Archive for the ‘DIY Solar Panels’ Category

Build Your Own Solar Panel Kits – Are They Worth Considering?

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

A quick look and search on Google would reveal myriads of websites selling these build your own solar panel kits, which are selling like lemonades one a hot summer day. And it’s NOT surprising why they are so popular.

Think about it – with the cost of non renewable energy sources on the rise making you jump out of your seats, solar energy is one of the best sources of alternative energy. For one thing, it is renewable. No, it cannot be exhausted. As long as there is sunlight, you can expect these solar panels to keep your appliances – your washing machine, TV, fridge, etc. working.

HOWEVER, I’m sure you are asking this question – are these build your own solar panel kits worth a look? Do they really work? Or are these kits and manuals made only with the intention of making money from unsuspecting fellas?

Let me cut the chase and answer that question straight up – YES, these kits and manuals do WORK! At least, that’s what I think of the Green DIY Energy solar panel manual and kit. Thanks to it, I have built sufficient solar panels to cut my monthly electric bill by half!

YES, it is possible to grab a kit from Green DIY Energy or other energy websites and assemble and install the solar panels yourselves. This may sound surprising for some, BUT building solar panels is very easy! And I’m a living proof. I’m not a scientist, not a physicist (matter of fact, I hate physics!), and I’m not an engineer, BUT I was able to get the job done thanks to the step by step instruction from one of the best build your own solar panel kits around.

And that’s just one of the advantages. Let’s take a look at other benefits of DIY solar panel kits and manuals that conventional energy sources can’t brag about.

For those of you who don’t know it, one of the BIGGER advantages of being able to generate power by yourself (with solar energy) is that you can sell the excess power to companies. This is called as the grid on and grid off application. I don’t know about you BUT that’s a very pleasant situation – you are not just saving money from your electric bill, you are NOT just helping Mother Nature, BUT you also have the opportunity to create income for yourself!

HOWEVER, there are other issues that you need to consider when you want to create your own solar panels with DIY Solar Kits and install them in your home. Let’s take a look:

- No matter how you look at it, it is a form of investment. And when we make investments, we want to make sure that we would recover them along the way. With that in mind, making sure that you would stay in that house after you install your solar panels is essential.

- Make sure that a large portion of your roof is open and exposed to direct sunlight. This is very important. Solar cells react best when they are in contact with direct sunlight. If your roof is covered with trees, you may want to consider trimming the stems and leaves off since it might prevent your solar panels from gathering enough power.

- Along with that, you may also want to make sure that working on your roof would be safe and comfortable enough for you to spend about 6 hours or so for the installation and wiring of your panels. You may want to enlist the help of someone if you are NOT confident about it. HOWEVER, the instructions from Green DIY Energy is very easy to understand that I was able to get the job done myself!

Why NOT have a look at the Green DIY Energy website and see how you can start building your solar panels TODAY?

DIY Solar Panel Kits – Solar Energy Without Boring A Hole In Your Pocket

Sunday, May 9th, 2010

With the constant rise of energy costs, there is very little doubt that homeowners from left, right, and center are more than interested to switching from conventional energy sources to solar panels.

It’s safe, saves you a lot in the long run, and very environment friendly. What more can you ask for? HOWEVER, there is one disadvantage that thwarts homeowners like you and me from taking advantage of solar energy – the initial costs.

While it is true that solar energy will save you thousands in the long run, the initial expenses entailed by building and installing one is simply too much for average Joes and Janes like you and me. Think about it, not everybody has the means nor the inclination to spend thousands of dollars in one go.

So does it mean we should kiss our dreams of having a safe and effective energy source goodbye? HELL NO! Not when there are DIY solar panel kits around!

YES, you have read that right…you don’t have to be a scientists, an engineer or a physicist to start building your own solar panels. You can DO IT YOURSELF! Not to mention you get so save more when you assemble your own solar panels than buy them pre assembled.

When you grab a Do It Yourself Solar Panel Kit, you get to learn everything you need to know about this amazing alternative energy source – how they work, what makes them stand out from the rest of the pack, how it can reduce your electric bills and minimize environmental pollution, and of course, how to build you own from scratch!

