Building a solar power system which can be used in the household is one of the recent trends at present.

Not only because it allows using one’s creativity, but also because it ensures getting a system out of scrap materials that do not cost a huge sum of money.

This means that potential solar power system or solar panel users do not have to worry about spending a huge sum initially, when investing in their chosen systems.

The Advantages Of Container Solar System

An advantage of constructing your residential solar power system is that there is a great abundance of well-organized information, and schematic guidelines about this process from various sources including the web.

These are easy to follow instructions and information required by homeowners in order to build their own system at home.

Just make sure to have typical construction skills to prevent difficulties in converting some containers and conventional electric systems at home with photovoltaic power, into a solar power generating system that will surely work for your home.

For homeowners who are seriously contemplating about building their own solar panels without the help of professionals, they should keep in mind that whether their preferred system is one with a simple or an intricate design, each solar panel used in the system should come with 3 vital components.

These are the basic wiring, a used container and photovoltaic panel.

The good thing about using solar power on a DIY container home is that it prevents the need to spend money on expensive materials. It is possible to grab any reasonable size of used container at home and add this into your system.

Solar cell is also significant because it is the vital part of the photovoltaic panel which produces energy. Without the use of relocating components, the photovoltaic solar cell can be expected to work in gathering energy from the rays of the sun and alters this instantly into functional electricity.

The best way to start is to create a durable container for your solar battery. It is possible to use products available at hardware stores when doing this.

The next step, after the production of the container, is the installation of the solar cell within your built container. Affixing simple wiring should come next.

Placing your DIY container containing some parts of the system in the sunshine helps in allowing the system to start generating electrical power.

Creating your own solar system with multiple panels is also possible. It involves the development and installation of a solar system consisting of multiple containers containing solar cells.

The use of multiple containers is beneficial because this can offer enough electricity to a huge part of your home, thereby meeting the majority of your power requirements.

The simplicity of the design of this system also makes it possible to develop additional single solar panels to enhance the multi-panel system’s size.

An advantage of successfully building your own solar system at home is that it brings you closer to your aim of saving a substantial amount on electricity.

Solar panels are popular for being highly efficient. This means that these systems have high energy-efficiency ratings, making them capable of reducing your electricity bills.

The use of a solar system also allows users to contribute in saving the environment, aside from enjoying substantial financial savings.

The post Basics of Using Solar Power On a DIY Container Home first appeared on DIY Solar Homes Blog.

Michael Harvey Solar Panels Guide

The follow 3 tips were derived from Michael Harvey solar panels instructional program, the Earth 4 Energy.

Solar power system was already introduced since the eighties. However, it is just recently when the use of this system has become widespread. The good news is that recent technological advancements have also substantially decreased the prices of panels used for solar systems. This makes it possible to build your own system to use in the household without spending a substantial amount. Because solar panel systems produce electricity for free, having one at home will surely help in reducing your utility bills.

Another advantage of using the system is that it is environmentally free and makes financial sense. The good news is that homeowners also have the opportunity of creating their own system at home with the help of a few recycled parts or scratch materials and tools. These include a silicon caulk, plexiglass sheet, Rosin flux pen, copper wires, electrical solder, paint brush, screw driver, saw, soldering iron and wire cutter.

Scratch materials that can be found at home also include plywood and tin wires. Just make sure that these materials come with lengths that suffice your planned project. To guarantee success out of using recycled parts for home solar power system, consider keeping in mind the following tips before starting your project:

1. Develop a Sound Solar Power Plan or Kit

This is one of the most vital tips in building the most durable and efficient solar system for home using scrap materials and without exceeding your low budget. Develop a good and easy to follow plan. Creating a sound solar power system plan is essential in reducing the amount you will spend on the project. The key here is to work out on a plan which teaches the basics of building a system using recycled items.

It should also be noted that a good plan is that which recommends an extensive range of flexible materials, that can easily adapt with the unique requirements and design of your home. It should also be capable of recommending the most affordable places to get your needed materials including the recycled ones.

