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	<title>DIY Solar Homes Blog &#187; Home Solar Guides</title>
	<atom:link href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/category/home-solar-guides/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog</link>
	<description>By A Renewable Energy Enthusiast</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 21 Jul 2010 02:25:44 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>My Solar Plans Ebook &#8211; Is It A Scam?</title>
		<link>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/my-solar-plans-ebook-is-it-a-scam/</link>
		<comments>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/my-solar-plans-ebook-is-it-a-scam/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 Jun 2010 01:16:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Will</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home Solar Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[my solar plans ebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mysolarplans ebook]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mysolarplans review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/?p=1403</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
My Solar Plans is one of the latest Do It Yourself (DIY) home solar guides available on the internet. When I first saw its main web site at www.mysolarplans.com, I was quite intrigued by the way they presented their program.
Rather than using a long sales letter just like any other residential solar guide sites, they [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="aligncenter" title="My Solar Plans Videos" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/Mysolarplans.jpg" alt="" width="414" height="310" /></p>
<p>My Solar Plans is one of the latest Do It Yourself (DIY) home solar guides available on the internet. When I first saw its main web site at <a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/blog/mysolarplans_site">www.mysolarplans.com</a>, I was quite intrigued by the way they presented their program.</p>
<p>Rather than using a long sales letter just like any other residential solar guide sites, they use a simple video presentation instead. This is very useful for people that do not like to read long sales cover. All you have to do is switch on your speakers and listen to what they have to offer.</p>
<p>As a matter of fact, <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/my-solar-plans-scam-does-it-really-work/">My Solar Plans</a> program is more than just an e-book. The bulk of the content is presented in video format. The e-books included are the home solar plans, parts list and material shopping list.</p>
<p>Behind the MySolarPlans members’ area, you get to download 7 High Definition (HD) videos on how to make your own Photovoltaic (PV) panel. The DIY solar panel is capable of generating up to 70 watt of electricity. If you want to use is to power your home, you may need from 5 to 10 solar panels.</p>
<p>Generally, the quality of the instructional videos is quite good. Since they are recorded in HD, everything is crisp and clear. My only pet peeve is the Australian accent of the presenter.</p>
<p>All in all, My Solar Plans does deliver what they promised in their video presentation which is to show you how you can reduce your home electricity bill by using solar power.</p>
<p>However, to successfully power your home with solar energy, you have to put in a lot of hard work. If you don’t know how electricity work and if you have never handled a hot soldering iron before, then making your own solar array may not be such a good idea. In this case, it is much better for you to outsource the entire project to a professional solar contractor.</p>
<p><img class="alignleft" title="60 days money back policy" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Electric%20Cars/60days.jpg" alt="" width="115" height="116" />Personally, I think My Solar Plans program can stand on par with most of the good home solar guides available on the internet. Since it is offered through <a href="http://www.clickbank.com/index.html">Clickbank</a>, you are automatically covered by their 60 days money back guarantee policy. If you do not see any value from the guide, you can ask for a full refund within 60 days of your purchase date.</p>
<p>For more information the My Solar Plans ebooks and instructional videos, click on the link below.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">==&gt; <a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/blog/mysolarplans_site">Click here to visit My Solar Plans now!</a></h2>
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		<item>
		<title>My Solar Plans Scam &#8211; Does It Really Work?</title>
		<link>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/my-solar-plans-scam-does-it-really-work/</link>
		<comments>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/my-solar-plans-scam-does-it-really-work/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jun 2010 02:26:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Will</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home Solar Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[my solar plans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[my solar plans scam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mysolarplans review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/?p=1338</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
I have been reviewing Do It Yourself (DIY) home solar power online guides for the last 14 months. I’ve seen some really good ones and some guides are outright awful. The latest residential solar system manual is My Solar Plans available from www.mysolarplans.com.
