Vazdot Blog -Solar Power House

Something that is affordable and you can use at home.

The technology is well-proven for professionally installed systems, so I wouldn’t worry too much about anything except the installer’s reputation and expertise.

At present, solar electric involves $10k, $20k, maybe even more of capital investment in order to be cost effective in the USA. It varies by location. With rebates in some states, this can be cheaper than the grid electricity you presently buy, over the course of 10 or 20 years. Or, if the power you’re buying right now is already very expensive, like 30 cents per kWh or more, then you can save money with solar. You can only SAVE money, it’s not really "free".

But take heart! I think panel prices will be dropping in the next year or so. There was a shortage of polysilicon, the raw material that makes the majority of panels today, but new supplies will finally be coming on line.

Also, if saving money is your goal, first and foremost, invest in conservation – efficient appliances, insulation.

Finally, a solar hot water heater, displacing an electric one, can pay for itself in maybe 3 or 4 years, depending on where you live.

We installed solar panels on our house, $12,000 after rebate for a 2.5 kW system, about 2 years ago. A neighbor just installed a system, for about the same price, except they got 3.5 kW, professionally installed. Prices are beginning to soften.

Link to our system below if you’re curious.

Solar generator backup system provides instant electrical power in any outage or disaster. Produces an endless supply of electricity for free. For more information go to http://www.MySolarBackup.com/playvideo.html

Duration : 0:6:48

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: backup, FROM, generator, power, powered, SCIENCE, solar, Solutions, SolutionsFromScience

what are the major problems or issues with having this as the main source of power for a home?

I have a remote summer place that has two 170 watt solar panels for power. They charge a bank of 6 deep-cycle batteries.

The main problem with having this type of setup is that the batteries provider 12 volt DC power. Most things in your house that you want to power are 110 volt AC. This mean you either have to buy a pricey inverter that sits between your batteries and the wiring in your house, or you have to rewire and reequip your house with 12 volt DC fixtures and appliances.

http://www.SolarEnergyGuide.net – A Homemade Solar Panel Can Power Your Home – 100% Workable Guarantee
Have you ever wondered if you were capable of assembling a homemade solar panel to provide electricity for your home?

It’s a great way to save money, use “green energy” that will be sustainable for generations, and learn about science while being handy around the house. How neat would it be if every neighbor on your block had a homemade solar panel on his roof or in his back yard? Be the first and inspire others!

Now, how can you make this happen?

These are some common questions that you might wonder about when you embark on learning how to make your own homemade solar panel: * Do you have the necessary tools and experience? * Is it dangerous to work with electricity? * How do I plug my solar panel into my house’s electric supply? * What about storing the energy so I can have power when it’s not sunny enough to activate my solar panel? * How much will my supplies cost and where can I get them?

The great news is that with the preponderance of information available through the internet today, you can make your own solar panels at home for under $200. This is a great weekend project and would be a wonderful learning experience to share with your children.

You will need to mount your solar panels somewhere where they can get a lot of light. This could be on the roof of your house, or somewhere in your yard. If you want to come close to fully powering your house, you may need to create a series of solar panels (one solar panel is about 4′ x 8′) but you can certainly get usable power with just one panel.

Like any new endeavor, it can take a while to learn how to make a solar panel, assemble the necessary materials, and put everything together and plug it in! It’s a good idea to cut your learning curve down by investing in some educational resources, like books or videos, that will teach you the step-by-step process for making solar panels cheaply, and safely. You can do it and it can be a lot of fun. After your first one, your subsequent solar panels will be much faster and easier to make.

If you want to discover the fastest, cheapest way to make a homemade solar panel, Emily can help you out. Find out what resources and materials you need to learn how to build a solar panel this weekend!

A Homemade Solar Panel Can Power Your Home – 100% Workable Guarantee

advantages alternative benefits bill build cell cells cheap conservation cost costs diy earth earth4energy earthenergy efficiency efficient electric electricity eliminate energy environment free fuel generate generator global green grid heat heater help home homemade house how instructions kits live make manufacturer market money natural panel panels plant power renewable residential resources review save scam sell solar sun system technology transformers turbine turbines wind windmills work

Duration : 0:2:16

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: access, advantages, AL, architect, attic, australia, batteries, benefits, bill, build, builder, calculator, diy, door, durable, efficiency, eliminate, energy, facts, for, free, future, GORE, grants, green, home, hot, how, info, information, is, it, its, kit, law, living, made, make, making, market, marketing, News, Obama, overunity, own, panel, panels, PHOTOVOLTAIC, physics, power, PV, rebate, renewable, solar, solarpanel, solarpanels, tax, technology, to, USA, use, water, windpower, your

Solar Egg Cooker Competition

Your Mission: To cook a single egg using only a solar power device of your own design, manufactured using only recycled materials.

