Build Your Own Solar Panel - The Truth Behind Saving Cash With Residential Photo Voltaic Cells

With the surge in energy prices and the weakening economy, consumers are wisely looking to alternative energy as a solution. Solutions like solar and wind power have now become hot topics budget minded households. But with prices from the lows of $6,200 to the highs of over $30,000, a commercial solar solution is too impractical for a mere mortals budget. That is why many are turning looking to build their own solar panel.

Imagine the thrill of a $0 energy bill.

Or... How about selling your "surplus" energy back to the utility company for income?

This is not myth. This is not fantasy.

Real people are building and profiting from their own solar panels right now. They have panels on their roofs that are bringing in enough energy to run normal appliances like air conditioners, refrigerators, televisions and more. In fact some people are going so far as to switch appliances to take advantage of their extra energy. Check out what one solar user named Laura Peterson said "We actually just got a new washer and dryer, and we put in an electric dryer, instead of a gas one, because we figured we might as well use the electricity that we're generating."

Imagine the thrill of having "too much" energy...

The Truth About Most DIY Solar Panels

The truth is that you can build your own DIY solar panel but the majority of the plans you will find out there are for 3rd year electronic engineering students who are taking the time to fuse hundreds of broken and re-used solar cell pieces together to come out with a whopping 1/2 volt supply of energy!

In case you are not keen on electrical engineering, that is not a lot. In fact many of these projects barely produce enough power to light an LED.

Needless to say this is not the amount of power that will get a normal household off of the grid and producing their own usable energy.

I bring this up to say that if you believe that you can create a DIY photo voltaic (which simply means generating electricity from light) solar panel by surfing the forums, you will probably be rudely disappointed.

The best solution is to go for a product that is geared towards normal people (not engineering students).

Solar Panel Kits And Plans

There are a few solar panel kits on the markets for just over $1,200 dollars. The good side of getting one of these kits is that they have most all of the components you will need for the solar panel itself. However it should be noted that they do not include components such as the inverter or hi "amp hour" battery.

The Power Inverter - is a critical component that changes the DC voltage that solar panels produce into usable AC power that normal household appliances run off of. Without this component the power coming off of the pane is practically useless. These inverters are quite expensive, on the order of $500-$750 new.

The Battery - Another critical component is the battery bank. This is essential because your solar cells may well produce more power than you need during the day (and of course none at night). The batteries store that power for future use so that it is not wasted. High amp hour batteries can store this power 80 - 110 hours of power usage, which should get you through some cloudy days and dark nights. These run in the $150-$200 range for new batteries.

Those are the essential components for a kit. And of course the cost mentioned for the panels is "per panel" so multiply that by the number of panels you need.

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How to Build Homemade Solar Panels - 5 Steps to Save!

Prices of energy from traditional sources are not getting any cheaper and so many people are now looking into powering their homes using renewable energy such as solar power. You may be thinking that this sounds good in practise but don't want to wait several years to see a return on investment. Well, the good news is that if you can learn how to build homemade solar panels then you can start to make huge savings with only a small initial investment of a few hundred dollars.

In this article we are going to outline 5 main steps you can follow to learn how to build homemade solar panels and with a little work on your part you can be enjoying free solar power for years to come:

1. Buy a guide - Better still, get your hands on a free one. Building solar panels is not rocket science but you will definitely benefit from having a pictorial book to guide you each step of the way. There are many eBooks available on the Internet that will enable even the most hopeless at DIY to build their own solar power plant on a budget.

2. Build your panels - Solar panels are made up of solar cells connected together in series to form the panel array. The easiest but most pricey option for this is to simply buy premade solar panels. The cheaper option would be to build your own from scratch using cheap solar cells purchased from eBay. All you would need beside the solar cells is a sheet of plywood, some glass, wire, silicone, screws and some basic DIY skills.

3. Place your panels - You want to place your panels to receive optimum amounts of daily sunshine. The roof of your house or an open space in your garden would both be effective choices.

4. Connect the panels to a battery - On lovely summer days you may find your solar panels will generate more electricity than you require on that day to run your house. Connecting them to a battery via a charge controller will enable you to store the electricity for use on more gloomy days.

5. Connect the network to your breaker panel - Your house appliance run on alternating current so you will need to pass the wires through an inverter to convert DC to AC before connecting it to your home's electricity breaker system.

These steps provide a basic overview of how to build homemade solar panels. It may seem daunting to those of us who are not electrical engineers. My advice would be to check out one of the many eBooks available and see if you can follow the more detailed step-by-step instructions.