When I first saw it, my thought was, “Is My Solar Plans a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="aligncenter" title="My Solar Plans Site" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/Mysolarplans.jpg" alt="" width="406" height="304" /></p>
<p>I have been reviewing Do It Yourself (DIY) home solar power online guides for the last 14 months. I’ve seen some really good ones and some guides are outright awful. The latest residential solar system manual is <strong>My Solar Plans</strong> available from <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/blog/mysolarplans_site">www.mysolarplans.com</a>.</p>
<p>When I first saw it, my thought was, “Is My Solar Plans a scam? Does it work?” I actually bought the package and thought of writing this review for all readers.</p>
<p>Is My Solar Plans any different from all the other home solar guides available on the internet? Here’s one thing unique they did, they present their program through a simple video presentation rather than a long sales letter. This is a smart approach because some people do not like to read long web pages.</p>
<p>So far so good!</p>
<p>Inside My Solar Plans members’ area, the bulk of the content is instructional videos showing you how to make a 70 watt <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photovoltaics">Photovoltaic</a> (PV) panel. The quality of the videos is pretty good because they are recorded in High Definition (HD). If you don’t mind Australian accent, the commentator is pretty good as well.</p>
<p>Does My Solar Plans really work? In the main web site, the publisher of MySolarPlans promised to show you how to build your own solar panels for a small price with easy step by step instructions, plans, diagrams and videos. They do deliver on that promise with the 8 HD instructional videos in the members’ area.</p>
<p>All these instructions are good, but are you well versed with handling fragile PV cells, soldering iron and powered hand tools? To make the solar panel, you must be able to make the solar panel box and solder all the solar cells together.</p>
<p>A typical solar panel capable of generating 70 watts of electricity has about 12 PV cells. To generate enough energy from the sun, you would need a minimum of 5 solar panels to have sufficient power for a small room.</p>
<p>If you have never done any soldering before and don’t know how simple powered tools work, then building a DIY home solar power system may not be such a good idea. It is best you outsource the entire project to a professional solar contractor.</p>
<p><img class="alignleft" title="60 days money back policy" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Electric%20Cars/60days.jpg" alt="" width="115" height="116" />Nonetheless, if you have the right skill and knowledge, <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/my-solar-plans-review/">My Solar Plans </a>program is available for $49.97. Since it is offered through <a href="http://www.clickbank.com/index.html" target="_blank">Clickbank</a>, you are automatically covered by their 60 days money back guarantee policy.</p>
<p>Meaning, if you do not see any value in the program, you are entitled for a full refund within 60 days from your purchase date. All you have to do is contact <a href="http://www.clickbank.com/orderDetail.htm" target="_blank">Clickbank Customer Service</a> and give them your receipt number. To watch My Solar Plans video presentation, click on the link below.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">==&gt; <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/blog/mysolarplans_site">Click here to visit My Solar Plans now!</a></h2>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>My Solar Plans Review &#8211; Another Scam Product?</title>
		<link>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/my-solar-plans-review/</link>
		<comments>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/my-solar-plans-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 Jun 2010 03:00:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Will</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home Solar Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[DIY Home solar guide]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[My Solar Plans review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mysolarplans review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/?p=1324</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
The MySolarPlans program is one of the latest Do It Yourself (DIY) home solar power system guide available on the web. When I first saw its main web site at www.mysolarplans.com, it was pretty unique because instead of using a long sale letter explaining the guide just like everyone else, they used a simple video [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="aligncenter" title="MySolarPlans Web Site" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/Mysolarplans.jpg" alt="" width="412" height="309" /></p>
<p>The MySolarPlans program is one of the latest Do It Yourself (DIY) home solar power system guide available on the web. When I first saw its main web site at <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/blog/mysolarplans_site">www.mysolarplans.com</a>, it was pretty unique because instead of using a long sale letter explaining the guide just like everyone else, they used a simple video presentation. Pretty clever!</p>
<p>I decided to buy the package and do a quick My Solar Plans review for the benefit all the readers. The picture above shows the members’ section and on the top portion, there are 12 tabs.</p>
<p>The main content is the step by step instructional videos on how to make your own solar panel capable of producing 70 watt without spending more than $100. The quality of the videos is pretty good because they are recorded in High Definition (HD). My only pet peeve is the language of the presenter, it is very clear he has an Australian accent.</p>
<p>In the MySolarPlans members’ area, you also get to download the manual on DIY Photovoltaic (PV) panel, parts list, list of all the tools required and PV panel connection diagrams.</p>
<h2>My Solar Plans Bonuses</h2>
<p>After going through the members’ area, I was pretty pleased with the bonuses they offered. When you buy MySolarPlans, there are 5 bonuses included for you. The bonuses are:</p>
<p>-	How to Be Environmentally Friendly e-book</p>
<p>-	How to Be Environmentally Friendly MP3 version</p>
<p>-	Solar Power For Energy e-book</p>
<p>-	How to Make Biodiesel From Vegetable Oil e-book</p>
<p>-	30 Days Free Trial to Saving Secrets Club</p>
<p>All the bonuses are valued at over $96.00 and you’ll get it all free as a member!</p>
<h2>My Solar Plans Guarantee</h2>
<p><img class="alignleft" title="60 days money back guarantee" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Electric%20Cars/60days.jpg" alt="" width="115" height="116" />Since the MySolarPlans program is sold through <a href="http://www.clickbank.com/index.html" target="_blank">Clickbank</a>, you are automatically covered by their 60 days money back policy. If for whatever reason you do not see any value in the My Solar Plans content, you are entitled for a full refund within 60 days from the purchase date. The buyer satisfaction policy pretty much removes all the risk from you.</p>
