If you are thinking of slashing your home electricity consumption, the best option is to examine your living style and your energy usage habits before you actually think of installing solar electrical system in your home. You will be amazed to know that the amount saved on power bills would be huge if you simply adopt eco-friendly power usage habits.

Obviously, you will have to make some changes in your household so that your dependency on grid power and fossil fuels gets reduced. It is a known fact that solar power is clean energy and is gaining much popularity. Before you invest on a home Photovoltaic (PV) system, it is important to calculate your home power needs as it will determine if you should require a small, medium or large solar installation.

If you don’t feel that you have the necessary skills, by all means, seek professional help in getting the solar power system installed. However, if you are confident on your own skill to handle the job, the following are the 6components needed for the PV system.

1) Mounting.

Photovoltaic solar panel mounting is a very important part of the entire system. This is because the panels have to be mounted on a safe and secure manner as you will have to protect your investment from damage cause by strong wind.

To get the maximum benefit of using solar, you need to install the PV modules properly so that the panels are in the right direction and are facing the path of the sun for optimum exposure.

It is very important to finalize the location for installation of the solar panels on your property e.g. roof of your house, wall, on the ground or even on a pole as it will determine the accessibility for servicing.

2) Wiring and collector boxes.

The complexity of this component depends upon the number of solar panels. If you are using multiple panels system, you will have to connect all the panels in a safe and secure manner and then all the wiring connection will be linked to the multi-contact connection or the collector box.

Here’s a tip, be sure to use high quality wiring which is of correct type and size otherwise your solar system may lose power in the wiring before it even reaches your battery storage system which can significantly reduce power supply.

3) Collector and fuses.

When all of the PV panels are wired to the collector box, from there the wires are to be connected to the charge controller. Along the way, the wires will pass through switches and fuses.

Switches and fuses are used for safety purposes. They are generally circuit breakers in case there is a malfunction in the system. Fuse protection is used to prevent over heating of the cables in case of overloading. Power overload on cables is dangerous because it can cause fire on your property.

4) Charge controller.

The next component on your residential solar system is to enable you to control the power output for the PV modules and then directs it to a battery storage unit. This is where the electrical charge controller comes into play.

The complexity of the charge controller unit will depend on the amount of money you are willing to spend. An expensive controller will give you multiple options of settings and configuration in order to extract power from the panels to charge a series of deep cycle batteries.

5) Deep cycle batteries.

The function of the deep cycle batteries is generally to hold the charge from the solar panel and release them when you needed it. The size of your battery storage will depend on the amount of power you’ll need for your household. Now you know why you need to calculate the amount of power needed by your household before you install the PV system.

6) Power inverter.

The final component of your solar system would be the power inverter. The inverter is to convert Direct Current (DC) output from the battery storage to Alternating Current (AC) power. Almost all of your home electrical devices run on AC. The size of the inverter has to match the amounts of power or watts used by your home at a given time.

There you have it, 6 general components of a home solar power system. The components above are not really difficult to find. The challenge is to make the calculation and then purchase the right component unit to meet your needs. If you don’t think this is something you can do, by all means, employ the service of a profession solar contractor.

Do you want to go green with your home, how about using a solar heating system? If that sound somewhat interesting, you have a lot of options to consider. One such option is to choosing either an active or passive solar heating system.

Now what is active solar heating system? This system is that which involves storing and harnessing solar energy in the form of heat. Fans and other similar mechanical devices are used to dispense heat that is harness and collected from the sun.

Silicon is the most common type of solar heat collectors for constructing Photovoltaic (PV) cells. The cells are typically contains or placed on solar panels which are located in the roof of the house.

Now, what are the types of solar collectors? There are two primary types. The main difference between these two types lies in the material that captures and helps to move the heat that is located in the solar collector.

The material usually consists of a gas or a liquid. For instance, an air-based system contains transpired air collectors or an air room heater. But on liquid-based systems usually contains water or an antifreeze element to capture and move heat around your house.

Generally the goal of such a system is to heat up to three-fourths of a home’s interior. When there is more than normal solar energy than a house needs is produced, the homeowner could then sell excessive power back to his or her local utility company.

It is always advisable to heat the air and water in your home so that the solar heating system can function throughout the entire year. This system is a low-technology method of capturing and harnessing solar energy.

It functions by the method of directly capturing the sun’s heat, and then retaining it within the house for the function of heating. This is mainly achieved through methods such as quality insulation and windows. This kind of system can tremendously lower your current heating cost or even replace your home’s current system.

How about passive solar heating? What are its components? One of the primary components of passive systems is windows.

