Do it Yourself Solar Panel for Your Home

Utilizing energy from the sun at home is like having a personalized power supply
Energy from the sun is unique in that it is generated at its place of use: ie on your roof. This trend of personalized energy production is echoed throughout the world today.

You can control your own power bill
With PV panels installed, you have a buffer against rising power prices. Unless power companies figure out a way to charge you for the sunlight that falls on your roof, that power price is controlled by you. In effect, you can fix the price of your solar electricity for up to 25 years. And with rising power prices, this is becoming a very attractive option.

You will increase the value of your house
Several studies have shown that Photovoltaic panels do add value to your house.

You go green
Utilizing the sun's energy contributes to reducing the greenhouse effect, since solar electricity is a clean source of energy.

There is no difference between a do it yourself solar panel and a commercial panel. The only difference is that you buy your own panels and install them yourself, versus panels provided and installed by a solar company (at an exorbitant cost).

Solar panels (also called photovoltaic or PV panels) work by a reaction between silicon and photons (sun energy.) Silicon is spliced with minute impurities - usually boron. When sunlight strikes the silicon compound, a reaction is set up. This reaction causes a flow of electrons. This flow of electrons (also known as electricity) then goes to supply your house with electricity.

Yet, when you place PV panels on your roof, you're merely utilizing a small quantity of the sun's available energy. Generally, photovoltaic panels are only 10 to 20% efficient. This means only about 10 to 20% of the sun's energy that strikes the panels in reality gets converted into electrical energy for your use. This efficiency is gradually improving as more research is done into solar technology. However, by adding more PV panels, you can produce the required electrical power for your home.

PV panels cannot work on their own to produce enough electricity for the household. You need some additional components when you use a do it yourself solar panel.

The electricity from the panels flow in the form of direct current (DC) at a low voltage, however most domestic appliances require alternating current (AC) at a higher voltage. An inverter is required to convert the DC (usually about 12 volts) to AC (110 volts or 220 volts, depending on where you live).

No electricity is generated when the sunlight is not available at night or on overcast days. Batteries are used to store surplus electricity during sunny days, and electric power is obtained from the batteries when the sun is not available. An additional charge controller is required to ensure that the batteries are not overcharged or drained - this helps to prolong the battery's life.

Click here for an excellent solar installation guide that provides you with the necessary background on utilizing energy from the sun as well as a first-rate tutorial on how to install a do it yourself solar panel.

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