<h2>My Solar Plans Review Conclusion</h2>
<p>So, should you buy the MySolarPlans package? For the last 14 months, I have been researching a lot of information on DIY residential solar power system. I have also reviewed a lot of online home solar system guide.</p>
<p>The content quality of My Solar Plans is pretty decent and is on par with most top selling home solar guide. If you are planning to make your own solar panel to reduce your home electricity bill, the My Solar Plans program will offer you some valuable information.</p>
<p>The entire program inclusive of the 7 HD instructional videos and the bonuses is selling at only <strong>$49.97</strong>. Get it now before they increase the price.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">==&gt; <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/blog/mysolarplans_site">Click here to visit MySolarPlans now!</a></h2>
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		<title>3 Steps To Calculate Home Solar Power Needs</title>
		<link>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/3-steps-to-calculate-home-solar-power-needs/</link>
		<comments>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/3-steps-to-calculate-home-solar-power-needs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jun 2010 06:40:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Will</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home Solar Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diy solar power]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[energy audit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar energy calculation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/?p=1282</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
Before you start building your home solar power system, you need to know how much power is needed for your home utilization. This will determine how big your residential solar system will be and at the same time, gives you a rough estimated project budget.
To calculate your energy needs, follow the 3 steps below.
1) Calculate [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Photovoltaic Solar Cell" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/solar-cell-large.jpg" alt="" width="332" height="266" /></p>
<p>Before you start building your home solar power system, you need to know how much power is needed for your home utilization. This will determine how big your residential solar system will be and at the same time, gives you a rough estimated project budget.</p>
<p>To calculate your energy needs, follow the 3 steps below.</p>
<h2>1) Calculate your home daily energy usage.</h2>
<p>To get this figure, you begin by getting your home energy bills for the last 12 months and calculate the average kilowatt hour (kWh) usage per month. Why do you need last 12 months bill? Reason being, the power usage of your home fluctuates throughout the seasons.</p>
<p>Add up the total power used for the past 12 months and divide it by 12. That will give you the average monthly power consumption.</p>
<p>Now, take the figure and divide it by 30 and you should have your average <strong>daily</strong> power consumption.</p>
<h2>2) Solar power system output.</h2>
<p>This is to determine how much power you need the solar system to generate. But before you begin, find out how many usable sunlight hours your region receive per day. Different areas will have different average sun coverage. To get this number, look at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insolation" target="_blank">solar insolation map</a>.</p>
<p>Now, use the average daily power usage you calculate earlier and divide it by the number of daily usable sunlight hour from the insolation map. Next, multiple the number with 1.25 as a factor to account for energy wastage from wiring, batteries, charge controller, power inverter etc.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s an example, assuming your daily power needs is 15.4 kWh and your region has average 5.5 hours of sunlight. Then the calculation will be 15.4 / 5.5 x 1.25 = 3.5 kWh or 3500 watts a day.</p>
<p>Assuming you are getting a solar panel rated at 180watts, then you will need 3500/180 = 19.4 or 20 pieces of solar panel.</p>
<h2>3) Photovoltaic (PV) panel watt cost.</h2>
<p>Now, you need to calculate how much it will cost you to buy all the PV panels needed to generate at least 3500 watts of power. For the time being, the highest average cost for solar panels in the United States is $4.98 a watt. So, the solar panels cost will be 3500 x 4.98 = $17,430.</p>
<p>The figure is a rough indication of how much it will cost you to buy the solar panels. Remember, the budget excludes the cost of wiring, charge controller, battery bank, power inverters  etc.</p>
<p>The number above looks quite high and most home owners will shy away from using solar energy to supplement their energy needs. Don’t worry, the government is willing to give you a helping hand.</p>
<p>In my next post, I’ll share with you how government rebates and credits will help you to reduce your home solar power project cost.</p>
<h2>DIY Home Solar Power Guide</h2>
<p><img class="alignleft" title="Earth 4 Energy E-book" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/earth4-box1.jpg" alt="" width="156" height="184" />Do you want to know how to get started on building your own DIY home solar power system? If you do, check out Micheal Harvey’s <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/earth-4-energy/reviewing-earth4energy-ebook/">Earth4Energy</a> guide book. The manual comes with pdf files and step by step High Definition (HD) instructional videos. Click on the link below for more information.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">==&gt; <a onclick="redirectClient(305,'402ecc67971f247f4cb3f9366a19bd72');" href="#">Click here to visit Earth4Energy now!</a></h2>
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		<title>Natural Light Solar Attic Fan Review &#8211; Cooling Your Home With Solar Power</title>
		<link>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/natural-light-solar-attic-fan-review/</link>
		<comments>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/natural-light-solar-attic-fan-review/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 30 Apr 2010 05:15:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Will</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home Solar Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[attic fan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Natural Light]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ventilation fan]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/?p=1261</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
If you are planning to use solar power system for your home, you have to figure out how many electrical appliances and lighting fixtures will be drawing power from the system. Obviously, when you have more equipment using solar energy, you will experience a reduction in your home utility bills.
