Customer Reviews

The Easy Guide to Solar Electric, second edition

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I'm a technically-oriented, DIY person and I was looking for a solar electric book to help me with my small-scale, residential installation. I already have most of the background on photovoltaic systems and needed more of a "Here's-how-you-do-it" book. Although amusing and easily read, I found this book useful for someone who is starting to think about solar power and needs a light hand to make them feel more at ease about what a system will and will not do. This is not a book for someone needing a DIY guide or a "How-to" manual. It's not a bad book - just not useful for my needs.

I am a builder and owner of the Natural House. I reviewed Mr. Piepers book and found it an excellent introduction for entry level solar customers. My electrician says: "finally a book not clutterd with useless and too detailed information". Personally I like the humor in this book and give the book as a present to every home owner I build a house for. Thank you Mr. Pieper for the excellent work!

This book is silly and that is what helps me past the confusion of amps and watts and volts and cables. This is my most recent education in electrical engineering since fifth grade (and fixing some lamps and switches) and I am so glad I got this book and the installation manual.
Want to avoid mistakes. Some people may not like silly stories and humorous nonfiction. But for some of us, the humor both is illustrative, gives time to digest the technical ideas.
Great beginning book, does not scare me away from solar electric and that's exactly what I hoped for.

good book for understanding specifying wiring, inverters, batteries, etc., but limited in regards to information about solar cells themselves--only about 2 pages out of 200 plus one page listing addresses and phone #'s of solar distributors.

I red this book in Germany where I live, and, even though some aspects of this book are based on conditions in the USA, I highly recommend this book to everybody on this planet. One can tell the author's love of the subject and his skill to write just from the heart on a very technical subject. The stories and jokes in the book helped me to understand the subject and, even if I could not follow some technical detail, the point he tried to make still came across. I now know more about the subject of solar energy and - what is equally important - I look at the world and its resources with a different eye. This is truely and "Easy Guide". Keep cracking Adi,
thanks for this wonderful book.
Sonja Baumann, Berlin Germany

I am not technically inclined and was long waiting to hear about some book that explains solar energy in simple language. I finally found it. And even though it is technically not a How To book it is in a sence that once you understand the concept of solar electric you can use common sense to figure out the practical side of things. Besides this book is more important in a sense that it promotes Solar Energy. With only 50 years of oil reserve left and the rising prices on oil and gas it opens up this alternative energy to many people. The author explains well why it is so important for us and future generations to go solar. I highly recommand this book to everybody. It is an eye opener. Thank you Adi Pieper

This informative book approaches solar in an intuitive way. The technical parts are presented in the layperson's language. After reading this book, I feel I have a much more solid foundation about solar.

The author tries to use a silly sense of humor to inform readers about electricity and solar power, but I found his sense of humor overbearing and much in the way of getting across important info. The book could easily have been more informative in half the number of pages.

If you want a book that talks in generalities and gives NO practical information, then this the book for you. I tried to send it back, but they wouldn't take it. Don't waste your money. Is that clear enough?

Alas, I can't figure out the intended readership for this book. Lacking diagrams, illustrations, and useful specifics, the book perhaps might be marginally handy for someone interested in broad generalities, or perhaps for someone who never intends to read the book but only wants to impress friends who might see the book on the ostensible reader's shelf. I promptly ditched the book, although perhaps I should have used it to kindle the barbeque.