The Rules:
No purchased apparatus or materials may be used.
All materials must be second use. For example, if you use aluminum foil, it must have been previously used for some other purpose. You are encouraged to use a wide variety of materials from around your home.
Be inventive and creative.

would aluminum foil work?
help! what would you do?

hey you can use a old metal box as metal heats up really fast
also try using a glass lid painted black which can be found second hand ofcourse
try wrapping the egg in a used al foil
guess you can take things from here

hey, i am wanting to help our earth a little bit, and I was wondering how to do a solar panel connection for powering my home…. i just want to reduce my energy bill a little bit,

Would these solar panels work?
and how would i connect them?

http://store.altenergystore.com/Solar-Electric-Panels/Roofing-Solar-Panels/Unisolar-PVL-136T-136W-24V-Thinfilm-Rooflaminate/p4087/

(i live in st. louis, MO)

General Information
The installation of solar modules (panels) requires a great degree of skill and should (if DC voltage exceeds 100V:) only be performed by a qualified licensed professional.

Cautions
1. Avoid electrical hazards when installing, wiring, operating and maintaining the module.

2. A photovoltaic module generates DC electricity when exposed to sunlight or other light sources.

3. When installing or working with module wiring, cover module face completely with opaque material to halt production of electricity.

4. It is recommended that the module remains packed in the box until time of installation.

5. Do not touch terminals while module is exposed to light or during installation. Provide suitable guards to prevent contact with 30VDC or greater. As an added precaution, use properly insulated tools only.

6. Do not drop module or allow objects to fall on the module.

7. Do not stand or step on module.

8. Since sparks may be produced, do not install module where flammable gases or vapors are present.

9. Never leave a module unsupported or unsecured. If a module should fall, the glass can break. A module with broken glass cannot be repaired and must not be used.

10. Work only under dry conditions, with dry module and tools.

11.Module installation and operation should be performed by qualified personnel only. Children should not be allowed near the solar electric installation.

12. If not otherwise specified, it is recommended that requirements of the latest local, national or regional electric codes be followed.

13. Use module for its intended function only.

14. Do not artificially concentrate sunlight on the module.

15. The word "module" as used in this Guide refers to one or more photovoltaic modules (panels).

Warning
1. All instructions should be read and understood before attempting to install, wire, operate and maintain the photovoltaic module. Contact with electrically active parts of the module such as terminals can result in burns, sparks, and lethal shock whether the module is connected or disconnected.

2. Photovoltaic modules produce electricity when sunlight or other sources illuminate the front face. The voltage from a single module is not considered a shock hazard. When modules are connected in series, voltages are additive. When modules are connected in parallel, current is additive. Consequently, a multi-module system can produce high voltages and current which constitute an increased hazard.

http://myreviewchoice.com/homesolarpower
Home Solar Power. If you are building your home you have several choices to choose from regarding your heating source. If you choose to heat from the sun you need to build your home facing in the direction that the sun rise’s. This allows your home to get the most sunshine during the hottest part of the day. Buying solar powered glass windows allow the sun to come through and stay in the home without escaping back out.

Duration : 0:4:2

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: electricityresidential, electricitysolar, generatorsolar, heating, power, powerresidential, solar, solarsolar, syst, systemssolar

so we have a bunch of garden accessories outside, and they only light up at night time. They have solar panels on them, so obviously they absorb light during the day right? But that also means that it must be stored for it to turn on at night.

So what if your house was solar powered? Wouldn’t the solar energy be stored also? Meaning it would only power your home at night and not the day?

I’m not sure if I understand how that works. The photovaltaic cells convert light into electricity, so wouldn’t that mean the garden fixtures would be on all day also?

Those solar gadgets store electricity because they contain batteries, not because they have solar panels. The panels are merely a device that converts light into electricity, the panels themselves don’t store anything at all. Most solar-powered lights have a sensor (shielded so their own light can’t be seen by the sensor) in them, that only switches them on when it’s dark.

http://www.homemadepowerplant.com/?hop=adonpub By adding a photovoltaic power system to your home, you can capitalize on abundant, clean, free solar energy. It is actually possible for you to turn your power meter backwards. When this happens, you are actually selling your excess solar electrical power to your local electric power utilities company. You become an electric power provider to the grid. Solar panels are becoming more affordable every day with advances in solar photovoltaics design, manufacture, and marketing. Solar is clearly the way to go for generating your own electricity.

Duration : 0:2:4

Read the rest of this entry »

Technorati Tags: affordable, electric, electricity, energy, free, panel, panels, PHOTOVOLTAIC, photovoltaics, solar, solarpanel, solarpanels, systems

After having a conversation the other day, I was thinking seriously about installing solar panels for my home. I just bought the home this year, and plan to live here for a very long time. The house is located in Texas. I plan on residing at this house for a very long time, which is why I am considering this.

I’m looking to completely eliminate my monthly electric bill, which averages about 350$ monthly. I also heard there may be some kind of government rebates and incentives for powering your home with solar power, as well as the possibility for electric companies to pay you for surplus energy.

Basically I am a solar power newbie and need a complete rundown of the whole thing to make an educated decision. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

A roof filled with pv panels will run you about $30,000. If your state has good incentives, you will be looking at a total out of pocket cost of $15,000, with a pay back period of close to 20 years. If you want maximum benefits with solar panels, cover your roof with pv, and leave enough room for 3 solar thermal panels for domestic hot water and have a heating element installed to pre-heat your air for hot air heating.

A solar thermal system costs roughly $10,000 to install and payback is less than 10 years. Combine both of these and your about set. Unless you live on the coast, wind power is just about useless to you. But if you do live near the coast, you will need the wind power. Good luck