2. Use Green Building Materials

Building materials can be considered as green if these do not have a detrimental effect on people and the environment. Green products or materials include recycled ones that support putting waste into good use. This fully eliminates the need of disposing the materials into landfills. The use of recycled and green materials for your home’s solar panel will promote ease in bringing your desire to go green into a high level. This supports the clean production of electricity as well as the productive utilization of used yet functional materials.

3. Use Tempered Glass or Clear Products for the Solar Panels

Tempered glass or clear products are recycled or scrap materials that are extremely useful in creating the face of your solar panels. It is possible to purchase used tempered glass at affordable prices from local glass outlets. If you have used patio doors, then be aware that it is also possible to use these since these are available in various dimensions. Any of its various sizes is capable of accommodating up to 36 solar cells needed to acquire 17 to 19 volts.

The back part or frames of the solar panel can also be built using recycled parts. Included among the materials that are extremely useful in creating the durable backing of a green solar power system are used acrylic panels and plywood.

The post Michael Harvey Solar Panels Building Tips – Using Recycled Parts first appeared on DIY Solar Homes Blog.

The Sun is a copious source of renewable energy and has lighted our mother earth from time immemorial. However, only lately humans have been able to appreciate the importance of sunshine to tap electric power to light homes and run manufacturing plants.

Solar power is generated by the conversion of heat or sunlight into electrical energy. Unfortunately, only miniscule extent of the available sunlight is being utilized for generation of solar energy mainly due to the absence of viable technology. However, extensive research over the years has led to the development of effective technology to manufacture solar power equipment.

The technology developed so far is much better than before when the sunlight was first recognized as a source of electric power. The slow pace of development is primarily due to inadequate allocation of financial resources for research and developmental efforts on solar technology. There was some improvement during the period when power generation from conventional sources could not meet the demand.

During the peak of oil crisis in 1973, there was an impressive growth in the manufacture of solar panels resulting in a sharp dip in energy costs from $100/watt to $7/watt. However, when there was considerable improvement in the supplies of petroleum and coal, in the beginning of 20th century, the development of solar technology showed a decline.

However, there should not be any slackening of efforts in the advancement of solar technology on the false notion that fossil-fuel and other non-renewable sources would never get depleted. Moreover, the use of coal, petroleum products and other non-renewable sources for electric power generation has serious adverse effects on the ecology with emission of greenhouse gases resulting in global warming.

On the contrary, the solar energy generated from the sun is not only pollution-free but also a cheaper, efficient and a renewable electric power. It will be, therefore, comparatively cheaper to utilize solar power to light homes and operate home appliances than purchasing power from the power grid.

The use of solar energy will also reduce our dependence on limited conventional sources of energy. There is considerable awareness among people these days about the advantages of utilizing solar energy both at homes, offices and industrial establishments. If this trend continues, it may not be very far when the use of petroleum products for power generation will be phased out.

Solar technologies are basically distinguished as either active or passive on the basis of the method followed for harnessing, converting and distributing solar energy. Active solar techniques comprise the use of photovoltaic panels (PV) and solar thermal collectors to capture solar energy for lighting homes, running electrical appliances, heating water and many more applications.

PVs can also be utilized for capturing sunbeams and generating energy for heating directly with the help of photovoltaic cells (PV) and solar panels. Indirect or passive solar technology, on the other hand, consists of focusing a large portion of sunlight into a small beam using lenses or mirrors or other tracking devices There are a few large solar power plants in the world.

For example, solar power plant in the Mojave Desert of California is among the largest solar power plants in the world generating considerable solar energy without any emissions of harmful gases. Another one is the Sarina Photovoltaic Power plant in Canada with a capacity of 80 MW and currently the largest Photovoltaic (PV) plant in the world.

However, solar energy generated in the world with the available technologies is very little compared to the availability of radiant heat and light from the sun. There is plenty of scope for enhancing the generation of solar energy. A few new areas of generating solar energy are being explored. These include concentrated photovoltaics, thermoelectric and space-based solar energy.

