How to safely use an inverter in an off-grid solar power system

Power inverters convert 12 or 24V battery voltage up to 230V mains voltage to power appliances that need this. For this reason, they are commonly used with off-grid solar power systems at festivals, and in remote locations. This blog post shows how to ensure that they are used safely.

Solar Tracker Platform - for solar cookers and bee's wax extractors

This simple single axis tracker is based on a design by Stan Wells. It will follow the sun from dawn to dusk. It uses two solar panels at right angles. If there is any difference in the amount of sunlight falling on these, it drives a motor until the difference is eliminated. Its a simple feedback mechanism.

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 as an 'electronic candle' during power cuts. 

Power, Cable Size and Fuses

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

DIY Solar Box Cooker - Build 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 DIY 720-watt hour solar power system. This provides LED lighting, charges phones, e-bike batteries, drills, runs power tools, and boils a small travel kettle. 

120 Watt hour Solar Power Pack - for LED lights, charge phones, laptops and cordless power tools

This blog post provides a brief description of a 120 Watt Hour Solar Power Pack. This provides a bright LED, USB charge points, and a 12 V lighter socket for a power inverter. The power inverter produces 230V for low-powered appliances.

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.

Watts, Volts, Amperes, Ampere hours and Watt hours - what does it all mean?

When planning your off-grid Solar Power system it helps to understand the numbers and terminology. This post explains in simple terms the meaning of these and how they relate to each other.

Building your own 42 Watt Hour Solar Power Pack

This is a portable battery pack that is charged using solar energy. It features a built-in light and USB sockets for phone charging. It can be used when camping, living off-grid or during power cuts. 

Haybox Cooking - also known as Thermal cooking

What is a haybox? It’s basically an insulated box in which you place your partly cooked food. The heat energy held in the pot and the food completes the cooking process without any external heat input.