A Do It Yourself solar panel kit comes with complete and easy to understand assembly instructions that even someone who has average IQ could follow. For those of you who just can’t get their hands dirty, hiring someone might be the way to go. BUT believe me, constructing it and piecing the parts together is very easy…no special skills required that you would find it silly to hire someone to get the job done for you.

Well, at least, that’s what the Green DIY Energy solar panel kit is. Thanks to the detailed and step by step instruction from Green DIY Energy, I have saved well over $500 on my electric bill for the past 3 months or so…and I don’t even have to break a sweat in constructing it!

“Alright, it’s easy to build, that’s nice to know. BUT what about the parts? Are they easy to find? Are they expensive?” I’m sure that’s what you are thinking and I’m glad that you asked!

The parts needed to build these energy saving and environmental friendly solar panels can be found in your local hardware store like Home Depot, or eBay for getting more discounts on the parts. As for the tools needed, no, you don’t need state of the art and ground breaking power tools that would bore a hole in your pocket.

Many of the tools necessary for piecing the parts of a solar panel together can be found in your home’s tool box.

So why on earth are you still staring at this screen? Why are you still hesitating?

You are just a couple of clicks away from having your own solar panel. Many (including me) have already taken advantage of Do It Yourself solar panel kits like the one from Green DIY Energy (which I highly recommend) and it’s about time that you do, too!

Testing Your DIY Solar Panels And Making Sure It Works!

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

So you have built your own solar panels and solar energy system? Yeah? GOOD! Now’s the perfect time to start testing your DIY solar panels to make sure it works and it works safely. Let’s take a closer look at some of the tests that you should do before letting your DIY solar panels work full scale:

Testing With The Multi Meter
For those who have built their home made solar panels and solar energy system, I’m sure you know by now that having a multi meter that can measure volts and amps is handy for the project. Here’s how the testing should be done:

(1) Get the multi meter ready
(2) Next, you should set the dial to measure voltage
(3) After that, you should touch the testing rods both on the positive and negative run wires that are coming out from behind of the solar module.

When done correctly, the reading should be at around 18 volts. Done? EXCELLENT! Now let’s go ahead and measure it in amps. Reset the dial to check for the current, do the same steps outlined above, and the amperage reading from the solar cells should be somewhere around 2.5 to 3 amps.

Taking Advantage Of The Power From The Solar Panel
When you are pumping out electricity from a solar panel, the output would be in Direct Current (or DC for short). Here’s the thing, however, many of the electrical appliances and gadgets we have at home – washing machine, computer, television, fridge, and others, run on Alternate Current (or AC).

With that in mind, you need to connect the power output of the solar panel into a power converter that will change Direct Current to Alternate Current. Once done, you can finally use the power from the inverter coming out from a standard 120 volt plug.

Scaling Things Up – Running Everything On Solar Power!
Since you now know to make a home made solar panel without breaking your back or sucking your wallet dry, the next logical step to take is to scale up the project. What you need to do is repeat the whole process – start working on the second, third, or even fourth solar panel (depending on the number of appliances you have at home and their energy consumption).

For those of you who have gadgets, gizmos, and electrical appliances that need to run on higher voltage, you have to link or connect several solar panels in series to increase your solar energy systems power output.

If you want to re charge a battery quicker, here’s a tip that will help – the solar panels should be wired in parallel for you to increase the amps. With the amps doubled, you can reduce the battery charging and get things done half the time!

Building Your DIY Solar Panels NOW!
What?! You don’t have even the slightest idea how to build your own solar panel without spending a fortune? You are being left out! BUT no worries, you can always catch up.

Here’s what – check Green DIY Energy and get your hands on their easy to understand DIY solar panel guide coupled with high definition videos that will walk you through the process of building your own solar energy system.

And believe me, it works! And I’m the living proof. I have built my own solar panel and solar energy system about 2 months ago and I’m enjoying all of the benefits brought by this renewable energy source. It’s about time you take advantage of it, too!

7 MUST Have Tools For Building Solar Panels

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

Want to start building your very own solar panels and set yourself free from the ever increasing monthly electric bill? Want to empower your home appliances – washing machine, TV, fridge, computer, etc. will renewable and safe electricity?

