If you’re interested in making DIY solar panels, this may be the most important place you discovered. Here’s why…

For every curiosity you have in your mind, there will almost certainly be a resource available to satisfy it.

Whether you want to build a solar panel by connecting individual photovoltaic (PV) cells or buy it retail… whether you are a do-it-yourself, homemade guy or a swear-by-a-brand person, we have mini-resources prepared for you.

Otherwise just write to us to request for it…and we’ll get it up just for you.

In the future, we’ll broaden our scope to include bits and pieces of other types of renewable energy generator like wind turbines.

For starters, you can browse the following pages to get up to speed with the DIY solar power world. Tell me what you think:

• Insider Solar Power Generator Review: 3 Most Common Mistakes Hobbyists Make on Their First DIY Solar Panel Project
• 3 Secrets You Didn’t Know About Building Solar Panels
• 1o Reasons Why You Should Build Your Own Solar Panel
• How To Build A Personal DIY Solar Power System With Less Than $99
• Build Amazing Home Solar Power Systems Used by Families Who Don’t Want to Pay For Their Utilities
• How To Build Solar Panel (Part 1 of 3)
•  How To Build Solar Panel (Part 2 of 3)
• How To Build Solar Panel (Part 3 of 3)
• Step-By-Step Guide To Build A 12V Solar Panel
• Solar Panel Battery — The Basics
  

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Are you ready for what Multifunction Solar Panel Inverters can do for you? Let’s jump right in…

Multifunction solar panel inverters combine the best from Stand-Alone Solar Panel Inverters and Synchronous Solar Panel Inverters. They are of course more expensive, but these are the best choice for your solar energy panels.

This type of inverter allows you to generate excess power to be stored in a battery bank. As such, you are able to use energy from the grid, from the solar panels or from stored energy in the batteries. You can even connect a standby generator to the whole setup. Let me illustrate…

During the day, solar energy panels supply your household appliances with power. At the same time, the battery bank is charged up to store energy for the night. If there is surplus electricity, they can be sold to your local power company.

By evening, the batteries will be charged up. At this time, the inverter provides AC power to the house from the batteries. If the batteries are flat, the inverter taps into the grid to charge the batteries and power up the house at the same time.

If a standby generator is used, the inverter will synchronize its power so it can be added to an existing source of power. Many multifunction solar panel inverters are not as efficient as synchronous inverters because the system must have a battery. However, they offer functions that grid-tied inverters do not.

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Let’s take a look at Synchronous Solar Panel Inverters…

2. Synchronous Solar Panel Inverters

Synchronous solar panel inverters are also called Grid-Tie Inverters. If you want to have a grid-tied solar power generator, a synchronous solar power inverter will suit you well.

This type of inverter takes the electricity generated by your solar generator and feeds it to the distribution panel in your home. The power is either used by the appliances at home or flows out to the utility grid. If you generate excess power, you are able to sell the energy to your utility company at the rate you’re charged.

When there is no solar energy available during cloudy days (and at night), the system seamlessly taps into the grid supply to make up the difference in power.

As such, you are able to use energy from the grid or from the photovoltaic panels. With this design, you will not need to worry about an increase in energy consumption. In case the solar panel system you design is a little too small, you can use the grid power to supplement your consumption.

Next, let’s go see what a Multifunction Solar Panel Inverter can do for us…

Click Here To Read More About Multifunction Solar Panel Inverters

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Solar Trickle Chargers are small, low-current solar panels used for maintaining storage batteries for your vehicle or boat. Why will you need to maintain them?

All batteries lose charge over a period of time because of self-discharge. By using a trickle-charger, you can replace those lost power. This helps to extend the lifespan of your batteries and ensures you have a smooth start every time you turn the ignition. There is no fear your vehicle or boat won’t move after storing away for a long time.

Since we only need a small current to maintain the batteries, solar panels will be the ideal candidate. As long as there is sunshine, you can be sure your batteries can be maintained in top condition.

But not all solar panels can be used for this purpose. You have to make sure the trickle is large enough for your battery size.

First, you’ll need to find out how big your batteries are. This information is usually written at the side of the battery. If no information is available, try looking up the model on the Internet. Most of the time you’ll find what you want.

If your battery is rated at 100Ah and you estimate that it’ll lose 30% of its power every month, you can work out the power loss per day. (This is about 1% every day.)

