Although this Sourcebook is a great source for re­newable energy and environmental products and information, we can’t be everything to everyone. Here is our current list of other trusted resources for information and products. We’ve selected these organizations carefully, and since we have worked directly with many of them, we are giving you the benefit […]

How to Use Plumbing Friction Charts If you try to push too much water through too small a pipe, you’re going to get pipe friction. Don’t worry, your pipes won’t catch fire. But it will make your pump work harder than it needs to, and it will reduce your available pressure at the outlets, so […]

This chart is useful for finding the correct wire size for any voltage, length, or amperage flow in any AC or DC circuit. For most DC circuits, particularly between the PV modules and the batteries, we try to keep the voltage drop to 3% or less. There’s no sense using your expensive PV wattage to […]

The following diagrams show how 2-, 6-, and 12-volt batteries are connected for 12-, 24-, and 48-volt operation. -‘V Fuse symbol (always use appropriate fusing at your battery) Wiring Basics We answer a lot of basic wiring questions over the phone, which we’re always happy to do, but there’s nothing like a picture or two […]

As an Internet business, Real Goods can reach almost every nook and cranny in America. Even so, there will always be people who want to “kick the tires” before making a purchase. Our 5,000-square-foot built-of-straw-bales Hopland Solar Living Center flagship retail store is second to none. Not only do customers have an oppor­tunity to visit […]

Remember our first principle? We never forget it. When the profitability principle is met, we are free to pursue our educational mission effectively. We always seek to achieve profitability through our eCommerce site and retail store (realgoods .com). We support the principles of knowledge, involvement, credibility, and even fun, through a variety of innovative programs, […]

The other kind of energy needed to sustain the SLI is the green kind. The Solar Living Institute (SLI) depends upon, appreciates, and thrives on the support of individuals like you! The programs of SLI, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, are funded by its constituents—people who believe in our mission and who want to help us […]

The Solar Living Institute’s largest annual event is the SolFest Energy Festival, scheduled each year toward the end of August or early September. The first ever SolFest took place in June 1996, celebrat­ing the Grand Opening of the Real Goods Solar Living Center in Hopland, California. That gala three-day event was attended by 10,000 people, […]