With concerted efforts from the research community and adequate funding, the present solar technology can be updated facilitating the augmentation of the generating capacity to step-up generation of high-quality and cost-effective solar energy.

The post Solar Technology – How Far Have We Come? first appeared on DIY Solar Homes Blog.

Efforts into finding new ways to tap solar energy have led to the development of solar shingles which are capable of producing energy required by a home. From the name itself, it becomes apparent that solar shingles are specially designed solar panels which look and function like ordinary asphalt shingles.

Electricity produced by solar shingles is green energy that doesn’t pollute the environment in any way. If everybody swaps conventional electricity with solar energy, our earth would be a much cleaner and safer place to live. Since solar energy is a renewable source of energy, given freely by the sun, you can use it as much as you want.

In the long run, installing solar shingles will save you money too. Solar shingles serve two purposes; they serve as roofing material for your home and at the same time, produce electricity for your home needs. Since they look exactly like asphalt shingles, the beauty of your roof is not affected in any way. If you can cover a large area of your roof with solar shingles, you will be able to produce more energy than your home needs.

The excess energy can be sold to the power grid at a price and that ensures a steady monthly income for you. The only negative aspect of solar shingles is their price. Installing solar shingles will be costlier than installing solar panels. But if you add up the cost of installing solar panels and buying asphalt shingles, you will find that installing solar shingles won’t make that much difference.

Solar shingles are relatively new to the energy market. The size of solar shingles and the way the roof is made are same as that of ordinary shingles. Electricity produced by solar shingles will be more or less depending upon the number of PV shingles used on the roof. Since the solar shingles are relatively costlier, people prefer to cover only a portion of their roofs with solar shingles.

The electricity produced by Photovoltaic shingles, which are inter connected, reaches an inverter which changes it into AC. Alternatively, you can store the electricity in batteries so that you will have power even when there is no sunshine. People who don’t store the power in batteries sell the excess power to the power corporation.

Roughly, it will cost around $30,000 to cover the entire area of roof of an average house. This is definitely beyond the reach of many homeowners but when you take the benefits of installing solar shingles into consideration, you will realize that it is worth spending that amount. It is a onetime spending and after the initial cost, there is practically no more expenditure. Your monthly revenue from the power company over a number of years will set off your initial cost.

Installing Photovoltaic shingles is quite different from layering ordinary asphalt shingles. Never try to do it yourself or employ somebody who is not trained in installing solar shingles. The dealer from whom you buy the shingles will be able to provide you assistance in finding qualified personnel to install solar shingles on your roof.

Two of the leading manufacturers of solar shingles are Atlantic Energy Systems and United Solar-Ovonic. The shingles produced by them differ in their power production capacity. The good news for the homeowners is that the state governments are offering incentives and tax exemptions to those who change over to solar energy from conventional energy.

The post Electrify Your Home With Solar Shingles first appeared on DIY Solar Homes Blog.

Solar energy is among the best alternatives to replace conventional power generated by power plants employing fossil-fuel. This is because solar power is a renewable form of energy, does not cause pollution by emitting dangerous greenhouse gases that are considered responsible for global warming and climate change and is also much cheaper than conventional electricity.

Out of several types of equipments available for generation for solar power, solar shingles are gaining in popularity these days compared to solar panels. This is because they can be erected directly on the roof the house. Although many engineers consider solar power technology is still in the developmental stage, solar photovoltaic technology is being adopted by many companies to produce solar power systems on a commercial scale.

The advantages and disadvantages of installing solar shingles are explained in the following paragraphs.

But first, what are solar shingles?

Solar shingles are devices composed of photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight falling on them directly into electric power. These shingles look similar to conventional roofing shingles or tiles. The major advantage of solar shingles compared to solar panels is that they not only offer all the advantages of solar panels but also are visually more elegant than solar panels.

The other advantages of solar shingles are that the initial cost of installation of solar shingles are recovered quickly and are also eco-friendly. In addition, solar shingles offer excellent cushion against frequent power outages.

The PV shingles or solar roof panels can be considered either a good investment or a bad one depending upon the angle from which one looks at the issue.

