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In this time of high cost electric energy, having your own homemade solar power can be beneficial especially, because solar power is cost free and abundant in supply. Read on, because we will discuss several advantages and disadvantages of solar power and later on we will tell how you can make your own homemade solar power for a price less than $500. 1. Advantages Of Solar Power – What I like about solar power is that it is a renewable source of energy, no matter how much you use it. You will always find plenty of it as long as the sun is up. So you can use it over and over again without need to worry it will diminish. – It doesnâ??t produce pollution, unlike any other sources of energy that pollute our environment incurring global warming to our world. – Low maintenance cost. Homemade solar power equipment needs a very low maintenance cost and can last for a lifetime. Unlike any other generators you might just need to check it once a year and it would be perfectly fine. 2. Disadvantages Of Homemade Solar Power – Unfortunately, solar power cannot be generated without sunlight; some areas have such a bad weather until they have only sunlight few times during the year. – Ready made solar panel systems are still too expensive since they are not manufactured in large quantities and that could put people off. How To Produce Your Own Solar Power Buying homemade solar power is not cheap and can cost you thousands of dollars, however you can build your own solar power equipment for less than $500. You can find almost all the necessary equipments at your local electric store. Some of the necessary equipments are small solar panel, deep cycle 12 volt battery, box for protection from children or animal, 12 volt DC meter and DC input. Michael Harvey has written a guide on how to make your solar generator yourself that cost less than $200. If you want to learn how to generate your own solar power yourself, check out Michael Harvey Earth4Energy guide. Check out my Earth4Energy review here.

When it comes to energy usage these days a lot of people are looking for alternative energy sources and as such solar power is very much coming into vogue. At its current level of technological evolution, solar power is a useful means of powering small engines to run simple devices. Fans are one such simple device and you will many instances where using a solar powered fan makes more sense than a fan powered by conventional means.
Many manufacturers now offer solar powered attic fans to ventilate and help keep attics cooler. If there is inadequate ventilation in the attic and poor sealing between the attic and the other rooms in the house, attic fans powered by electric means can potentially draw air from the house into the attic. Not only does this compromise energy efficiency but it can also increase the risk of moisture problems in the attic.
Solar powered fans rely on a small solar panel (typically 10 or 20 watt) to power a DC motor when the sun is shining. The fans are installed with intake vents to provide high-capacity powered ventilation without electric operating costs. Most vents are mounted high on the roof near the ridge and are combined with soffit or gable vents for balanced intake and exhaust air streams. Ventilation is only provided when there is ample sunshine to power the fan motor. The highest fan speed will tend to coincide with the greatest heat from the sun and consequently the greatest need for attic ventilation. By reducing attic temperature, attic fans can help reduce summertime cooling loads while at the same time providing ventilation without the added utility load.
Using solar energy to power air vents in your attic means you eliminate the need for electrical wiring in this part of the house and as a solar ventilator uses no electricity you are also avoiding any ongoing operating costs. You will find that the equipment costs for a solar powered attic fan are higher than those of a conventionally powered fan (around $200 more) but this will usually be offset by the money you save in not having to extend electrical wiring into the attic. In addition to attics you will also find solar powered fans used in greenhouses, outhouses, garages, sheds, out-buildings, and paint rooms.
Retail prices for solar powered attic fans range from about $350 to $600 depending on ventilation capacity, the manufacturer, and optional features such as a thermostat.
In instances of new construction, roofers will usually install powered ventilating units. If these units are solar powered roof vents there will be no need for an electrician to rough and finish wire the units. For retrofit projects, a roofer or do-it-yourselfer will be able to install a solar-powered attic fan using conventional tools and techniques.
Whilst not applicable in every instance where cooling is required, solar powered attic fans are an example of smart thinking utilizing a natural energy source. For more information on installing and using <a href="http://www.about-solar-power.com/solarpoweredfans.php” rel=”nofollow”>solar powered attic fans and other types of <a href="http://www.about-solar-power.com/solarpoweredfans.php” rel=”nofollow”>solar powered fans go to http://www.about-solar-power.com

