Posts Tagged ‘diy solar panel’

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Solar Energy In The Future

Tuesday, August 18th, 2009

It seems solar energy is becoming the new thing these days, and our sun being our most leading source of renewable energy.  People are becoming alot more conscious of the global warming and making solar energy their choice to generate power. How can we ignore the opportunities available to us, imagine living off the grid with energy free of charge, which would explain its popularity today.

For some more great articles regarding solar energy. Check out: Cost Of Solar Energy

There is a good chance in the future that our non-renewable sources of energy will be depleted, Producing
energy this way is without doubt a much healthier choice for us and our environment.

Results And Usage Of Solar Power In The Future

In the future solar energy will dominate our existing sources of energy and homes will be designed specifically so they employ solar energy entirely.

Solar power is being used around the home for many needs, such as cooking, water heaters, drying clothes.  Solar powered vehicles are even being used on the roads now.

Its very possible that large industries will run off solar power in the future, most of these huge industries require large quantities of energy to run which is why they use coal to assist in generating their energy needs. Before too long you can be certain that most current energy grids will be substituted by solar energy.

Using Solar Energy is Space

A space shuttle requires enormous amounts of fuel to function. The energy from the sun will totally control this sector in the future also.

Transportation and Solar

Oil will one day be worn out, We can also expect transportation soon to be controlled by solar power. As I mentioned earlier there already are solar powered vehicles on the roads. They are even here where I reside on an island in the pacific.

Check out a few more awesome articles about solar energy systems, and how we can profit from them. Take a look at: Solar Power Systems

By the year 2020, experts say solar systems will be put into action, opening numerous possibilities for solar energy in the future. Much more people are appreciating the importance of solar energy and starting to prepare themselves for the change.  Our non renewable sources of energy will one day be depleted. So lets start using solar energy to power our homes today.

Controlling Pollution

Another great aspect about solar energy is how clean it is,unlike our current source of energy. The pollution rate is already quite disturbing. This beautiful planet we all reside on is slowly being destroyed, I believe if everybody considered using solar or wind energy we would undoubtedly make some difference in our health and the future of our planet.

We can begin by doing some research about solar panels and  their construction.  Solar panels really are a very simple method of producing energy, and can easily be installed.  With the correct materials and instructions it is very possible to build your own solar panels, like many are already doing.  The future will be devoted to renewable sources of energy so if you are seriously considering one of these methods, solar energy is the best choice.

I really hope you have enjoyed reading this article, I can also give you a great head start.  I suggest you that you take a look at here: Build Your Own Solar Panels

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Homemade Solar Panels - The Tools to Get You Started

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

People are often surprised when I tell then that it can be really simple to build your own homemade solar panel. A DIY solar panel project does not require specialist tools. In many cases you will have the tools required already in your garage or toolbox! Even if you do not already own these tools, you can pick them up cheaply. Once you have these tools all you need are the materials. These items are not to expensive to get hold of. What I am trying to get across is that it really is not that difficult to get started on your homemade solar power project.

You will only need two manual skills for your entire DIY solar panel construction. The first is a bit of woodwork knowledge to build the panel enclosure and mount the actual cells. The second skill is the electrical part which will require you to connect the mounted cells together. This really is simply wiring and connecting the cells in the correct way. Do not fear though any good renewable energy guide will have full instructions on both skills.

To make the panel enclosure you will need a wood saw, drill and screwdriver. The method is pretty easy once you get started and requires some cutting, gluing and bolting the wood together. Remember safety first, always wear a decent pair of safety gloves and a pair of safety goggles. They are worth the small investment to ensure that you are safe.

To connect the mounted sides together you will require wirecutters and strippers and a soldering iron for the cell connections. Be careful when using a soldering iron, make sure you follow the instructions and I would suggest that any soldering is either done outside or in your garage.

I believe it is possible with some prior planning to build efficient homemade solar cells. To get the best possible results use good quality plans taken from a proven DIY solar panel guide.

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Homemade Solar Panel Plans - Getting the Basics Right

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

It is pretty hard to imagine that not long ago, people would consider you mad for embarking on a homemade solar panel project. The advance in technology coupled with ever increasing oil prices has meant that many people have now built there own panels and are creating free energy for their homes. Not only are people building their own homemade solar panels, they are building them quickly with the aid of step by step guides. The better guides have videos to accompany them so that you can make sure that your homemade solar panel project is progressing in line with the instructions given in the guide.

The cost of building your own DIY solar panel is come down in the recent years. You should budget for around $200 dollars per panel if you are willing to hunt around for the materials. Not a bad investment when you factor in the savings on electricity and the carbon footprint reduction. I love opening my electricity bills just to see how much I have really saved.