The effectiveness of your residential solar [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Natural Light Solar Fan" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/solaratticfan.jpg" alt="" width="334" height="271" /></p>
<p>If you are planning to use solar power system for your home, you have to figure out how many electrical appliances and lighting fixtures will be drawing power from the system. Obviously, when you have more equipment using solar energy, you will experience a reduction in your home utility bills.</p>
<p>The effectiveness of your residential solar system is limited by the size of the power inverter and the battery bank. If you need more power, you have to get a bigger inverter and add more battery units.</p>
<p>There is another way you can use solar power to reduce your home energy consumption. It is by using a solar powered ventilation fan.</p>
<p>One of the top solar ventilation fans available in the market is from <strong>Natural Light</strong>. I’ve located one from Amazon.com and decided to do a quick review about it.</p>
<p>The attic fan from Natural Light is made from one piece heavy gauge stamped aluminum body with no seams. This is great because it reduces the chance of water leakage during raining days.</p>
<p>The heart of the entire unit, the DC motor is powered by a 10 watt Photovoltaic (PV) panel from <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-power/bp-solar-panel-review-professional-home-solar-power-solution/">BP Solar</a>. The solar panel can be adjusted from flat up to 45 degree to get the best angle to receive sun light. If needed, it can also be detached and mounted remotely to get the optimum sun expose.</p>
<p>The solar attic fan is capable of moving up to 850 cubic feet of air per minute. For every 1200 square feet of attic space, you will need to install 1 attic fan.</p>
<div style="display:block;float:right;padding:5px;">
<p>       <iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&#038;bc1=FFFFFF&#038;IS2=1&#038;bg1=FFFFFF&#038;fc1=000000&#038;lc1=0000FF&#038;t=wilyapjou-20&#038;o=1&#038;p=8&#038;l=as1&#038;m=amazon&#038;f=ifr&#038;asins=B0002YWVJM" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe></p></div>
<p>Size wise, the unit is 27.2 x 27.2 x 11.5 inches and weighs 45 pound. Natural Lights also offers 25 years manufacturer warranty on the attic fan housing, solar panel and the fan motor. The system is guaranteed to last a long time!</p>
<p>The entire kit is selling at <strong>$337.00</strong> from Amazon.com. To purchase the attic fan, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.my-linker.com/hop/5100">click here</a>.</p>
<h2>Homemade Solar Power System</h2>
<p>One way of reducing the cost of a <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/power-4-home/power4-home-scam/">home solar power system</a> is to build it via a Do It Yourself (DIY) approach. However, before you begin the project, it is best you acquire some knowledge on electrical wiring and solar technology.</p>
<p>If you are looking for a good home solar system guide, check out Ben Ford’s Homemade Energy Guide e-book. It comes with comprehensive information bundled with step by step High Definition (HD) instructional videos. For more information, read the <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/homemade-power/ben-ford-homemade-energy-guide-review/">review of Homemade Energy Guide</a> in this blog.</p>
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		<title>Does The Power 4 Home System Work?</title>
		<link>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/does-the-power-4-home-system-work/</link>
		<comments>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/does-the-power-4-home-system-work/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:33:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Will</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home Solar Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diy solar panel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[power 4 home review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Power4Home]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/?p=889</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One of the first home solar power guide I bought from the web is John Russel’s Power 4 Home. A lot of people may be wondering, does the e-book really works?
