Could Refurbished Solar Panels work for you?

 

Some selfish reasons for you to use Solar Power

There are many reasons why you might be looking at Solar Panels, and I am sure you have thought about all the good you will do for the environment and the future of the planet, and these are good reasons, but, lets have a look at the entirely, hedonistic and self serving reasons.

Solar leads to cost savings, meaning you save money

All one has to do these days is open up an electric and heat bill to see how much it costs to heat and light your home. Solar power is a great way to just about eliminate the costs associated with lighting and heating your home. For those that are using solar powered heating and lighting equipment today there is little if any cost associated with heating and lighting their homes. Yes, there is an up-front cost to installing these units but pay back times through cost savings and tax credits are getting shorter and shorter due to better technology and awareness. These current users report that they actually make money from using solar power systems just by paying a little closer attention to how they use the power that they have. For the most part, they indicate that a 30 second glance at back-up batteries for piece of mind is all the extra time required to start saving money.

Solar Power could make you Money.

Some may say that piece of mind doesn’t go very far when it comes to a series of cloudy days. Batteries, they say, can run out or get low. From all reports, however, cloudy day issues, in a majority of the world’ s climates, are not an issue. In fact, a majority of users find that they have an excess of electricity that ends up just going to waste. Or so most people- once – thought. Although the entire US is not quite there yet most sates require that utilities buy back excess power generated from those desiring to remain on the power grid. Although it may sound a bit odd, solar power users find that their electric meters actually run backward quite a bit of the time when solar power systems are in use. God forbid there were a few weeks of nothing but clouds and cold, but if there are the owner is free to use the power that they sold back to the utility. Past the home front, add a water wheel and a wind mill and you have a nice little income generator with the electric utility paying you.

Live Off the grid

There is a certain segment of the population that just does not want to be connected to the “grid”, as the power and information society calls it. For these people solar power is a great option. Solar units are fairly low cost and getting lower cost every day. They can also withstand a  hailstone traveling at 50mph. For survivalists or even for a farmer that needs to irrigate his crops in the middle of nowhere, solar is the way to go.

Develop a new technology

Man at his basic is a curious being. What if? Is always being thought about whether it’s just a casual thought during the day or figuring out how to get to Mars. Advancing technology is just who man is. Using solar may satisfy our current environmental issues but it also satisfies our intellectual needs. If solar power isn’t used it won’t advance and our need to know won’t be satisfied. Intellectually, solar is a great idea.

Leave the world a better place

Using solar, at the moment, appears to be one of those good intentions. It may end up being a bad thing 200 years down the road, but for now, it may be one of the only ways to leave the world a little better then when we got here.

DIY Solar Power Projects Should You Do Them Yourself?

With what seems to be an increase in your utility bill each month, the idea of installing solar power is becoming a popular option. If you have a solar project in mind, the first thing you have to determine is whether you should build it yourself.

DIY Solar Power Projects Should You Do Them Yourself?

In the late 70s, the world suffered through an oil crisis. Oil dependant countries reacted by investing in renewable energy strategies with the goal of reducing the impact of future problems. While the United States dropped this strategy after the end of the crisis, many other countries continued to pursue it. Germany, for instance, produces a sizeable amount of its electrical needs through wind and solar power. Norway produces all of its need through hydropower. As oil prices rise, we are paying for not continuing to pursue renewable energy. Fortunately, much of the technology developed in other countries is readily available in the United States.

Building and installing solar platforms, whether active panels or passive window systems, is a fairly uncomplicated task if you have basic construction knowledge. There are two distinct types of solar approaches, but only one should be pursued as a do it yourself project.

The first type is active solar, which uses panels to create electricity for heating or to heat water. In general, you should consider having a contractor install these systems. Federal and state governments offer massive rebates and tax savings if you use active solar systems instead of drawing off the electrical grid. These rebates, however, usually require a licensed contractor do the installation. While there are exceptions, you don’t want to miss out on $4,000 to $10,000 in potential savings, but if you are on a tight budget it might be an idea to look at the DIY option, but ensure you take the time to learn and start of small in the beginning.

