Index to Home Power Issues #1 through #30 On the right side of each entry are two numbers, for example, 22-81, referring to issue 22, page 81. Abbreviations: (TtW!) = Things that Work! product test; Wp = peak watts output from PV panels; L-A = lead-acid battery Call Home Power at 916-475-3179 for availability of back issues. Issues 1 through 3 and 5 through 9 are sold out. Alternators: how they work, 20-10 Mark VI controller for alternator (homebrew), 2-23 24 Volt Mark VI (homebrew), 22-73 Ammeter see Multimeter Ampere-hour meter: (homebrew), 30-68, 26-42 Ample Power Company (TtW!), 20-40 Cruising Equipment (TtW!), 16-40 Cruising Equipment +2 (TtW!), 26-59 Offgrid's Power Meter 15 (TtW!), 25-61 Steamco Solar SPM2000 (TtW!), 27-56 Thompson & Howe (TtW!), 11-39 Architecture: solar 11-32, 11-34, 19-40 earth bermed, 29-22 glass and glazings, 30-26 PC Solar, IBM daylighting simulator (TtW!), 29-68 radiant heat barriers, 28-43 Resource Efficient Housing: Directory of Helpful Organizations, 26-77 Shelter, 18-49 Back to the Basics (column) 26-47, 27-71, 28-67, 29-72 Batteries: basics, 27-30 acid vs. alkaline, 17-35, 16-24 cables, see Wiring cost comparisons, 16-24 gassing, 19-50 Heliotrope HC-75 Charger (TtW!), 17-38 lead acid 1-25, 9-27 EDTA and, 20-23, 21-36, 22-94 gel, 25-46 Hydrocaps (TtW!), 11-37 internal resistance in, 3-34 SOC vs. Voltage for lead-acid 78¡F, 7-25, 9-26 SOC vs. Voltage for lead-acid 34¡F, 9-25 nicads: chemistry, types, SOC vs voltage, 12-16 charging with small PVs, 19-18 constant current battery charging (homebrew), 23-69, 23-71 pocket plate, care and feeding, 15-19 pocket plate, testing & reconditioning, 15-23, 25-72 pocket plate, reconditioned (TtW!), 13-17 pulsar charger, 30-54, 5-27 small, sealed, care & feeding, 4-14, 30-54 voltage regulation, 26-69 NiH, Ovonics (TtW!), 15-33 safety: spills and accidents, 27-69 short circuit protection, see System protection sick cells: diagnosis, 28-36 treatment, 29-44 ventilation, 6-31 Bio Mass, see Methane, Wood gasification Book reviews: Alternative Energy Sourcebook 1990, 17-51 Alternative Energy Sourcebook 1991, 22-81 Alternative Transportation News (magazine), 22-81 The Bladeless Tesla Turbine, 19-52 Buying Country Land, 29-78 Ecologue, 21-86 Efficient Washing Machines, 23-77 Electric Burro on the Road to Bogota, 18-49 The Fuel Savers, 25-77 Heaven's Flame Solar Cookers, 19-52 The Hydroponic Hothouse, 28-76 The Incredible Secret Money Machine, 17-51 In Pursuit of Adventure and Freedom, 23-76 The Complete Joy of Homebrewing, 24-75 Mavericks in Paradise, 23-76 Resource Efficient Housing: Directory of Helpful Organizations, 26-77 Shelter, 18-49 The Solar Electric Independent Home Book, 18-49, 23-77 Solar Electricity Today, 23-76 Sowing the Wind- Reflections on the Earth's Atmosphere, 23-77 Wiring 12 Volts for Ample Power, 20-16 Wildfire Across America, 23-77 World Wildlife Fund Atlas of the Environment, 21-85 Business, RE: careers in renewable energy, 26-36 Solar Pathfinder, 26-40 Solar Electricity Today, directory of RE businesses, 23-76 The