There are actually 2 e-books that come together in the Power4Home program. One is on residential solar power system and another one is on home [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="aligncenter" title="DIY Solar Panel" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/solar-cell-large.jpg" alt="" width="331" height="265" />One of the first home solar power guide I bought from the web is John Russel’s <a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/blog/power4home_site">Power 4 Home</a>. A lot of people may be wondering, does the e-book really works?</p>
<p>There are actually 2 e-books that come together in the Power4Home program. One is on residential solar power system and another one is on home wind generator.</p>
<p>Let’s take the solar guide as an example. To reduce your home electricity bill, John Russel suggests you use free energy from the sun. However, getting a professional solar contractor to setup the system can be very expensive. If you are planning to power your entire home with solar power, by prepared to invest upwards of $40,000.</p>
<p>A cheaper alternative is to build your own home solar system. A DIY system will not be able to provide sufficient electricity for your entire home. Nonetheless, it can be used to power most of your home electrical appliances and all of the lighting fixtures.</p>
<p>When you are using less electricity from the power grid, you will see a reduction in your utility bill.</p>
<p>What <a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/">Power4Home</a> will teach you is the step by step process of making your own solar panel. A typical solar panel is made from 36 pieces of 3” x 6” Photovoltaic (PV) cells. It is capable of generating 18 volts and 75 watts of electricity. The power output is sufficient to charge a 12 volt deep cycle or marine battery.</p>
<p>How much will it cost to make a homemade solar panel? If you were to follow the instructions recommended by John Russel, you can get it done with less than $150.</p>
<p>If you are planning to build a reasonable size residential solar power system on your own, you may need 2 to 3 solar panels. The other key components required for the system are the charge controllers, meter gauges, battery bank and power inverter.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, you can’t make these components on your own. You’ll have to purchase them from your local hardware store. John Russel has provided some recommendation in his guide.</p>
<p>In total, how much would it cost to setup the solar system?</p>
<p>Generally, you will need to invest about $1000 to $1500. The investment cost is much lower compared to a professional system of $40,000!</p>
<p>So does Power 4 Home System works?</p>
<p>The concept of generating electricity from solar cells has already been proven to be feasible. If you have the budget, you can employ a contractor to build the system for you.</p>
<p>If you want to save cost, you can make the solar panel on your own. Power4Home gives you the step by step instruction to do that. If you want to reduce your home electricity bill further, you can always scale up the system by adding more solar array.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;"><strong>==&gt; <a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/blog/power4home_site">Click here to visit Power4Home now!</a></h2>
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		<title>Power4Home Customer Feedback &#8211; Is It Any Good?</title>
		<link>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/power4home-customer-feedback/</link>
		<comments>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/power4home-customer-feedback/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2010 04:51:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Will</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home Solar Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[power4home comment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[power4home feedback]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[power4home review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/?p=855</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
I bought a copy of John Russel Power4Home in April 2009 because I wanted to do some research on home solar power system. The Power4Home web site keeps popping up everything I do a search query on residential solar power system on the search engine. I decided to purchase a copy and see what it [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Power4Home Page" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/Power4HomeSite.jpg" alt="" width="383" height="286" /></p>
<p>I bought a copy of <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/power-4-home/john-russel-solar-power-guide/">John Russel Power4Home</a> in April 2009 because I wanted to do some research on home solar power system. The Power4Home web site keeps popping up everything I do a search query on residential solar power system on the search engine. I decided to purchase a copy and see what it has to offer.</p>
<p>Straight off the bat, John Russel mentioned in his web site you can start generating electricity at home for less than $200. That statement is not entirely correct.</p>
<p>Yes, you can start generating electricity from a solar panel with less than $200. In fact, a <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/diy-solar-panels/how-to-make-do-it-yourself-diy-solar-panels/">DIY solar panel</a> can be made with $150.</p>
<p>To make use of the Direct Current (DC) generated by the solar array, you’ll need other solar components such as DC disconnect, meter gauges, circuit breaker, <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/charge-controller/sunsei-cc-25000-charge-controller-review/">charge controller</a>, deep cycle batteries, power inverter etc.</p>
<p>These components are not cheap. All in all, you will need at least $1000 to $1500 to make a reasonable size home solar power system. The system will be able to power most of your home electrical appliances and all lighting fixtures.</p>
<p>It may not be suitable to power energy hungry devices such as air conditioner unit or refrigerator. For this type of equipment, you will need to draw power from the grid.</p>
<p>So is Power4Home any good?</p>
<p>People who visited John Russel’s web site may get very excited about the prospect of using solar energy to reduce their home energy consumption. However, the budget to set up a complete residential solar system is way off.</p>
<p>There is a positive side to the manual though. The step by step instructional videos to make a DIY solar panel is pretty good. It is professionally done and was recorded in High Definition (HD).</p>
<p>If you are good with hand tool and like to start your own home solar power project, Power4Home will provide you with the information to help you get started.</p>
<p>If you like to see what Power4Home has to offer, click on the link below.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">==&gt; <a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/blog/power4home_site">Click here to visit Power4Home now!</a></h2>
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		<title>Top 3 Free Solar Homes Information Web Sites On The Internet</title>
		<link>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/top-3-free-solar-homes-information-web-sites-on-the-internet/</link>
		<comments>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/top-3-free-solar-homes-information-web-sites-on-the-internet/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:09:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Will</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home Solar Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diy solar panel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homemade solar energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar building]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[solar homes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/?p=412</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[



As part of my research to find ideas for this blog, usually I will spend couple of hours a day surfing the web for information. Some of the information I had to purchase. There are also some good info on renewable energy which are free on the internet.

