A DIY Solar Power Home

Solar Power Homes are gaining in popularity, especially with the recent (2007) emphasis on the theory of global warming. Solar power is clean, free, renewable, and environmentally friendly.

Initial costs of a Solar Power Home, however, are cost-prohibitive for many people. If you are one of them, you may want to research the possibilities of a DIY Solar Power Home. That is, a do-it-yourself (DIY) project.

DIY Solar Power’s Availability

DIY solar power is readily available in most developed countries. The task of building and installing solar platform is not complicated. Anyone with basic construction knowledge and manual ability can create a DIY solar power unit. Even school students as young as 11 or 12 years are getting involved in DIY solar power, many times as an assignment.

Getting Started

The first thing one must decide is whether the DIY solar power is to be passive or active.

* Active solar power uses photovoltaic panels to convert sunlight into electricity. It also uses solar panels to heat water. It may require more construction skills than you have.

* Passive solar power takes advantage of the home’s structure and furnishings to reduce electrical need. It uses thermal mass materials like masonry that circulates heat into the home.

Inexpensive DIY Solar Power

A DIY solar power project that outfits an entire house with solar panels is expensive. Although you might like to live completely off-grid, initial costs can run into many thousands of dollars.

You can start small instead. You can invest in inexpensive DIY solar power for about $600 - $700 USD. That kind of DIY solar power would give you enough solar power to do one of the following without using grid electricity.

* Run a 20″ TV set for 20 hours - every week.
* Listen to a portable stereo set for 100 hours - every week.
* Use a laptop computer for 40 hours - a full work week!
* Light a 12-watt compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb for 80 hours.

That kind of DIY solar power could soon save you money. But there’s more to the story. That DIY solar power kit also gives you an 800-Watt inverter. With it, you can run a small vacuum cleaner, small electrical tools, toaster, coffee maker, blender, or a hair dryer on low.
To get such a DIY solar power kit, you will need to purchase these or similar components:

* 1 Uni-Solar 32-watt amorphous-silicon PV module, 12 volts: $180-$200
* 1 Morningstar 6-amp charge controller, 12 volts: $40-$50
* 2 Deka 92 amp-hour sealed batteries, 12 volts: ($130-$140@) - $260-$280
* 1 Aims 800-watt modified sine wave inverter, 12 volts: $65-$75

TOTAL: $545 - $605

You still have money left from your $600-$700 for battery cables, fuses between components, mounting hardware, wire, and miscellaneous odds and ends.

On this site, we review and recommend the Solar Power design manual. Order this manual with some of your remaining money and your DIY solar power project is ready to go. To read our review, click here, or click the Solar Power design manual button at the top of this page under the sun.