The second type of solar platform is known as passive. The government doesn’t kick you any rebates or tax incentives for this platform, so it makes a perfect project for those that like to get their hands dirty. These projects are all about orienting your home or structure to take advantage of the plentiful sunlight that hits it each day. The idea is to let the sunlight in on the south side of your home, let it heat up thermal mass materials such as masonry and then circulate the heat through the home. Yes, it works in the winter.

These projects rarely require you to have any special knowledge beyond that which you would get from basic home improvement construction experience. The trick is in the orientation of the home, the placement of windows and the materials used. It is fairly simple and can save you a ton of money on your utility bills.

In summary, you should almost always look at using a contractor if panels are part of your system, but if you think you have the skills you could have a look at a diy project, but do plenty of research first, and always be aware of your limits. If you are going for a non-active system, you really break out the hammer and get to it.

What Effects do Clouds have on Solar Panels

Solar panels hold a wealth of benefits, both for individuals and for the world at large. Economically, solar panels promise to lower the cost of electrical power. Environmentally, solar panels can give us cleaner power, sustainable power that will not require further damage to the environment. Solar power can reach remote areas. It can carry education, or urgently needed medical information.

The effects of clouds on a solar panel, though, might diminish those and other promising benefits.

The effects of clouds on a solar panel might make it far less efficient in certain parts of the world and at certain seasons.

For that reason, people who are considering solar panels for their homes are often heard to ask: will clouds affect my solar panels?

Will Clouds Affect My Solar Panels?

Clouds do affect solar panels. The amount of power your solar panels can produce is directly dependent on the level of light they receive.

In full, bright sunlight, solar panels receive maximum levels of light. During those “peak” sunlight hours, your solar panels will produce power at their maximum capacity.

When clouds cover the sun, light levels are reduced. This does not shut down power production, however. If there is enough light to cast a shadow, in spite of the clouds, your solar panels should operate at about half of their full capacity. Thicker cloud cover will reduce operations further. Eventually, with heavy cloud cover, solar panels will produce very little useful power.

The Good News!

The effects of clouds on a solar panel can be surprising good, however. Incredibly, your solar panels will put out their ultimate amount of peak power during cloudy weather!

As the sun moves into a hole between the clouds, your solar panels will see something wonderful. They will see full direct sunlight “plus” reflected light from the clouds! They will drink in more energy than they could on a cloudless day!

The effects of clouds on a solar panel could then produce peaks at or above 50 percent more than its direct-sun output!

Meeting the Challenge

There are ways to meet the cloud challenge.

1. If you often have clouds in the afternoon, but mornings are clear, aim your solar panels slightly toward the east.
2. Be sure you use a large enough battery system to maximize the amount of power stored for use when the clouds arrive.
3. Make sure your controller has plenty of headroom over the rated panel output power so that it can absorb the surges when the sun reflects off the clouds.

Those tricks and more are practiced in cloudy regions of the world where people have sprinted far ahead of the United States in their use of solar panel energy.

Effects of Clouds on a Solar Panel in Germany

Germany is typically a very cloudy country. Read about the climate of Germany, and you will find that it is “temperate and marine; cool, cloudy, wet winters and summers; occasional warm mountain (foehn) wind” according to Nation Master’s website.

In spite of its cloudy climate, though, Germany is by far the world’s biggest user of solar panels. If you lived in Germany, you could sell back to the main power grid all of the excess electricity produced by your solar panels. Why would I even care in such a cloudy climate? If clouds affect my solar panels too much, I would not worry about selling back to the main grid.

In 2006, Germany opened the largest solar park in the world. Germany also has Europe’s most modern solar housing project a solar village of 50 solar houses that produce more energy than they use!

Will clouds affect my solar panels? Even if I lived in Germany, the effect would not be enough to forego solar power.

Tip: There are few places that are so consistently cloudy that solar power is out of the question. Improvements are being made constantly, and even solar panels small enough to fold into a briefcase can produce helpful amounts of power.

How to build your own Solar Panels

You may have many reasons as to why you are wanting to build your own Solar Panels. You may want to save money on your electricity bills, or stop relying on the utility company for your power needs. You could also want to reduce your carbon footprint and help to do your bit to help the environment and stop Global Warming. Whatever your reason you may be surprised to learn how easy it is to build your own panels.