The goal of the component is to maximize the amount of sunlight and heat that one can be collected during the daytime. Generally the common windows consist of a special kind of glass that absorbs as much heat as possible and then keeps it inside the house for a maximum amount of time.

Besides windows, there is another common component of passive solar heating systems which are trombes, a special type of wall. There is a pane of glass in front of the wall. This method is used to collect heat provided the space between the glass and wall.

Another common method is to paint the concrete walls black so they will absorb heat more rapidly and instantly. What are the benefits? This is generally an ideal option when you are looking for a solar heating system for a new home.

The reason is that passive solar heating systems are restricted due to many factors such as the location of the windows in the home, the location of the building itself, the amount of insulation in the building, and so on. These types of problems can be much challenging to make a change within existing homes, especially the location of the home.

Learning the basics of active and passive solar heating systems, it is now possible to determine which the best is for you and your family.

Even though residential wiring is considered to be safe, with many options of residential wiring which you may chose as per the age of your house. Wiring which gives the complete electric solution to your home was started with Knob & Tube wire. It was used somewhere around 1920 to 1930’s and was working well, but now it is considered to be unsafe.

Many insurance companies decline to insure your house, if they find that you still use Knob & Tube wires. It was in 1930’s that steel conduit gained popularity and was normally used in the wiring homes. This method was based o fuse box and was normally used to travel from outbox to out box, from wall outlet to light outlet and to switch outlet.

The wire was laid in such a manner so as to reach the desired locations such as switches, lights and receptacles; this method is applicable even today. During 1940’s & 1950’s many houses used spiral steel jacketed cable known as BX, which consisted of jacket with two or three conductors or wires, which were made of either copper or steel.

Steel was commonly used in WW2. The introduction BX stage of wiring was introduced by Romex; presently Romex is available as plastic jacketed cable with two or three conductors which are similar to BX.

Romex and BX have similar function so that jacket is stripped where it enters the outer box so that the conductors are connected to the switch, light fixture or receptacle from inside the outlet box. Romex is easier and faster to strip which can be done with a simple knife whereas BX requires a special tool that cuts through the steel jacket.

Romex which was available in 1940’s had an outer covering of cloth and had oil based substance, it got transformed to various types of outer coverings till 1970, when plastic covering was used which we use even today. I always would consider the type of residential wire which is protected best from critters, nails to be the safest.

As per Knob & Tube is considered it no longer is safe. Earlier Romex used a method of stapling of studs and attic joists, this system had great potential danger of short circuit which is the most common cause of electric fire. This is a lesson for those who still have older homes to once again get their wiring rechecked by a professional electrician.

It has been seen that in older houses, the kitchen light fixture has burned up the wires. Still in some old kitchens sealed drum type light fixture is used. The maximum load taken by a sealed drum fixture is 60 watts, whereas people use 100 watt bulbs to make kitchen brighter, this makes the fixture hot and the wires start burning.

For the safety of your homes, you must check the wiring especially when your house is old, it would be better to seek the services of a professional and licensed electrician to have a complete relook of the entire wiring of your home. Sometimes these electricians give you a report free of charge, but in any case you should not ignore the safety even if you have to spend some dollars for inspection, this will ensure peace of mind and safety for the entire family and your home.

Now that you understand the science behind your home wiring, you can now determine if it is possible to hook up a DIY solar power system to supplement your home energy usage.

Earth4Energy Video Sample

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Home electrical wiring has a limited lifespan of 20 years. The PVC cables used for electric wiring have to be replaced once they complete their lifespan as the condition of cables deteriorates due to aging. It is recommended that the homeowners replace the electrical wiring in order to ensure safety at home.

As the condition of the insulation deteriorates, live wires get exposed and cause damage to the properties. It is, therefore, important to follow the electrical wiring replacement schedules with the help of a licensed electrical technician or an electrical engineer.

An electrical technician will be able to ascertain whether it is safe to use the present wiring or not. If it is not safe to use, he can organize its replacement. It is not correct to think that electrical wiring has to be replaced only at the end of its lifespan.

Whenever an electrical problem crops up and electrical wiring has to be replaced, either partly or fully, it has to be done without fail. In order to identify electrical problems, one should have some knowledge about the consumer unit and the switches associated with it.

The consumer unit distributes electricity to the panels that are put together, enclosed and installed at home. The home appliances are protected from electrical faults and overheating of cables by miniature circuit breakers or MCBs.

