Have you ever thought of non-conventional energy as an effective alternative source, to save the nature from the wraths of atmospheric pollution?

A person, who is genuinely conscious of preserving our nature, will not hesitate to explore on such possibilities. Anyone, who is going to take on solar power system as an alternative for power production at their home, has to make some basic studies about solar panels and the battery system that has to be installed.

While arranging the solar panels either on the roof or on a ground post, the primary consideration has to be given on balancing the Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels output with the battery storage. If more number of panels with fewer batteries is aligned, the result will be wastage of energy. Imagine water is flowing into a small tank, where does the excess water goes? It will just overflow and get wasted on the ground.

If it is done vice- versa with less number of solar panels and more batteries, the batteries would not get fully charged at the required level that may result in power black outs during crucial hours. Can you see how getting the number of PV panels and batteries right is a delicate balancing act?

Solar panels should be capable of producing sufficient electric charge and the battery bank should have enough storage capacity throughout the day when the sun is shining. The energy generated can be used during night hours with enough surpluses as a reserve to meet the household energy demand on cloudy days.

Hence a realistic usage chart has to be worked out; taking all these factors into consideration and the battery storage has to be regulated accordingly. Another point is to correctly work out the efficiency rating, based on the assumption that the energy efficiency usually will be less than 20 percent of the watts stored.

The drop usually occurs owing to different factors such as size of the wire, distance of the solar panels from the batteries and the connections such as power inverter, charge controller and other electrical appliances. Therefore, to balance the power storage, the solar power system being installed, has to be made capable of producing 120% of the total energy requirements.

Sounds complicated to you? If you don’t have any knowledge or understanding on electronic science, it can be very confusing. In short, what you have to do is make sure the DIY home solar power system is capable of generating more excess power than you need.

Understand this; whenever you add on a new electrical equipment such as a fridge at home, the battery reserve will also drop down simultaneously. Hence it is necessary to anticipate these factors, in addition to temperature effects in the ambience, the cycles of the refrigerators and the freezers and the possible consumption of energy by such appliances in watts.

Normally a refrigerator taking its cycles for seven minutes in every 15 minutes and thus 28 minutes in every hour draws power for 11.2 hours per day that would require 2016 watts daily. Hence the batteries are to be charged fully at least once a month, to fulfill the energy needs.

When a power system of 12V capacity shows 12.4V in the charge controller, after the sun has gone down, the factual state of charge may very much vary from what the charge controller indicates. Many contributory factors affect the actual state of charge of the solar power system, of which, the priority attention needed is on proper upkeep of batteries. This is essential to maintain the battery life cycle with full charging efficiency.

For this, the terminals on the batteries are to be cleaned with corrosive and anti-corrosive cleaners and the water levels are to be checked and supplemented at regular intervals. The batteries should indicate a quarterly check report.

The deep cycle batteries may not work at 100% efficiency during their life time. Generally, batteries continue to work in weakest capacity but the risk is that they end up in draining other healthy batteries also.

The assessment of battery storage and reserve needs minute care and attention for the fact that an old battery drains with quicker speed, when the discharge and the volt level drops down, while the ampere goes up to maintain the same watts level that the system requires to function.

So, to have a functional home solar energy system, first, you must get the balancing of the PV panels with the number of battery correct. Then, you must also maintain the batteries so it is at its peak performance efficiency.

It would really be an ambitious project to generate your own electricity for your general household usage. Though it is difficult but not at all impossible. This might be quite challenging particularly if you don’t have much knowledge or experience on renewable energy sources such as solar.

To power your entire home by solar energy requires time and also serious investment on your part, but if you are dedicated to the idea, it can be done. Here are 3 things to consider when you are planning to generate homemade solar energy.

You must have patience.

This is one element many DIYers lack when they are planning to hook their home up with solar power and that is “patience”. There is no way you can get your home off the grid after building a single Photovoltaic (PV) solar panel.

What you’ll need is multiple numbers of solar panels linked together in series to generate sufficient electricity for your home. To do that, you have to spend a lot of time meticulously arranging and soldering all the connecting wires together.