I’m pretty sure that your answer is a resounding YES! With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the 7 must have tools for building your very own solar energy system and panels:

MUST Have Tool No. 1 – Electric Table Saw
If you are a total newcomer in building solar panels, you MUST know that DIY solar panels are built from wood. With that in mind, having an electric table saw that cuts wood with great precision will come in very handy. Well, you can use a regular hand saw if you don’t have one ready as long as you can cut the wood in accordance to the specified dimensions.

HOWEVER, for someone who is NOT very experienced when it comes to building stuff, the machine accuracy that electric saws have will be very helpful.

MUST Have Tool No. 2 – Battery Powered Drill
This tool, on the other hand, is excellent for drilling and creating pilot holes for the screw. This is especially handy when you need to drill holes through the Plexiglas. You see, if you push regular screw through the plastic, the chances of creating cracks and crevices (which you want to avoid like plague!) will be high. Along with that, battery powered drills are perfect for driving in the screws.

Just make sure that you have all of the necessary bits and parts of the drill as well as some extra battery in case you need it.

MUST Have Tool No. 3 – Electric Sander
When building your own solar panels, you need to sand down the wood’s surface. And this is the tool to use! On the other hand, if you don’t have a powered sander, using good and old sand paper should get the job done. BUT since you will be doing things manually, it will take significantly longer than usual.

MUST Have Tool No. 4 – Gloves And Caulk Gun
You see, when creating home made solar panel and solar energy systems, you need a lot of liquid silicone caulk handy. The caulk gun us necessary for squeezing the caulk out of the caulk tube. The gloves, on the other hand, is for your safety – helping you keep the caulk off of your fingers.

MUST Have Tool No. 5 – Multi Meter
This tool is essential when you are working on your systems solar cells. Make sure that the multi meter you have can measure both volts as well as amps. Should you use analog muti meter or the digital one? Well, it doesn’t matter. Either of the two should work fine as long as it can measure amps and volts.

MUST Have Tool No. 6 – Soldering Gun
There will be a point in the construction when you need to connect and piece all of the solar cells together. For that, a soldering gun is necessary. Mind you, though, the soldering gun of your choice should be a low wattage one.

You see, PV or Photo Voltaic cells are very delicate and fragile. You definitely don’t want to burn off the tabs.

MUST Have Tool No. 7 – Stainless Steel Screws
Last BUT not the least, you want to have a bunch of stainless steel screws ready. Why stainless? Why not the regular ones? You see, your solar panels would be situated on your home’s roof. It would be exposed to rain, snow, sun, and other elements.

You sure don’t want it to rust.

Here’s a tip to make sure your screws are stainless – use a magnet. If it’s NOT attracted to the magnet, you know that they are stainless.

Finding those tools isn’t hard, right?

All you have to do now is find an excellent DIY solar panel guide that will walk you through the process of creating your own solar energy system. One guide that I would highly recommend is from Green DIY Energy.

Thanks to the Green DIY Energy manual, I have built my own solar energy system and enjoying its benefits for 2 months now and still counting!

Solar Powering A House – The Basics

Saturday, May 1st, 2010

Even primitive man knows how useful the warming heat of the sun is. And with the technological advancements that mankind has experienced, even 12 year olds now know that one can power up their home appliances with the correct tools that harness the sun’s power.

So what do you have to do to power you house with solar energy? Well, it’s NOT as simple as slapping glasses and modules on your roof, BUT as someone who has built his own solar panels with the aid of Do It Yourself solar panel guides (I got mine from Green DIY Energy), I can say that it’s NOT that hard to do.

First Things First
Before anything else, keep in mind that not every roof has the right orientation or angle of inclination for taking advantage of the sun’s energy to the fullest. Non tracking photo voltaic systems found in the Northern Hemisphere should ideally point towards the true south. BUT some orientations that fact in eastern and western directions should also work, but only by sacrificing some degree of efficiency.

Along with that, solar panels should also be inclined at an angle that is as close to area’s latitude as possible. This is to make sure that it absorbs the maximum amount of energy all year round.

You could go for a different orientation or inclination if you want to maximize the production of energy during the morning or afternoon, or during summer or winter. Needless to say, the solar panels and modules should never be covered or shaded by trees or buildings (no matter what time of the day or time of the year) for it to work at its fullest potential.