Next, find out the sun hours you receive at your location. With this figure, you can divide the energy loss per day by the sun hours per day to determine how much current your solar energy panels need to generate.

If you’re lost, solar trickle chargers will usually have specifications that show you what battery size its suitable for. Have fun!

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This is the third and final part of the “Sizing Your Solar Energy Panels” series. Have you done some calculations for your future solar power system yet? If you have been doing those mini exercises, you’ll most likely find a suitable solar panel for your home by now.

The next step requires us to find an appropriate-sized battery bank, inverter and charge controller. Let’s look at each of these:

1. The Inverter

The inverter you choose has to be sized according to the demands of the alternating current (AC) side of the circuit. Therefore you will choose a specification according to the loads in your house (with a little buffer in case you increase your loads over time). Pretty straightforward.

2. The Charge Controller

You’ll at least need a basic charge controller to begin with. Until you get fussy about how advanced you want this component to be, more affordable models will do just fine. You’ll need to get a specification that fits the output current (Amps) of your solar panel arrays. If you intend to scale up your solar power generator, you’ll do better with a larger charge controller with room to accommodate more solar panels than with two smaller-sized ones.

3. The Battery Bank

The size of your battery bank depends on how you want to use your solar panels. You can size your battery banks such that it can get you through thick clouds that pass by, or you can size them so you can get through three solid days of solar eclipse and a power outage at the same time. It really depends on you. But take note that over-sizing isn’t always realistic. You have to take into consideration the space they occupy and the how much they’ll cost you.

If your home is grid-tied, provided there aren’t frequent power outages, the size of your battery bank isn’t critical. Just size it to take care of cloudy days will do. You can still maintain your lifestyle by drawing power from the grid.

When you design your battery bank, you’ll have less power loss (through wires) if the voltage is higher. If you are able to design a 48-volt system, you can conserve more power than when you use a 24-volt or 12-volt system.

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After you know where most of your household energy goes to, you are now ready to plan for your system size. For grid-tied system (without batteries and charge controllers), you only need to make sure the inverter you use is large enough to handle the power generated by the solar panels.

If you are thinking of scaling up your system in the future, you can get a bigger inverter so there’s room to handle more power. You can also get an inverter that fits the power output of your current solar panel, and then add another inverter when you bring in more solar panels. Between these two options, it’ll be more cost effective to have a larger specification if you know your plans beforehand.

For solar power generators with batteries, you’ll need a little more planning…

For a start, we’ll look at how to determine the size of your solar array. Here are the steps to do it:

1. Compute the average Watt-Hours (usage) per day

2. Find out the Average Daily Solar Radiation figure for your location

3. Calculate the number of watts you have to generate per hour of solar exposure (divide #1 by #2)

4. With the solar module you have in mind, multiply its power rating by a factor of 0.7. If you are using a Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) charge controller, you’ll multiply it by a factor of 0.8 instead.

5. Finally, you get the number of modules needed when you divide #3 (energy you need) by #4 (energy generated by your solar panels)

After you arrive at the number of solar modules you need, you’ll also know how much space is needed on your roof. If there isn’t enough space, choose a more efficient photovoltaic module and do the calculations again. Going over this a few times, you will be able to find the solar module that’s most suitable for you and at the right price.

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The article below shows how practical solar panels are in a disaster scene. Currently Haiti is facing one of the most severe natural calamity in recent history. In such a time as this, electricity is most needed. However most of the electricity supply is cut off and there isn’t enough mobile generators at the scene.

People are screaming for help while thousands are waiting for more medication. People who desperately need surgery are not receiving it because electricity is needed to power the equipment.

Thankfully Sol, Inc. has chipped in their effort with photovoltaic panels. Hooray! This is what Rick Schuett, CEO of Sol, Inc. said:

“We know that once our solar lighting systems are installed, we will effectively double the amount of available relief effort time by allowing aid workers and rescuers to work around the clock when previously operations had to cease at dusk. In addition, our lighting systems will provide safety and security as well as being a hallmark that civility is being restored to the area.”

Read more at:
Haiti Relief Efforts Double with Installed Solar Lights (techburgh.com)

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Solar light tubes are a little different from the usual DIY solar panels stuff…but it’s still environmentally friendly. It’s all about designing your home so natural light can enter. Compared to using an opening in the roof, solar light tubes are much cooler.