When you have completed that portion of the project, you can start using solar panels to reduce your monthly power bills. When you feel that your power bills are almost zero, this is the time when you can actually get the power disconnected from the local grid. But for all of that to happen, it will take some time.

Getting the power requirement calculations right.

Before you know how many PV panels are needed, you have to be aware of the total power consumption of your entire home. Don’t worry, it is quite easy to make the calculation.

An American home requires an average of 588 Kilowatt (kWh)-hours per month, this can vary as it depends upon the size of your home and other power needs. Nonetheless, that figure can be used as the benchmark.

This number also depends upon the climatic conditions because in summers, many homes consume double the power as the need of air conditioners increase. Such calculations will help you to arrive at the total energy requirement per month.

You can now calculate how many solar panels are required to power your entire home. When you have that number, you can now arrive at the right total units of solar cells needed.

Again there are other parameters which you will have to keep in mind, as the electricity generation by the individual solar cell can vary. This depends large on factors such as size, location, time of the year, clouds coverage etc.

If you are hitting a road block and can’t calculate the numbers, you may need to get professional help from solar suppliers who can supply you the reliable number of average watts produced per solar cell per day.

Next, you will have to calculate how many batteries you require to store the power produced by the Photovoltaic cells during day time. During evening and night time, your power needs can be met by the power stored in the batteries.

Wet batteries which are basically lead-acid batteries are not suitable for solar power. What you will need are marine type deep cycle battery to make up your home battery bank.

Batteries which are based on deep cycle gel known as AGM are more expensive, but they can last much longer. It is a heavy initial investment but it has a longer lifespan thus saving you money in the long run.

When you’ve calculated the total energy needs of your house on a daily basis, now you can choose the battery type as per its storage capacity. This calculation will give you a fair idea about the total number of batteries you will need to power your home.

Reducing your household power consumption.

Lastly, to make a DIY home solar power system a success, you have to start thinking about reducing your home energy consumption. When we use electricity from the grid, we don’t think of energy wastage because there is an ample supply of power.

However, to go off grid, you have to take the limited power availability from your battery bank into consideration. Firstly, you have to ensure the solar panels are in peak power producing condition.

Next, you have to start thinking and adopting ways to reducing your household energy usage. A large portion of the work here is to change your family members’ power usage habits. Gone are the days where you can leave the lights on in a room with no occupant.

Shifting from grid power to solar power requires a change in your lifestyle. Because there is a finite amount of power in the battery units, your home lifestyle now revolves around the availability of power in the batteries.

When there is no sun light to activate the solar cells, you would have to forgo some conveniences at home. It is a tough decision but there are tremendous financial benefits to living off the power grid. Anyone can make the shift to be self-sufficient but it does require a lot of scarify.

There is an increasing awareness among people about climate changes and how emissions of harmful gases are polluting the atmosphere. This recognition is because several institutions are advocating cleaner, pollution-free and environmentally conducive living conditions.

People can do their bit for this important cause right at their homes by using a solar power water heater instead of conventional electric water heater. Solar power is energy generated by converting sunlight using Photovoltaic cells (PV). It can also be generated indirectly, using lenses or mirrors to focus a large area into a small beam, in a concentrated solar power (CSP) system.

The function of a water heater is to provide hot water to homes, business offices and other institutions. Water heaters are very useful in winter season or places where it is generally cold. One drawback with water heaters is that it consumes a lot of electricity.

The power consumption in a home with four members of a family can work out to around 6,400 kilowatts per hour per annum. Another disadvantage of using electricity generated by power plants is that along with power for operating a water heater there will be emission of around eight tons of carbon dioxide. This is nearly twice that of what a car would let out through exhaust pipe.

It is from the realization that a waste gas is emitted by conventional electric water heaters, the concept of solar powered water heater has emerged. There are several distinct advantages with solar water heater.

Advantages Of Solar Water Heater

As solar power is generated by conversion of sunlight, a solar water heater does not release carbon dioxide as byproduct. As solar water heater utilizes solar energy and not the electricity generated by fossil fuel, the energy used is a ‘clean energy’.