The following are 3 of my favorite web [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><center>
<div style="width:480px; text-align: center;"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" src="http://w216.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/Solar Portal/1c56a993.pbw" height="360" width="480"><a href="http://photobucket.com/slideshows" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn.gif" style="float:left;border-width: 0;" ></a><a href="http://s216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/Solar%20Portal/?action=view&#038;current=1c56a993.pbw" target="_blank"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn_viewallimages.gif" style="float:left;border-width: 0;" ></a></div>
<p></center><br />
<br />
As part of my research to find ideas for this blog, usually I will spend couple of hours a day surfing the web for information. Some of the information I had to purchase. There are also some good info on renewable energy which are free on the internet.<br />
<br />
The following are 3 of my favorite web sites I go to for research ideas:<br />
<br />
<strong>1) <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.dsireusa.org/">The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy</a> (DSIRE)</strong><br />
<br />
Here’s some back ground on DSIRE (which is a pretty cool acronym by the way). DSIRE was established in 1995 as an ongoing project of the North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC).<br />
<br />
The project was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), primarily through the Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis (PBA).<br />
<br />
This is not so much a “how to web site”, rather a web site that gives you information on <strong>state policies</strong> in regards to solar buildings.<br />
<br />
If you are looking for renewable energy incentives and policy is the USA, you’ll find it at DSIRE.<br />
<br />
<strong>2) <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/">Consumer Energy Center</a></strong><br />
<br />
This web site consist of information for the consumer about Saving Energy from the California Energy Commission. Generally, the type of info provided from the site are energy saving tips for homes, offices, schools, transportation, etc.<br />
<br />
Want to know what types of rebate are available for renewable energy homes? You will find it at this web site.<br />
<br />
<strong> 3) <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.findsolar.com/">Solar Finder</a></strong><br />
<br />
This web site caters more to home owners that are seriously thinking about using renewable energy such as solar or wind power for their house.<br />
<br />
One great feature on this site is the <strong>“Find a solar professional”</strong> search box. Just enter your zip code and it will pull out all the specialized solar contractors nearest to you.<br />
<br />
Is solar power system suitable in your area? To know the answer, you can use the web site solar heat map indicator.<br />
<br />
There it is. The above are 3 of my favorite sites that I will go to for information related to solar buildings.<br />
<br />
I acknowledge some of the info is pretty dry. The write up can be a bit technical sometimes.<br />
<br />
When was the last time you read a new government building policy? It can be a good cure for insomnia.<br />
<br />
Nonetheless, since I am writing about DIY solar homes, I need to know the latest news, latest policy and latest happenings in the solar homes industry. These are the portals that I will go to.<br />
</p>
<h3>Home Solar And Wind Power Videos</h3>
<p>Do you want to know how you can use solar modules or wind generator to reduce your home energy consumption? If you do, check out the 30 solar and wind power for home videos e-book we’ve compiled. It’s free to download.</p>
<p>==> <strong><a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/free-ebook.html">Click here to download the free e-book now!</a></strong><br />
<br />
<a rel="nofollow" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/DiySolarHomesBlog"><img class="alignright" title="Blog RSS Feed Button" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Driving%20School/rss-icon-blog.jpg" alt="" width="58" height="55" /></a>Do you like the information on this blog? If you do, you can subscribe to our <strong><a rel="nofollow" href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/what-is-rss/">RSS feed</a></strong> for the latest blog updates. Just click on the <strong>Feed Button</strong> to the right <strong>==&gt;</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Related web pages:</strong><br />
<br />
1) <a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com">Earth 4 Energy Review</a> &#8211; A quick review on the top selling renewable energy guide from Clickbank.<br />
<br />
2) <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/magnetic-energy/magniwork-review-is-magniwork-generator-system-a-scam/">Magniwork Reviews</a> – Is Magniwork Generator System A Scam?<br />
<br />
3) <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/diy-green-energy/green-diy-energy-review/">Green DIY Energy Reviews</a> – Is Green DIY Energy Another Scam?</p>
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		<title>Homemade Solar System Manual &#8211; What Can You Expect?</title>
		<link>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/homemade-solar-system-manual-what-can-you-expect/</link>
		<comments>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/homemade-solar-system-manual-what-can-you-expect/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2009 03:25:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Will</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home Solar Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diy solar guide]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Earth 4 Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Earth4Energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[homemade solar system manual]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[michael harvey scam]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/?p=278</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There are many homemade solar system manuals now available in the market. You can get a paperback book from Borders or Barnes and Nobel bookstore and even download an e-book from the internet. But honestly, what can you expect from this kind of DIY home solar guide?
