I do like the article here. http://www.otherpower.com/popup.html This is exactly how I learned. I used to camp for 5-7 days at a time up at the Buffalo Creek range. This is how through trial and error exactly what and how was needed. Even though I have worked the electronics field for 30 years now it was fun and challenging to learn something new. This led to my LED trials and other projects.
I do need to find another place to camp in the middle of nowhere.