Jam Jar solar powered light

This post describes a LED light kit that can be put inside a used jam jar along with a solar panel to provide a few hours of light in the evening - or during power cuts. 

Power, Cable Size and Fuses

 This note shows how to use power to work out the current and then the cable size. It also shows appropriate fuses for the size of cable used.

DIY Solar Cooker Instructions

This article outlines the design of a simple solar cooker for use in the tropics. It is relatively simple to build with readily available materials. It is based on the ‘Heaven’s Flame’ design by Maria Telkes. The design will have to be adopted to have a sloping glass front depending on the latitude of the place of use.

How to run a fridge with off-grid power

One of the challenges of off-grid living is how to power a fridge. This blog post looks at our experiment on hacking a freezer to work as a fridge that uses very little energy.

720 Watt Solar Power System for an shed / summer house /outbuilding

Here are some photos of a 720 Watt solar power system. This can provide LED lighting, charge phones, e-bike batteries, drills and even run power tools and boil a small travel kettle. For more information on how to build your own small solar power system, have a look at this page for dates of workshops.

120 Watt hour Solar Power Pack

These are photos and brief description of of the 120 Watt Hour Solar Power Pack. This provides a bright LED, USB charge points and a 12 V lighter socket for a power inverter.

Looking after the Lead Acid Batteries in your Solar Power System

Many people rage against Lead Acid batteries and claim that they don't last more than a year or two. This post is about looking after your batteries and get 5 to 10 years of service out of them.