This invention has been around for ages and is also known as a “tubular skylight”, “SunScope” or “Tubular Daylighting Device”. Ancient Egyptians first developed this idea to bring sunlight into their living spaces. Many years later, Paul Emile Chappuis from London begin marketing this concept and made it popular.

Solar light tubes are lined with highly reflective material that allows light rays into a building. The (light) entrance can be located on the roof or at an outer wall. Using a dome (cupola) at the entrance, more sunlight can enter the tube from different directions. At the other end of the light tube, a diffuser is used to spread sunlight evenly around the room.

If the tube is short and straight, it is more efficient and can transmit more light. For longer and angled tubes, the reflective efficiency must be very high in order to minimize losses. Better solar light tubes can also transmit moonlight — how cool is that?

In colder regions, skylights and normal windows do not offer better heat insulation than solar light pipes. Thus you can save on heating costs… There is also less visual contact with the external environment so you can have more privacy.

Solar light pipes provide you with natural light and can help you save energy (and money). Combining this setup with an artificial light, you can make full use of solar illumination when it’s day and rely on energy saving lamps at night.

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Many appliances for RVs, boats and camping use 12VDC supply. When you are outdoors having fun, these appliances provide you with all the convenience and comfort. Here’s a list of such 12VDC appliances:

• Hair Dryer
• Heated Travel Cup
• Heavy Duty Metal Fan
• Wet Dry Vacuum with Gallon Canister
• “All Season” Heater/Fan with Swivel Base
• Crock Pot Slow Cooker
• Flexible Map Light
• Frying Pan
• Heated Fleece Blanket
• Portable Stove
• Rechargeable Flashlight with Adjustable Head
• SnackMaster Deluxe 12-Volt Family-Size Cooler/Warmer
• Digital/Electric Compass with Ice Alert
• et cetera…

I’m sure you’re familiar with these…

However there are times when the accumulators run empty just when you need to draw power from them. Thus a 12VDC solar panel will be ideal to ensure these appliances work at all times. With such nifty devices, these inconvenient moments will only be  memories.

During the day, solar panels will bring the accumulators to full charge. At night, power is drawn exclusively from the batteries. If you’re running some appliances only during the day, you may not need batteries… you can plug straight into the solar panels to power these appliances.

Many appliances do not really care if the power is clean, so you can also power most systems that require 120VAC using an inverter. Although you loose efficiency, it may be worth a try.

Let’s take a look at an example of what you can use for a 12VDC solar panel:

And this is how an inverter with 12VDC input will look like:

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Every once in a while, you’ll need to remove the dust from the surface of your solar panels. Since your solar panels are probably installed on your roof, away from convenient reach, procrastination happens. Yet it is important to remove anything that may block sunlight from reaching the photovoltaic cells.

There are two convenient ways you can get the dust off your solar energy panel’s surface. The first and most common is to spray some water to wash them away. When done regularly, this can be pretty effective. While washing your solar panels, you may find that the energy output shoots up, way beyond the maximum, then settles at a new high. This is because solar cells are cooled down as you spray water on them, thus their efficiency increases. After they’re warmed up again, their efficiency settles at a higher level than before as more sunlight reach the solar cells.

Another way to clean the glass surface (especially when it gets real dirty or there’s some grease or oil on it) is to use a solar panel cleaning system kit. One good example of this can be found on the popular website, Amazon.com. Here’s a description of how it’s like:

Mr. Long Arm 1008 Pro Curve Solar Panel Cleaning System Kit

“It is designed to clean solar panels faster, safer, easier and is better for the environment. Using this system leaves no carbon footprint and conserves water, unlike complicated, expensive, non-eco friendly equipment. It allows you to reach and clean even the most difficult to access solar panels. It kit includes one 5 to 8 foot two section extension pole, one 12 Inch and one 18 Inch channel with squeegee rubber, one 18 Inch and one 22 Inch wash bar and wash sleeve, two tool handles, one 4 to 8 foot flow through extension pole, one flow-thru angle adaptor, one soft flow-thru cleaning brush, one 15 by 15 Inch microfiber cleaning cloth, instruction DVD and a handy canvas case. This assortment will allow you to meet all your cleaning needs.”

Hopefully with this kit, you can clean your solar panels in double quick time!

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