Posts Tagged ‘solar panel’

solar panels
Tim Mcdonald asked:


With our current economic melt down and energy prices fluctuating daily, many of us are thinking of installing solar panel power to contribute to our homes’ energy needs, and reduce our power bills.

But how much solar panel watt power do we need to say halve our power bills? And how much will that power cost us to install?

Here is a four step process that you can follow to answer these two vital questions:

1 – Calculate Daily Power Used:

To do this, get your last 12 monthly power bills and calculate your average kilowatt hour (kWh) usage per month. The reason we use 12 is because our power consumption fluctuates with the seasons. But if you do not have all your power bills, then simply use last month’s one.

Then divide your monthly usage by 30 (the average number of days in a month, to get your daily power used.

- So for example: If you have a monthly power consumption of 800 kWh, then your daily amount is 800/30= 26.7 kWh per day.

- Now if you want to only halve your power bill then you need to produce 26.7 / 2 = 13.4 kWh of solar panel watt power per day.

2 – Calculate Total Solar Panel Watt Needs:

To do this, you first need to determine how many usable hours of sunlight your area receives per day. This is where a solar insolation map comes in handy – you can view one from our original article on our website.

Once you know your daily sunlight hours, go back to your daily kilowatt hours needed and divide it by the daily sunlight hours, then multiply it by a factor of 1.25 (takes into account energy losses from the solar panel watt wiring, battery , and inverter)

- Continuing from our example: Our solar panel watt needs equal:

13.4 kWh / 5.5hrs x 1.25 = 3.045 kW or 3045 Watts per day.

This means we need solar panels with the capacity to produce at least 3045 Watts of power.

3 – Calculate Solar Panel Watt Costs:

This step will help you work out the cost of the solar panels needed to make 3045 Watts of power. At the moment the highest average cost for solar panels in the US is $4.85 per Watt.

- In our example: It will cost us at the most 3045 x 4.85 = $14,768 to install solar panels to halve our power bill. And that’s before wiring, charge controllers, batteries, inverters, and electrician costs.

4 – Offset Tax Credits And Rebates:

Before we jump the gun and think it will cost us at least $14,768 for 3045 Watts of solar panel watt power, we need to take tax incentives and rebates in account.

With the new renewable energy tax credits going into effect from January 1, 2009, and state-side rebates from states such as New York, Connecticut, New Jersey or California, our solar installation costs will be much lower than expected.

- Let’s use our example: If we were from California we would receive tax rebates of about 20% of the cost, and a federal tax credit of 40% on the remainder. So after rebates and credits, our solar panels would cost us:

$14,768 – $14,768 x (20%) – $14,768 x (1 – 20%) x 40% => $7,089.

Since there are many factors that go into calculating your solar panel watt costs, please only use our steps as a rough estimate. Some things were impossible for us to take into account, such as special offers by solar installation companies, where they offer you discounts on the full installation (including charge controller, inverter, battery, grid-tie electrician costs, etc).

Anyway, from what you can see it would cost us around $7,089 to buy enough solar panels to halve our power bill. We, instead, either get our solar cells at cost or source them for free, and wire up our own solar panels, which obviously saved us a lot of money. The good news is, anyone can learn to find cheap solar cells and make their own solar panel watt power.



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solar panels
Jon Whitehouse asked:


What exactly are Solar Panels? We’ve all seen them at one time or another in many different places. Solar Panels are basically solar cells that capture sunlight and actively turns it into electricity.

Solar Panels installed on your home usually produce about about 2 amps at 2 volts (in direct sunlight.) However, over time the solar cells of the solar panels start to wear down. The quality of the panels, and materials used to build them rely on how long they will last. So, when chosing solar panels, go for dollar/watt ratio rather than the size of the panel itself.

Living “off grid” is easy and exciting if done correctly! If you produce more power than you consumer you’ll literally have your electric meter spinning backwards, and instead of YOU paying the power bill, the electric company itself will pay you (buying back the unused power produced by the solar panels.