Another major advantage of using solar water heater is that it contributes to considerable savings in power costs as energy utilized is generated by the solar panels installed at home; with the result there is no need to get power from the grid.

While the charges for the power supplied by the local grid are revised upwards quite often, the solar power generated at home is free of cost. In other words, energy utilized for solar water heater is available for free.

Moreover solar power is a renewable form of energy generated by conversion of sunshine, which can be tapped free in any part of the world. In addition, in many states in the US and in most countries, the governments offer attractive incentives and rebates for using a solar powered water heater.

Governments these days are very strict in implementing environment protection laws and would like as many homes as possible to use eco- friendly water heaters. Solar water heaters are, generally, long-lasting.

Many leading companies manufacturing solar water heaters try to ensure that their branded product is of highest quality, designed by incorporating the latest relevant technology.

As all solar water heaters are not alike in terms of quality, durability and efficiency in performance, it is better to seek the assistance of an experienced distributor not only to select the most appropriate solar powered water heater but also to provide help in properly installing it.

On the whole, a good solar water heater not only reduces energy costs but also ensures that the surroundings are free from harmful carbon dioxide.

A digital multimeter is most sought after instrument if you are planning to start your own home solar power project. It is the most useful and multipurpose instrument which can really be boon for you, provided it is from a reputed company and has a good model.

In fact the multi meter has three devices which are built in one instrument. It has voltmeter to measure the electric current in volts, the ammeter measures the amount of the current and digital multimeter measures the electric resistance of the device. Electric resistances is measured in terms of ohms, the modern good quality multimeter are designed in such way that can be easily operated.

The good quality multimeter has a plastic case and has easy to use selector knobs with a screen on the top part which shows the digital reading. Before purchasing a multimeter, some precautions are absolutely must; you should look for a large screen, quite big, so that you can see the readings easily in the sunlight. Most the times when these multimeters are used in sunlight, the reading is not clear.

Below the screen is a large knob called the function switch, this switch will help you to select different modes of the operation. With this switch you can easily shift between voltmeter and ohmmeter with the turning of the dial, this is the reason; you should look for the large switch, which is easy to operate.

The function switch have normally eight positions, with the V marking which are normally three in umber are used to measure the voltage. Both measurements can be done i.e. AC/DC; you can obtain the measurements in miilivolt range.

There are two more markings A~ and A=, A~ measures AC current and A= measures DC current both in amps. The marking which is of horse shoe upside down Ω measures resistances in ohms, if you have to measure voltage, the digital multimeter has to be turned on, it will again go to startup procedure.

Normally when the digital readouts light up, the device goes through the self-diagnostic mode, after this it is ready to be used for various functions. The function switch V= is to measure the DC volts, the black and red leads when connected to multimeter at the right places can start the function.

Simply connect the red lead at the point marked as VΩ and black lead at the point marked as COM. To measure amps, the leads need to be connected differently by setting the function on switch A= position and connect the black lead to COM terminal.

Red lead has to be connected to the terminal marked as 300mA, now your device is ready for different functions. The result you will get in milliamps as you are connected to 300mA terminal.

The third functions of the device is its ability to measure in ohms, it is the measurement of the resistance in an electric circuit. It must be remembered to disconnect your multimeter after you use it, and should be safely stored in your tool box.

You must also keep it safe that the battery does not get drained, it is such a wonderful device and you must ensure it is properly handled. There are many good brands of multimeter available in the market, choose the best one.

For more tips and suggestion on how build your own DIY Photovoltaic (PV) panel on a small budget, check out the Power4Home guide by John Russel. Read up on the Power4Home reviews on this blog for more information.

Today shops are offering you convenient tools for you to choose from according to your home DIY job requirements. Thus buying a tool that you require is easy, but at the same time it is important that you make the right choice that suits your homemade solar power endeavor, lest ruin your project. Here are some of the tools you will need in your garage.

The humble cordless drill.

The primary job a drill as the name suggests is to drill holes into materials, but they can be used to fix or attach things by putting in screws, i.e the Plexiglass cover on the Photovoltaic (PV) panel. Because of operational ease, most of us like to use a cordless screwdriver, rather than one with a cord for power supply.