However, it is more appropriate to consider them as a long-term investment. While installation of solar panels on the roof is quite expensive, the savings on energy costs are sufficiently high to recover the initial capital cost quickly and after certain period of time generate good profits. Solar roof panels can contribute considerably to the reduction of electricity bills as long as they are functional.

Home Solar Shingles System

As solar shingles are connected to the electric grid, power generation companies are legally responsible to pay the home owner who has installed shingles in his home for the energy supplied to the grid. While company owned public utilities are legally responsible to permit users to supply energy to the grid for a credit, energy cooperatives in the rural areas are exempt from this rule.

However, it is advisable to discuss with the local electric utility company before installing solar shingles. Another type of arrangement of solar shingles makes use of a huge pack of batteries to store surplus energy during the period when solar power generation far exceeds consumption and the power stored in the battery can be utilized to meet energy requirements of the home when power generation becomes less than the usage.

This type of system may facilitate the home owner to store power during the period when the local utility company is facing a power outage. The quality and the amount of solar power generation depend on the extent of sunshine received in the area in which one lives. In this context, it is educative to understand the success story of solar power generation in Germany, a country not known to receive bright sunshine all through the year.

Although the local energy crisis in California had certain impact, the bright sunshine received by the southern part of the state contributes significantly to the popularity of solar energy in that region. Any solar power system has the disadvantage of the need for extra equipment such as a DC to Ac inverter and very intricate wiring of the house. It is better to avail the services of a good electrician for internal wiring, irrespective of whether it is connected to the grid or makes use of a battery pack.

However, sometimes one may face difficulties uncommon to normal grid-connected homes if something goes wrong with the system. Whatever may be the type of system employed, there are certain dangers connected with the hardware, which is a normal feature with all electrical systems.

Although it is one’s personal choice whether or not to install shingles at his home, several factors such as financial condition, location, own convictions and other factors have significant influence in making the decision. All these factors must be carefully evaluated before arriving at a decision regarding installation of solar shingles at one’s residence.

The post Should You Install Solar Shingles On Your Roof? first appeared on DIY Solar Homes Blog.

You may have heard a lot about solar panels and solar energy but you may not have heard about solar shingles yet. Solar panels are now being replaced by solar shingles mainly due to their beautiful appearance and power production capability.

Solar shingles are a blessing for those who want to be self reliant on power and want to contribute his/her share towards keeping the earth pollution free. People all over the world are trying to minimize the production of greenhouse gases because they already know how harmful these gases are for our environment.

Traditionally, power production depended mainly on burning fossil fuels which release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. To curb the production of carbon dioxide, it became necessary to search for alternative sources of energy that don’t harm the environment. Solar energy proved to be a viable alternative and to harness the energy from the sun, solar shingles are now used.

If properly tapped, energy from the sun is more than sufficient to meet all our energy needs, both for domestic and business purposes. In appearance, solar shingles and traditional asphalt shingles don’t differ much. But solar shingles are mini solar panels, capable of converting sun’s heat and light into electricity.

The electricity produced by PV shingles is DC which can be converted into AC using a converter. It can then power all the home electrical appliances. Shingles measure thirty centimeters in width and 218 centimeters in length. They are fixed onto the roof in the same way ordinary shingles are fixed.

Up until now, solar panels were widely used to harness solar energy. A roof with PV panels on it presents an ugly look. Because of this reason, many homeowners did not like to have solar panels on their roofs. Researchers, in an effort to attract more people into using solar power, have come up with the novel idea of Photovoltaic shingles which give the roof a clean appearance.

It was in 2005 that the first solar shingles were introduced into the market. The raw material used to manufacture these shingles is polymatrix material. Since the shingles and traditional asphalt shingles look almost the same, they can be used in combination, creating beautiful patterns on the roof. It is a fact that PV shingles are much more expensive than solar panels but people prefer installing solar shingles to Photovoltaic panels just because of the beautiful appearance they give to the roof.