In order for all of this to happen, you’ll not only need the solar panels, but a Synchronous Solar Panel Inverter.  The Synchronous Solar Panel Inverter is used to produce a “dynamic” between the solar cells of the solar panels and the power grid. It also comes in handy in case your panels become damaged, or unusable, this way you can still use the citys power.

So, homemade solar panels are not only economicable, but they can be a fun weekend project with the right materials at your side!

Go green and save a ton of money… build solar panels … Its as easy as that!



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solar panels
Roberto Luongo asked:


The ever increasing cost of electricity bills and depleting energy sources, many people are turning to solar panels to address their energy consumption needs. Solar energy has emerged as one of the viable option that is capable of serving normal energy supply without hampering the balance of the nature.

Once you have decided to install a solar panel at your home, it is the time to choose the right Solar Panel Installers, who possess required skills to install a panel successfully.

If you are thinking of hiring an electrician for the job then you are wrong. To get the best solution, you should call only professionals who possess required skills and adequate experience to handle the task.

There are many companies that employ professional installers who are capable of meeting the standard installation process. While looking for solar installers, you need to do a thorough research and follow some tips that may help you to pick the right installer for your requirements. Many people go for the lowest prices and do not check the eligibility of an installer that they have agreed to hire for the job. As a result, the final output is not up to the mark.

To get the best and qualified professional for the job, you need to make enquires and find out answers for the following questions:

Total work experience:

Experience plays an important role in getting the best work done. It helps to learn about challenges and probable situations related to the work and help a person to find out the best possible solutions to tackle the posed challenges and difficult situations.

Registration of a company/individual:

Prior handling the task, it is important to check the registration and license of the chosen company. According to the government norms, it is mandatory to have n electrician’s license. Hence, choose a company that has a valid license.



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solar panels
gerry thomas asked:


ng>Wouldn’t it be grand if someone showed you how to make your own solar panel, would you do it? What if it was so easy a third grader could do it, would you want to know how? And What if you could build it for less than $200? I don’t know about you but that is almost as much as my electric bill used to be. That’s right used to be.

You will save hundreds of dollars every time you get your power bill!



I was paying about $175 a month for electricity, with the recession and how electricity expenses keep going up (not to mention I don’t make that much money) I wanted to do something to get that price down. After some wide-ranging study I found a manual online that showed how to create your own solar panel, I have been paying a smaller amount than $30 monthly ever since.

With simple to pursue total instructions this makes for a enjoyable at home undertaking.



At first I thought I couldn’t do it, but the directions were so simple to follow I did not have any trouble. In fact my wife took to it quicker than I did. It was great fun, my wife my daughter and myself spent one Saturday building it and a couple of hours on Sunday hooking it up. The whole thing only cost about $185, since then we have built another one and together they supply over 75% of our power needs.

When you can easily learn how to make your own solar panel for less than $200, why wouldn’t you!

Seriously, why give money to those big power companies? And why pay to some solar power company thousands to install a system when you could easily do it your self? I don’t know about you but I am tired of all these big companies making billions while I struggled to pay my electric bill. Well not anymore, I took control of that situation and came out on top – I think I’ll build some wind power next.

I think everybody should find out how to build your own solar panel now and we can take back some freedom.



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solar panels
Pam Eisenberg asked:


Solar panel kits are great for people who would like to start a green project at home on budget. But, not all kits will be suitable for your home needs, and careful planning is a must before you head off to the supply store.

If you have prior experience with installing solar devices, you may have good knowledge about which parts you need and how each of them works. You may just purchase your kit from an online store and resemble the parts with minimum need for technical suggestions or support.

However, if you are totally clueless about solar panels, you should do some thorough research and select a reputable supplier who provides quality service. You should only buy the DIY kit that are accompanied by installation manual, preferably with a good amount of illustrations. Check with the supplier whether he can also be accessed by telephone, as email communication may not work sufficiently for you. Ideally, the supplier can send over his staff in case you require in-person help with installation.

Turning to technical planning, it is crucial that you tell your supplier about your home’s current energy consumption status and your projected energy requirements, so that he can work out the exact size and configurations of the solar kit that will meet your expectation. Without this step, you may end up buying a kit that is either too big or too small, which will either waster you money or fail to perform required job.