This is a handy tool for taking out screws because of their magnetic tip; there are no spilled screws and the interchangeable heads like the common flat headed one to the Phillips head. This also reduces the number of tools required to do a job. With the cordless screwdriver, you don’t have to worry about a loose fitted screw anymore.

The edgy saw.

Saws are a much required tool for anybody working with wood and no matter what type of wood you are working with; there is a definite need for some kind of a saw.

Be it cutting the beam in to the right size, cutting the edges, cutting firewood, cutting limbs of a tree or to make a hole in the centre of the wood without disturbing the edges, there is a type of saw to do the job.

Due to the shearing power and razor sharp cutting edges, saws are one of the dangerous tools which has to be handled with great care for your own safety and who works besides you.

The artsy router.

I like specialized woodworking tool such as a router when I am working with timber. I can trim the wood or create distinct patterns in the wood giving form to my imaginations. With some add-ons, you can create a great piece of art work.

But there is difference of opinion about the user friendliness of router tools. Once you have mastered the way to use them, you will simply adore it; on the other hand if you don’t know how to use them correctly you will think that you can do your work without them. With their efficacy and simplicity, you can complete your residential solar energy project easily and faster with a sander.

The smooth sander.

For a neat and smooth finish it is necessary to use a sander first, before painting a surface. There are various shapes and sizes of sanders to choose from as per the job requirement and they are available at a comparatively lesser price. You can use either sand paper or sand discs in a sander.

The sandpapers are available in various grades ranging from very coarse to a super fine grade. It is important that before making a selection, from a wide variety of tools, make a good study about their usefulness in your job.

Do not make a hasty decision of buying a tool that you come across first. By purchasing a tool that is versatile which could be adapted for your various projects, you can reduce the expense of purchasing a tool every time you want to do a project.

Referring to the testimonials available from the users will help you to ensure that you are buying exactly the tool which you have in mind.

Getting Started On DIY Solar Panels

Are you planning to buy readymade PV panels or save money by building them yourself? Since you have the tools, you might as well construct them yourself. What you will need is a good instructional manual.

To get started, head over to Michael Harvey’s Earth4Enery download page and get his PDF guide together with the High Definition (HD) instructional videos on how to build a solar panel on a shoestring budget.

==> Click here to visit Earth4Energy now!

Overheating of Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels is a very common problem faced by many home owners who has invested in a residential solar power system, particularly in hot regions. Every solar panel is designed to work in an optimum range of temperature.

During the hottest parts of the day, it may so happen that the temperature exceeds this optimum range. The result is a drop in voltage output in the PV panel. This is a typical phenomenon and gets rectified once the system is cooled down.

Normally the panel is designed in such a way, that some drop in the voltage will not affect its efficiency. For example an 18V PV cell at 25 degree Celsius will work in the range of 17 – 18V. So even if the atmospheric temperature is high and the efficiency of the cell falls, you may expect to get a voltage of 12 V.

But if the efficiency falls further, be sure that there is no problem with the electrical wiring connections. If your panel does not regain efficiency after cooling, the fall in the voltage of the cells may be caused by corrosion and expansion due to high temperature.

Under such circumstances you need to cool down the panel by putting the array under a shade. Cover the panel and pour water on it. These simple measures should be sufficient to cool down the panel and give the right voltage, if there is no other problem with the circuit.

But if the voltage output does not improve, there is definitely some fault in the electric circuit and you need to fix it immediately. Use a selective shading test to identify the faulty cell. This will help in identifying the faulty cell or wiring by smaller parts.

After you have shaded 3 to 4 cells, the output should be reduced by half. Disconnect the panel and monitor the output of the cell with a multimeter. If you do not have a multimeter, you may use a test load such as a fan to monitor the output.

If after shading a part of the panel and the voltage remains unchanged, this is the part which has the problem. Once you have detected the faulty part, check the tabs and the wiring junctions around the affected area.