Tripping of the MCBs will cut power supply to the circuits that are being protected by them. MCBs get switched off due to short circuit, earth-fault, or overload. If such an electrical fault causes serious damage to the wiring, then the wiring is to be necessarily changed.

Replacement of the electrical wiring may be required for fixing both window and split air conditioners. In the case of a window air conditioner, an electrical plug is required for providing power source. The plug has to be mounted by making a rectangular hole in the wall.

The split type air conditioner is more difficult to install as it has sophisticated features. The split type air conditioner has two parts. The one that blows cold air is installed inside the room and the external unit houses the compressor. The two units are connected through pipes. Both the units require separate power sources.

To enjoy trouble free operation of the air conditioner, the plastic filters have to be checked and cleaned frequently. This will eliminate many electrical failures. Replacement of electrical wiring is a risky and serious job.

If you are thorough with the principles of electrical wiring replacement, you may not suffer burns or other fatal injuries. Before replacing the electrical wiring, the power to the circuits has to be turned off. Always double check to make sure that power is cut off.

After successfully replacing everything, including electrical receptacles, you need test using a tester to find out if the receptacle is working. Taking simple steps like this will keep you and visitors to your house safe. Generally, it is possible to manage electrical wiring replacement yourself. However, if you do not have the capabilities, it is better to seek professional help.

If you are planning to start a home solar power system project, make sure you check the condition of your home electrical wiring. It is up to par or is it due for replacement?

Although solar power systems are generally reliable, small issues do crop up at times. The problems may be a slow and unexpected decline in power output and you may not be able to locate the actual problem.

You may feel that the batteries are not generating enough power despite good sunshine. In order to investigate the problem, you will require a multimeter. If you do not know to use one, you may have to seek the help of an expert.

Since you are dealing with electricity, it is always better to call a professional if you are not sure of what you have to do. Poor connection due to corrosion is the most common problem that is generally encountered.

The problem could also be because of a defective blocking diode. When the panel is not generating electricity, a blocking diode prevents a backward flow of current from your batteries and protects them from getting drained. The blocking diode works like a cut-off valve.

One blocking diode has to be installed for each solar panel. If the diode is defective, there can be a lot of problems, especially during low-light times like morning, evening, or a cloudy day. After checking for any obvious problems, you can start checking the panels.

The panels have to be disconnected from the system before you start panel inspection. This can be done either by removing the battery terminals or by operating the isolation switch to your batteries.

Test the output of each panel. If the panels are not driving power at the anticipated rate in full sunshine, it means that the connections are bad due to corrosion or some cells are defective or the diode is faulty.

To identify problems due to corrosion, visually check connections. A problematic cell can be identified by checking whether the cells are hotter than the ones near them. If there is no corrosion problem or cell problem identified, go ahead and test the blocking diode.

Actually, the blocking diode has to be installed with the silver ring facing the opposite side of the panel toward the output connection. Some diodes come with an arrow mark, indicating the direction of current flow.

Ensure that the diode is installed properly. When you use the multimeter to check the diode, the black lead is to be connected into the socket marked COM, abbreviation for common.

Set the multimeter to read OHMS. Keep the COM probe on the end away from the ring-end of the diode and the other probe at the ring-end. The multimeter must show a zero or a low reading.

If the multimeter reading is high, it indicates a diode problem. Verify the result by doing another test. You can now reverse the probes. After attaching the COM probe on the ring-side of the diode, check the multimeter reading.

If it does not exhibit a high-resistance reading, then the diode is faulty. You can replace the diode to solve the problem. It is always better to correctly install only one blocking diode.

If you connect many small diodes in parallel to cut costs, you may get into problems. This is because diodes are never equally matched and hence the weakest one will take the entire load and fail. Then the next one will take the entire load and the problem will repeat.

You can prevent small problems from becoming big ones by doing periodic checks on the system. A Do It Yourself (DIY) solar panel provides a cost-effective way to produce electricity. While installing the panels, diligently follow the instruction guide and keep the system in good shape.

It is very important to properly clean and maintain your solar panels to ensure that they continue to work properly. A dirty solar panel may block the sun which can reduce the energy output of your solar panel or cause it to stop working efficiently.

Cleaning and maintaining your solar panels regularly can improve their energy output by 30 percent or more! This article will help you manually clean and maintain your solar panels at home giving you the highest energy output possible.

Materials you will need to clean your solar panel are water, cleaning solution, soft sponge, cloth, or towel, squidgy or similar window cleaning tool (optional). Follow these steps to easily clean and maintain your solar panels.

First you will need to make sure that you can safely access your solar panels. Take extra care with panels located on a roof to ensure that you are properly secured to the roof and can move around safely while cleaning.