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Solar Panels 101

Solar panels are complex modules of photo-voltaic cells. If you break down that word, 'photo-voltaic' it literally means light (photo) - electricity (voltaic). These photo-voltaic cells accumulate sun energy and turn it into electricity. Though the system may seem very complex, from the technical point of view things are not difficult at all.

Depending on the necessity of the user, the solar panels vary in size according to the number of photo-voltaic modules that they incorporate. Modules are held together by special wiring systems and they function as a field unit.

Fiberglass, metal, simple glass or even plastic are used for covering the photo-voltaic cells and creating the exterior of the overall solar panels.

There are some practical conditions to be met for the solar panels to work properly. First of all, the cells in the solar panels have to be connected with each other in order to accumulate and pass on the electric charge. Then, the solar panels have to be protected from the outward environment, since they are very sensitive. Thus, you have to take all the measures necessary for the exterior protection against hail, heavy snow and winds. Such precautions are particularly important if your solar panels are made of wafer-based silicon cells which are more brittle.

You can increase the performance and the life of the solar panels by creating some insulation cover against moisture; hence avoiding metal corrosion. This will ensure that the panels remain in good shape. Depending on the type of module structures, solar panels can be flexible if based on thin film cells, or rigid for normal modules.

You don't have to worry about the potential overheating of the cells since there are diodes integrated in the structure of the solar panels that decrease temperature automatically. Moreover, manufacturers most often include special ventilation channels in the design of the solar panels.

The most competitive solar panels use a combination of mirrors and lenses to focus solar energy on the cells, thus reducing the energy production costs. Companies are offering extensive innovations to their systems, since the demand for solar panels has seen a real boom over the last ten years.

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The Dark Side Of Home Solar Panels

You're an energy conscious person, and you are doing your best to help conserve energy. You have replaced your windows with more energy efficient ones. All your appliances are also now energy efficient. Even your computer has a good Energy Star rating. However, you want to depend less on the power company, so you look into alternative energy solutions. Before you go out and invest, here is a list of home solar panels' dark side.

Seasons & Mother Nature

'Tis the Season to be jolly! That is what the sang touts, but with solar panels, you're not dreaming of a white Christmas. If your panels get covered with a thick coating of snow, unless you have stored up some power in battery bays, you could be in for a problem. And even with clear winter days, the fact is that the sun is lower in the sky and this means less rays of light every day until spring and summer return. This leads to less power and more headaches if you are unprepared.

Another way home solar panels can be a nuisance is when Mother Nature decides to play around with you. The news report says a slight haze for the morning - well, fog blacks out the light and thus less power is created. The radio says pollution is high today, or the weatherman says it will be a cloudy day? More of the same. And if you or your neighbors have tall trees, let's hope they will not cast a shadow on your panels, or you know what will happen!

Geographic Location, Direction And Tilt

The entire planet is covered with a multitude of people. However, for those who remember their earth science classes, those nearer to the equator receive more sun, while those farther north or south get less. Can you imagine trying to survive with solar power in Alaska? If so, I hope you have a secondary plan for the thirty days of night. Overall, geographic location of the home can make a huge difference in whether or not solar panels are a true option for you, or if you should look for another alternative solution.

Now if you have a roof that faces south, you're a good candidate for solar panels. This is because the south is what receives the most direct sunlight everyday. Of course, it's the exact opposite for those living in the southern hemisphere.

However, if you have an east/west roof, your panels will not be as efficient. And speaking of the roof, a slant of forty to sixty degrees is the absolute best for capturing the sun's rays and electricity. If it is any more or any less, this too can provide a problem.

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Any Solar Panels

Solar panels are devices used for harnessing the vast reservoir of power embedded in sunlight, a non-conventional energy source.

On a bright day, it is calculated that the sun emits about one kilowatt of energy to a square meter of the Earth's surface. Only a fraction of this vast energy has been harnessed for practical use.

Solar-power generation has not been cost-effective compared to conventional energy sources. But of late, governmental and non-governmental agencies, companies, corporations, and educational institutions have been promoting research and development for finding ways to make solar power feasible.

Solar panels are photovoltaic (PV) arrays. Photo refers to light and voltaic to electricity. These arrays are available in forms such as solar hot water panels for providing domestic hot water and solar photovoltaic panels for generating electricity.

Larger solar arrays can generate power to be supplied to isolated areas where normal electricity supply is unfeasible. There has been a race for developing experimental solar-powered cars, yachts, and other vehicles. Solar panels should have as much surface area as possible pointing towards the sun.

Solar power is harnessed widely in space missions launched within the solar system. Outside of the solar system, the energy availability weakens. Solar cells in the PV panels convert light into electricity by absorbing the energy of the sun. Crystalline silicon and gallium arsenide are the best choices of materials for solar cells.

