The Solar Powered Home

In the 1970s many homes began to use solar technologies to receive a bit of electricity or to supply the family with hot water. Today, solar powered homes can do far more than create electricity while the sun shines. They can charge entire banks of batteries that can operate refrigerators, solar lights and other devices entirely “off the grid”, they can have specially designed openings for incredible daytime lighting and they can have a range of exterior lighting options powered strictly and entirely by the sun.

The majority of modern, solar powered homes will have banks of collectors positioned to receive and absorb optimal solar radiation. While some homes remain on the grid, and subsequently feed the public utilities as they charge their own batteries, there are others that aim to live entirely free of the utility companies all together. Incredibly this is entirely possible as long as the home or structure has been optimized for such a design, and if it is in a geographic location that is not prone to cloud cover or lengthy periods of overcast weather. For example, though areas of New England do have solar powered homes and buildings, these tend to remain on the grid as the colder months can see many days without the type of brilliant sun required for solar power.

Any modern home with solar power is also going to have to consider the types of appliances installed in the building as well. Not only will they need to be energy efficient, but they may need to be designed especially to meet the capabilities of solar electricity. Are such items very difficult to acquire? Interestingly they are quite easy to find, and the major home improvement stores make many available.

The exterior of many homes can also be outfitted with a huge array of solar fixtures as well, and these are a far cry from the earliest days of solar lighting. Today’s solar fixtures come as solar lamp posts, wall-mounted units, motion sensor spot or flood lights and even as highly decorative lamps that can be easily moved from one area to another. There are also many styles of solar path lights, which are hugely popular, and used for gardens as well as walkways and are often installed for security as well as beauty.

It is exciting to imagine where solar technologies will be within the next thirty years, especially when one considers just how quickly the technology has advanced and then been implemented in many day to day ways in our modern era.

Solar Power Secrets

Everything you need to know about harnessing solar power to save money…and the planet Solar Power Secrets

Make Solar Electric Panels and Kill Your Electricity Bill

If you are thinking about building your solar panels, right now is the perfect time to get right on to it. With the latest advancements in solar energy, DIY solar panels are finally an affordable option. This fact together with the necessity we all have to save money in these difficult times make solar energy a no brainer. But before we start, let’s examine the many advantages of using solar energy:

Since solar systems provide clean and renewable power, they become an asset to your property. In fact, several home owners mount solar panels just before selling their houses just to improve its value. Sunlight is free and since solar panels do not need any extra component to produce electricity you are in fact producing free of charge energy. You only have to cover the initial installation and from there you begin to recover your investment. In fact since most DIY solar panels cost around $200. Your investment is fully recovered in a breeze. Earn cash. What? I can hear you say. If you produce more energy than you need you can sell your excess right back to the electric company. Is like having your electricity meter moving backwards! There are really good step-by-step guides that will hold your hand while you build your solar panels, making this process an easy one Your investment in renewable energy is really a no brainier. See your electricity bills get lower each month since the moment you plug your system. Because solar panels produce no waste, you are helping the environment get cleaner and due to its low maintenance you will be able to use your panels for many years to come

There’s the belief that solar must always be placed on the roof of your house, but in fact you can place it in any place you want as long as they receive sunlight

You can find several companies willing to install you a set of solar electric panels for a fee. And altough they will probably do it quicker than you do, it’s also true that it can easily cost you thousands of dollars, thus taking you several months before you recover your investment. But did you know that the total cost of a DIY solar panel can cost you only about $200?

But before you jump right on the first product you find do your due diligence and beware some bogus product that are around. It’s not like they are not any good, but some of the advices you hear may not be very well proved, just take your time and compare other products before deciding.

Building my own Solar Panel

Do it yourself solar power has now become a common project. All over the pages of the Internet courses are coming up teaching do it yourself solar power methods and the benefits you can obtain from creating your own solar panels, but the question needs to be asked: Can you really make your own solar cells?