Many people will think that you need a degree in electrical engineering to even start thinking about building your own panels, but in reality all you need are some simple tools and the basic DIY skill that you can easily pick up along the way. Remember, in the beginning you are not going to go all out and build Solar Panels that will power your entire house, you will start small and build a panel that should be able to power a couple of small appliances in your home.

The basis of all solar panels are the photovoltaic cells that turn the power of the sun into usable electricity, and you can easily learn how to harness and store this energy. These cells are going to be your major outlay and it really is up to how much you are willing to spend as you will find the cells available new , used or for an even cheaper option slightly damaged, if you know where to look. You will then link these cells up to create the panels. Once you can do this you really are just replicating what you have done once, again and again. This will be when all your time and effort really starts to pay off.

One of the best places to learn these skills is from a manual that has a lot of pictures and diagrams that will help you build those first panels. You may be wanting to rush of and buy all the materials and equipment you think you need as soon as you can , but time spent now researching and learning all you can about making solar panels will pay dividends in the end.

Any good manual will come with a shopping list of materials and equipment that you need and also advice on the best and cheapest places to buy what you are looking for. You may be surprised to learn that most of what you need can be found in your local hardware store, and if you can’t find the materials there the internet is the next best place to have a look.

Once you have built your first panels you will be able to continue to add to more and more panels, until you are able to supply most of your own power needs. This will save you money and because you have spent the time learning how the panels work and are connected together so if anything should go wrong you are the best person to fix them. So no expensive bills from contractors.

 

Thinking of Building Solar Panels, you don’t need a P.H.D.

You may be thinking of building solar panels to create power for your home, your yacht/boat or maybe your RV. You may also be thinking that for this to happen you are going to have to get a degree in Electrical Engineering. Hopefully you will be glad to know that anyone with the simplest grasp of DIY should be able to build a solar panel, without spending a fortune on materials, equipment and the added expense of getting someone to install them for you.

If you really want to build your panels, the best starting place would be to learn all you can before your start spending your hard earned money. There are plenty of manuals that will take you through the whole process of building a solar panel, these should include detailed photographs and diagrams of what exactly you need to do, and the best ones will include videos. Working your way through the manual will save you time in the end and give you a better chance in succeeding. Many of the products today will include a “shopping list” of exactly what you need to buy and where the best places to get the materials you need. You should be able to find many of the materials you need in your local hardware store, an if not the internet would be the next best place.

What you will be learning is how to how to connect up solar cells to create solar panels, and then how to connect these solar panels together. Your first attempt shouldn’t be to create a system that will power your house, start off small. In a day you should be able to build your first panels that would give you enough power for a couple of small appliances. Once you have gained the knowledge and experience of building that first panel, you can start to build more panels, connect them together and power more appliances. In the end you may be able to power your entire home and saving money.

Another important piece of knowledge, is how to store your electricity. It’s no good to create electricity during the day, but then not having enough stored to power your appliances in the evening. Any decent manual will tell you how to build and create a system made from batteries to store the electricity you have created, during low periods.

Learning to build your own solar panels, will save you money, but only if you have spent the time learning exactly what you need to do from beginning to end, so you don’t end up wasting more of your money than you need to. By also taking the time to learn and build your panels, in the event of any problems you will be the best qualified person to fix it.

How to Build a Solar Panel

If you want to save money on your utility bills building a solar panel may be the answer you are looking for. Initially you may think that it is technically beyond you and you would need a degree in electrical engineering to even understand what you need to do, but you may be surprised to learn that you can build your own solar panel, with only a small amount of diy/handyman skills. Hopefully this article will start you on your way to saving money and helping the environment.

So what makes up a Solar Panel?

A solar panel is really just a collection of solar cells that are also known as photovoltaic cells. It is these cells that create the electricity by interacting with the sunlight, and once you can wire up these cells you are creating a solar panel. Once you have made one, the next one will be so much easier. In the beginning you will want to start small, in a day you could make a small panel that would be enough to power some of the smaller appliances in the house. Once you have the knowledge under your belt from building a small panel, you could add more and more panels until you entire electrical power requirements are met from solar power.

Where can I use these Solar Panels?

You may just be thinking about setting the panels up to create power for your home, but it doesn’t stop there. You can also use the panels to create power on your boat or yacht; you could look at using them in your RV.