Look for any corrosion that might be the cause of the problem. Increased resistance of faulty solder increases the load and resistance and leads to continuously overheating the cell and consequently the panel will get damaged. You need to rectify this problem immediately.

Moisture is a big problem for solar panels. In places close to a sea, salty and moist air corrodes electric connections and aluminum frames very fast.

Wood also get distorted and twisted with moist air causing breakage of tab connections. It may also result in the formation of crack in a cell. All the corroded and oxidizes metal parts must be replaced under such circumstances. It is worthwhile to go for aluminum or perspex sealed panel if you want to avoid these problems, though it may involve some extra cost.

Another problem, though not very common is the damage of blocking diode. Blocking diodes are used in solar panels to prevent the discharge of the batteries during the night time. Damage of blocking diode will result in no power output. So if you are getting no power from your panel, and you have eliminated all other possibilities, carry out a diode test.

If you find the diode to be faulty, replace the diode. If immediate replacement is not possible, take out the diode from the circuit.

Make sure to disconnect the panel at night, otherwise the battery bank will get discharged. Some people use a number of smaller diodes that will sum up to the required amperage. This may help in reducing the cost, but invariably is an invitation to e bigger problems.

As current flows in the path of lowest resistance, so when a number of smaller diodes are used, it will flow through the smallest diode and will continue to do so, till it fails, then the next higher ones will follow.

Thus one by one all the diodes will fail and finally the entire system will blow out with a risk of fire. Remember, if properly maintained, solar panels are very reliable, even in cloudy or snowy weather. Keep your panel sealed to protect it from moisture. If you follow these simple rules, your solar panel will keep working, free of any problem.

Whether your home solar power project is a Do It Yourself (DIY) or readymade kit, you will require an inverter to convert Direct Current (DC) power into Alternating Current (AC). Reason being, most modern household electrical equipment runs on AC.

Inverters can be very expensive and are therefore an important factor in your project. If the solar system is to provide power at a remote location as a small farm or “new forest house”, then you need to buy one that suits your needs.

Begin by looking at the type of appliances and what the charges will be. Check the power requirements and continuous discharge current. You can find cheaper modified square wave inverter to do the job instead of sine wave units which are more expensive.

While you can buy cheap inverters, most people would agree that you get what you pay for, so here are 9 tips when comparing units.

1) Safety measures

Many people put this as a final consideration, however, you must consider the security aspect of the unit you intend to purchase. You need to know if the inverter complies with all relevant safety standards and RFI in the country you live in.

2) Power output

Check the power output of the inverter unit. Note that larger units may not meet your household energy needs. Find an inverter that provides information about the continuous, intermittent (30 minutes), and overvoltage category. Larger inverters can be less efficient at very small loads than smaller inverters.

Lightweight transformerless inverters cannot have the capacity to handle peaks load period. Look for units that fit your needs for energy rather than capacity.

3) Type of wave

The best power inverter produces a pure sine wave. Many inverters that are cheaper are called “modified” square or sine wave unit. While the square wave units are cheaper, some devices such as fans, washing machines, stereos, digital clocks and timers do not work as well and will run slower, hotter or louder than a pure sine wave unit.

4) Power pending

The inverter has a standby or autostart. This can significantly reduce their energy consumption, without this feature, the unit can take a lot of energy from your battery bank. Also check the amount of power used when the inverter is waiting to detect a small charge.

5) Input management

When your solar panel system is in operation and the batteries are charging, the output can vary from a low of perhaps 10 volts to 15.5 volts. A good inverter must operate with input voltages between 10 and 16 volts.

6) Distortion

Make sure that the inverter maintains its output frequency by 0.01% and less than 4% harmonic distortion. You should also check that the inverter can maintain its output voltage AC within 3 – 5% of the desired tension.

7) Efficiency

Ask how efficient the inverter is given the specifications of “maximum efficiency” or demonstrate how it is done with small loads of 50 to 100 watts to rated power.

8) Diagnosis mode

What on board diagnostic does the inverter has? You can identify low and high battery, overload and overheating with certain internal diagnosis system.

9) Warranty coverage

What kind of warranty on the unit and what the service agreements are? Try to look for inverter manufacturers with service centers as close as possible. Also, look for a long period of warranty and local service.