It will be a costly affair for old homeowners to replace old asphalt shingles with new solar shingles. But those who are building new homes can easily install PV shingles in the place of other roofing materials. Production of electricity by solar shingles depends mainly on the amount of sunlight they get.

So it is important to choose those areas of the roof which get the maximum sunlight to install PV shingles and asphalt shingles can be used for other areas which get the least sunlight. Creative workers can create beautiful patterns using a combination of solar and asphalt shingles. From whatever point of view you look at the solar shingles, you will find that they are the best bet for being self reliant in energy and to preserve our environment from further degradation.

Since you won’t be paying your monthly energy bills to the power corporation, you will also be making financial gains by installing solar panels on your roof.

The post How Solar Shingles Are Replacing Solar Panels first appeared on DIY Solar Homes Blog.

Solar power is generated by converting sunlight or heat into energy either directly using photovoltaic cells or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP) in which concentrated solar power systems use mirrors or tracking systems to focus a huge area of sunlight into a small beam. Sunlight is converted into electricity using photovoltaic effect.

Although ‘solar shingles’ offer excellent incentives besides a number of benefits compared to conventional solar cells, there are certain typical challenges inbuilt in the installation of such a roof. One should plan meticulously and in particular considerable attention is needed when wiring solar shingles. Solar shingles, also known as photovoltaic shingles appear similar to traditional asphalt shingles or tiles and are available in various types.

Here are detailed guidelines explaining the installation process of a photovoltaic solar shingle roof. Solar shingles present superior artistic look in contrast to traditional solar panels and in addition, it is less complex accessory to the home. Unlike solar panels, which need a ‘mounting rack’ for installing above the roof; solar shingles are fastened directly on top of the roof.

From the cost perspective, one has to add only the difference in price between normal roofing shingles and solar shingles to the cost and compensating the additional cost, there will be sizeable saving on the cost of mounting racks. A very systematic planning is needed before taking up the work of installation of the solar roof.

The layout of the roof, the number of tiles needed to generate the required amount of power and how the internal wiring though the house linking it to the power control panel and inverter will be carried out are some of the aspects that need careful assessment.

Solar cells should be interconnected in series in order to supply high voltage to the inverter. In this configuration, the positive terminal of each element is wired to the negative terminal of the next as against parallel wiring in which each element is kept on a different branch of the same wire.

In a serial wiring, the voltages of each element adds up. For installation of solar shingles on the roof, they should be clipped together and placed on top of each other as is done in respect of usual roofing shingles. When fixing standard shingles this one step alone would be sufficient.

However, in case of photovoltaic shingles, it is also necessary to connect with electric wires. A standard assembly involves drilling holes through the roof every 3 ½ inches along a line of superimposed tiles in order to pass the wires through the holes. It is better to use a template and mark the places where each hole is to be drilled, prior to the actual installation of shingles, to avoid any errors.

After passing wires through the holes drilled for wiring, channel each line of wires through a ‘wiring raceway’. Proper alignment of ‘wiring holes’ and raceways between structural components in the roof is very essential. It is necessary to engage a licensed electrician to complete the work of wiring of solar cells to the inverter and power control unit and from the inverter to the electric power grid. It is also very important to take into account that solar shingles cannot be cut, as this will make solar cells ineffective.

Additionally, a minimum slope of 3: 12 of the roof is needed to ensure smooth drainage. While installation of a solar shingle roof will confer great incentives, the installation job is not easy. For correct installation, appropriate planning and great care at each stage of the process is absolutely essential. It is not a job that can be undertaken in a hurry.

The post What You Ought To Know About Solar Shingles first appeared on DIY Solar Homes Blog.

Even a few years back, owning a solar panel was a costly proposition; in spite of the fact that someone installed the project all by himself. However, things have changed for the better and now there are affordable materials that facilitate do-it-yourself (DIY) installation of solar panels.

Like any other project, making and installation of a solar panel becomes easy if you follow the directions laid down in credible guidelines. The preparation of the tabbing wire, which includes tinning the wire, is one of the most crucial steps in making the solar panel; if you are not aware of this, read below to understand the term and process properly.