In a photo voltaic module, even if only one photo voltaic cell is shaded, the power production and potential of the panel is significantly reduced. That’s not something you want for sure.

Dealing With Problems
If your house’s roof is unshaded and facing towards the south, you need to make up your mind as to what system size you need. There are many factors complicating this – your electricity production depends largely on the weather (which is by no means stable or predictable) and your energy consumption and demands vary greatly as well.

The good news is that these issues are very easy to face and clear. You see, there are meteorological data that will give you average monthly sunlight levels for different areas of the country. This takes care of information concerning rainfalls, cloudy days, altitude, humidity, as well as other subtle factors. You should design your solar panels to efficiently supply energy for your home even during the worst months.

With this data and your average household demand taken care of (check your utility bill, this will conveniently and easily let you know how much energy you use every month), determining how many photo voltaic modules you need is a piece of cake. You will also need to make up your mind concerning the system voltage, which is easily controlled by deciding how many modules you can wire in a series.

The Last Part In The Equation
All that is missing right now is how can you build the solar panels you need. A good and reliable Do It Yourself solar panel guide is all you need to get started in the right direction.

One that is highly recommended (not just by me BUT by thousands of solar energy enthusiasts as well) is the guide from Green DIY Energy website.

Simple, filled with detailed instructions, as well as images to make it easier for you to assimilate instruction – the Green DIY Energy solar panel guide is one of the best manuals you could ever lay your hands on.

Check it out and see for yourself!

Solar Panels – Your Questions Asked

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

Want to go for solar panels and energy systems? Want to set yourself free from that monthly electric bill that makes you cringe each time you see it? I bet you do…AND you also have a lot of questions about solar panels and energy systems.

Let’s have a look at some of the most common questions asked about this fantastic and very popular alternative energy source:

How Many Solar Panels Do I Need To Keep My Home Appliances And Gadgets Working?
The number of solar panels you need largely depend on the amount of energy watts that your appliances consume. For you to get an idea on how much wattage you will need, there are websites out there that come with an estimator for the amount of power that your appliances consume.

How Do I Mount My Solar Panels?
This is one of the simplest things to do – the easiest mount is ground based frame that is angled enough for the solar panels to face towards the sun. To do this, a step up is made, which is a raised mount that comes with an adjustable angle that allows the changing of angle. There are other mounts that you can do however. The most efficient (which is also the most expensive of all) is a tracking mount that follows the sun in its arc across the sky day in and day out.

So How Much Should I Spend For Solar Panels And How Long Can These Energy Providers Serve Me?
Again, this one depends on the size. Usually, you would expect to pay anywhere between $4.00 to $5.00 for every watt. We are talking about commercially built and ready to install solar panels. A typical 100 watt solar panel would cost you anywhere between $400 to $500.

HOWEVER, here’s some nice news – you can build your own solar panels using household tools and affordable materials with the help of a DIY solar panel guide. One guide that I would highly recommend is from Green DIY Energy. I have built mine a couple of months ago and it’s serving me well!

Another great thing about solar panels is that they are very durable and reliable – one can expect these solar panels to work for 25 years or more.

I Have Heard A Rumor That A Solar Panel Won’t Produce As Much Energy As It Took To Manufacture It, Is This True?
Many researches and studies have been done to address this issue – and here’s the answer: NO! This is nothing more than a myth. Time and time again, it has been proven that solar panel is more than capable of producing energy more than it took to manufacture it. While this issue or question may have some validity or truth in it a couple of years ago, with the advancements in solar energy technology, this is simply NOT true.

That’s just your power company talking, trying to persuade you to stick to conventional power and energy sources (which is their primary source of income).

Green DIY Energy – Build Your Solar Panels NOW!
It’s about time you take advantage of this great renewable energy source…without boring a hole in your pocket. And here’s what you should do – build your solar panels NOW with the help of a straightforward, detailed, and reliable DIY solar energy manual.

One that has helped thousands of solar energy advocates build their own solar panel is the one from Green DIY Energy. It works! And I’m one of the living proofs!

Check it out and see for yourself.