Incredible Secret Money Machine, 17-51 Careers see Business Charge controllers see Regulators Christmas lights, 12 V DC (TtW!) 8-37 Circuit breakers see System protection Code Corner see National Electric Code Computer: ac powered, 21-45 Commodore 64 12 V regulator (homebrew), 23-71 inverter compatible equipment, 16-8 low power, 20-44 low voltage, 19-37 PC Solar (TtW!), 29-68 printers, 14-35, 16-52 RE bulletin boards, 27-60 Conservation: in system design, 10-21 need for worldwide, 9-34, 25-68 urban, 22-11 The Fuel Savers, 25-77 Resource Efficient Housing: Directory of Helpful Organizations, 26-77 Constant current source (homebrew), 21-82 Current, see Shunts, Ohm's law Developing countries: AE in Chile, 28-20 PV powered health care in Guyana, 20-37 PV refrigerators in South America, 21-20 village hydro in Nicaragua, 8-13 Disconnects see System protection, National Electric Code DMM see Multimeter Domestic hot water, see Solar water heating Education: STI (formerly ATA) PV for practitioners, 10-20, 12-13 batteries and PVs for elementary kids, 15-5, 16-14 floating school Agua Alegre, 5-5 Efficiency: appliances, 21-68 see also Phantom loads, Conservation, see also specific device Electric blanket, 12 V DC (TtW!), 8-36 Electric Vehicles (EVs): Alternative Transportation News, 22-81 education, Jordan College, 21-32 frames (homebrew), 15-42 hybrid electric vehicles, 8-5, 9-13 parts, access to, 19-54, (video) 27-78 reasons for owning an EV, 18-11 races: safety in, 30-22 Solar & Electric 500, 1991, 23-66 Solar & Electric 500, 1992, 30-16 Tour de Sol, American, 1990, 24-35 Tour de Sol, American, 1991, 24-35 World Solar Challenge, Australia, 1990, 21-29 solar vehicles: airplane, 19-6, 19-8 boat, 26-30 build your own, 14-27 Electricity: current, voltage, resistance described, 25-67 Electromagnetic fields (EMF): health effects, 23-24 EMF meter (homebrew), 23-26 of lighting, 30-32 reducing EMF, 24-62 Electronic parts, access to, 8-40 Emergency equipment: micro-power systems, 16-30 cooking: Camp Fire's B-B-Q Box (TtW!), 28-65 EVs see Electric Vehicles Food drying, see Solar food drying Fuel cells, 23-16 in PV/hydrogen system, 22-26 Fuses see System protection Generators, 1-19 12 VDC engine gen., build your own, 2-23 electronic ignition, build your own, 7-30 fuel handling, 4-18 Glossary, 18-72, 29-72 Greenhouses, The Hydroponic Hothouse, 28-76 Grounding, see System Protection, National Electric Code Heating: gas furnace retrofit, 4-21 hydronic air heating, RV, 26-53 Heating pad, 12 VDC (TtW!), 29-58 Home & Heart (column): earthquake, 29-76 food clubs & vacuums, 24-73 garlic, fluorescents, Thermomax, 28-72 open-pollinated seeds & box gardens, 25-73 RE homemakers, 22-71 Home & Heart cont.: solar food drying, 30-75 SunFrost & seeds, 26-75 SunFrosting, gophers & garlic, 27-76 washer & vacuums, 23-79 Homebrew: 12 V DC smart night-light, 23-70 amp-hour meter, 30-68, 26-42 battery, 12 or 24 V porta-power, 24-70 Commodore 64, 12 V regulator, 23-71 DC power supply, 29-69 electromagnetic field meter, 23-26 electric vehicle, 14-27 