How Solar Power Makes A Difference Solar power is one of those phrases you hear a lot of these days. But what is solar power, and how does it benefit you to use it? While the term “solar power” is often used interchangeably with the term “solar energy,” solar power refers specifically to the converting solar energy into electricity. How can it be stored so that it can be used at night, or during adverse conditions?  In a nutshell, solar power is created one of two ways: Active solar techonolgies work by “collecting” solar energy. Sunlight shines on special panels, called solar panels, that transform the light into DC electricity. This electricity is converted to AC power and is either used in your home during the day, stored in a thermal storage system, or fed into the local utility grid. At night, electricity is drawn from either the storage system or the grid for use in your home. Passive solar technologies include things like designing a building relative to the way it faces the Sun, and the use of solar design packages, which tie together solar lighting, heating, and ventilation systems forming a complete residential solar power system. Active solar technology can boost the effectiveness of these passive systems. Thermal storage systems use materials with high specific heat capacities, like water, stone, and earth, which are generally readily available. Solar energy advantages include energy and money savings, less reliance on conventional power systems which can be at the mercy of varying weather conditions, especially during the storm season and external influences over which we have no control. Another advantage which is quite important is the fact that solar power energy is a totally clean power source producing no harmful emissions. One of the earliest major scientific applications of solar power was on commercial satellites. Solar power is not, however, a new idea. The ancients used systems of lenses and mirrors to concentrate solar energy for various purposes. Due to natural and economic fluctuations in the supply of oil, natural gas, and other resources, the call for solar power is increasing rapidly, and is likely to continue to do so as technologies develop that make harnessing it and using it more viable and less expensive. Read more Tony dickfos

People have been aware that the sun’s energy can be harnessed to power various devices and machines for years, but it is not until recently that the technology and the motivation has pushed people to seriously consider solar energy as a viable power source. With the current state of the economy and with the growing move toward a more environmentally responsible lifestyle, many people are considering various forms of renewable energy and “green living” principals. Solar power is usually at the top of the list when it comes to renewable energy sources. Solar power has been used for years by the government and various businesses, but it has only recently come into the mainstream for the everyday average household. In almost any area of the country it is possible to dramatically cut one’s electric bill by installing and maintaining solar panels. Some people are even able to go entirely off the grid and power their homes completely independently of the traditional local electric company, all by solar power. While going off the grid may be an intimidating prospect for some, there is absolutely no reason why a household cannot install solar panels on the roof and greatly reduce the monthly electric bills. Until recently, the cost to buy and install residential solar panels has been prohibitively high, and not everyone has the technical know how to do it themselves. However, with the shift toward renewable energy, many companies have seen this as an opportunity in an untapped industry and have started offering solar panels at much more competitive and affordable prices. The installation and upkeep of the solar panels is very easy and affordable. Many households find that they can pay for the solar panels in less than a year through the reduced electric bills they produce. Obviously, once the panels are installed, the solar power is completely free and produces absolutely no harmful emissions, unlike traditional fossil fuels. As the technology becomes more mainstream, manufacturers and builders are constantly refining their techniques to make the solar panels more efficient, durable and innovative. Recently, some builders have started to integrate solar power into their overall design by including solar panels as standard features on top of garages and in other unobtrusive places such as the roofs of gazebos, tops of pool houses, and on every available foot of roof space in general. Some pool decks are being built with embedded solar cells. As the renewable energy movement continues, more and more builders will find it necessary to integrate a solar power plan into their overall building plan in order to stay competitive with all the other builders who are doing the same. Solar power is one of the easiest and best solutions to not only help the environment and climate, but to save significant amounts of money in electric bills as well. With solar power components being more affordable now than ever before, every homeowner should at least consider installing solar panels. To learn more about solar panels price please visit: http://www.RenewableEnergyForUs.com

Just imagine it, coming home after work, putting your feet up on the couch, television on, stereo blaring and all the lights on in the house… now imagine you don’t feel any guilt about the impact your having on the environment or the pain in your wallet doesn’t exist. Welcome to living off the grid. More and more householders are moving to homemade solar power in their attempts to be independent from the power grid and save a heap of money at the same time. I guess some of you may be asking, isn’t all that energy consumption irresponsible? well it would be if we weren’t using homemade solar power to supply our appliances. Solar energy is an extremely clean form of energy, no pollutants or emissions to worry about here, whilst the sun hangs up there in the sky solar energy is a renewable energy, best of all solar is free once you have your system installed and running. So whats the catch I hear you cry? well currently purchasing a traditional solar power system and having it installed is ridiculously expensive. Enter the new wave of DIY solar power kits. All over the internet you can find guides which show you how to build your own diy solar power kit and produce your own free homemade solar power. Whether you are looking to totally convert to solar energy of compliment your existing supply, the bliss that is living off the grid and the satisfaction of giving it to the man! is now within reach, no longer will your power be regulated by government bodies, you will be free to use as much as you want. These Homemade Solar Power guides are amazing in the fact they are so simple to follow. You will have your diy solar power kit assembled and up and running in no time. You get an ebook and videos to follow along in a step by step process. It even shows you how to sell excess energy back to the power grid! So do you and your family a favor and stick it to the man! read more about Homemade Solar Power – Living off the Grid Like most things released in this format there are some products to avoid,

