Topic: Solar is a Breeze Offering Forever Power
Scattered within these Web Pages are prose, pictures, and comments of issues that may become of interest to anyone that is looking to change their lifestyle, Hunker-down, get closer to God, become free of a monthly bill, Untether and unbeholden to another entity, Or whatever Other Reason. It is hoped that something in here spurs you to become closer toward self-sufficiency from corporate control.
I started with solar while in Florida, where there is always a boat-load of plentiful Sun!
In Florida there wasn't a need for a lot of solar panels because of all the reliable sun there. Using an old television rotator, the first solar tracker was built, and the ball kept rolling.
Each Solar Tracker permitted either 12v or 24v stand-alone. The first two solar trackers were of a simple design, yet worked impressively well with a programmable remote control by Sony.
The simple design tracked east-west only. The seasonal adjustment for Winter-Spring-Summer-Fall, were manual. However, In Florida there isn't as extreme a deviation from the sun's elevation from season to season as there is in the North of the country so basically nil adjustment was ever made during my time in Florida.
The military helper installing the very first solar panels for me in Florida.
Coming to Ohio was a whole new set of revelations and initial failures.
It was just assumed that I could relocate anywhere and carry my electric with me (and that everything would just perform as it always had).
WRONG.
Eventually a Florida storm convinced me to move and I ended up in Ohio. It quickly became apparent that a new game-plan had to be considered if enough energy was going to be gleaned from having less sun. Each project in Springfield Ohio eventually was accomplished pro-the micro-needs required at the time.
As an example,
A problem began to arise because of the security system and other items that never turn off at our Springfield location.
When it was found that the modem, router, server and security system were infrequently dragging down the "main" battery bank, it was time to devote a battery bank, charge controller, and solar array JUST for the modem, router, security system and server's use.
To supplement the Springfield Ohio solar, a wind-generator was also installed
Seen in the background is a 40-foot International Bus with solar.
There are 8 solar panels that comprise two adjustable groups of 4 panels that also act as awnings to the bus.
The bus alternator was a solar panel and installed on the motor hood.
On top of the bus were 12 solar panels, with the rear-most panel that doubled as a rear-door awning.
2023 update: Top-roof solar panels were replaced with 16 monocrystalline panels which are adjustable in lifts of 4 panel strings @ 48v x 4.
Ready for a 48v solar array.
8 panel (two strings of 48v arrays) 
Three arrays (two are motorized)
Two 24 volt panels in series to 48v
