If you have a home, you know the electricity bill is one of your largest household expenses every month. Do you have to pay more for power compared to last year? I had to because the local power utility company decided to increase the energy rate in mid of 2008.

As of now, they are still pushing the government to allow them to increase the rate yet again!

That is one of the reason I decided to look into alternative energy sources to supplement my home electricity requirement. That has led me to research on renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power.

One of the first resources I bought from the internet on renewable energy is GreenDIYEnergy solar wind guide. The main web site is located at www.greendiyenergy.com.

Was it a good purchase?

Personally, I did learn a lot from the program. GreenDIYEnergy comes with 2 pdf guide books that covers Do It Yourself (DIY) solar panel and wind generator.

One of my favorite is the 6 High Definition (HD) step by step instructional videos on how to make a solar panel for less than $200. The quality of the videos is really good and I am very impressed by it.

Initially, I didn’t know a home solar power system has so many components. I though all you’ll need is to set up a solar panel and couple of batteries.

As it turns out, a complete residential solar energy system needs components such as DC disconnect, power gauges, charge controller, battery bank, power inverter, backup diesel generator etc.

Product Guarantee

If you have never bought anything from the web before, you may not know this. Your purchase from the internet comes with a 60 days money back guarantee. If for any reason you are not happy with your purchase, you can contact the seller and ask for a full refund.

The policy is the same for the GreenDIYEnergy solar wind guide. So far I am quite happy with my purchase and decided to keep my copy.

If you are tired of rising energy cost, check out the GreenDIYEnergy manual. It will give you some good tips and recommendation on how you can reduce your home power consumption with minimal cost.

==> Click here to visit GreenDIYEnergy now!

One of the upcoming home green energy guide on the internet is the Green DIY Energy program. In the members’ area, you actually get to access 6 High Definition (HD) instructional videos on how to make your own solar panel.

Apart from the video series, there are also 4 bonus e-books available for download that covers the topic of DIY solar panel and DIY wind generator. In this blog post I am going to do a review of the Do It Yourself (DIY) solar panel guide e-book.

The $98 Homemade Solar Panel

The core message behind this guide is how to make a solar panel for under $100…$98 to be exactly. I was pretty skeptical initially. I thought you will need a bigger budget in order to do that.

To show you that it is possible to work on such a low budget, there is a cost break down of all the parts and components for the solar module.

The biggest cost is the Photovoltaic (PV) cells. The author of the manual actually recommends getting the solar cells from eBay. The idea is to get slightly damaged or cracked cells. These are definitely cheaper compared to new solar cells.

The second largest cost for the project is on miscellaneous wood which you have to get from the lumber yard. If you have some plywood laying around, you can use them to get your cost even lower.

The other items are pretty inexpensive that you may already have in your garage. Items such as silicone caulk, screws, Plexiglas, paint etc.

Step By Step Instructions

One thing that I really like in this e-book is the step by step instructions. Reading the manual, it will take you through the following process:

1) Checking and joining the solar cells together.

You have to check all the cells you’ve bought from eBay to make sure them are in good working condition. You will need a multi-meter to do this.

The next step is to solder all the PV cells together. To understand how this is done, you should watch one of the video in the series. The host, Byran Clark will show you how to use the soldering gun, solder and the flux.

2) Building the solar panel box.

The next thing you have to do is make the box where it will house all the solar cells. The key here is the dimension, the material and protective coating to make it lasts.

3) Preparing the substrate.

If you didn’t know, the PV cells are not affixed the solar panel box. Instead, they are glued on to a substrate. Again, the importance here is to get the dimension right and protective coatings.

4) Plexiglas cover.

In this section, the manual will show you how to attach the clear Plexiglas to the solar panel. It is not as easy as it seems.

You have to follow the steps recommended in order to prevent the Plexiglas from bending, cracking or moisture seeping into the PV cells area.

5) Panel testing and assembly.

The final stage of making your own solar module is to test it and then assemble it. Again, you will need to use a multi-meter to do this.

Manual Review Conclusion

So what’s my verdict? The DIY solar panel guide from Green DIY Energy is good. If you use it together with their HD instructional videos, it makes it “Great”!

Some people may not be able to understand the instructions on the e-book. The videos actually show you how the steps are done. It complements the guide nicely.

If you are wandering how to make a home solar panel for under $100, Green DIY Energy has the solution for you. If you like to get more information, check out the comprehensive Green DIY Energy review on this blog.

==> Click here visit Green DIY Energy now!

Related web pages:
1) Green DIY Energy Review – Is Green DIY Energy Another Scam?

2) DIY Solar Panel – Step-by-step instruction

3) The Foundation for Environmental Education

In the 5th video of the Green DIY Energy “Build your own solar panel for less than $100” series, you get to learn how to assembly your Do It Yourself (DIY) solar panel.

The most challenging part of making the solar module is already done. The tough part is to solder all the Photovoltaic cells together. Now that they are all joined together, it is time to connect the positive and negative home run wires to extract power from the cells.

Blocking Current Backflow

Many people do not know this. The solar panel creates current when exposed to sun light. The current can be used to charge a battery. What happens at night when there is no sun light?

As a matter of fact, current from the battery will actually flow back into the solar cells. This means, the PV cells is becoming an electric load that will drain power from the battery.

How do we overcome this problem? We use a simple blocking diode. The blocking diode is to be installed on the positive home run wire.

The function of the diode is to block any backflow of current into the cells. It is a very useful little component that will maximizes your residential solar power system.

Here’s a tip. If you are using a charge controller to charge the battery, you do not need a blocking diode. The charge controller will do the function of the diode by maintaining a “one way street” for the current to flow.

Covering The Solar Cells

When it’s time to cover the solar cells in the solar panel, use a piece of clear Plexiglas. It is important for you to choose a Plexiglas that is UV proof.

Reason for this is because the panel will be exposed to sun light and UV ray most of the time. A normal Plexiglas will turn yellow after some time. The yellow surface will reduce the total amount of sun reaching the PV cells therefore reducing the power output.

When sealing the panel, make sure every joints are tight. You don’t want any moisture getting into the panel. If moisture caused by rain or show were to get into the panel, it will get trapped under the Plexiglas and affect the panel performance.

Using Screwdriver Instead Of The Drill

When you watch Bryan Clark, the host in the video installs the Plexiglas, you will see the right way of securing it to the panel.

He uses stainless stain screws. He drives the screws in initially with the drill but stop when the head of the screw is about to reach the Plexiglas.

The last couple of turn on the screws is recommended for you to use a screwdriver and crank it manually. This will give you a better feel and control of the screw. You don’t want the screw head to reach all the way into the Plexiglas or you will crack it.

If you want to know more on how to make your own solar panel for under $100, check out the Green DIY Energy program. For a comprehensive review of Green DIY Energy, go to www.greendiyenergyreviews.com

==> Click here to visit Green DIY Energy now!

Related web pages
1) Green DIY Energy Reviews – Is Green DIY Energy Another Scam?

2) Photovoltaic module – A photovoltaic module or photovoltaic panel is a packaged interconnected assembly of photovoltaic cells, also known as solar cells.

3) Power Your Home With Wind Energy For Less Than $140?