Silicon crystals in the form of standard ingots are less expensive compared to gallium arsenide. Ploycrystalline silicon gives only lower conversion efficiency, but has the added attraction of a lower cost.

The costs of PV panels range from $1 to $2 per watt, with an installed cost from $3 to $7 per watt. Solar panels would prove to be the ultimate device for capturing omnipresent power from the sun.

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Install Solar Panels in a Cost-Effective Way With Solar Panel Rebates

Nowadays, solar panel rebates have become very popular incentives for commercial and residential power users to begin using solar energy. Solar panel system generates electricity from sunlight through its cells. A rebate is an idea from a government that helps to subsidize the price of installing panels. This makes it more affordable for all groups of people whether they are rich or middle class. There are various rebates around the world, and they are different in each state and country. However, most countries now simply have a feed-in-tariff scheme which subsidizes the price of installing a solar system.

As solar rebate offers financial support to businesses, households and community groups, so they can produce solar power on their own by installing small-scale electricity systems. Solar credits are provided in the form of RECs' (Renewable Energy Certificates) for people who have installed a new system. The level of support provided by solar credits depends on the cost of RECs and the location and size of the solar panel system.

The latest solar credit scheme is now very beneficial; save thousands off a grid connected solar system. Businesses, homeowners and community groups are eligible for this rebate program. There are a number of rebates available for solar system that includes STCs (small-scale renewable energy scheme) and FIT (feed-in-tariff). In FIT scheme, the extra power that you don't use is feed into the grid. The amount paid to you per kWh for that unused electricity produced by a solar power system. Feed-in-tariff depends on the energy provider and the state.

You can literally save many dollars on grid connected and off grid solar panels if you go for one of the solar panel rebates or grants. The latest solar rebate scheme means that installing a solar system and producing solar power is a significantly viable investment. It is the government's commitment to reduce the amount of electricity in the grid. The quantity of rebate and the eligibility situations vary from state to state. Even within a same country, there may be variations. In the UK, many people are enjoying grants up to 2,500 pounds that can be rewarded both for solar hot water and solar panel systems. US people are getting advantage from rebates that may range from zero to above $26,000.

It's time to find your eligibility for a rebate. While some governments need you to be an inhabitant of the place for a fixed time period, some others may have ceiling on the rebate that a single house can get benefit. A few governments sometimes use property value and personal income as a scale to consider the valid rebate and sometimes, seasonable rebates are also offered to solar energy users. It is necessary to discover whether you are eligible or not for the rebates before installing solar panels. It is possible that sometimes, the rebates may be applicable only for specific panels. Get a clear idea about whether you can get benefit from rebates and tax or not.

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Saving Green With Rooftop Solar Panels

Solar panels or photovoltaic panels (PV) are one of many investments that should be considered, if you plan on saving money and generate electricity. They are called solar panels because the mount absorbs light the most effective form of source (the sun) and generate the light to electricity. While rumors of Global Warming continue to rise the concern for our green environment has also risen. This is why everyone should also pay attention to your eco-footprints. Everyone plays a role in global climate change whether it is littering, toxic hairspray sprayed in the air, cars spurring fumes. This is why everyone should give to an eco-friendly solution. With photovoltaic panels coming into action the elimination of gas, electricity and other wasteful energies are diminishing. Photovoltaic panels are an effective stepping foot into a eco-friendly environment while saving you money in the long run.

There are different ways to compose photovoltaic panels to accommodate your personal preference such as rooftop solar mounts, ground solar mounts, building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) and more. Every photovoltaic panel consists of a collection of solar cells, that work together generating a high amount of energy. A single photovoltaic panel can produce only a limited amount of power, that is why there are multiplephotovoltaic panels installed. The more sunlight every panel absorbs the more electricity it produces. While rumors of depleting fossil fuel continue to rise concerns for people, there will never be rumours of the sun depleting.

Rooftop solar panels are usually ideal since they convey more room in your residential or commercial area, while still receiving the most effective energy. Rooftop solar panels are the most popular type of photovoltaic panels that are built and installed to withstand the harshest weather conditions and the durability is able to last decades. With these photovoltaic panels generating your home or office you will never have to worry about a blackout or power shortage again. With the most powerful source of energy generating your environment, you will be in good hands.

Photovoltaic panels are a great investment since every panel depends and runs from the most effective source of energy. The sun will never deplete nor end, for a concern for solar panels to rise. Investing in Rooftop solar panels helps save money since the government requires to increase solar power contribution. So Federal and certain States, offer tax incentives for your solar panels, which seems as a reimburse system.

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