The Many Possibilities of Using DIY Solar Power
You can make the most of solar energy with DIY solar power projects that you can do around your home to save money and create a positive impact on the environment.
Maybe you enjoy being handy, or maybe you're just looking for ways to save money now and in years to come. The solar energy information highlighted here will give you some helpful tips for getting started and great ideas for do-it-yourself projects.
Why Consider DIY Solar Projects?
The benefits of DIY solar projects are multi-faceted but easy to see.
-Return on initial investment in three years rather than 10-15.
-Less damage to environment
-The sun provides an endless source of energy.
-Saves money
-Save on electricity costs and will use less of it overall.
-You can add solar amenities at your convenience.
-Store excess energy to use when needed or sell back to utility company.
-Tools required are basic.
-Quality information often offered for free.
Drawbacks to DIY Solar Projects
The two major objections most often spoken in reference to DIY solar power projects are:
Initial cost of materials - can be expensive for some, even if you're doing it yourself
No sunlight = no power for the home. It's true, cloudy days and rainy days are not ideal conditions for using the sun's energy to power your home. The good news is that there are backup systems available to stand in the gap and provide power for your home even on those "no sun" days.
Easy DIY Projects Using Solar Energy
What projects can you take on yourself without a ton of knowledge? There are hundreds actually, but we'll list some of the easiest ones here to get you thinking. You'll quickly realize that solar power is well within your reach if you simply know how to begin.
-Solar Stills - Produce purer water for cooking and drinking.
-Solar fans - for cooling the attic space so that your AC unit doesn't require as much energy to run (it will run less often)
-Solar panels - build your own to place on the roof, on a pole, or on ground level to capture sunlight and power your home
-Solarize your home by adding passive solar elements.
-Solar water heaters
-Solar powered outdoor lights
-Solar water pumps
-Wind turbine
-Solar wood drying kiln
-Solar battery charger
-Solar oven
-Solar pool heater
Lower Your Homes' Energy Requirements
You can also make an impact on how efficiently your home utilizes solar energy by doing the following:
-Install Energy Star energy saving appliances into your home to help reduce your overall energy requirements.
-Use fluorescent and compact fluorescent lights to reduce electricity needs.
-Install skylights if possible to take advantage of natural daylight.
-Opt for waterless toilets, composting toilets, or toilets that require less water to operate.
-Learn landscaping techniques that reduce your energy requirements.
-Properly insulate your attic.
-Insulate your windows and doors efficiently.
How To Get Started With DIY Solar Power
First, you must figure out and understand how much power your home requires and how much energy you need to generate. Once you have this knowledge, you can figure out how many solar panels you'll need to build in order to generate your minimum energy levels.
Seek out your local zoning board and request a permit to install solar panels on or around your home. You'll also want to contact your local power company to obtain permission to connect your solar panels to the grid.
Obtain a good manual with detailed instructions on how to build your own solar panels or any other beginner's solar project so you know you have a good blueprint.
Make a list of the items you'll need to complete each project and estimate the cost of the project before launching it.
You'll be using free energy from the sun in no time!
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
Hi, can anyone give me more information on diy solar power and other alternative power sources?
I stay in an informal settlement and we don't have any electicity so I am looking for alternatives-
ANSWER:
What about bicycle power? I myself have been looking into creating a bike powered alternative, because i just stayed at a camp where they had that very thing and they powered a whole music stage with it! Iv found plans online for how to make your own and it doesnt look that hard. Me and my friends are going to be attempting to make one. I shall try and give you the links for some of the places i was looking...
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QUESTION:
DIY solar power in house?
Need ideas for solar power and other natural uses of energy for adding to my old farmhouse..CHEAP WAYS-
ANSWER:
If the old building isn't well insulated, get the thickest insulation you can buy. Not only will it be cheap, it will pay you back after the first couple years.If you're actually on a lot of land, consider mowing the fields and piling all the debris in one place to compost, then extracting heat from the compost pile to heat a room in your house.
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QUESTION:
How to build a DIY LED lamp running on solar power?
at school im making a lamp which is done but now i need to make it run on solar power. It needs a solar panel, rechargable battery, and LED bulb but i dont no wat type or voltage etc..do i need resistors and if i do wat type? and also wat type of wiring do i need to use
help would b much appreciated-
ANSWER:
The easiest way to power a lightbulb with a solar panel is to keep everything at DC voltage. Get a 12V solar panel, a 12V battery, and a 12V lightbulb. I'm trying to put together an inexpensive solution below.This LED bulb will plug into a regular light socket, just make sure you do NOT plug it into a wall outlet. AC will blow it up. It uses less than 2W at 12VDC. http://www.altestore.com/store/Lighting-Fans/LED-Lamps-Fixtures/DC-12V-or-24V-LED-Bulbs-and-Fixtures/LED-FLOOD-w-QTY-18-WHITE-LEDS-12-VDC/p4488/
This battery will power the lightbulb for about 20 hours. http://www.altestore.com/store/Deep-Cycle-Batteries/Batteries-Sealed-Agm/Universal-Ub1280-12V-8Ah20Hr-Sealed-Agm-Battery/p2003/
This solar panel will charge up the battery. Note that because the panel is a smaller wattage than the lightbulb, you will need to have it in the sun charging the battery longer than the time the lightbulb is running. For example, to create enough electricity to run the light for 2 hours, you may need to have the panel charge the battery for 4 hours. To charge it faster, you'd need a bigger, more expensive panel. http://www.altestore.com/store/Solar-Panels/1-to-50-Watt-Solar-Panels/Kyocera-12W-12V-Mini-Solar-Panel/p718/
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QUESTION:
DIY minor Solar Power experiments?
Is there any way I can make a minor solar powered project? Something small enough to just work or is it overall just way too expensive even at a "home project" level? Something small like to charge 1 battery or something... nothing on a huge scale.-
ANSWER:
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