frames, 15-42 kiloWatt-hour meter on 120 vac systems, 17-50 Mark VI controller for alternator, 2-23 24 Volt Mark VI, 22-73 motors, soft-starting, 23-72 nicad chargers: constant current, 23-69, 23-71 pulsar PWM charging, 30-54, 5-27 wall cube replacement, 26-72 odometer, 26-64 PV siter (aim panels to sun), 26-73 PV tracker: manual, 13-20 active, 17-48 pulse generator, 21-78 quartz halogen lights, 18-47 refrigerator, low voltage DC, 16-48 regulator: "short circuit" 35 Amp, 28-57 shunt regulator, 18-46 "Latch-up", shunt, 25-74 relay, voltage controlled, 16-50 sewing machine, hand powered,17-59 solar sight, 28-61 timer to turn off loads, 16-49 voltmeter: expanded scale, 12-34 LED bargraph, 10-26 watt meter, 30-45 wind generator, 12-29 Hydro: Lil' Otto, 15-14 controlling, 13-35 induction generators in, 3-17 Energy Systems & Design turbine (TtW!), 30-50 long-distance power transmission for, 28-34 low head, 23-6 pipe tables, pressure loss vs. gpm, 8-25 PM motor/ LCB, 17-39 siting for, 15-17, 8-17, 1-7 see also Systems Hydrocaps (TtW!), 11-37 blow-outs, 19-50 Hydrogen: as a potential fuel, 21-17 electrolyzer, 22-32, 26-34 experimental PV hydrogen system, 22-26 video review, 27-78 Ice farming, 21-66 Index: HP 1 through 11, 11-51 HP 1 through 23, 24-92 HP 12 through 17, 18-50 Induction generators, in hydro systems, 3-17 Instrumentation, for home power systems, 24-42 Instrumentation cont.: see also specific type Inverters, 1-22 appliances on, 14-11 comparison, SEER '90, 19-29 electrical noise and inverter filters, 14-35 Exeltech SI-250 sinewave (TtW!), 27-53 fuses for, 24-66 see also NEC, System protection Heliotrope PSTT 2.3 kW (TtW!), 3-29 how they work, 23-53 mains panel, wiring to, 11-23 Powerstar POW200 (TtW!), 15-36 Powerstar UPG1300 (TtW!), 22-22 Statpower PROwatt 600 (TtW!), 20-48 Trace 812SB (TtW!), 28-53 Trace 1512 (TtW!), 2-29 Trace 2012 (TtW!), 8-29, 25-58 Trace 2524 (TtW!), 16-24 Trace upgrade, 22-57 Lead-acid batteries, see Batteries LCB, see Linear Current Booster Lighting: 12 V DC, 1-31 12 VDC night-light (homebrew), 23-70 12 VDC Northern Lites tail-light adaptor (TtW!) 4-28 12 VDC fluorescent (TtW!), 4-27 Christmas lights, 12 V DC (TtW!) 8-37 compact ac fluorescent, 16-27, 20-20 compact ac fluorescent comparison, 20-15 environmental effects of, 30-32 incandescent vs. fluorescent on 120 vac, 30-32, 3-41, 9-20 quartz halogen (homebrew), 18-47 Linear Current Boosters, 6-12 in hydro system,17-39, 28-34 long-distance power transmission using, 25-16 LCB 3-4-8 for water pumping (TtW!), 12-19 LCB 40 (TtW!), 29-53 Mark VI, see Regulators Maximum power point trackers, 29-34 Methane: animal treatment, retaining heat, 27-44 basics, low pressure storage tank, 26-24 chemistry, pH balance, heat, 28-39 tank insulation, heat, raw material requirements, 30-42 Micro-power systems, see Systems Motors: soft-starting (homebrew), 23-72 Multimeters: and Ohm's law, 16-46 Cygnet M-32 Battery Monitor (TtW!), 62-26 Fluke 87, 15-41 see also Ampere-hour meters National Electric Code: history, relevance to PV, 20-54 conductor/case