10.1. Common components for all systems
10.2. Solar panels
10.3. Solar panel mountings
10.4. Solar array cables
10.5. Solar array connectors
10.6. Fuses and isolation switches
10.7. The importance of using the correct cables, connectors and isolation switches
10.8. Ground fault protection
10.9. Components for Grid-Tie systems
10.10. Grid-tie solar panels
10.11. Grid-tie inverters
10.12. Components for Stand-Alone Systems
10.13. Calculate your optimum voltage
10.14. How to calculate your current
10.15. Calculating cable thicknesses
10.16. Mixing and matching solar panels
10.17. Batteries
10.18. Solar controller
10.19. Inverters
10.20. Cables
10.21. Plugs and sockets
10.22. Appliances
10.23. Reputable brand names
10.24. Shopping list for the holiday home
10.25. In conclusion
11. Planning, regulations and approvals
11.1. National and international standards for solar components
11.2. Installation regulations
11.3. Getting your electricity supplier involved
11.4. In conclusion
12. Detailed Design
12.1. Safety is designed in
12.2. Solar array design
12.3. Batteries
12.4. Specifics for a grid fallback system
12.5. Circuit protection
12.6. Cable sizing and selection
12.7. Some sample wiring diagrams
12.8. The next step
12.9. Solar frame mounting
12.10. Positioning batteries
12.11. Planning the installation
12.12. In conclusion
13. Installation
13.1. Safety
13.2. Assembling your toolkit
13.3. Preparing your site
13.4. Testing your solar panels
13.5. Installing the solar array
13.6. Installing the batteries
13.7. Installing the control equipment
13.8. Installing a grid-tie system
13.9. Commissioning the system
13.10. Charging up your batteries
13.11. Connecting your devices
13.12. In conclusion
14. Troubleshooting
14.1. Keep safe
14.2. Common faults
14.3. Excessive power usage
14.4. Insufficient power generation
14.5. Damaged wiring/ poor connections
14.6. Weak battery
14.7. Inverter issues
15. Maintaining Your System
16. Internet Support Tools available on the website
Appendix A – Typical Power Requirements
16.1. Household and office
16.2. Garden and DIY
16.3. Caravans, boats and recreational vehicles
Appendix B – Living Off-Grid
16.4. A solar electric system in conjunction with grid electricity
16.5. Grid Fallback and Grid Failover systems
A Final Word
