Detailed photos and illustrations guide homeowners through the entire process of planning, designing, and installing a home solar power system. With user-friendly instructions, veteran builders and solar installers Joe Burdick and Philip Schmidt teach readers how to determine the necessary size, placement, and type of installation for grid-tied and completely off-grid systems. In-depth directions cover each installation step, from building a ground mount and setting up the electrical connections to adding backup and making a battery bank for off-grid systems. AUTHOR: Philip Schmidt has been teaching readers how to do things for almost two decades. A former carpenter and longtime writer and editor, he is the author of 18 books, including 'PlyDesign, Decorating with Architectural Details', and 'The Complete Guide to Treehouses'. AUTHOR: Joseph Burdick has more than 30 years of experience in the photovoltaics industry -- from R&D, measurement, and testing to system design, installation, and project management. He is president and CEO of Burdick Technologies Unlimited, LLC, one of Colorado's top renewable energy companies, and is also a professor at Ecotech Institute, where he trains students for careers in solar installation. Philip Schmidt has been teaching readers how to do things for almost two decades.
A former carpenter and longtime writer and editor, he is the author of 18 books, including PlyDesign, Decorating with Architectural Details, and The Complete Guide to Treehouses. SELLING POINTS: * DIY installation is half the price. Costs associated with labor, marketing, overhead, and profit account for more than 50 percent of the cost to professionally install a home photovoltaic system. * Follow the same process the professionals use. Electricity can seem complicated, but coauthors Joe Burdick and Philip Schmidt are seasoned experts in solar design and installation and walk readers through the entire process. * The only photographic step-by-step home-solar installation guide. The user-friendly, step-by-step instructions -- shown in detailed photographs taken of one on-site installation -- give homeowners the confidence and knowledge they need to troubleshoot any issues that might arise and to ensure a successful project. Full colour throughout.