Firstly, you have to understand the type of renewable [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="alignleft" title="Solar Contractor" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/PowerSolutionsProfilePicwithBorder.jpg" alt="" width="286" height="319" />There are many <strong>homemade solar system manuals</strong> now available in the market. You can get a paperback book from <strong>Borders</strong> or <strong>Barnes and Nobel</strong> bookstore and even download an e-book from the internet. But honestly, what can you expect from this kind of <a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com">DIY home solar guide</a>?</p>
<p>Firstly, you have to understand the type of renewable energy that will be covered by most green energy books. For residential usage, the type of renewable energy systems will be <strong>solar</strong> and <strong>wind power</strong>.</p>
<p>The selection of the type of system suitable for your home will dependent of a few factors. Does the place you live have good sun coverage yearly? Are there any obstructions near your house such as a big tree or hill? Are there any tall adjacent buildings? These are a few questions you have to study before investing in a home renewable energy system.</p>
<p>Now, assuming you have decided to go with solar power, what can you expect out of a homemade solar system guide. Generally, you will learn about the science behind the system.</p>
<p>This kind of manual will usually show you how electricity is generated by using the <strong>Photovoltaic</strong> (PV) cells and how a solar array will look on the roof top. You will also learn a new term call <strong>“<a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-energy-audit/home-energy-audit-know-where-you-are-wasting-money/">home energy audit</a>”</strong>.</p>
<p>This is where you calculate the total amount of electric power consumed by all the electrical appliances and also the amount of energy leaks on a daily basis. This will give you a base on how big the system should be for your home.</p>
<p>Next, you will learn the key components of the solar system such as charge controller, DC disconnect, <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/deep-cycle-battery/deep-cycle-battery-for-renewable-energy-system/">battery bank</a>, voltage meter, amp meter, inverter, etc. Each any every part is important for the system to work properly.</p>
<p>The fact is, most people that bought a home solar power system guide, would not have the <strong>skill</strong> or the <strong>experience</strong> to carry out the project. It would be a better idea to outsource to work to a professional contractor.</p>
<p>The home solar energy industry is a booming sector. There are literally thousands of specialized contractors that will do the job just fine.</p>
<p>So what is your role as a home owner? You want to make sure the contractor works within your <strong>allocated budget</strong>. The cost of a home improvement project can quickly get out of hand if you don’t manage it properly.</p>
<p>This is where the homemade solar system guide will come in handy. With some knowledge, at least you will know when you are being charged for parts or components not needed in the system.</p>
<p>Even when the contractor asks you to pump in more money on the project, you can confidently ask him to explain the reasons.</p>
<h2>Home Solar And Wind Power Videos</h2>
<p>Do you want to know how you can use solar modules or wind generator to reduce your home energy consumption? If you do, check out the 30 solar and wind power for home videos e-book we’ve compiled. It’s free to download.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">==&gt; <a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/free-ebook.html">Click here to download the free e-book now!</a></h2>
<p><strong>Related web pages:</strong></p>
<p>1) <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/diy-green-energy/green-diy-energy-review/">Green DIY Energy Review</a> – Is Green DIY Energy Another Scam?</p>
<p>2) <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/earth-4-energy/earth-4-energy-scam-is-arth4energy-a-fraud/">Earth 4 Energy Scam</a> – Is Michael Harvey’s Earth4Energy A Fraud?</p>
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		<title>Earth For Energy Scam &#8211; Is Michael Harvey’s Earth For Energy A Scam?</title>
		<link>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/earth-for-energy-scam-is-michael-harvey%e2%80%99s-earth-4-energy-another-internet-scam/</link>
		<comments>http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/home-solar-guides/earth-for-energy-scam-is-michael-harvey%e2%80%99s-earth-4-energy-another-internet-scam/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:18:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Will</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Home Solar Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[earth for energy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[earth for energy review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[earth4energy review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[earth4energy scam]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/?p=266</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here’s a question that I get quite often on my blog, &#8220;is Earth For Energy from Michael Harvey’s another scam?&#8221; I have always wondered why people ask such question. I guess it is understandable if you have never bought anything from the internet before.
