Archive for the ‘Energy Saving’ Category
Is it Worth Making Solar Panels Yourself? no comments
With the cost of fully assembled solar panels now so high, is it possible to make them yourself without too much hassle? Yes, definitely, without a doubt. There is a ton of information available online to show you how to make solar panels. Probably your main difficulty will be finding the good advice amongst all the other stuff.
We have searched through all this information using our own expertise in solar panel construction, to give you all the basic advice and guidance needed to make a safe and efficient alternative energy system for your house. You should find this helpful.
The first thing is that you will not need any particular skills or technical knowledge, which is reassuring. All materials are also easy to obtain. It is quite possible to make your own solar panel for under 200 dollars and in a weekend. That’s a whole lot better than the several thousand dollars you will be quoted for a fully assembled system – even a single small panel will cost nearly a thousand dollars these days.
As always, it pays to plan things properly before starting to build anything. These points need to be considered in any plans to make a solar panel:
Location: Solar cells need sunlight, so the panels should face the sun at noon. Resist any urges to fit costly mobile systems that keep the panels facing the sun – it is much cheaper to make several fixed panels in slightly different positions if necessary. Ensure that your solar panels will not be shaded by trees or tall buildings at any time of the day.
Installation: You can install your solar panels practically anywhere that is convenient and suitable, such as the roof of your house or a shed. Since they are a little delicate, it might be a good idea to keep any solar panel out of reach of children and animals!
Materials and Tools: There are no special tools needed, simply some hand tools like screwdrivers, a drill, a saw and a soldering iron. If you have access to a workbench, electric drill and saw, that would make things much easier and quicker. Materials are limited to plywood, plexiglass, solder and flux, caulking and copper wire. The solar cells themselves can be bought cheaply on the internet.
Instructions: To build your own solar panel, you will need good quality step-by-step directions. These should include advice on calculating size and numbers of panels needed, mounting them securely, and essential electrical information such as use of inverters and connecting to your residential electric circuits.
None of this is complicated, but investing in a good step-by-step assembly manual is, we believe, vital to ensure a safe and professional result.
Having researched the crowded market we have found a manual which we believe is the best available for showing how to make a solar panel, with clear assembly instructions, lots of diagrams and even a set of great videos.
It has full details about electrical wiring techniques and regulations, as well as how to feed any surplus electricity into your local utility company grid.
This is how to make solar panels the right way, right first time, the expert way.
Our aim is to provide in one place expert advice and guidance for making a number of solar and wind energy projects, such as solar panels, solar hot water heaters, solar swimming pool heaters, solar hot tubs, windmills, wind turbines and many other green energy devices, using easy step-by-step instruction manuals and good quality plans for the amateur and professional alike. From our experience we are able to investigate and select only those kits and systems that we know will work well and be simple to assemble. We only recommend products that, in our opinion, offer true value for money and are fully guaranteed.
Please go to our specialized website Practical-Solar.com to learn more. We hope you will find your visit interesting and stimulating.
Photovoltaic Solar Panels no comments
Are you interested in saving on energy and money? Then I have the answer for you. Photovoltaic Solar Panels allow you to save on nonrenewable resources and cut back on your energy bill. Let me explain…
A photovoltaic substance means that it has the ability to turn light into radiant energy. Solar panels can capture rays from the sun and turn it into electricity.
The key part of a solar unit is the cell. The cell is what actually turns the sun into electricity. You can do just about anything with that energy. There are solar products anywhere from lights, to pool heaters, to ovens, and even fountains for your front lawn.
You can build your own panels at home. There are do it yourself kits available in wide varieties online. If you find yourself overwhelmed at the costs of installation, don’t worry. The panels actually end up paying for themselves within four years or so just because you save so much on bills.
When you use these panels you can get great perks back. Not only are you saving on your monthly energy bill, but you get federal tax incentives for using them. Even on top of that you are bringing the value of your home up. Just imagine the incentive people would have to buy your home when they hear they won’t have an electric bill AND they are going to get a tax break.
Photovoltaic solar panels are a smart choice for any home or business. Start saving our natural resources and build your solar panel today.
Different Ways to Save Electricity no comments
The idea of saving electricity is not new but there are many new and different ways to save electricity that go beyond simply purchasing energy efficient appliances; such as refrigerators, washer and dryers. Why is saving electricity important? It is not only a matter of money that you pay for your electricity bill; it is more related to the amount of resources that are used to create the electricity. The Department of energy has projected that in the next 20 years even with diligent conservation of energy America will made one third more electricity than it currently is using.
Although using energy efficient appliances is helpful the amount of electricity that most household appliances such as microwaves, coffee makers and computers use only represents 2% of the total electricity you are using. It is more important to focus on the larger items and look for alternatives for their function. For example instead of buying a washer and dryer for your lunch we if it’s possible to set up a clothesline air dry your clothes instead.
Another large idea that can help you save electricity is to look at the design of your home. Is the property where you live energy efficient? If you live in an older home that was built before 1970 it may be worth your while to consult with an electrical contractor to find out whether or not your electrical wiring is up to code and functioning at its optimum best. For homes that have electrical systems that are not energy efficient than the amount of energy you wasting can add up to hundreds of kilowatts a year as well as thousands of dollars in bills. In addition as winter rolls around energy consumption also rises and for a house that is not energy efficient this means even higher bills.