Also make sure that you have removed all sticks, leaves, and other debris from your panels. Any debris that has fallen onto or between your panel may cause a malfunction in the panel.

You will want to clean your solar panel as you would a glass window, by coating the surface with water and cleaning solution. This will help to loosen all dirt and grime making removal easier. It is important to mix your cleaning solution with water in this step to minimize solution residue.

The electrical components of your solar panels are protected underneath the surface. This makes them waterproof and safer to clean so wetting them is not a concern. Next use your sponge (squidgy, etc.) to remove all access cleaning solution and dirt using rinsing water when needed. Be careful to avoid streaking while completing this step.

Streaking can leave solution residue behind which can hinder the sunlight much like dirt. It is possible to use an environmentally safe cleaning solution, however, you will want to test it on a transparent glass window first to minimize streaking.

Dark glass surfaces tend to hide streaking, so a clear surface is best. An automatic solar panel cleaning system may be necessary if your panels are in a location that is not easily or safely accessed. These systems are used much like windshield wipers in that they have a cleaning solution hose and mechanical cleaning arm.

These systems may be installed at the same time as your solar panels. Initially it is beneficial to install your panels at a tilt or angel so that they are cleaned naturally by the rain. A solar panel that is installed in a flat position will naturally collect more dirt and debris minimizing your energy output.

Even with panels installed at an angle some debris may accumulate at the corners over time but this does not prove to cause a major disruption in energy output. Using this guide to properly clean and maintain your solar panels will help to ensure that you have the best functioning system possible.

If you are looking for a tool which will make cleaning solar panels on the roof much easier, check out the Mr. Long Arm 1009 Pro Curve Solar Panel Cleaning System Kit from Amazon.com/. Click on the button on the right for more information.

Residential Solar Panel Building Guide

One of the best ways to save money on a residential solar power system is to build your own solar panel. If you are good with hand tools, you can make a Photovoltaic (PV) array for around $150. What you’ll need is a step by step instructional guide.

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The benefits of solar power at home are many. It ranges from lowering your home monthly electricity bills to creating a better environment for our children. You don’t have to be total green environmentalist to enjoy the advantages of using solar energy at your home. All you have to do is use some simple solar powered devices.

Advantages of Solar Powered Devices

If you want to enjoy the benefits of solar power at home, the easiest way is to install a solar water heater. A solar water heater basically supplies hot water for your household.

Some home owners may use an electric or gas powered water heater but the same function can be done by a solar water heater. As an added advantage, once it is installed, it does not use up any electricity at all.

If you have a large family, the amount of electricity used to heat up water for shower and washing can be quite substantial.

Do you want to reduce your home electricity consumption by at least 20 percent? Well, by investing in a simple solar water heater can help you to achieve that.

The Benefit of Minimal Maintenance

Once you’ve installed the solar water heater at home, there is pretty much zero maintenance. If the piping is done well with proper insulation, the system will last a long time. The solar unit installed at my home has been there for more than 20 years and is still working fine.

Generate Electricity With Solar System

If you want something more than just a water heater, the next option you can consider is to setup a solar system to generate electricity for your home. If you have the budget, you can engage the service of a professional solar contractor to setup the entire system for you. But the drawback will be the cost. Be prepared to invest upward of $40,000 for a complete solar system.

Alternatively, if you want to enjoy the benefits of solar power at home, you can build the system via a Do It Yourself (DIY) approach. A DIY system is much cheaper but does require lot of hard work.

How much would it cost you? A small solar system capable of supply power for a small house will cost around $1500 – $2000.

If you want to cut your budget even further, you can actually make the Photovoltaic (PV) panel on your own. What you will need is a good design blueprint and step by step instructional guide.

If you are looking for a good home solar manual, check out the GreenDIYEnergy program. It is one of the top sellers on the web and it comes with PDF blueprintd and High Definition (HD) instructional videos. For more information on GreenDIYEnergy, click on the link below.

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One of the key components of a home solar power system is the charge controller. All the Photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof will be connected to the charge controller via copper cables.

With so many different types of charge controller available in the market, how to we choose the right one for our residential solar power system?

When you are shopping for a new charge controller, consider the following 10 features.

1) Current backflow protection – During the day, the solar panel will generate electric current. However, during night time, the PV panels will become an electric load and draws power from the battery bank.

A current backflow protection prevents current flowing from the battery into the solar panels.

2) Battery low-voltage disconnect (LVD) – When the battery bank has been discharged to a very low level, this feature will automatically stop any further power discharge.

