Monday, August 26, 2013

How are Solar Panels Made and Installed: Enjoy Alternative Sun Power

Inquisitive homeowners and consumers ask the question: “How are solar panels made? Many think that these devices are highly complicated that have numerous parts and cost thousands of dollars.

In fact, nowadays, just about any individual can own and operate one for his abode. Building and installing your very own affordable panels is possible, and you don’t even have to be an engineer or technician to do it. Gone are those days when such equipment are bulky, difficult to handle, and requires fussy maintenance and repair. All you need to do is go to a brick-and-mortar hardware shop to get a quality set. Or if you want to enjoy convenience, you can go online instead and order one of those quality solar panel kits for homes.

100W Solar Panel

Remember that to enjoy a fully functional panel, it is advisable to go through the list of parts of the kit and check if the package has everyone of them. Be careful when assembling. If you insist on doing it yourself, try referring to one or two videos online that demonstrate how the process is done properly. If you are absolutely unsure with how to go about the assembly and installation procedures, the best option is to hire a professional technician. This saves you time and energy.

While you can actually build one from scratch, since most components are now easily available anyway, it’s not practical. It’s logical to buy a do-it-yourself kit and assemble it yourself. It’s almost like creating the gadget all by yourself.

What are solar panels made of? The most important parts are PV cells. They are like the heart of a sun-power device. See to it that you purchase a kit that has excellent-condition, quality cells so that maximum amount of energy is gathered from the rays of the sun. Abundant electrical power is then made available during nighttime or whenever necessary.

Connections are important as well. Make sure that the interconnection parts are found in the package. Check if cells are properly lined up in the panels and securely attached and connected to one another. Normally, the cell components have wires that must be soldered correctly into the frames. Even if only one cell is not in its proper place, the sun’s energy will not be collected and converted into power.

Another vital component is the charger, one end of which is attached to the cells’ connections. The other end is connected to a special battery that stores the energy and releases it when power is needed.

One important word of advice if you are consider using a DIY kit – select the model that’s can deliver the right amount of power that you need for your household. This can be assured by getting recommendations from your dealer or hardware store owner.

And also, when installing the device, it must be properly attached to the rooftop. Install it at the best location of your home’s roof. In other words, place your kit on the spot where sunrays fall abundantly. Avoid places where shadows and shades will hinder maximum exposure of your kit’s panels to the rays of the sun.

So, how are solar panels made – this is a question that you don’t need to ask. As it is, affordable panels are now easily available, ones that are quick and convenient to assemble and install. Within minutes, you will have one up and running. It will work immediately to lessen or eliminate your electrical expenses. You will certainly be excited to see that almost all electrical appliances in your home can be run conveniently – at zero expense on your part.
Image source: Shaun Lowthian

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Various Types of Solar Panels - How They Work

Perhaps only a few homeowners these days will say that they haven’t seen or heard about solar panels how they work, and the various types available.

shiny solar panels
In fact, many are now aware that these gadgets are some of the most important sources of alternative energy for home use. Technology-wise, the latest models are more compact and sleeker, which means that they greatly improve the overall look of one’s abode.

Without a doubt, energy from the sun is a reliable means of powering and running a home. At the same time, its usage helps save our environment. As conscious budgeters, we are assured of substantial savings, meaning that we don’t have to worry any more about huge power bills. In fact, as you utilize these sun-energy gadgets, electrical costs are reduced considerably.

For people who have yet to be acquainted with the most common types of solar panels for homes, here are the most basic ones:


1. Steam Type

It produces hot steam upon heating water. The steam is a vital element since it is used in running the home generator, which in turn supplies the electricity necessary for day-to-day household use. Categorized as one of the earliest types of panels, it is just fairly functional and not reliable during sunless days.

2. Silicon-Based

a. Mono-crystalline panel consists of a lone cell that utilizes crystalline silicon. Metallic strip components are placed over it to act as collectors of electrons. This type is hardly efficient, since they only create 14 % electricity from the gathered sun’s energy.

b. Polycrystalline Silicon, on the other hand, is made of several cells that are tasked to gather energy from the rays of the sun. It is known to be less reliable than Mono type since they only convert 14% of collected solar rays into electricity.

c. Finally, there is the Amorphous type, the least efficient in terms of solar power electricity production. This solar panel type works by producing soft and low-watt power.

3. Thermal power

This system involves thermal collectors that produce a regular supply of hot water. Basically, the water runs through a series of special pipes heated by the rays of the sun. Thermal type is made even more effective by working with traditional boilers, the availability of which is vital since it takes over in the production of power if the former is unavailable during rainy days.

4. Radiation type

This type converts radiation collected from sun rays into pure electrical power. It is one of the most prolific devices, since surplus energy is most likely to be produced. Owners of such equipment benefit from an over-production of sun power by selling unused supply to the local electrical grid.

5. Do It Yourself

People who plan to use alternative energy for household usage but are unable to realize such plans because of its high cost can take advantage of the DIY type. You can buy components all together in a package, much like solar power kits for homes. These packages come at a very cheap price and can be easily assembled yourself. It is also possible for you to buy parts individually from various dealers and suppliers, which is a much lesser expense on your part.

How to Select the Most Appropriate Sun Energy Panels for Your Residence

Needless to say, solar power systems have proven to be highly effective as an alternative energy source for any home that more and more people want to install and take advantage of these gadgets. However, before you invest your hard earned money on them, it is important that you know which device is the right one for your home. This ensures that you will be able to maximize the energy benefits that such gadget offer.

Hence, it pays to perform ample research so that you will have a vital knowledge about types of solar panels how they work, as well as your own solar power requirements. If possible, talk to a licensed technician or professional that will offer you the best sun power option advice for your residence upon considering your household needs and available budget.
Image Source: Kathy now picnic

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Solar Panels Cost: How do Sellers Arrive at Solar Panel Prices


For homeowners and consumers who desire to take advantage of free and reliable energy from the sun, they must be aware of the fact that home solar panels costs can be quite expensive and so hard on the budget. This is especially true if they decide that they want sun-powered gadgets that has a high amount of wattage.

Still, in spite of the exorbitant cost of these equipment devices, it is still strongly suggested for wise consumers to purchase and have them installed on top of their houses’ roof. Definitely, the power benefits that people can enjoy from its usage are immense. Suffice it to say that alternative energy experts recognize these sun power gadgets as the most promising source of energy that are readily available these days.

In fact, not only in the USA are they manufactured and produced, but in many other parts of the world such as China, Korea, Japan and Europe. There are many famous brands that are available in most home appliance shops that potential owners can buy. They can choose from various brands and models such as Kyocera and Sanyo, among many others.

Because of the great number of brand names, it is advised for prospective buyer to make a comprehensive research on a few models. He must check if their specifications and functions is what he needs and if they fairly match the solar panels cost.

Actually, prices of these gadgets are based on the weight of the device as well as the system’s configuration. General price is also based on the particular type and model of equipment and its list of specifications. This means that the watt, ampere and volts will be major factors affecting the price of the product. For example, when it comes to watts, the smaller the wattage, the less is the cost of the sun device, while the higher that the watt number goes up the more that you will have to shell out money for your device.

Remember, however, that watt is only one of the important factors that make up the price of the panel such as volts so it is imperative to consider them as well. Of course another factor that affect the solar panels costs and prices in a major way is its overall capacity and output when it comes to producing electriccal power to run a household.

This means that if you are a home owner that utilize a great number of appliances, then you will have to purchase a unit that will be able to run them efficiently – that is, if you want to depend totally on solar power.
Image credit: lpetrides