The Earth 4 Energy e-book is one of the top selling renewable [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here’s a question that I get quite often on my blog, <strong>&#8220;is Earth For Energy from Michael Harvey’s another scam?&#8221;</strong> I have always wondered why people ask such question. I guess it is understandable if you have never bought anything from the internet before.</p>
<p>The <strong><a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com">Earth 4 Energy e-book</a></strong> is one of the top selling renewable energy guides that you can find on the internet. It has been around for more than a year and it is still the top selling home green energy guide on the web.</p>
<p>If you didn&#8217;t know, the main web site for Earth For Energy (Earth 4 Energy) is at <a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/blog/earth4energy_site">www.earth4energy.com</a>. When you landed on the web page, you will see a big headline that say <strong>&#8220;How to make your own solar panels for less than $200&#8243;</strong> (screen shot below). Basically that is the promise from Micheal Harvey, the e-book author.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Earth For Energy web site" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/earth4energy2.jpg" alt="" width="427" height="320" /></p>
<h2>Low Cost DIY Solar Panel</h2>
<p>The question is, can we make a solar panel for less than $200? If we can&#8217;t, that will definitely make Earth For Energy a scam. Don&#8217;t you think so?</p>
<p>I decided to do some research to prove my theory.</p>
<p>The picture below shows the cost breakup on the DIY solar panel. As it turns out, you can actually make the homemade solar panel with less than $100, instead of $200. Great!</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="DIY Solar Panel costing" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/SolarBudget.jpg" alt="" width="415" height="311" /></p>
<p>From the costing breakdown, the largest material cost is in the Photovoltaic (PV) cells. Is is $67.50.</p>
<p>To make the solar panel as recommended by Earth For Energy, you will need 36 pieces of 3&#8243; x 6&#8243; solar cells.</p>
<p>Michael Harvey suggests for us to look for cheap solar cells at Ebay. And that&#8217;s where I&#8217;ve headed.</p>
<h2>Cheap Solar Cells At Ebay</h2>
<p>It took me about 5 minutes of browsing in Ebay and I did find a few good listings. The closest one that I&#8217;ve seen is an offer for 36 pieces of 3&#8243; x 5&#8243; solar cells for $56.50. The price is quite close to the solar panel budget as shown in Earth For Energy.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Ebay cheap solar cells" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/ebay.jpg" alt="" width="412" height="309" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>36 pieces of 3&#8243; x 5&#8243; solar cells</strong></p>
<p>In fact, I&#8217;ve also found an offer for 70 broken 3&#8243; x 6&#8243; PV cells for $17.01. Broken cells may not be the best, but some of them still can be used. But you have to test them with a multi-meter first.</p>
<p><img class="aligncenter" title="Broken solar cells" src="http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc67/willyap/Solar/brokencells.jpg" alt="" width="421" height="315" /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>70 pieces of broken PV cells</strong></p>
<h2>In Conclusion</h2>
<p>So is Earth For Energy a scam?</p>
<p>The project budget costing versus the actual material cost is pretty close. If that is the case, Michael Harvey&#8217;s promise of showing us how to make a solar panel for less than $200 may just actually work. The rest is on your personal effort of actually building the panel.</p>
<p>From my conclusion, I do not thing the guide is scam or fraud. Nonetheless, I would suggest for you to try it for yourself.</p>
<p>Hey..if it doesn&#8217;t work, you can always ask for a refund. Micheal has given his personal guarantee on his manual. If you don&#8217;t see any value in his e-book, you can ask for a full refund within 60 days from the purchase date.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">==&gt; <a href="http://www.diysolarhomes.com/blog/earth4energy_site">Click here to visit Earth 4 Energy now!</a></h2>
<p><strong>Related web pages:</strong><br />
1) <a href="http://diysolarhomes.com/blog/diy-green-energy/green-diy-energy-review/">Green DIY Energy Review</a> – Is Green DIY Energy Another Scam?</p>
<p>2) <a href="http://gas4freereviews.com/">Gas 4 Free Review</a> &#8211; Revealing The Myth of Water Car</p>
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