isolation, 25-65 disconnects, location of, 19-42, 21-53 load circuits, 22-68 grounding: 26-18, 25-65, how, 28-46 why, 27-47 law, relation to, 23-74 and PV-powered pumping, 26-57 PV that meets code, 16-31 National Electric Code cont.: SWRES research, 13-42 video, 27-78 NEC see National Electric Code Nicads or nickel cadmium see Batteries Ohm's law, 1-35, 3-40, 4-33 and multimeters, 16-46 shunts, 6-35 Phantom loads, 14-13 timer to turn-off loads (homebrew), 16-49 Photovoltaics (PV) ancient panel (TtW!), 10-31 and greenhouse effect, 10-14 cells per panel, 3-9 charging small nicads, 19-18 concentrators, 19-27, 5-14 in developing countries, see Developing countries economics for home power systems, 1-11, 20-39 future, 2-26, 25-6 Texas Instruments Spheral cells, 23-93 industry, state of, 18-15 installation & wiring, 2-11 physics of, 23-37, 20-31 racks: metal choices, construction, 22-41 Echolite mounting brackets (TtW!), 12-31 repair, 21-12 site survey 21-75 solar sight (homebrew), 28-61 Solar Pathfinder (TtW!), 16-44 Sovonics portable panel (TtW!), 15-33 in suburbia (video review), 27-78 testing and rating, 23-20, 23-40 HP tests PV panels, 24-26 Hoxan module tests, 25-70, 26-69 trackers see Trackers wiring non-identical panels, 27-22 videos, 28-74 The Solar Electric Independent Home Book, 23-77 see also Systems Power factor, 29-72 Power lines, see Utilities Power Politics (column), 30-38 Pumping: High Lifter water pump (TtW!), 23-58 inverter powered, 17-25 PV powered, 11-15, 5-21 for deep wells, 6-27 NEC-compliant PV pumping, 26-57 ram pumps, 28-10 Solarjack Econosub deep-well (TtW!), 13-22 PVs see Photovoltaics Radiant heat barriers, 28-43 Radio: amateur, 5-31, 2-16 CB, 3-36 radiotelephone, 12-32, 7-32, 4-29, 14-35 Sangean AM/FM/SW receiver (TtW!), 19-47 Select-A-Tenna (TtW!), 18-28 Telemobile Radio Telephone (TtW!), 8-38 TV/FM Antennas, 11-25 Recreational Vehicle: airplane, PV-powered, 19-6,19-8 Recreational Vehicles cont.: boat, PV-powered, 26-30 sailboat, PV-powered, 18-16 sailboat, wind gen., 5-9 heating, hydronic air, 26-53 motorhome, PV-powered, 24-40 RV park, PV-powered, 20-12 Redwood Alliance, 12-22 Refrigeration, 26-75, 27-76 DC (homebrew), 16-48, 21-8 Refrigeration cont.: gas, precautions with, 24-67 Larry Schussler, SunFrost, interview, 25-22 SunFrost RF-12 (TtW!), 5-33 Regulators: three terminal adjustable (TtW!), 6-37 Backwoods Solar's PV reg. (TtW!), 7-34 Enermaxer, 7-19 Heliotrope CC-20 (TtW!), 13-36 Heliotrope CC-60 (TtW!), 8-31 hydroelectric, 13-35 homebrew: "short circuit" 35 Amp, 28-57 "latch-up" shunt regulator, 25-74 shunt regulator, 18-46 Mark VI controller for alternator (homebrew), 2-23 24 Volt Mark VI (homebrew), 22-73 pulse generator (homebrew), 21-78 SunAmp PV reg. (TtW!), 19-48 relay, voltage controlled (homebrew), 16-50 RVs, see Recreational Vehicles Safety: battery accidents, 27-69 emergency power systems, 25-33 see also National Electric Code, System protection Sailboat systems, 5-9, 18-16 Schematics, how to read, 5-35 Sewing machine: (homebrew), 17-59 Shunts, 6-35 Solar