Are you looking for a high power output inverter for your home solar power system? If you are, check out the Power Bright PW1100-12 inverter from Amazon.com/. It has a power output range of 1100 watt which pretty much can power all your electrical equipment. Click on the button on the right to buy the PW1100-12 from Amazon.com now!

I recently purchased a few e-books on the subject of DIY home solar power systems, one of them being Ben Ford’s Homemade Energy Guide (more information can be found at www.homemadeenergy.org).

My first impression of Ben Ford’s solar panels construction e-book was fairly positive – in addition to his main web site is presented in an immaculate and professional manner, his manual has also been featured in popular publishing media outlets such as Popular Science and Popular Mechanics.

Who Is Ben Ford?

Ben Ford is a 52-year-old “average Joe” from California. However, one thing sets him apart from the usual Californians: rather than paying the utility company for electricity usage, the company is paying him!

How does he do it? Unlike the traditional set-up, Ben’s home system utilizes renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. When this natural energy generated is greater than the net consumption of power needed to run his household, he sells the excess energy credits back to the utility company. Smart, isn’t it?

In his e-book the Homemade Energy Guide, Ben teaches readers how to live off the grid and get the electricity company to write you a check each month, rather than the other way around. According to Ben, the solar system can be set up for less than a mere $200.

Building Your Own Home Solar Power System

As with other renewable energy guides available online, this small budget is intended for systems that use only one solar panel. Based on my personal research, a homemade solar panel is typically capable of generating approximately 18 volts and around 75 watts of DC (Direct Current) electricity.

Based on these findings, how much should one expect to spend on a complete solar power system capable of meeting the average consumption in a household? The answer: Be prepared to invest upwards of $1000.

Where do all of these extra expenses come from? Keep in mind that in order to have a complete working system, one must purchase other solar components such as meter gauges, charge controllers, deep cycle batteries, power inverters, and so on.

The main cost of the system lies in the battery bank. If a household uses a myriad of various electrical appliances that require a lot of power to run, a larger battery bank may have to be constructed to make up the difference and support the energy requirement. A larger battery bank equals a higher cost.

In any case, a residential solar power system that costs around $1000 is still much more affordable compared to a system installed by a professional solar energy contractor. The bill for engaging a contractor can easily cost upwards of $40,000 or more!

However, if you are looking for ways to reduce your home electricity bill and are interested in greener energy sources, exploring the idea of using solar or wind energy may be of interest to you. If you are the builder type and want to save even more money, research the Do It Yourself (DIY) route.

One only needs to be proficient with hand tools to be capable of building a system of their own – a design blueprint and a step-by-step manual is all that is needed to get started.

If you are looking for a decent instructional manual available on the web, check out Ben Ford’s solar panels Homemade Energy Guide – if you are not satisfied, the e-book comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee.

==> Click here to visit Ben Ford web site now!

If you are thinking about putting in some solar panels yourself in your house, it’s really a lot less expensive for a person to handle the installation themselves instead of getting a professional to do it. A person that is fairly handy in the home will see that it’s neither hard, nor expensive to make and install a solar panel kit for much less than what you would pay someone.

However, be sure to consider that the procedure for making the Photovoltaic (PV) panels is going to mean you have to be a bit creative and have a little bit of patience. But, once you are done, you will be able to make one by yourself that will be able to power up your home appliances and various other things.

The least expensive and simplest method is to buy a home solar kit and follow its instructions. Even though this may appear to be a bit harder than you thought, if you don’t, hiring a pro will be much more costly and could be a few thousand bucks for the labor.

All of us should be able to have a chance to get the benefits of using solar power. With the kits that are now available, it’s possible for you also to reap these benefits, save money and help the environment. The Do It Yourself (DIY) solar panels you can get for your home will indeed save you thousands of bucks. Plus, you won’t even have to climb onto the roof to do it.

So, if all of this doesn’t sound hard to you, and you are capable of following the instructions, then you too can have the benefits of a solar-powered home. Acquiring some instructions that completely shows you step by step how to complete the process is an excellent idea, especially if this is the first time you have ever tried this sort of thing. Be sure to do some research online to find all the data you will require so the process goes smoother.

