Got Sun? Go Solar, Expanded 2nd Edition: Harness Nature's Free Energy to Heat and Power Your Grid-Tied Home Paperback – September 15, 2009

very interesting

This book is a quick read, and very informative as an introduction. The layout and progression of topics make it very easy to follow, and there is plenty of good, current information on how to get started on moving to solar power. Consultations with a couple of solar installers confirmed much of what I learned from this book to be true. The appendix and references are worth a lot on their own. Of course, you CAN find all this info on the web, but having it in one book to start out with is very handy.Just keep in mind this is NOT a how-to. The author's purpose is to make you aware of what you need to know before you call an installer, not to tell you how to do it yourself, which he discourages for several reasons which he lists. But he does show you how to size a system and give you a fairly comprehensive look at the different options and configurations that are available.Nice Job!

So you want to GO Solar - well this book is a good start. It will help you learn the questions you need to ask of yourself, family, and contractor (if you use one). Do not expect this or any book to answer every question - it won't happen.Just what is a PV System? What do off-grid and grid tied mean - what is a KW vs MW? Do you know how much power that toaster uses? What about your microwave?Get this book, read it, learn from it, but remember just be you Got Sun, you shouldn't Go Solar. This book will help supply you with the knowledge to decided if it is right for you.

After cruising the web for Solar info, I decided on this as my first solar personal library resource, and am happy I did. After a full career in computer systems hungry for power, I had little background knowledge of electricity, current, even some helpful history. This book has provided me with just the right amount of background on (residential) electricity for me to learn about PV systems, what they can provide, and where to start.This book is well written and an easy and fast read, informative without being overly or self-rightously technical, gives web and other sources to follow, and adds some humor and anecdotes to keep your interest high.I like doing my own projects, intending to follow up with more technical design and installation books and web resources, and an online tutorial, culminating with my mostly-self designed rural grid-tie PV solar system.I found this book to be a great motivator toward that goal.

An well-designed book (with data-filled sidebars) covering a wide range of empirical information (based on authors' experiences). It reveals points not disclosed by PV sellers/installers...perhaps because a PV buyer doesn't know what questions to ask, such as, every 10 degree rise in temperature over 77 degrees diminishes output 2.7%. It offers heat pump info (p.51), enphase technology, even windpower info that wasn't pertinent to my quest--I wanted only PV info. An expensive (college-course) textbook (PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS--450+pages), which I haven't finished reading or skimming, is much more detailed, yet lacks info on enphase tech--only mentioning AC module inverters on p. 213. For me, GOT SUN? was a serendipitous find among an array of reasonably priced texts in the solar/PV sphere.

Interesting to read AND has useful information. With humor and spirit, the authors give information about solar power, wind power, and how to implement it for personal use.They include-how solar power works-the system behind solar power in a home, including costs-remarks on the products they most recommend, including different portions of solar and wind systems*-cost analysis-things to look into prior to setting up a home system*they include many brands -- they didn't seem biased.I won't be getting a solar system (first I would need a home), but this book was a great source for information for those interested in solar power for themselves or just in interested in the topic, in general.

I was thinking about making the move to solar so I decided to purchase this book and do some online research. This book does a great job explaining how solar works and what you can expect with respect to wattage from a solar array based on the size of the array, where you live, time of year, etc. It explains the different types of solar installations and helps you decide which one is best for you. It also shows how to pursue local, state and federal tax incentives to help offset the costs of purchase and installation.

This book gives a very good basic overview of the technology available and how it works. My only complaint is that it seems geared towards cooler climates. There is absolutely no information in the book about really hot climates, e.g., how does extreme heat affect PV efficiency? Not everyone lives in upstate New York or Northern California.