3) Monitoring system – System readings with either digital or analog display.

4) Protection from overcurrent – For whatever reason if there is a current spike, the fuses in the charge controller should break the circuit.

5) Flexible mounting option – Make sure the unit comes with multiple mounting option. You may want to flush mount or wall mount the charge controller.

6) Total system control – The charge controller can actually control other system such as backup generator, secondary battery bank, secondary charge system etc.

7) Secondary load controller – With special timer and controller, the unit can be used to control secondary loads such as water pump, lights, switches etc.

8) Temperature compensation – The deep cycle batteries keep in different temperature will require different voltage level to fully charge the system.

The temperature compensation feature will automatically change the voltage limit to maximize battery charging.

9) Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) – This is a method used to maintain the battery maximum state of charge. It also reduces the chances for sulfate build up on the battery plates. This can be done by a charge controller by pulsing the battery voltage at a high frequency.

10) Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) – This feature charges the battery by extracting the most power possible from the Photovoltaic panels by changing its operating voltage for maximum efficiency.

Solar Components Discounted Price

Do you want to know how to buy home solar power system components at discounted prices? There is a certain strategy to get big discount on solar parts and components without having to pay full price.

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Are there any ways to use solar power for your HVAC? Since the air-conditioning unit uses quite a lot of power, there are not many solar powered equipment which can replace it.

There is one device that I found which can create warm air in your home by using solar energy, the device call Solarventi solar air heater. The Solarventi was invented in Denmark as a device mainly to circulate warm air in homes.

The Solarventi is 100 percent solar powered therefore it is essentially free to run once it is installed on your home. Since 2001, more than 20,000 units of Solarventi have been sold in the European region. Pretty impressive record!

Solarventi is built as a maintenance free device. It uses solar energy to warm the fresh air in the solar collector. The warm air is then ducted into your home via a ducting fan powered by a small Photovoltaic (PV) panel.

So how can the Solarventi solar air heater help you to reduce your home energy consumption?

Let’s take your home laundry as an example. Do you use a tumbler dryer? Since it has a heating element, the dryer can consume quite a large amount of electricity.

When it is raining outside or during winter time, you do not have much choices to dry your clothes other than using the tumbler dryer. Here’s how the Solarventi solar air heater can help.

Take a small room in your home and make it into a clothes drying area. Have it completely sealed off.

Use the Solarventi solar air heater to generate warm air and vent it into the room using a solar powered air ventilator. If possible, have the vent output at the floor level because hot air will rise up.

Now, you have a room which has circulating warm air which you can use to dry all of your laundry and yet you are not consuming any electricity because all the devices from the solar air heater to the vent fan is powered by solar energy.

DIY Home Solar Power Guide

Looking for ways to reduce your home energy consumption by using solar power? If you are, check out the GreenDIYEnergy guide.

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A lot of people interested in using solar energy at home may be wondering how to design a cheap solar power system. But before you jump into any residential solar project, the first question you should ask yourself is why you want the solar system?

Different people would have different answer to that question. Some people may want to reduce their home energy bill while others may want to get rid of it all together by living off the grid.

Now, some people may want to have solar energy at home because they may be living in a remote area out in the country where it is too expensive to have power utility poles and cables pulled to their doorstep. It would make better economic sense to use power generated from a solar system. This is known as a standalone solar system.

Another reason to have solar power at home is to reduce global warming. Some people are green activists and would rather use renewable energy than coal, oil or gas which has a large carbon footprint.

Another reason home owners may want to use solar power is as a backup system. You may be living in an area where the power supply is unreliable and has constant energy outage. This is happening in places where the economic growth is faster that the infrastructure growth and the electricity supply has not caught up with the demand.

When the power grid is overloaded, something has to give and that something is the power supply to your home area. A solar system can be used as a backup when the power grid is down.

These are a couple of reasons I can think of why you would want a home solar power system. I am sure there are many more reasons why home owners would consider investing money on solar components.

When you know the reason, now you can start to design the solar system based on your budget. If you have money to spend, you can engage the service of a professional solar contractor.

If you are working on a shoestring budget, your only alternative is to build the system via a Do It Yourself (DIY) approach. Both approaches has it pros and cons. To make your decision, it is best to revisit why you want the solar system in the first place and proceed from there.

DIY Home Solar Videos

Do you want to get started on a DIY home solar power project? If you do, download a free copy of the 30 Solar and Wind Power For Homes Videos e-book. The e-book will show you videos on the parts and components required to setup a solar energy system and it is free to download. To download the guide, just click on the link below.

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