Professional solar kit suppliers will also ask about the exact location of your house, how it is situated towards the sun, whether you have trees and other buildings around, and the average outdoor temperature year round. These factors will all impact on how efficiently your solar panel works, and determine what technical features your panel needs to have.

You also need to consider purchasing batteries for storing excessive electricity, so that you do not have to go back to the grid at nights or on raining days. There are a range of batteries to choose from. Different batteries have different life spans, different needs for maintenance, and therefore different prices. Getting expert help in your selection will allow you to get the best value for your money.

A word of caution about prices. Solar panels come in with a variety of combination of voltages and amperage, and hence price tags vary. Do your research first and you will understand why some are more expensive than the others and whether it is worth spending more. Again, seek the expert help from reputable manufacturers so that you only pay for what you want – no more, no less.

Going for DIY solar panel kits is no small project at all, however cost-effective it is compared to buying ready-made solar devices. As such, you should not just do enough research, but also ask all your questions and test the suppliers’ services before you spend your money. It costs you time, but you will be rewarded with a satisfactory purchase.



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solar panels
Phil Hoage asked:


 

 

Professionally installed solar panels could cost you anywhere from $3,000 to $26,000 which most people don’t have. The DIY kits let you do it for a fraction of the cost. Try $200 to $300. I know what your thinking, I don’t know anything about building a solar panel. Not to worry there are plenty of guides online that give you exact blueprints that even the average person could follow.

Now your asking yourself this sounds to good to be true right?

 

Most of these Blueprints online come with a money back gaurantee. So if it doesn’t work for you, you can get your money back. It’s totally risk free. I don’t know if it can get any better than that.

The good thing about making your own solar panels is once you have the basics you can implement it further and eventually power your whole home. In cases when your not using the energy you can even get a credit or sell the power to the electric company. Imagine not having an electric bill, which in return you could have $1,000 of dollars to play with every year. Here are some great reasons to use solar.

Generate your own electricity and save money on yourpower bill every single month. Get IRS tax deductions for using green energy. And help the environment by using a clean and renewable energy.

The fact is these solar panels really do work all you need is some good old elbow grease.

Don’t know where to look for these blueprints?

I have done plenty of research on these products and found the best one in my opinion.

Check it out, I hope it works for you.

 



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solar panels
sidana.abhi asked:


 

Homemade solar panel can either be used for converting solar energy to heat or can be used for producing electricity and the later option is better for us. The later form of homemade solar panel also known as photovoltaic panel and these panels convert solar energy into electricity. The electricity produced by the panel is directed to a battery and we can withdraw electricity from the battery as and when electricity is required by us. We need to install these panels to our roof so that these absorb the highest amount of solar energy and which ultimately get converted to electricity.

These homemade solar panels are best for everyone and it is the best time to curtail huge electricity bills by producing our own electricity from readily available non-conventional sources of energy. You can get a readymade solar panel from market or you can make your own solar panel. You will typically require solar cells, tabbing, copper, soldering iron etc. Even if you have no professional experience, you can make your own homemade solar panel. You can take the help of readily available guides and you will get the exact information including complete list of tasks required for making the panel.

Although an initial investment of only $200 is required for assembling the homemade solar panel and once you get the panel assembled, you just need to install it at your roof or at your backyard and you will start getting electricity and you can save huge 70 percent of your electricity bills every month. If your electricity consumption is low or your area gets high amount of solar energy, you can even make excess electricity and can sell the electricity to the electricity supplying companies.



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how to make solar panel
Joanne Castillo asked:


Making your own solar panels is something that sounds tough but really is pretty trivial, assuming that you have some good directions and a little patience.

You will need a few items:

Solar Cells.  These are available off of eBay for less than one dollar a piece.  Your DIY Solar Panels will likely need more than a few of these so it’s best to figure out what you want to power first. Solar Panels.  These are the meat and potatoes of your project.  A solar panel is nothing more than a bunch of solar cells thrown together.  If you know how to build a simple table, this will be cake for you.

The solar cells are the guys that will be doing all of the work for you.  They will actually be doing the job of converting the light from our sun to energy which you can use.  Pretty awesome for something that you can buy off of ebay for less than the cost of a donut!