The sun not only gives us light; it also has the ability to provide us with power that may be converted into electricity. The electricity and the heat that we need in our homes can be within reach when we utilize what the sun is able to give us. There are so many solar power advantages that many people have to be aware of, proof that the sun and the power it sends are truly important, especially in this day of rising electricity bills.
One important benefit of solar power is that it is renewable. It is not like oil that can be gone after a certain number of years. True, we may discover another source once oil is gone, but that source may probably be non-renewable as well. Be reminded that the source of solar power is the sun. We do not even have to worry about the sun disappearing. It may rest during the night, but in the morning, we all know that the sun will be back in the sky. Therefore, if we rely on solar power, we are sure that it will never disappear to nothingness.
Another advantage of solar energy is the fact that it is eco-friendly. It does not give off polluting gases e.g. greenhouse gases. People need to care for the environment and using solar power may be a good way of protecting it.
People also do not have to pay for solar power, which is another advantage. The only expenses that you may have to pay stem from solar panel kits and other materials used to make solar panels. Unlike electricity which is a utility that we have to pay monthly, panels that produce solar power are not things that have to be paid regularly. Because of this, solar energy helps us gain big savings.
When extracting solar energy, people will not be bothered by a single noise. Other sources of energy such as oil and wind may have to be extracted through very noisy methods. When it comes to solar power, extraction is on the silent side, which may be viewed as another advantage.
Solar cells are responsible for producing solar energy. This brings us to another advantage of solar power: just a little amount of maintenance. Solar cells, after all, are not composed of ‘moving’ parts, which means that maintenance is very little, or none at all.
Tools that may produce solar power such as solar panels and solar powered lights are also quite easy to set up. This is, of course, one more advantage of relying on solar power.
Solar energy, just like all forms of energy, is not really ’spotless.’ There are also some disadvantages like the tendency for solar energy tools e.g. panels to be expensive as well as the fact that solar energy cannot be produced during the night. Solar power advantages, however, are bigger in number as compared to the disadvantages. Besides, the cons of solar power, if you will notice, can eventually be improved by technology.

In Europe and other parts of the world, solar power already is a choice many people have considered, and in this time of environmental issues it is something we all should be considering to. If we look at the world we live in solar energy is something we should take very seriously. There are two kinds of solar power solutions, you can join a power company who deliver solar electricity from a solar power plant or you can use residential solar power. In this article we will go over the advantages and disadvantages of residential solar power.
There are many advantages to home made electricity and just one of them is the environment, if you are also concerned about the environment but would like to educate yourself and understand all the pros and cons the best place to start is on the internet. Online is the place where you can get information about how to switch to solar energy and what you need to do so. There are a few forums you can visit where people can talk about all kinds of renewable energy and there are also websites that provide you general information about alternative sources of energy.
Renewable and non polluting
One of the advantages is that it is a renewable resource. The sun provides you with energy even on a cloudy day, off course it cannot be utilized at night but during the day there will be plenty energy you can harvest, and it is available for free day after day.
Another big advantage is that solar energy is a non-polluting form of energy. The fact is that you will not hurt the environment in any way when you use residential solar power. And there are so many ways you can use it. You can build a residential solar power system on your roof and you can use other products powered by the sun that are very affordable, easy to install (no wires) and that will never ask electricity from the grid again. A very good example are outdoor lights for security and to light up your yard. You just need to install it and you will not need much knowledge for that and your good to go. A solar powered light can be the first step before you move on to a complete residential solar power system.
Home made power can be a real money saver
If you look carefully at the calculations you will see that a residential solar power system is a large investment, but an investment that will pay itself back after a few years. And eventually it will save you a lot of money. But this investment will immediate save you money on your power bill and that is something that we all can use in these difficult times.
Are there any disadvantages?
Yes, and one of the biggest disadvantages to residential solar power is that the investment, the initial cost of such a system can be a bit much for most people. But, when you see the overall savings that you are going to make, the choice becomes a lot easier. It is important to inform yourself about all the pros and cons of residential solar power before you make a decision.