Making your own solar and wind power for less than $200

To find the answer to this question I determined it would be a helpful plan to write about my own individual experiences in making my own do it yourself solar power system.

I originally became interested in solar power as an alternative energy source when I began to look more closely at not just the expense of my homes energy use but moreover the bearing traditional energy sources are having on the natural world.

Being cleaner, renewable and a boundless source of energy I settled on solar as my renewable energy. I did a search on the web discovered a neighborhood installer and gave their phone number a ring, what happened after that shocked me, the price of having a system installed was just under $9,000! This just wasn’t an choice, it would take years to make back the price of installation with the money saved from using solar panels. I determined to search a bit deeper and being a do it yourself type of man, began looking for a do it yourself (DIY) method.

Making your own solar and wind power for less than $200

I wound up buying a how to make solar cells manual for just below $50 and continued following the information laid not at home inside. Day 1 had me making a expedition to my hardware store and buying specified supplies, this cost me around $200. Day 2 had me working hard constructing the panels. On the third day I put the cells in a appropriate place, connected them to some batteries and there you go, in three days I was up and running with my first home-grown solar cell.

Take my advice, if I can make my own solar cell any person can, just make certain you find a high quality “build a solar panel” manual that shows very plainly what supplies you need to assemble and the steps you need to take to make, you will have a good time making your own do it yourself solar power cells, as well as get pleasure from the monetary savings you will obtain.

Making your own solar and wind power for less than $200

How to Build a Homemade Solar Panel Cheap – 3 Surefire Ways

I don’t about you, but If I can save some money I will do it any way that I can. That ‘s why when I started looking into how to build a homemade solar panel, cheap, to save on my electric bill, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it actually isn’t as difficult as I thought it would be. I really never even considered that doing it myself would actually be a possibility until I started really looking into it. What I want to share with you in this article are some good ways that I have found to save some money when building your first solar panel.

1. Get a Good Manual – First I want to say that you can probably get most of the information you will need to build your own cost effective solar panel for free on the internet but you are really going to need to spend a lot of time searching for answers to put it all together. Free isn’t always the best way to go, and in the long run you will most likely be costing yourself more time and money trying to find all the parts that you will need, and in putting together all the smorgasbord of information that you have gathered together. There are a few good guides that are available online for under $50 that will take you step by step through the whole process and will even tell you exactly where to buy the parts you’ll need.

2. Try E-Bay – The most obvious and crucial part that you will need in building your own solar panel is solar cells. These come in a variety of sizes and strengths. Look for 3 x 6 inch cells on e-bay and you should be able to find some really good deals. It doesn’t matter if they are broken or chipped they are still very usable and effective and you will save a lot on these. Expect to pay about $70 on cells for a typical 46 x 22 inch panel. (Which is very reasonable!) E-Bay will also have any of the other parts you may need, just take a look around and you may be pleasantly surprised.

3. Use What You Have – You may be surprised to find that some of the material that you need to build your solar panel can be found lying around in your garage or back yard. Everything from left over paint to some old lumber that you have lying around can be used effectively to build your first panel.

So Before you go out and buy everything new, take a look around. You may find that you already have a solar panel in your garage… it just needs YOU, to put it together!

An Introduction to DIY Solar Power

Wind and solar power and other environmentally friendly energy options offer a real alternative that can provide money savings whilst protecting the environment. The recent attention on global warming and current recession have led to a dramatic increase in the demand for solar power, however buying a solar power system from a commercial supplier is still very expensive and could take many years to payback. Another option that is growing in popularity is DIY solar power.

With DIY solar power you follow a set of instructions, purchase the basic equipment and set out to build your own solar power system for your home. Within a few weeks you could be living of the suns energy and not have to worry about receiving another energy bill again! Once your solar power system has been installed it will last for a number of years and often will be transportable if you should move house.

Even if you live in location without a lot of sunshine will probably find you are able to source most if not all of your energy requirements from solar power.

