DIY Solar Power - Residential Solar Energy

While high prices and technological restraints have to a great extent prevented solar power becoming common, it has however been around for ages. Nowadays of course, with ever increasing energy costs, many homeowners are starting to take a greater interest in solar power. Furthermore, many owners are building their own DIY Solar Power systems in order to cut costs.

What is Solar Power

Essentially, solar power is electricity which has been created by harnessing energy from the sun. Photovoltaic cells arranged alongside each other to form panels are used in order capture radiation from the sun which is then in turn, transformed into what we know as electricity.

What is needed in order to get started:

The seven main components which you require in order to build your own Solar Power Systems:

1. Solar panels
2. Wiring
3. Deep cycle battery (optional but recommended)
4. Charge controller/regulator
5. DC inverter
6. DC Disconnect
7. System meter

Of course, most important of all are the actual solar panels which are made up of the photovoltaic cells mentioned earlier. While the majority of homeowners tend to buy ready made panels, there are others who buy panels which the manufacturers can't sell due to damage and then repair them.

A deep cycle battery as mentioned above can be used to store power which has been generated by your system but you will of course need to have a controller in place in order to prevent any overload. Taking into consideration that the weather may not always be ideal, having a battery is certainly recommended. However, some homeowners do choose to have their systems hard-wired directly into their homes. If you choose this option, be advised that the law requires such work to be carried out by a licensed electrician.

How to build your own solar panels:

While most of the components required for creating your own solar power system are reasonably priced, solar panels tend to be quite expensive, hence the reason why many people are now choosing to make their own. Ebay has rapidly gained a favorable reputation regarding cheaply priced cells. For the most part, the cells being sold on Ebay come from panels which are damaged so can longer be sold as new by the manufacturers although they are generally ideal for home use.

Once you've acquired your cells, they need to be joined together with adhesive. Some hardboard or plywood is ideal as a backing and of course, it's also an economical option. Also, don't forget you'll need a wooden frame for the sake of mounting the panels when they've been completed.

Next is the wiring and as with all electrical work, you need to use copper wire which in turn needs to be soldered to the back of each cell. When you're doing this, always be sure the wires are correctly configured before actually soldering them into place.

Upon completion of the wiring, cells should be secured to the wooden backing mentioned earlier and while there are various products you could use, silicon is inexpensive and perfect for the job. Now that you have your panel all wired up and secured, it needs to be covered with non-reflective glass and of course, silicon is also ideal for securing the frame to the glass.

Many people tend to ask what size of panel they require and this is a difficult question to answer, simply because it all depends on what amount of wattage is required in order to power your home. The best recommendation I can give you in this regard, is that you purchase a solar power plan from Earth4Energy which will allow you to determine the size and/or, the number of panels required.

Ideally, nations across the globe will join hands in the future so that our entire planet can be powered by