As most of us know the sun does produce and disperses a huge amount of heat on the surface of the earth. A lot of it goes to waste when not used efficiently to our advantage. Solar power can be strong enough to power machinery and it may comes as a surprise to you but the space shuttle uses solar panels faced toward the sun in order to be able to power the shuttle efficiently. Ok but what about when it snows and rains , when the sky is cloudy and we don’t see a trace of the sun for days. Well rest assured that with what scientist know about the sun and all resources available to them, keeping stored solar energy is a walk in the park. It is possible to produce enough heat in your solar source to create enough energy to last until the sun shows up again. Solar power is the way to the future, we must educate ourselves and prepare and we need to be ready for it. Right now solar power is primarily used by those who are more aware and worried about our earth’s atmosphere when it is a concern that we should all be worried about. Never the less solar power is being used around the globe. It is cost effective to have a home solar power system put in place. You can choose to have a company put everything in place for you while still keeping the old conventional ways to heat your home. You can use solar energy to power your appliances only or heater only. You could also do your own research as far as material needed to implement a solar power system. There are great books , videos , DVD, teaching you how to build your own solar power system. No matter how you look at it the advantages versus the disavantages wins hands down, solar power energy is here to stay and will become very popular in household around the world, we are living in desperate times and finding ways to cut expenses to keep a bit of what we earn in our pockets is the way to go. The price it may cost you to have a solar system put in place or to build one yourself will pay for itself in a very short time. Did you find this article useful? If you did and are interested in learning how to build your own solar power system for very cheap and start generating your own electricity from the sun ,visit :

http://bytelan.com/HomemadeSolarCell.htm

Solar power solutions at home With energy sources depleting at a rate faster than they are being built, it is only wise that we use the abundant energy available for free – the solar energy. Apart from the easy availability, solar energy helps control environmental pollution. Most of us shy away from installing solar power solutions at home thinking them to be expensive and cumbersome. You will, however, be surprised to know how easy it is to employ these power solutions. Moreover, these will help cut down your power bills. Finally, you will be delighted to know tat you are doing your bit to save power for the future generations.This article will explore the various solar power options available for home use. Solar cooker: A solar cooker is a cooking utensil that uses absolutely no fuel for cooking. You can cook food for up to five people in the small box. If you are thinking that using a solar cooker will reduce your chances of spreading up a varied platter on the dining table, you will be surprised to know that you can not only boil food items in the cooker but also roast and bake! The only limitation with the solar cooker is the time it takes to cook. However, given the free source of energy it uses, this is a great option for cutting down those sky-rocketing bills and saving some power.Solar home lighting: A solar home lighting system converts solar energy into electrical energy for your home. This is done via cells that are charged with solar energy. So, in the night, if you wonder how the lights are on in the house, it is because of the solar energy stored in the solar cells. You can install the solar home lighting system in your house and not worry about the electricity bills anymore. Solar heating system: Installing a solar heating system in your home helps cutting down your electricity bill along with saving the world’s quickly-exhausting power. If you are worried that a solar heating system will turn your sweet home into a gadget house or that it will be an expensive investment, your concerns are misplaced. Companies providing solar power solutions for homes make it a point to install aesthetically-pleasing heating systems in your house. As per as expenditure is concerned, investing in a solar heating system is wise because you get a return on your investment within 3-4 years, giving you absolutely free service after that.with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete guide at http://www.earth4energyproduct.com/ Sindre Brudevoll save money on your electricity bill http://www.earth4energyproduct.com/