Renewable electricity is really easy to make when using the harsh rays from the sun. You may be thinking that DIY solar power plans require a degree in science and a shed full of tools. However, you will be simply amazed at how easy solar cells are to construct using simple materials that you can often purchase at your local electrical stores.

If you are looking to do your bit for the environment and also save on your energy bills then getting hold of some decent homemade solar panel plans is definitely for you! You will be amazed at how quickly you will learn the skills required to make the panels and get the system up and running.

So why wait? Not sure where to start? A guide is pretty easy to find and you can then get cracking with your own DIY Solar Panel!

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DIY Renewable Energy Guides

Monday, July 20th, 2009

Whilst forms of domestic solar panel systems have been around since the 1900s, many residential forms of renewable energy were seen by many to be to expensive when compared to traditional oil and gas methods of producing electricity and hot water. However people’s attitudes towards renewable energy is changing at a staggering pace. Especially towards the construction and use of DIY solar panels. Thankfully there are now a large range of guides on the market, some good, some bad and some really awful! The good ones will have step by step guides, videos, list of components and detailed plans to help you complete your first DIY solar panel project. Do not worry the internet is now full of reviews for most guides and you will soon find out which ones are worth investing in.

I find it hard to justify the really huge cost of buying a commercial solar panel and therefore looked at other ways of getting renewable energy. Luckily a group of like minded individuals knew that we could build our own solar panels alot cheaper than those being commercially sold. Obtaining the necessary components for your project is very easy. I know ebay sells them.

There are now plenty of DIY solar panel guides on the market, some very good and some very bad. When thinking about starting your own renewable energy project, you should try to find a very good step by step guide. You will need to have lists of items required for the project at the outset. This list will include tools, materials and plans. Making a good list from the start of your diy solar panel project will save you stacks of time and enrgy later on.

A good guide will contain all of the above and more. Videos are a great way to get practical tips along the way. The best thing about videos is that you can actually see the project in action in a step by step format.

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Components of a Complete Solar Power System

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

In this article, I am going to discuss what each piece of a solar power system does, and what role the part plays in the system.  Each component handles a specific job, though you don’t have to include every component in every solar project.  A typical solar power system generates electricity, stores the electricity in batteries to be used later and then changes the Direct Current electricity from the batteries to the same type of Alternating Current electricity that comes from the wall sockets in your home.

Solar Panels

The first part of a solar power system is the solar panels, which generate electricity using energy from the sun.  Electrons are knocked loose from a layer of silicon after being hit by photons from sunlight.  These electrons are electricity and are sent through wires.  A solar panel is composed of many solar cells, each of which generates about 1/2 volt.  By putting together the correct number of solar cells, any voltage you need can be generated.  Building your own solar panel and producing your own free electricity is actually relatively cheap and easy.  To read more about how to build your own solar panel, take a look at Building Your Own DIY Solar Panel

Charge Controller

This part charges the batteries using the electricity generated by the solar panels. The electricity going to the batteries is regulated by the charge controller. As the batteries get close to fully charged, it slowly reduces the power sent to the batteries to make sure the batteries don’t overcharge. After the batteries are fully charged, it will also “top off” the batteries if the batteries fall below full charge to make sure the batteries remain fully charged. For more information about charge controllers, see All About Solar Charge Controllers

Batteries

The majority of solar power systems use 12 volt batteries like you find in your car.  The most common type are sealed lead acid.  This type of battery is rugged, easy to find and cheap.  Weight is the only real downside, but since you aren’t going to be moving the batteries around, it isn’t really much of a problem.  You can often get surplus batteries from places like computer UPS systems for very cheap or even free.

Power Inverter

A power inverter transforms the 12v Direct Current (DC) power from the batteries into 120v Alternating Current (AC) power like what comes out of your wall sockets.  There are two different kinds of power inverter called Modified Sine Wave (MSW) and True Sine Wave (TSW).  There are two kinds: Modified Sine Wave (MSW) and True Sine Wave (TSW).  Of the two, TSW is the better one because it exactly matches the electricity that comes from the sockets in your house.  MSW is cheaper than TSW, but it is generally worth it in the long run to pay more for a TSW inverter.

Complete Solar Power System

Now we will put all the pieces together into a complete system.  The roof is where the solar panels are generally mounted.  Wires are used to connect the solar panels together and then send the electricity to the charge controller.  The charge controller charges the batteries using the power coming from the solar panels.  The power from the charge controller is stored in the batteries all day while sunlight is striking the solar panels.  The DC electricity from the batteries is converted into the standard 120v AC electricity that your appliances are used to by the power inverter.  This type of solar system can be small enough to power just a single device or big enough to power your whole house.

If you’re interested in how much it would cost for enough solar panels to power your entire house, check out this guide to Cost of Home Solar Panels

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