Your main cost is going to be the solar cells, and there are many different types and qualities that you will be able to use. If you have a look around on the internet or local suppliers you will be able to pick up cells at a price to suit your budget. All the other bits and pieces can be easily found in your local hardware store.

Before you start to look at the materials you need to power your home with solar power, you are going to have to learn what you are doing. There are a wide range of manuals available to you help you learn how to build a panel and the best ones will come with a shopping list of exactly what you need to buy. This will all take a bit of effort, but spending time at the beginning ensuring you know exactly what you have to do before you start, what you have to do and what are the best materials to get will reap rewards in the end. If you have spent the time learning how the panel’s work you will be the best qualified to fix them if you ever have a problem. Remember that you will want the advice of a qualified electrician if you want to hook your system up to the mains supply, that is something you need expert advice on.

If you get decide to build your own panels, in a short time you will be saving money on your utility bills, and in the end you may stop having to rely on the utility companies, and the next time there is a power outage, you won’t even notice.

 

Do you want to build your own DIY Solar Panels?

For people who want to use solar power in their home, the cost of buying and installing the panels can stop them in their tracks. Many of them start looking at DIY solar Panels, but is it really a viable alternative to getting the professionals in or can you really get all the power you need by doing it yourself.

Before you even think about installing a solar panel you have to think about the amount of sunlight you receive in your area, as this varies considerably. Some places like Santa Fe, New Mexico get sunshine an average of 325 days of the year. By contrast, Seattle has only 58 clear days, 82 days that are partly cloudy and 226 days that are cloudy. In the first case, a solar system would provide ample electricity most of the year. In Seattle’s case, the efficiency would be much lower. For those living in Seattle, many more modules would be required to get the needed amount of electricity. That will raise the cost, so before you even start at looking into building your own panel you will have to take into account of where you live.

Before you start I would ensure that read as much information as you can. It is better to go into any project knowing all the facts and ensuring that you have investigated all the solutions to problems before they happen. As with most things nowadays, you can find what you need to know on the internet, and even after a quick look you should be able to find manuals or a guide that will help you on your way. In fact here is an example of a video on my blog.

By spending a small amount of money now, will pay dividends in the end, and could stop you wasting money and time further along in your project. You will have to calculate how much power you will need to create from Solar Power to power your home, you should be able to get this information from your utility bills, it is best to go with the higher value. Once you know this you will be able to calculate how many solar panels you need to provide all your power needs. Any good manual will take you through these steps.

The actual building of the solar panels can be completed by anyone with the most basic DIY knowledge. The materials you need should also be available in your local hardware store, the only item you may need to track down are the solar cells, that make up the panels. The first panel you should make will be enough to power a couple of small appliances and should take about a day, and with the knowledge you gain from building it, all the subsequent panels easier and quicker. The whole process should be a lot easier if you have detailed pictures and information on what exactly you need to do, and be sure to have a look if any video detailing panel construction are available.

Harness the power of the sun with Solar Panels and get free energy

Put simply, solar cells convert the energy of the sun into electricity. The scientific process of the conversion is called Photovoltaic, and a photovoltaic (PV) or solar cell is the basic building block of a solar electric system. A generic term of Solar Panels is also used, but this could either be describing a panel used to produce electricity or used to generate hot water.

Solar cells or Photovoltaics (PV) is an important energy technology for many reasons. Few power-generation technologies have as little impact on the environment as photovoltaics. It will quietly generates electricity from light, produces no air pollution or hazardous waste. It also doesn’t require a fuel source to be transported or burnt. Its energy source, sunlight, is free and abundant.

The cells are:

• Highly reliable and needs little maintenance.
• Cost little to build and operate.
• Virtually no environmental impact.
• Modular and thus flexible in terms of size and applications.

In today’s world PV systems are used to generate electricity to pump water, light up the night, activate switches, charge batteries, supply power to the utility grid, and much more. You might have noticed the small PV systems attached to emergency telephones along the highways.

Systems can also be found in the most isolated spots on Earth as well as in the heart of some of our largest cities. And every place in between. If your interested in building your own panels have a look at the DIY solar panels page for some useful resources.