There are two main types of solar power, solar thermal and photovoltaic. Solar thermal uses the sun light’s infrared energy to either heat a liquid or to warm a mass of material that will later on release its stored heat. Harnessing solar thermal energy involves building a house in such a way to collect the sun’s heat during the day and radiate it into the home during the evening. However, in the summer time the house’s construction uses mass to keep the sun’s heat out of the home.
Solar photovoltaic energy converting sun light into electrical energy. The most commonly associated component are the photovoltaic panels or solar panels that you see mounted on roofs.
This article will be focusing on how photovoltaic solar power (solar panels) and systems work.
Why are solar photovoltaic panels always on the south (or north) side of the roof?
In order to get the maximum electrical output from photovoltaic panels they need to be oriented to solar south in the northern hemisphere and solar north in the southern hemisphere. Solar north and solar south are the same as magnetic or compass north or south. There is about a fifteen degree difference between them.
Most solar photovoltaic panels are set at home latitude plus fifteen degrees or home latitude minus fifteen degrees. Depending on if you want a summer or winter bias to the angle of the solar panels. In higher latitudinal areas it makes more sense to have the photovoltaic panels set on a winter bias, so that during the winter the solar panels still get enough sun light to produce electricity.
How does a photovoltaic cell produce electricity?
A solar panel consists of a collection of photovoltaic cells. Each photovoltaic cell is made up of silicon wafer. Silicon in its pure state is a poor electrical conductor. During the manufacturing process, an impurity is added to the silicon so that when the photons (light) strikes the wafer electrons are released and create electrical current.
The type of electrical current produced by a solar panel is a low voltage direct current, or DC, typically in the range of six to twenty four volts. Photovoltaic panels have a nominal output voltage of 12 volts and an effective operating voltage of 17 or more volts.
A solar panel’s electrical output is affected by several factors. They are angle of the photovoltaic panels to the sun, time of day, time of the year and weather conditions. Solar photovoltaic panels produce more electricity during the middle of the day when the sun is directly overhead compared to the early morning and late evening when the sun light is striking the solar panel at a shallow angle.
Components of a residential solar power system
A residential solar power system consists of four components are: photovoltaic panels, charging controller, battery pack and an inverter. The photovoltaic panels convert sun light into electricity. The electricity is sent to the charging controller who keeps the battery pack fully charged, but not over charged. The battery pack sends the electricity to the inverter who converts the DC voltage to household AC at 120 volts and 60 hertz.
Photovoltaic panel
The output of a solar panel is stated in watts. The wattage is stated is typically for peak sun hours. Since the amount of sun light varies through the course of a day, to level out the variations the peak sun hours has been adopted by most manufactures to help installers and customer’s compare different solar panel models.
Suppose a solar panel is rated for 100 watts and an average of six peak sun hours is available per day. Then the solar panel would produce 100 watts * 6 peak hours = 600 watt hours of electricity or 0.6 kilo watt hours (KWh).
Charging controller
Charging controller or charge regulator controls the charging of the battery pack. It continually monitors the battery pack’s charge state. If the batteries are low, it will send electricity from the solar panels to the batteries. It also prevents over charging of the battery pack.
Don’t allow someone to convince you that a charging controller is not really required. Directly connecting the photovoltaic panels to the battery pack can permanently damage the batteries and possibly cause them to explode.
Battery pack
The battery pack’s purpose is to store electricity generated by the solar panels during the day and then at night or during extremely cloudy days provide electricity to the inverter.
The battery pack typically consists of lead acid batteries. Lead acid batteries are relatively inexpensive and readily available. There are many different types, sizes and capacities of batteries available. The most popular are gel cell and AGM deep cycle batteries because they are maintenance free and last a lot longer than wet cell lead acid batteries.
The most important thing to remember about the batteries is that the need to be deep cycle. Deep cycle batteries are designed to be discharged then recharged hundreds if not thousands of times. A deep cycle battery is designed to discharged to nearly empty, but not completely and then be slowly recharged over time. A common mistake for home owners is to think that they can use automotive batteries instead of deep cycle batteries. Car batteries are shallow cycle batteries. They are designed to discharge a lot of current quickly and then be immediately recharged.
Inverter
An inverter converts the DC electricity stored in the battery pack into household 120V AC. Almost everything in your home is powered by 120V electricity. Things like table lamps, freezer, lights, motors, dishwasher, and so on.
There are two main types of inverters sine wave and modified sine wave. The power company provides electricity as a sine wave. The electricity’s charge value goes smoothly from positive 120V to 0V to negative 120V and then back up to 0V and finally up to positive 120V. Then the cycle begins all over again. The time it takes to go through the entire cycle is one second.
Modified sine wave is also known as a square wave. Here the electricity’s charge value goes from positive 120V to negative -120 volts in effectively zero seconds.
Most household devices will function on a modified sine wave power. Light bulbs and motors will work, just not quite as efficiently as they would on sine wave electricity. However, there are some electronic devices that will not work on square wave electricity. It will be necessary to check with the manufacture to determine if the device will work on square wave electricity.
Now you have a basic understanding of solar power how it works to power your home. Now you have enough information about how solar power works to determine if it is a technology that you would want to invest in for your house.