An ‘off-the-shelf’ solar power system can be expensive; however DIY solar power can be done without the high initial start-up costs and doesn’t require any specialists skills or knowledge. You will just need a few tools, basic DIY skills and a quality instruction book or online guide.

In recent years a number of DIY solar power guides have been produced, these provide detailed instructions, pictures, videos and examples of finished projects. A good quality guide or book will save considerable time and money in the long run. You can also find information on DIY solar power from specialist websites. If you decide to purchase a guide look beyond the marketing hype and choose one that has positive reviews and lots of testimonials. A good guide should be written in plain English and provide a range of resources including step-by-step instructions, details on where you can buy the products, tutorials and examples of completed systems.

It’s not difficult to convert your home to solar power project and many people find the process enjoyable. It will take an initial investment of time and energy but you will achieve considerable savings and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing you are saving the environment. Some people have found that they create enough energy to sell it back to the power companies.

All the equipment required for is readily available from any local hardware store or ebay. You may also be able to purchase 2nd hand solar panel from your local highways department or council who often replace the solar panels used in road traffic signs and are happy to give them to members of the public.

In the medium to long term solar power will more than pay for itself in financial savings whilst helping reduce global warming. If you decide to go ahead you will probably find you are the envy of your neighbors and you may be asked to install a similar system for them!

Home Solar Power Systems – Reduce Your Energy Bill Effeciently

Solar energy is the most plentiful form of energy obtainable on planet earth thus the invention of home solar power systems. The sun is resourceful and is capable of contributing more than heat and light. The sun has always been one of the biggest factors dictating everything on the earth. If we follow the correct path, we are able to harness more power from the sun. Home solar power systems that can be used to power our own household.

Why Do You Need Home Solar Power Systems?

Among alternate energy solutions, solar energy is at the top of the list to consider for home electric power.

It’s good to be “GREEN”: once you view the solar power solution, you’ll understand that it utilizes absolutely zero fuel other than the sun’s solar light. Furthermore, it is “green” as it does not discharge anything dangerous into the atmosphere.

Most inexpensive power solution: first of all, the energy is free once you have the home solar power systems working. The install of the solar home power equipment cost is a one-time cost unless you decide to do it yourself of course. Even if you pay to have professional installation, the investment is often recovered in a couple of years, causing the power you have generated with solar energy free.

Ease of storage: You cannot usually store traditional power but you are able to store solar energy power to use later on with home solar power systems. The sun’s amazing energy can even  rescue you in the event of a power outage. Storing solar energy power has become very easy to do.

Easily maintained: The home solar power systems are usually very easy to keep up. They don’t demand high costs or a lot of effort, therefore allowing you to reap the benefits of the solar energy solution.

How can solar energy be useful to me?
Solar power energy can be utilized in our day-to-day lives by assuming the following solar energy power systems:

Solar cooking system: Solar cooking is all about cooking but without using a flame or using any electricity! Don’t think for a second that solar powered cooking is about bland food. The lone requirement that solar energy powered cooking makes of you is to remain patient; it will easily take a while longer but well worth it. A bit of patience and you will get tasteful food without using traditional power sources.

You are able to light up your entire home, use all your electrical appliances using your home solar power systems. You will be able to keep your household nice and cozy using the solar heating system without worrying about any further costs.

Information About Solar Water Heating

 

Electric and gas hot water systems accounting for approximately 20% of a household’s greenhouse gas emissions,and by installing a solar water system you will reduce these emissions and also save up to 75% of your water heating costs! Table below is sourced from the Debartment of Environment and Climate Change NSW.

Solar pool heating uses a similar technology to building / household solar hot water systems. Solar pool heating involves covering a roof with a black blanket of coils and pipes which also get heated by the sun combined with a slow flow pump which circulates the water through the panel and into the pool. Unfortunately Energy Matters only installs building / household solar water heating systems and does not perform installation of pool water heating systems.

