Posts Tagged ‘diy solar kits’

Solar Power Your Home With DIY Solar Kits

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

DIY solar kits are a cheap solution to buying expensive commercial solar panels and having them installed. Having your own solar power appeals to people because it makes them energy self sufficient and is better for the environment. However when people realise that it can cost thousands of dollars and that it would likely take at least 10 years to recoup that investment they will often lose interest in switching to solar power. But there is good news as you don’t need to spend anywhere near this amount of money to solar power your home. You can buy DIY solar kits that contain all the materials and instructions you need to build and install solar panels in your home.

The first of two possible DIY solutions is to purchase a solar panel kit that has all of the components and instructions that you need. The cheapest option however is to actually build your own solar panels from scratch rather than buying them ready made as part of a kit. All of the materials are available from local hardware stores and you can expect to be able to build solar panels for less than a couple of hundred dollars each.

Making your own DIY solar panels is the perfect solution. You can expect to make huge savings from solar electricity whatever country or region you are living in. Although if you live in a sunny climate you are likely to generate a higher percentage of your electricity needs than a household in a colder geographic area. In order to operate at night and during overcast weather a solar power system will charge batteries up to save the energy for when it is needed. In some countries the power companies will actual buy your surplus solar generated electricity.Imagine how great it would be to receive money from your utility company instead of them demanding it from you!

One of the good things about DIY solar kits is that you can start off small with just a couple of solar panels with the aim of powering one or two appliances. Adding additional solar panels over time will lead to more savings and you will be able to power additional appliances.

Making your own solar panels doesn’t require you to be great at DIY. The kit will come with clear and easy to follow instructions. You won’t have to buy any expensive tools. For those who enjoy DIY this could prove to be an interesting and highly enjoyable project.

For more information on DIY Solar Kits please visit www.greencheapenergy.com. Please also read our Earth4Energy review to learn more about making your own solar panels.

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Free Energy - Homemade Solar Hot Water Kits

Sunday, December 20th, 2009

DIY hot water systems are not new, people in the United States have been using homemade water heating kits for over 100 years. Thirty percent of all hot water needs of the residents of pasadena in 1897 was produced by using homemade solar water heaters! If our ancestors could harness the power of the sun over a hundred years ago, then we should be now!

However the discovery of massive supplies of gas and oil in the United States meant that creating energy from the sun was sidelined in favor of fossil fuel heating methods. The trend in the use of homemade solar hot water kits has increased as the world looks to lower carbon emissions.

Latest statistics show that there are over 500,000 such water heating devices used in California. Many of these are used in houses and swimming pools. Using a DIY Solar Panels for swimming pools and showers is a great way to lower pollution caused by fossil fuels and also to lower your electricity bill. A bonus is that your carbon footprint is less.

Homemade solar panels used to heat hot water will typically contain pipework, a insulation box and covering panel. The sun’s heat is transferred through the glass which magnifies its intensity and makes the water in the pipes hot. Just imagine the sun as the power source for your hot water tank. However unlike when you flip the electricity switch, the sun heats up your hot water for free!

Most of the equipment that you will require can be bought at your local DIY shop. I use Radioshack for example. I can now build my own panels and cells for under $200. But remember energy from the sun is free so you will recoup these costs over time. More importantly you will not be paying thousands of dollars to a professional when you can build your own for a fraction of the price! The cost of the components is far outweighed by what you will be saving long term in electricity and heating costs around your home.

So what are you waiting for? You could be using these simple DIY solar panel systems to heat your home or swimming pool. Making a do it yourself solar hot water panel is actually easier than you would think. There are stacks of guides and plans available on the internet.

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Solar Panel Building Made Easy

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

I must say that I was a little apprehensive when I undertook my first homemade solar panel project. I was a novice at DIY and thought that building my renewable energy source would be very difficult indeed.

Luckily I cam across some very good step by step guides on the internet and set about building my first solar cell.

At the back of my mind I kept thinking that I could succeed with the project with the right tools and instruction. The main reasons for me investing in homemade energy is to reduce pollution caused by myself and I also want to save cash on electricity costs!

I was amazed at how cost effective building my homemade solar panels was. By utilising a clear set of instructions you will grow in confidence and start to realise that your panel will work when completed. So much so that it was not long before I had my first panel made

You have to remember that a solar panel is simply a big box filled with some wiring and solar cells. Putting it all together is remarkably easy once you get started.

Once constructed, you will need to find a spot that allows your homemade solar panels to face the sun. An ideal position for locating your solar cells is your roof, particularly your south facing roof. Take care when climbing at height and I would advise wearing a hard hat and harness. Make sure you treat your homemade solar energy panel with respect, it contains glass which can be damaged if care is not taken whilst installing.

Most of the equipment that you will require can be bought at your local DIY shop. I use Radioshack for example. The costs of building my DIY solar panels has dropped to under two hundred dollars. Costs will be clawed back over time as you are creating a free energy resource. More importantly you will not be paying thousands of dollars to a professional when you can build your own for a fraction of the price! The cost of the components is far outweighed by what you will be saving long term in electricity and heating costs around your home.

So what are you waiting for? I now save up to 80% of my heating and electricity costs by harnessing the power of the sun for free!

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