Photovoltaics is the field of study which contains the science behind solar cells.  Definitely google or bing this, it’s some pretty intertesting reading.  You’ll want to learn about this, it’s one of the reasons you’re building your own solar panel in the first place!

So now that you have all of these items what do you do?  Simple, read.  This is the type of thing that any upfront study that you do will be paid back twofold when you go ahead and do your solar project.  I was cocky and tried to jump in when I frist received the material but this was a huge mistake.  I took a step back, read some stuff, mapped out what I wanted to do, took my time, and got a result that I could be proud of my first time.  I made my own solar panel!



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how to make solar panel
Jason Gilford asked:




Having an independent power-supply doesn’t have to be that expensive or complicated task anymore, simply because “Cheap Solar Panel House” System enable you to do that at minimal cost and effort. Surprisingly (or not), this technique requires no more than a weekend to get it done. If you read this article you’ll be able to know more about how this innovative technology can change our lives.

Short background

Behind this “Cheap Solar Panel House” System we find one of these recommended step-by-step guides that reveal the ’secrets’ of how anyone can make Solar-Panels. It may sound obvious, but be sure to choose the right guide; make sure it provides ‘proofs’ to be working for others. In any case, here are several tips & benefits that can help you out.

Advantages

This solution quickly provides clear and immediate benefits:

* Using as much power as needed without worrying about the elec. Meter.

* Saves hundreds month-after-month.

* Made of simple parts/tools found at any local hardware store.

* Can produce 1000 Watts +.

* Can work for anyone, no matter where he/she lives on the globe.

Quick advice

Never wire the power that you produce into the AC breaker-panel by yourself! It is illegal and very dangerous, call a qualified electrician in order to do that.

Final words

Thanks to “Cheap Solar Panel House” System we can dramatically ‘cut’ our monthly and annual elect. expenses to almost zero. If we go a little further, it wouldn’t be that hard to discover other advantages provided by this unique idea, simply because it is revolutionary. By the end of this quick article the best advice would be to simply get it so you could enjoy from the exciting opportunities that it provides.



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how to make solar panel
Alex asked:


Over the last couple of years solar power generators have become more and more popular due to our hard economical times. Thousands of solar power systems are being installed domestically every day. Not only people lower their energy bills but solar panels are also safe for the environment. Read on if you’re interested in making your own solar panels that can drastically reduce your energy bills month after month.

Normally a ready made solar panel costs up to a few thousands and I’m sure not everyone wants to make such an investment. This is the reason why more and more people are deciding to build their own solar panels right in their own backyard. All the parts that you need to build a solar system don’t cost you more than $200 dollars depending on where you buy the parts from. (We’ve researched the Internet for a while and noticed that the solar cells for example are the cheapest to buy online — as low as $1 per cell.)

In fact the photovoltaic cell is the most important part of the system. Each panel contains a set of solar cells that are wired up with copper in series. Even a 200 watt solar panel produces enough energy to either charge a battery for further use or to be converted directly into AC voltage for domestic use.

If you decide to start building you own solar panels you need to have all the required parts such as photovoltaic cells, copper wire, boards, glass and all the other required tools including a soldering iron that heats up fast. You need be careful as the markets are full of non-quality solar cells, the cheapest and most effective ones can be found online. Basically you won’t be spending more than one hundred and fifty to two hundred dollars altogether. Imagine that a solar panel normally costs around $3000. (Last time I’ve checked at my local power system supplier.)

Depending on the size of your house and how much energy you need, you might want to make more than one solar panel. A charge controller will be required in order to regulate the amount of energy that each panel sends into the charging batteries. For those that don’t know the batterie’s life is being shortened when you over charge them and that’s why a charge controller is a ‘must have’.

No matter how many solar panels you need to make, building them on your own will drastically reduce the costs comparing to what you would pay for a few ready-made ones. We’re now building our fifth panel and so far we haven’t spent more than nine hundred dollars altogether. And if you’re a bit lucky you might be able to get some of the materials at a local garage sale. Even if it’s hard to believe you can save more than 80% on your energy bills each year by making your own solar panels.



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