Solar Power
Affordable Green Power, DIY Solar Panels
You want power, and you want it now! Watts and Watts of power, kilowatts each hour of power. However the power company keeps hiking up your rates, making your power bill more oppressive than the usual mid-west summer day just before a thunderstorm releases enough power to light up a city. Where did that storm get it's power? It's all SOLAR power, naturally. With a solar panel array, some batteries, diodes and switches, you realize you could have all the power you need! Solar power is free, renewable, and available virtually everywhere on the planet, once you have the equipment to convert it to electricity. What does it take to make solar power? At the heart of any solar energy system is the solar panel. Cells come in numerous flavors. A solar cell is a silicon semiconductor, usually square or rectangular and is available in various sizes to support many applications, from tiny calculator cells, to larger cells grouped in arrays that power houses and buildings. When sunlight strikes the top, an electric current is generated.
DIY Solar Power
How many Watts?
First, it's a good idea to know how much power you need to generate. The simplest way to figure out how much power you'll need is by calculating Watts. Lights and appliances are rated because when many Watts they will use. For instance, to generate all of the power you need for your Ac unit you installed during last summer's big heat wave, you need to know how many Watts it uses. A little Ac unit needs about 500 Watts; medium and enormous units will use 1000-1500 Watts or even more. By adding up the quantity of Watts you use each hour, you can figure out your usage. How can you tell how many Watts you'll need for your whole house? Simple, review your power bill, or call the power company and see the number of kilowatt hours (kWh, 1000 Watts per hour) you typically use monthly. An appliance that uses 1000 Watts, left on for one hour, uses 1 kWh. The average cost of one kWh ranges between around 8 and 20 cents in the united states. Most cells employed for home arrays are 4, 5 or even 6 inches, and convey approximately two watts of power, under optimal (direct sunlight, warm temperature) conditions. Cells are usually attached to frames of wood or metal in groups of 18, 36, or 72, producing 36, 72 and 144 Watts (at 2 Watts per cell) respectively. 72 cell panels retail for around $500-700. For DIY solar panels, it can save you even more money by purchasing the cells and building the panels yourself. What does it take to develop a panel your self?
Do It Yourself
How to Build Solar Panels at Home
Building solar panels at home hasn't been easier. Cells can be bought online for around $1 each, often along with other parts included. A package of 72 cells, along with a diode, that keeps the power flowing in only one direction, and wire for connecting it all together can be found for $100 or less! Should you also buy a frame for $40, you will lay aside a bundle compared to $500- 700 per manufactured panel. This is a potential savings of $360-560 per panel! All it takes to make your own solar panels at home is a little know-how, some basic tools, and good instructions. Just how much can you actually save on your power bills?
Saving cash on Your Power Bill
It's not hard to start small and build up your system as you learn, but will it really save you money? The reply is yes, and no. Yes your power bill can get smaller as you add solar energy capacity to your system, however, you have to consider just how much power you could buy with the money you spend on parts. Going solar is definitely an investment, and it needs time to work to recoup the initial money you invest. Factors to consider are the cost of the various tools and supplies, as well as your time and energy compared to the amount of cash you will save on your power bill with time. Just as important, however, is the satisfaction of having a solar power system that you built yourself, and the pleasure of opening your power bill and seeing it get lower minimizing. You might even be in a position to sell power back to the power company and get a check instead of owing them! Beware though, if you have built the system yourself, the power company may not permit you to sell power back for safety, since most do it yourself home owners are not certified electricians, and the system is not UL listed. Check with your local utility company for regulations. The pleasure you receive from hearing your ac kick on, while you sit back and relax guilt free, knowing that you won't owe the utility company a dime for the electricity, is easily the most satisfying reason of to build your own solar energy system.
Woodworking plans
You want power, and you want it now! Watts and Watts of power, kilowatts each hour of power. However the power company keeps hiking up your rates, making your power bill more oppressive than the usual mid-west summer day just before a thunderstorm releases enough power to light up a city. Where did that storm get it's power? It's all SOLAR power, naturally. With a solar panel array, some batteries, diodes and switches, you realize you could have all the power you need! Solar power is free, renewable, and available virtually everywhere on the planet, once you have the equipment to convert it to electricity. What does it take to make solar power? At the heart of any solar energy system is the solar panel. Cells come in numerous flavors. A solar cell is a silicon semiconductor, usually square or rectangular and is available in various sizes to support many applications, from tiny calculator cells, to larger cells grouped in arrays that power houses and buildings. When sunlight strikes the top, an electric current is generated.
DIY Solar Power
How many Watts?
First, it's a good idea to know how much power you need to generate. The simplest way to figure out how much power you'll need is by calculating Watts. Lights and appliances are rated because when many Watts they will use. For instance, to generate all of the power you need for your Ac unit you installed during last summer's big heat wave, you need to know how many Watts it uses. A little Ac unit needs about 500 Watts; medium and enormous units will use 1000-1500 Watts or even more. By adding up the quantity of Watts you use each hour, you can figure out your usage. How can you tell how many Watts you'll need for your whole house? Simple, review your power bill, or call the power company and see the number of kilowatt hours (kWh, 1000 Watts per hour) you typically use monthly. An appliance that uses 1000 Watts, left on for one hour, uses 1 kWh. The average cost of one kWh ranges between around 8 and 20 cents in the united states. Most cells employed for home arrays are 4, 5 or even 6 inches, and convey approximately two watts of power, under optimal (direct sunlight, warm temperature) conditions. Cells are usually attached to frames of wood or metal in groups of 18, 36, or 72, producing 36, 72 and 144 Watts (at 2 Watts per cell) respectively. 72 cell panels retail for around $500-700. For DIY solar panels, it can save you even more money by purchasing the cells and building the panels yourself. What does it take to develop a panel your self?
Do It Yourself
How to Build Solar Panels at Home
Building solar panels at home hasn't been easier. Cells can be bought online for around $1 each, often along with other parts included. A package of 72 cells, along with a diode, that keeps the power flowing in only one direction, and wire for connecting it all together can be found for $100 or less! Should you also buy a frame for $40, you will lay aside a bundle compared to $500- 700 per manufactured panel. This is a potential savings of $360-560 per panel! All it takes to make your own solar panels at home is a little know-how, some basic tools, and good instructions. Just how much can you actually save on your power bills?
Saving cash on Your Power Bill
It's not hard to start small and build up your system as you learn, but will it really save you money? The reply is yes, and no. Yes your power bill can get smaller as you add solar energy capacity to your system, however, you have to consider just how much power you could buy with the money you spend on parts. Going solar is definitely an investment, and it needs time to work to recoup the initial money you invest. Factors to consider are the cost of the various tools and supplies, as well as your time and energy compared to the amount of cash you will save on your power bill with time. Just as important, however, is the satisfaction of having a solar power system that you built yourself, and the pleasure of opening your power bill and seeing it get lower minimizing. You might even be in a position to sell power back to the power company and get a check instead of owing them! Beware though, if you have built the system yourself, the power company may not permit you to sell power back for safety, since most do it yourself home owners are not certified electricians, and the system is not UL listed. Check with your local utility company for regulations. The pleasure you receive from hearing your ac kick on, while you sit back and relax guilt free, knowing that you won't owe the utility company a dime for the electricity, is easily the most satisfying reason of to build your own solar energy system.
Woodworking plans
