Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Green Projects, DIY Solar Panels

by CJ Woods

You are looking for power, and you need it right now! Watts and Watts of electrical power, kw per hour of power. Yet the utility company keeps raising up your rates, making your current energy costs a lot more oppressive than a mid-west summer day just before a thunderstorm produces more than enough power to illuminate a city.

Where exactly could that storm get it's electric power? 

It's all power from the sun, naturally. Utilizing a solar cell array, some batteries, diodes and switches, you're sure you can have all the energy you're after! Power from the sun is free, environment friendly, and readily obtainable just about just about anywhere on Earth, after getting the equipment that can convert it to electricity.

What does it require to produce solar power? 

At the heart of any solar energy power system is the photovoltaic or pv cell. Cells can be found in a variety of styles. A solar cell is a silicon semiconductor, often square or rectangular and is also offered in various sizes to accommodate a wide range of applications, from compact calculator cells, to bigger cells grouped in arrays that power people's homes as well as buildings. Whenever sunshine hits the surface area, an electrical current is created.

Just how many Watts?

To start with, it's wise to figure out how much electricity you need to produce. The easiest method to figure out how much power you need is by calculating Watts. Lights plus home appliances are typically rated by how many Watts they use. For instance, to produce the electrical power you need for that ac unit you installed during last summer's massive heat wave, you have to know how many Watts it needs. A little air conditioner needs approximately five hundred Watts; medium and big units will use 1000-1500 Watts or more.

By adding up the number of Watts you use hourly, you're able to work out your current consumption. How can you be sure the number of Watts you will need for your whole house? Simple, look at your power bill, or simply telephone the electricity provider and figure out the total number of kilowatt hours (kWh, 1000 Watts per hour) you will normally use every month.

An appliance which uses 1000 Watts, left on for one hour, will use 1 kWh. The average cost of one kWh can vary from about 8 and 20 cents in the United States.

Generally cells utilized for home arrays are 4, five or even 6 in., and produce approximately two watts of power, under ideal (direct sunlight, warm temperature) conditions. Cells are usually mounted on frames of wood or metal in sets of 18, 36, or 72, putting out thirty six, 72 and 144 Watts (at two Watts per cell) respectively. A seventy two cell module lists for around $500-700. For Do It Yourself solar power systems, you save much more cash by purchasing the solar cells and making the panels yourself.

What does it take to make a panel your self?

DIY How to make Solar Power Panels at Home

Building solar panels at home hasn't ever been so easy. Cells are sold online for around $1 each, frequently with other parts included. A package deal of seventy two cells, plus a diode, that keeps the electricity flowing in only one direction, and wire for connecting it all up is available for $100 or less! If you also purchase a frame for $40, you will save a lot of money compared to $500- 700 for each built module. That's a possible cost savings of $360-560 per module!

Pretty much all you will need for making your own personal solar panels at home is just a bit of know-how, some basic tools, and good instructions. Take a look at this article's resource link to see a comparison graph and report on do-it-yourself solar panel manuals. The manuals offer a thorough overview of the fundamentals of a pv system, from the solar cells, to the electrical wiring and framework, to inverters and battery packs, and much more.

How much are you able to actually save on your electricity bills?

Saving Money on Your Power Bill

It's simple to start small and increase your system while you learn, but will it truly help you save money? The answer is yes, and no. Sure, your power bill will get lower when you increase the photo voltaic power capacity to your system, but you need to think about exactly how much power you are able to purchase with the cash you spend on parts. Going solar is an investment, so it takes time to recover the initial money you'll spend.

Considerations are the expense of the tools and materials, and your time and energy when compared to the amount of money it can save you with regards to your energy bill in time. Just as significant, however, is definitely the fulfillment of having a solar pv system that you set up yourself, and the pleasure of opening up your energy bill and watching it get less expensive.

You could possibly even be able to sell electric power back to the power company and get a check instead of paying them! Keep in mind though, if you've made the system yourself, utility company might not let you sell energy back for safety, since most diy individuals aren't accredited electrical engineers, and the set up is not UL listed. Talk to your local utility company for regulations.

The pleasure you will enjoy from listening to your hvac kick on, as you sit back and relax guilt free, with the knowledge that you won't need to pay the utility company a cent for the energy, is probably the most satisfying reason of all to make your very own solar pv system.


DIY Homemade Solar Power DIY Solar Panels Building Solar panels at Home.













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