About the Second Edition

• Expanded on Batteries

  • New Battery Chemistries

  • Problems with Cobalt supply chain

  • Improved BMS details

  • Second life and Repurposing used cells

• New Microgrid section

• Expanded on Inverters

• Expanded on Generators

• Improved Structural Design, Building/Electrical Code Compliance

• Fixed errors

  • Temp coefficient calculation for open circuit voltage

  • Battery voltage expectations for sealed vs. flooded

About the Book

“The limitations to widespread solar are not centered on the cost, the efficiency, or the need for advancements in technology. The limitations are solely due to the lack of widespread knowledge on the subject.”

With that philosophy at heart, solar and battery expert Joseph P. O’Connor draws from his years of experience to craft a how-to guide needed by everyone around the world. Founder of OCON Energy Consulting, O’Connor has conducted and taught the installation/maintenance of Off Grid solar projects to people and communities as far away as the central African rainforest and right in his own backyard of Oakland, California. For anyone interested in harvesting their own solar energy completely detached from the grid, this is the book for you.

Thanks to straightforward explanations for readers of all levels, this book establishes a familiarity with the basic low cost components alongside the most innovative technologies. With this knowledge the reader can make better decisions based on their technology needs, rather than simply trusting the recommendations from others.

Need to keep costs down? How many solar panels are needed to refill the batteries? What is the best way to angle your solar panels? On projects both big and small, Joe’s got you covered.

Joe O’Connor is a solar manufacturing entrepreneur as well as a consultant, speaker, and writer on solar energy. Joe has built off grid solar energy systems in the U.S., Haiti, Nepal, Portugal, Guatemala, and most recently in Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. To learn more about his work in Congo, click here to read SolarCity, Tesla, and Virunga, Building Solar Micro Grids for the guardians of Africa’s oldest and most biodiverse national park.