Off Grid Solar Power: How to Design and Install a Mobile Solar System for RVs, Vans, Boats and Tiny Homes (DIY Solar Power)

I read this author's comprehensive book on home solar power and found it user friendly and extremely informative. I am happy to say this book on mobile solar power is equally comprehensive.So if you are are curious about solar power or want the knowledge necessary to install your own mobile system, this is the perfect guide. It explains the principles in easy to follow language. It gives you everything you need to know to evaluate your power needs and the basics to decide if solar power is something for you to pursue. It is also a comprehensive guide for making installation decisions. If you are considering mobile solar power, read this first to make informed decisions.

If you are looking at any form of off-grid solar, this book is almost a must read. It lucidly explains all the details, starting with a basic introduction to electricity, enough to really comprehend all you need regarding your solar plans.The only areas where I think you might want to expand beyond what the book offers is to be very sure that solar thermal is not an option you should be considering. In the right places it is very powerful for 95% efficiency wins out over 22% efficiency any day. In some cases, you might want both. The other area is batteries. I am not wild about Lithium Ion for stationary applications, and the book does not discuss other battery technolgies in depth, but there are tubular gel batteries, NiFe batteries, coming soon Seasalt batters, and a number of other options which actually way outperform LiIon. Some have life expectancies double or triple that of Lithium Ion.Also, I think the book should include some more information on the sustainability/recyclability issue, which is becoming bigger by the day. One example is CdTe thin film technology. CdTe is so potentially toxic, you might find yourself stuck with a huge recycling problem when all is said and done.Having said that, in all of the basic considerations for planning off-grid solar this book is an absolutely solid place to start to the point that even if newer options come along the knowledge from this book will help you evaluate them much more easily.

It has very good information. I would definitely recommend. Some of the information is easily online but it is nice to have it organized in a book.

In looking for more information around Solar Power and the flexibility it offers, Mobile Solar Power provided great instruction. This book offers everything from a beginner level introduction, to how to crimp a cable, and ends at troubleshooting and maintenance.While most engineers have a difficult time staying out of the techno-babble, the authors have been able to take a complex subject and help guide the reader learn about solar power. The book takes them to the point of full installation after they have planned, sized, and designed their system in a very simple manner with great examples.One of the main things I enjoyed about this book, was that the authors did not tell you what to purchase, size, or install. Instead they showed the reader how to determine and size what they need for the application they were wanting. This applied to off-grid, on-grid, RVs, houses, and even boats. The information in these pages apply to any type of design imaginable at a very easy to understand level.I am very pleased to add this book to my reference library and will be used frequently for my different needs and applications.

Most of the information here is basic. Its adequate to help you size your system.But it really dropped the ball on helping me to choose the inverter and types of panels. Let alone instruction or resources for installation. I do not recommend this book.

Very good

Mobile Solar Power: Design and Install Your Off-Grid Solar Power System for RVs, Vans, Boats and Off-Grid Homes - A Handbook for Photovoltaics with Batteries.is a very helpful guide on the mechanics of solar powered systems for various personal and commercial uses. The guide has specific instructions on materials to purchase, assembly and powering the solar system for boats and other personal use applications.The authors illustrate the various parts to assemble like the AC cables and grounding cables. There is a trouble management/escalation guide for managing non-functioning parts of the assembly. The authors talk about the need to formulate an energy use and load table to compare the installed system to the schematic.Overall," Mobile Solar Power: Design and Install Your Off-Grid Solar Power System for RVs, Vans, Boats and Off-Grid Homes - A Handbook for Photovoltaics with Batteries" by Paul Holmes and Sitav Bhadra is a helpful guide for installing solar powered systems for applications in camping, boating, hiking and most outdoor activities. Users of this guide should have a basic understanding of electronic terms, metrics and assembly protocols.