Tabbing wire falls in the group of regular wires with special characteristics; one such characteristic being it is not made from copper and is a mixture of tin along with other metals. This characteristic makes enables this wire with silvery finish to become an efficient conductor of electricity and being flat it is ideal for attachment to solar cells.

To tab a solar cell, initially you need to cut the tabbing wire to an appropriate length, which you can do by laying two cells at an appropriate length and then taking the measurement of this length to determine the size of the wire. Cut the tabbing wires all at once, since you will be required to cut many of these wires for your project.

Take a wood, cut it to the proper length and wrap the tabbing wire around it to get uniform length. Now cut the tabbing wire according to the folded markings after taking it out from the wood template. Now that the tabbing wire is cut as per the required length, you are ready for the next step, which is tinning and for this you will require a solder and soldering iron.

Before you start tinning, straighten the wire so that it is evenly flat. Then lay it down to the working surface and make a mark at the middle, since this is commonly the place where tinning is required. Apply a soldering lead, evenly, on top of the tabbing wire with the help of the pre-heated soldering iron and continue this process until you finish coating the tabbing wire completely.

However, exercise caution and do not apply too much solder on the tabbing wire, since the objective is to coat the wire evenly and completely. Now that this process is complete, the rest that you require to do is to align and connect the solar cells together to set up your own solar panel.

Making and installing a solar panel is an economic way of having solar energy for your home, which will not only help you to cut down on electricity bill but will also help you to take that necessary step in doing your bit for keeping the environment clean and free of pollution. This is simple and all it takes is to have appropriate materials for the project and good solar guidelines on how to carry it out.

Do some research work, visit the related sites online and if required try to get a video illustration. The most satisfying part of this project is that you will get a good experience in doing solar panel and later can use this expertise to start your own assembly business. Get smart, cut down on electricity bill and use the vast source of energy, the sun, to produce your own solar energy.

The post Tabbing The Solar Cells Of Your Homemade PV Panel first appeared on DIY Solar Homes Blog.

If you are planning to build an array of solar panels, first you need to determine the number of Photovoltaic (PV) panels required to meet your energy output goals and then start assembling them. In order to do that you need to understand as to how to wire your panels together.

Read the points enumerated below to understand not only the difference between parallel solar panel installations and series solar panel installations but also the one that best suits your need.

Wiring PV Panels In Parallel

Visualize three polar panels are lying next to each other on the ground with a positive and negative terminal on the top and at the bottom of each panel, respectively. You have two options and can exercise any of these to wire these panels together using the terminals.

One of the options that you can opt for is to run the wires along the top and the bottom of each panel, connecting the positive and negative terminals together, respectively. This is a parallel solar installation; however, you should also understand the implications when you wire your panels in this manner.

When you use this method to wire your panels in parallel, the total voltage output remains the same as it is in a single panel; however, the amperage (amps) output becomes the sum of the output of each panel.

Let us consider the fact that you get 12 volts and 3.5 amps for each of your panels. Therefore if you wire your panels in parallel, the cumulative output of your three panels is going to be 12 volts whereas, you will get 10.5 amps.

Now if you increase the number of panels from three to six, the voltage output remains the same at 12 volts whereas, you can get amperage of 21.

Wiring Solar Panels In Series

Now, consider the second option and again visualize the same three unwired solar panels lying next to each other on the ground. You are now going to wire them in series; this means, instead of wiring the positive terminal of one panel to the positive one of the next panel, you are going to wire the positive terminal of this panel to the negative one of the panel next to it. Perform this process for each of your panels and your array of solar panels will be wired in series.

Now let us understand the consequences of wiring the array of solar panels in series. Here, the amperage remains the same and the voltage output is the sum total of voltage output of the three panels.

Considering the above example of panels, now your amperage is 3.5 whereas the voltage output increases to 36. Again, if you increase the number of panels to six, you amperage remains the same at 3.5, but you can get 72 volts.

When To Adopt Each Respective Wiring Style

Now the million dollar question is which wiring style should you opt for; it all boils down to the system that you want to charge. For example, during your camping trip if you want to charge up your 12 volt RV system, you need to set up your solar panel system in such a manner that you get an output of 12 volts.