air heating, 25-34 in systems, 17-19, 5-14 Solar architecture, see Architecture Solar Cooking, 7-15, 12-14 Heaven's Flame cooker, 20-27 Heaven's Flame Solar Cookers, 19-52 Solar Box Cookers International, cooker kit (TtW!), 29-60 Sun Oven (TtW!), 19-44 Solar Gourmet solar cooker kit (TtW!), 24-59 Solar distillation, 10-29 Solar food drying, 29-62, 30-75 Solar vehicles, see Electric Vehicles Solar water heating, 27-42 active, 25-34 passive, 22-38, 11-19, 8-20, 21-43, 19-35 economics of, 27-64 in systems, 17-19, 12-5, 22-6, 12-5 Soldering, how to, 18-35 Pensol portable gas soldering iron (TtW!), 16-39 System Design: basics 21-67, 12-10, 22-59 consumption, appliance choices, 21-68 PV "first year basics", 25-48 RE home lifestyle, 21-40 size, costs, batteries, inverters, PVs, hydro, wind, 22-59 The Solar Electric Independent Home Book, 18-49, 23-77 System Design cont.: Wiring 12 Volts for Ample Power, 20-16 System protection: basics of overcurrent protection, 29-38 Ananda's 400 Amp Safety Switch (TtW!), 27-58 Ananda's Power Center IV (TtW!), 29-56 battery/inverter fused disconnects, circuit resistance 21-47 battery short circuit protection, 17-37, 27-26 grounding and lightning protection, 6-16 overcurrent protection, fuses & breakers tested, 27-26 see also National Electric Code Systems (profiles of working home power systems) DHW/solar air heating, CMC, 17-19 hydro: Higgs, Morgan-Smith turbine, 17 ft head/10,000 gpm flow, 25-7 Kennedy Creek, 5 systems, high head, 100 to 2200 watts, 20-7 Nicaragua, 78 ft/160 gpm, 12 V L-A, 8-13 Phillips, 1928, $100 homebrew, 60 ft/ 50 gpm, 32 V, 3-13 Rakfeldt, Harris turbine 300 ft /40 gpm, 24 V,6-5 hydro/PV (Wp = PV peak watts) Gaydos, HydroCharger 40 ft/8 gpm, 50 Wp PV, 11-6 Lil Otto Hydroworks, 40 ft/9 gpm, 168 Wp PV, gas gen., 15-14 Independent P&L, 1450 Wp PV, 210 ft/ 25 gpm, gas gen., 17-10 pedal powered, 23-48, 12-13 PV: Ananda, powers 4 homes, 6600 W, 24 V, 24-19 Andrews, 96 Wp, 12 V L-A, 13-8 Bridges, solar DHW, 470 Wp amorphous, 12 V L-A, 12-5 Chatuco, Mexico, 960 Wp, diesel gen., 24 V L-A, 10-8 Ciotti, 816 Wp, 12 V nicad, gas gen., ram pump, Clivus Multrum, 28-6 concentrator (linear)/ hot air hybrid, 5-16 Flett, 384 Wp, 12 V L-A, generator, 13-8 Home Power's Sys, 155 Wp, gas gen., 12 V L-A, 7-12 Home Power's Sys, 400 Wp, gas gen., 12 V L-A, 16-7 Hunt, Alaska, 400 Wp, gas gen., 12 V L-A, 17-16 long dist. power trans., LCB, 472 Wp,12 V L-A, 25-17 McCoy & Reising, 360 Wp, 12 V L-A, passive solar, rain ponds, 24-7 Murray, 400 Wp, gas gen., 12 V L-A, 9-8 Phelps, built by STI students, 576 Wp, 24 V L-A, 24-23 pond aeration, built by STI students, 300 Wp, 12 V L-A, 23-45 Pryor, 200 Wp, gas generator,12 V L-A, 2-7 Rook, log cabin, 714 Wp, 24 V nicad, 27-6 for RV park, Starcher, 258 Wp, 12 V L-A, 20-12 ontop RV, Gilbert, 705 Wp, 12 V L-A, 24-40 stand-alone, Hoffman, 228 Wp, 12 V L-A, 7-5 Stillman, solar DHW, 400 Wp, 24 V L-A, 22-9 tract home, Kyocera, 6372 Wp, 48 V & 325 V L-A, 16-35 Ward, 90 Wp, 12 V L-A, 30-6 The Wizard, 48 Wp, 12 V nicad, 15-31 see also Systems: hydro/PV, PV/Wind, portable PV, shorties, urban PV, Wind/PV PV/wind: Linn, 880 Wp PV, homemade wind gen., 24 V nicad, 26-19 sailboat, 100 Wp PV, homemade wind gen., dragging hydro gen., 18-16 Home Power's Sys, 1400 Wp PV, 800 W Survivor, 12 V nicad, 30-101 see also Systems: Wind/PV Systems cont.: portable PV: emergency micropower, 5 Wp, 14-10 in garden cart, 105 Wp, 12 V L-A, 29-14 hermit PV power box, 48 Wp, 12 V nicad, 28-16 Voltar, in pickup truck, tracker, 945 Wp, 28-30 shorties: 18-44, 19-49, 20-50 urban PV: auxiliary system, economics, 250 Wp, 12 V L-A, 21-25 Long Beach, CA, auxiliary system, 700 Wp, 12 V L-A, 21-6 Seabrook PV, stand-alone, 200+ Wp, 23-13 STI, stand-alone, 450 Wp, 12 V nicad, 26-6 utility disconnect, 1850 Wp, 24 V L-A, 29-18 wind: aqua alegre sailboat, homemade 2 Ampere wind gen., 5-9 wind/PV 120 VDC, Cook, Northern Power 3.5 kW, 2560 Wp PV, 29-10 Ames, BWC 1 kW, 190 Wp PV, gas gen.,4-5 Millard, Electro 6 kW, 1300 Wp PV, homemade tracker, 10-18 New Zealand, Soma 300 W, wind/PV economics, 18-22 Rassman, 2.8 kW Jacobs, 370 Wp PV, 32 V L-A, 11-10 Swisher, 200 W Wincharger, 280 Wp PV, 12 V L-A, 21-14 Davenport, 200 W Wincharger, 320 Wp PV, 12 V L-A, 21-14 Thermodynamics: and energy use, 4-35 anti-entropy, 2-35 Trackers: manual PV, 13-20 active PV, 17-48 Wattsun (TtW!), 25-56 Units of energy 19-46 Utilities: vs home power, 27-18 "a buck for PV", 25-32 future (editorial), 29-28 hidden energy costs, 16-21 power line alternatives, Wisconsin 20-46 Vacuum Cleaners, 23-79 Voltage, history of ac vs. DC 8-21 regulators, see Regulators Voltmeter, expanded scale (homebrew), 2-31, 12-34 LED (homebrew), 10-26 SunAmp's Bar Graph Voltmeter (TtW!), 22-55 see also Ampere-hour meter see also Multimeter Washing machines, 23-79 efficiency of, 23-61 Efficient Washing Machines, 23-77 retrofitting for high efficiency, 22-44 Wattevr Works Washer Kit (TtW!), 25-63 Watt meter: (homebrew), 30-46 Watt-hour meter: using 120 volt kWh meters (homebrew), 17-50 Offgrid's Power Meter 15 (TtW!), 25-61 Steamco Solar SPM2000 (TtW!), 27-56 Welding: MigMaster (TtW!), 30-62 Wind: Bergey's BWC 1500 (TtW!), 29-46 blade balancing, 14-17 build your own (homebrew), 12-29 economics of wind/PV in New Zealand, 18-22 history of, 27-14 introduction to, 5-18, 22-15 Wind cont.: lightning protection, 24-53 living with a windspinner (poem), 5-45 NRG Sou'wester & 2100 Totalizer (TtW!), 28-55 odometer (homebrew), 26-64 plans, guide to, 17-28 rewinding alternators for, 19-24 site survey, 21-77, 1-16 towers, 23-32 height of, 21-64 utility pole & pipe (homebrew), 28-26 Trade Wind's Odometer (TtW!), 22-53 Whisper 1000 (TtW!), 20-42 Wincharger and Jacobs, 11-13 Windseeker II (TtW!), 14-15 see also Systems Wiring: battery/inverter cables, build your own, 7-36 configuring non-identical PV panels, 27-22 low voltage techniques, 2-33 inverter/mains panel, 11-23 for reliability & performance, 14-36 Romex, 27-38 soldering, see Soldering wire sizing for low voltage systems, 18-31, 14-32 Women, renewable energy networking, 19-55 Wood gasification, 21-55, 8-22