Want your own homemade solar power?

Homemade solar power can be very easy to set-up, contrary to common belief and it can save you a lot of money.  In fact, solar power for your home can be done with some products probably already lying around the house, and the rest can be purchased at a home improvement store.

Panel installation approach

The proper angling of your solar panels on your roof is vital to make sure you get the most out of them.  With the right angle to the sun, your solar panels will get a lot of usable energy from it.  Without the right angle to the sun, even having a great DIY solar power kit will not affect your power bill as much as it should.  As a general rule, if you live north of the equater you will want to have your solar panels facing south.  Shady areas are also important to avoid as it will cut down on your electricity produced. If even part of your solar panel is in the shade it can cut it’s efficiency in half.

It is a good idea to check with your area as to how much sun it gets during the year and what are the least sunny times so you can make your solar kit to compensate for the darker weeks and months of the year.

About batteries

Batteries make up the mist vital part of the homemade solar power system.  Batteries are essential because they allow you to have power even when the sun is not shining or when it is cloudy and the solar panels are not producing as much electricity.  If you are dead set against using batteries you will have to find a way to contact your power company and hook up the solar panel system to your power grid. Deep cycle batteries are the best kind to get and they will not have to be replaced for many years of proper usage.  Deep cycle batteries will not result in major loss of energy capacity over the years and will work like a horse for a long time.

There is another item that is absolutely essential in your homemade solar power system and that is a charge controller.  This controller will make sure that your batteries are not drained all the way or filled up too much, which makes the batteries last longer.

Use inverter for converting current

And for the last part of your homemade solar power project you will want a way to make the Direct Current of your solar panel, into Alternating Current, used in your home.  In order to accomplish this you will need to obtain an inverter.  Some inverter systems have very simple wiring that can be configured by a novice without any electrical experience, but a little electric knowledge will help.  I highly recommend having a professional electrician help hook everything up for you and making sure it is all up to code.

I would not be surprised if you did everything properly, that your solar power system would last you for 15 to 20 years with no major problems.  These 15-20 years will be spent saving a lot of money when you look at that period of time.  Even when your neighbors loose electricity because of a storm or accident, you will still have the sun, giving you lasting energy for years to come.