This down-to-earth book shows how to make solar work reliably, consistently and economically. It explains what can realistically be run from solar: and what cannot. It covers the energy typically used (and saveable) for every aspect of a home or property (of any size). It shows how to assess the available sun year around (anywhere) and how to assess the size system you need. It covers design and installation in depth.

Review Quotes:

Collyn Rivers has enormous knowledge of the subjects in his books and his writing is concise and not overdone with technicalities or difficult-to-understand jargon ... they are written in clear English and it is difficult to find any aspect not fully explained.

Peter Poat The West Australian

Whether you want to simply understand the pros and cons of going solar . . . this book will answer more questions than any other. Highly recommended.

Alan Gray Editor, Earth Garden magazine

A pragmatic no-nonsense approach to solar energy written by acclaimed Australian author Collyn Rivers, who walks the walk by showing his self-installed solar system on his 100% solar powered 10-acre property in the Kimberley.

Jaycar Electronics

Table of Contents:

Preface: Terminology

Chapter 1: Solar Reality - an overview

Chapter 2: Lighting

Chapter 3: Fridges and freezers

Chapter 4: Air conditioning

Chapter 5: Washing machines

Chapter 6: Clothes dryers

Chapter 7: Dishwashers

Chapter 8: Power tools

Chapter 9: Phantom loads

Chapter 10: TVs and computers

Chapter 11: Water

Chapter 12: Swimming pools

Chapter 13: Ponds

Chapter 14: Solar

Chapter 15: Solar modules - voltage and current

Chapter 16: Solar regulation

Chapter 17: Batteries

Chapter 18: Battery charging

Chapter 19: Energy monitoring

Chapter 20: Generators

Chapter 21: Alternative power - wind and hydro

Chapter 22: Alternative energy storage - fuel cells

Chapter 23: Inverters

Chapter 24: Energy auditing

Chapter 25: Scaling stand-alone systems

Chapter 26: Meters and measuring

Chapter 27: Installing - legal

Chapter 28: Installing the system

Chapter 29: Constructing a Stand-alone System

Chapter 30: Grid-connect

Chapter 31: Example systems

Chapter 32: Living with solar

Chapter 33: Our solar systems

Chapter 34: Technical Terms Explained

Publisher Marketing:

Essentially, Solar Success is about using solar energy to reduce the fossil generated electricity that we use: to reduce one's carbon footprint. Throughout, it stresses the need to reduce what one uses unnecessarily before one thinks about generating more. This can be done by three associated and economically viable approaches:

- reduce energy usage by doing things differently

- reduce energy usage by using more energy-efficient appliances

- change the supply of energy to non-fossil fuel through appropriate technology.

The solar energy required is there; 7000 times more energy than the world currently uses is available. It makes every sense to use it and countries worldwide increasingly do.

Solar is also affordable. In California, Italy and Japan, solar power now challenges power generated through natural gas and nuclear energy. In Germany, home owners' solar generated surplus fed back into the grid network and all energy generated is paid at close to five times grid electricity's buying cost.

Australia's solar take up is high in rural areas that lack grid-connection. Sales of systems that draw from and feed back to the electricity grid (i.e. grid-connect) proved even more successful than expected as installation rebates and feed-in tariffs were initially very generous.In mid 2014 the Australian Federal government virtually ceased paying rebates on the curious basis that the scheme was attracting many more takers than had been expected. There is now however a growing move to go off-grid as electricity prices continue to rise (and feedback payment drop).

Knowing what is practicable and what is less practicable with solar enables readers to evaluate what is offered. And to have an often necessary and educated say in the decisions. For those who wish to design and implement systems themselves, Solar Success shows how to do it, and how to avoid the traps.

However you finance the system, and no matter where or how you live, follow the guidelines in Solar Success and you will have an economic system that will supply clean and reliable power for years to come.

Contributor Bio:
Originally trained as an RAF ground radar engineer, Collyn Rivers spent a brief time with de Havilland designing power systems for guided missiles, before becoming a test engineer at the Vauxhall/Bedford Motors Research Test Centre. He migrated to Australia in 1963, where he designed and built scientific measuring equipment. In 1971, Collyn Rivers founded what, by 1976, became the world's largest-circulation electronics publication, Electronics Today International. From 1982 to 1990 he was technology editor of The Bulletin and also Australian Business magazines and in 1999 started two companies: Caravan and Motorhome Books, and Successful Solar Books (now RVBooks and SolarBooks). Anyone who has been an electronics enthusiast over the past 30 years or so will be well aware of Collyn Rivers. He was the founding editor of Electronics Today International (ETI) magazine which went on to have a number of very successful editions in the UK and elsewhere, as well as being very successful in Australia. Silicon Chip Magazine

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