There are a lot of benefits to solar panel use, including the fact that you will be using less electricity, and so will have a smaller electric bill every month. The U. S. Government gives tax breaks to homeowners who have solar panels due to the fact it is better for it is better for the environment and it’s great for you to get a little reward too at tax time. Plus, the value of your home will also be higher if you put in solar panels.

If you ever think about selling your house, solar panels will make it more attractive for potential buyers. So, if you have solar panels, but the house next to you doesn’t, and normally they would cost the same, your house will actually sell for more because you have installed the panels.

So, if getting more money for your home is one of the things on the top of your to-do list, then you should really think about putting in solar panels. A short time ago, it was only certain people or businesses that could put in solar panels, but now there are the kits and everyone can put them in themselves successfully.

This is a very sensible choice, because in the end, the price you pay for the solar panels will actually end up paying for itself after you take into consideration what you will save in electricity bills and on your income taxes.

Home DIY Solar Panel Guide

Are you planning to make your own solar panel for your home solar power system? If you are, be sure to check out the Green DIY Energy program.

The program was specially created to teach you step by step how to construct a solar array on a shoestring budget. The instructions are in PDF files and also High Definition (HD) video recordings. Click on the link below and visit Green DIY Energy right now.

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

Can you really build a DIY solar system from scratch? Nothing is impossible, if you are willing to do the work, you can definitely setup a home solar power system.

How much would a residential solar energy system cost? If you were to engage the service of a profession solar contractor, the investment can be quite high.

A complete solar system capable of supply free energy for your home can cost upwards of $30,000 – $45,000. The Return On Investment (ROI) can take as long as 10 – 15 years! It is fair to say not a lot of home owners can afford this option.

DIY Home Solar System From Scratch

If you are planning to setup the solar system from scratch on your own, the investment cost is definitely lower. A medium size system capable of generating free electricity for your home would cost around $1000 – $1500.

There are only a couple of key components that you’ll need for a homemade solar energy system. The components are:

1) Photovoltaic (PV) panels

The PV panels will be the heart of the system. Solar panels are used to harness the sun’s energy and convert it into electric current. This is possible due to a special semi conductive material known as Photovoltaic cells. The electrons in the PV cells will become excited when exposed to solar energy. The potential energy in the electron are used to create an electric current.

2) Charge controller

The function of the charge controller is to take the electric current from the solar panels and use it to charge a battery bank. The charge controller will also regulate the amount of current going into the battery hence protecting it from overcharging.

3) Voltage meter & amperage meter

The volt and amp meter are measuring devices used to check the state of your home solar power system. The meters will tell you how much voltage and current flow are created by the solar array.

4) Deep cycle batteries

This will be the battery bank used to store the energy generated by the solar panels. The kind of battery most suitable for a residential solar system is the deep cycle type. Deep cycle batteries are commonly used on boats and electric golf carts. They are more durable and can be discharged to a very low stage without damaging itself. The battery also releases its stored power slowly making it most suitable for home use.

5) Power inverter

Since the energy stored in the battery is Direct Current (DC), you will need a device to change the DC to Alternate Current (AC). Most of the electrical devices at home will be running on AC. The function of the power inverter is to change the DC to AC. The final stage is to connect a power extension cable from the inverter throughout your house.

Generally, the components above are what you’ll need to make a DIY solar system from scratch. All these components are available from major hardware stores nationwide.

DIY Solar Panel Guide

If you are working on a shoestring budget, you can actually save some money by making the solar panels on your own. What you have to do is source for used solar cells and solder them together in a solar box. This will save you an additional $150 – $200.

To make your own DIY solar panel, what you’ll need is a good step by step instructional blueprint. One of the best solar panel blueprints that I know of is the GreenDIYEnergy guide. The guide comes with plans in PDF file and step by step High Definition (HD) instructional videos. For more information, check out the GreenDIYEnergy review on this blog.

==> Click here to visit GreenDIYEnergy now!