 

Flat plate collectors work on copper pipes running through a glass covered collector, often connected to a water storage tank on the roof. The hot water can then thermo-syphon itself in and out of the tank, thus heating the water. The updated option of flat plate collectors are evacuated tubes.

Evacuated tubes use a glass tube with a vacuum inside it and copper pipes running through the centre. The copper pipes are all connected to a common manifold which is then connected to a slow flow circulation pump which pumps water to a storage tank below, thus heating the hot water during the day. The hot water can be used at night or the next day due to the insulation of the tank.

The evacuation tube system is superior as they can extract the heat out of the air on a humid day and don’t need direct sunlight. Due to the vacuum inside the glass tube, the total efficiency in all areas is higher.

 

Solar Water Heater Sytems

In general, solar water heater systems can be more costly to purchase and setup than standard gas or electric water heating systems. However, by using a solar heater you will definitely save money on the long run.. By selecting to use solar energy technology you can expect to save around 50 to 80% on your electricity bills.

Gathering energy coming from the sun to heat water is not a new idea at all. Such technology using solar power for heating water exists since the year 1800. Producing warm water with solar energy can be employed about every where in the world and the sun and some special equipment is the only thing needed.

The key parts of a solar water heater are the solar collectors that grab and concentrate the energy coming from the sun and the storage tank. Such simple setup is usually called passive solar power. When mechanical and electrical devices such electric pumps are installed in the system to push the water it is then called solar active. To keep the water hot for long period of time a good insulation should be made to the storage tank.

Usually you will find two types of solar water heater: the two-tank and the one-tank and solar collectors exist in quite a few designs but in general glazed flat-plate collectors are widely used on solar water heater systems. Solar collectors can be fixed on the roof of your house or on the ground and in both cases, for best performance they should preferably be pointing south.

Installing a solar water heater will not cover all your hot water needs this is why you also need a traditional electric or gas water heater for days of bad weather where there is no sunshine. Despite this little inconvenient you can expect to make substantial savings.

New Technologies: Causing Home Solar Power More Viable

Before installing a system with which to get power up your home with solar power it will pay to understand what exactly is solar radiation and how does it work in the generation of solar energy. The truth of the fact is that for long solar power has been dismissed as being too expensive for normal usage. However, technology has made many advances and with each new improvement solar panels that were at one time very expensive have now become more affordable.

No Need to Buy Costly Solar Panels

To make use of solar power for your home today does not require buying costly solar panels and other equipment because it is very simple to make your own system with which to heat up and light your home with solar power. So easy has it become to use solar power for your home that an entire residence can be powered up with solar power – thereby freeing you from dependence on the electricity grid.

Home solar power is easy and the reason for this is that there are numerous things that will gather heat and light from the sun including mirrors, and glass as well as metals that are readily available and at relatively low cost. Once these materials draw the power from the sun and then transfer this stored energy to batteries you will have a basic home powered by solar power.

There are a number of diy-home solar power programs that you can also think about trying out and which does not require more skills than to be literate and able to follow instructions to affect. It is also very possible that you can upgrade your home solar power system which means that you can start off small and as your needs grow to upgrade your system to meet the additional requirements.

The best part about using home solar power is that there is no cost involved in getting the basic ‘raw materials’. The only expenses that will be incurred are the cost of acquiring materials with which to construct the system that will heat up and light your home with solar power; even then, there are many items lying about a home that can be used to create a basic system which will provide your home with heat and light.

At the very least, a home solar power system will require solar cells as well as something with which to do the soldering and some solder as well as flex and finally, tabbing. The right equipment and parts as well as a good guide is all that is required for getting home solar power up and running. The best part about home solar power is that it has already been certified as being worth every ounce of effort that you put into installing solar panels in your home and the costs that are incurred initially too will be paid back when you save considerably on electricity bills.

« Previous Page — Next Page »