Let’s assume that you have two solar panels, each of which produces 12 volts at 3.5 amps. In this case you need to wire them in parallel so that you get 12 volts and increase the amperage to 7.0.

On the other hand, if each of your two solar panels produces 6 volts at 3.5 amps, you need to wire them in series to get an output of 12 volts at 3.5 amps. Another thing you should understand that no matter whichever method you choose, the total power output remains unchanged.

The total power is measured in watts and hence to find out the total wattage of your charging system, simply multiplies the amps with total volts. See the example below: 12 volts x 10 amps = 120 watts 120 volts x 1 amp = 120 watts. Therefore, there is no difference.

To understand the difference between parallel and series wiring, simply remember parallel wiring = more amps and series wiring = more volts.

The post Choosing The Right Wiring Style For Photovoltaic Panels first appeared on DIY Solar Homes Blog.

Solar panels constructed specifically for homes are ideal to convert sunlight and heat from the sun into pollution-free, renewable form of solar energy. Those weighing the option of installing a solar power system at their homes can either avail the services of a professional installation company or take it up as a do-it-yourself (DIY) job.

While both the options are feasible, a careful analysis is required in order to decide the more suitable choice between the two. Here are the three most important aspects that one should consider:

1. Overall Project Cost

When both the options are compared on watt to watt basis, constructing solar panels as a DIY solar project is practically cheaper than engaging a professional solar installation service. While a few solar power kits consist of only the instructions explaining how to construct and install home solar panels, costlier kits include panels, inverter and detailed instructions.

If the option is to take up solar panel installation on DIY basis, panels constructed by a renowned company with proper warranties are far more useful than the ones assembled at home garage from the solar panel kits.

2. System Installation

For those who are familiar with electricity and the functioning of various electrical circuits, assembling a small single panel solar kit will give an idea of what bigger solar power system would be to construct as a DIY project.

All said and done, constructing solar panels as DIY project involves a lot of time, effort and sometimes frustration and unknown costs. However, those who are prepared for a tough task can as well face the demanding job and install solar panels at home. One should also remember about getting a building permit.

One of the main benefits of entrusting the job to a professional solar panel installing company is that everything is taken care of by experts in the field, right from applying for building permits, identifying the best location for installation of solar panel, to interlinking with the grid and organizing final building and electrical inspections.

The solar panel installation company will have the know-how to handle any problems that crop up and get the solar panels constructed and ensure successful operation of the system at the residence as planned.

3. Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Panel

Next comes the PV panel quality and efficiency. As there is an extensive range of solar panel kits that differ widely, it is important to carry out comprehensive research in order to assess the quality of kits. Performance and robustness are the two major elements of a solar panel system’s potential to minimize electricity costs.

Performance depends on the location of the solar panels and the direction of the roof of the house towards the sun. In case it is a DIY project, the best possible location for setting up the solar panels should be determined by the user himself. While solar panels are usually dependable and need minimum maintenance, warranties are still necessary. If someone constructs home solar panels on his own, it is his responsibility to locate and rectify if anything goes wrong with the system installed.

There are a number of instances where sound warranties for long periods, say 20 years or more will get nullified because of shoddy installation of solar panels. This aspect also needs to be considered before purchasing solar panels.

Reputed solar panel installation companies normally utilize superior quality, branded solar panels as they are accountable to the clients for the solar panels installed by them and therefore, the companies are called upon to either rectify or replace the set in case of faulty solar panels.

This aspect should be clarified from the companies that make these panels and inverters before entering into purchase agreement or sign any other documents.

Lastly, enterprising individuals who are prepared to do a thorough research on solar panels and have developed requisite expertise to install their own home solar panels can achieve remarkable savings if installation is taken up on DIY basis. On the other hand, those not prepared to take any risks, it is better to have the system installed by a professional solar panel installation company.

The post DIY Home Solar System Or Let The Professionals Do It? first appeared on DIY Solar Homes Blog.