Many homes use a central heating system that runs on electricity. But instead of using this you can save almost $1000 per year by simply using space heaters in the specific room. Most of the modern space heaters today are designed to conserve electricity and be easy to use for safe handling.
Probably the most significant aspect of ways to save electricity is the necessity to change the attitude toward energy consumption. Many people take electricity service for granted; leaving the lights on in rooms that are not being used is a good example. However there are many people for whom electricity is an absolute luxury but unfortunately is not available to them on the level that most Americans enjoy.
But the best way to save electricity is to use solar energy instead. There are many devices that are solar powered that are available for use in your home. Renewable energy technology has advanced tremendously over the last 20 years now you can get solar powered water heaters, as well as lighting for the interior and exterior of your home. You can also many devices which are solar powered such as cell phone rechargers.
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Residential Solar Power Systems no comments
There are several different kinds of residential solar power systems that are now available. It has really gotten a lot easier to right size a system to fit your needs and your bank account. The three main different systems are the grid-tie, the utility-interactive, and stand alone systems.
The most affordable option is the grid-tie system. Solar panels generate electricity in DC current so the first thing you need is an inverter to change your DC to AC so that it can be used for your appliances. Basically with this system you have your solar panels connected to an inverter which in turn connects to your existing utility service, there are a couple of safety devices that will also need to be in the circuit though.
With this setup you don’t have any batteries so you are still relying on the power company for a portion of your electricity needs, especially at night. During the peak sunlight hours you can actually generate enough electricity to spin your meter backwards. When you manage to spin your meter backwards then the power company is now buying electricity from you. The fall back is that you don’t have any batteries to enable you to store electricity so even though you are saving money from your electricity bills you are still very reliant on the power company.
The next kind of system will cost you a little more but it provides some extra functionality at the same time. This system is the utility-interactive system and it still connects to the grid in much the same way as the grid-tie system does. Staying connected to the grid means that you will not experience any power problems during peak power demands.
This system uses batteries so that you can actually store power from your system when the system is generating more power than you are using. This means that during a blackout or at night time you can still use the power that is stored in your batteries to continue to supply power to your home. While this system is more expensive than the grid-tie system it does have some definite advantages.
The third kind of system is the stand alone system. It is basically the same as the utility-interactive but does not connect to the power grid at all. This system is primarily used in areas where there is not any utility service available in the first place.
While this system removes you completely from the power grid you will need to make sure that you have enough power generating and storage capability that you will not exceed the abilities of your system. The biggest draw backs of this system are a very high initial cost to ensure that you can produce your power needs and the fact that you won’t have the utility company to fall back on if you need it.
With the variety of residential solar power systems that are available today it is making it easier for us to do our part in reducing fossil fuel consumption. Most people can’t afford to just completely remove themselves from the grid because of the high start up cost but we can start using the grid-tie systems to ease the strain that the high fuel costs are causing.
If you need some help finding affordable solar panels and equipment then here is a site that you should take a look at: http://solarpanelscheap.com/
How to Build Solar Panels no comments
Building solar panels is a relatively simple matter because solar cells are modular. They are also quite small. Solar cells that are used in residential solar panels is about twice the size of a bar coaster or about four times the size of a playing card. You can fit your hands around one quite easily.
You begin building solar panels by connecting these cells in series and then connecting panels to one another. Then all that is left is to connect the solar panel array to batteries and an inverter to power your house.
Solar cells or photovoltaic cells, as we’ll call them here, convert solar energy into electric energy. Now, you knew that but in order to understand the way building solar panels works, you need to know how the electricity is made.
Photons of light strike the semiconductor material on the cell’s surface, usually silicon, and in so doing knock an electron loose. There are two types of silicon used to make a cell. They are both mixed with other elements which change their polarity. One type is negatively charged because it is mixed with phosphorous and the other is positively charged because it is mixed with boron. By putting together layers of silicon with different electrical charges, the incoming photons have an easier time of loosening up an electron and sending it looking for place to go.
The cells are engineered so that the electrons can only go in one direction and that direction is ‘out.’ So, each cell is designed to add their exiting electrons to the flow of electrons and with enough cells and enough solar energy, you have an electrical current you can work with.
See, building solar panels is not difficult but it is precise. The channels that absorb the electrons in each cell are lined up with every other channel in their particular group by means of a connecting tab, solder and flux. Once the cells are connected, a surface layer of glass, plastic or laminate (or a some combination) is layed over the top to protect them, all the moisture is removed (to avoid condensation which would interfere with the panel’s efficiency) and the panels are placed into position and connected.
From there, it is a simple matter of hooking up the solar array to your house’s electrical condition. In my mind, it goes without saying that you should hire a professional to do this. If you insist on doing it yourself, I believe you still need a certified electrician to examine it to insure your work is up to code. In the event of an adverse electrical event (fire), you would want your house to be up to code and in keeping with the provisions of your home owner’s insurance policy. will answer an questions you might have on how to put together your own solar panels for home use.
Do Solar right. Get the information you need first before you make a costly mistake. Visit SolarPanelsForHomeUse.com to get the information you need.