Don’t rely on a collector’s and the piping’s (collector loop’s) insulation to keep them from freezing. The main purpose of the insulation is to reduce heat loss and increase performance. For protecting the collector and piping from damage due to freezing temperatures, you basically have two options:

• Use an antifreeze solution as the heat-transfer fluid.
• Drain the collector(s) and piping (collector loop), either manually or automatically, when there’s a chance the temperature might drop below the liquid’s freezing point.

Source: EERE, US Department of Energy

Power towers have also shown their efficiency in demonstration projects and one is in commercial operation in Spain, but they are not yet in use commercially in the United States. A power tower system uses a large field of reflectors to concentrate the sun’s energy onto the top of a tower, where it heats a receiver filled with a heat-exchange fluid, such as oil. The heated fluid is then used to generate electricity in a conventional steam generator. Systems using molten salt as the heat-exchange fluid retain heat very efficiently, enabling them to produce electricity up to three hours after the sun has set.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy

The savings on your electric bill can save you up to 100% of your bill if you get a large enough system. If you build a system that is bigger than you use, you can sell the power back to the electric company for a little bit of profit. This might vary state to state but most states are required to buy your power at market price.

The other plus of solar power is that you save the environment by using the natural power of the sun. If enough people use this way of power, we will all save a lot of money and cut down on carbon, and other emissions pumped into the air by power generation. So help yourself and the earth out and go green. Thank you and use solar power today.

Passive solar design can also help reduce your cooling costs. Passive solar cooling techniques include carefully designed overhangs, windows with reflective coatings, and reflective coatings on exterior walls and the roof.

A passive solar house requires careful design and site orientation, which depend on the local climate. So, if you are considering passive solar design for new construction or a major remodeling, you should consult an architect familiar with passive solar techniques.

Solar Tips

• Keep all south-facing glass clean.
• Make sure that objects do not block the sunlight shining on concrete slab floors or heat-absorbing walls.

Source: EERE, US Department of Energy

There are many positives that come with building a solar power system. These positives include, but are not limited to, saving a lot of money on your power bills and helping out the environment. It’s therefore not a big surprise to discover more and more people are starting to produce their own Do it yourself (DIY) Solar Power Systems.

Building your own DIY Solar Power system is a simple and straight forward process, you don’t need to be an expert or have an expert help you out, you just need a clear, easy to follow blueprint and you will have your own system built and producing energy in no time.

The following three steps are crucial in ensuring your homemade solar power project is a success:

1. Get a good guide: as mentioned above, putting together a diy solar power system is not the hardest tasks in the world, but you do need to make sure you have a good guide, set of plans, to work from. There are a large number of these guides, some not as impressive as others, I highly recommend that you choose one that comes with video as well as written instructions.
2. Materials: Once you have got a guide to work from you need to assemble all the materials listed in the guide. All of these materials will be readily available at most local hardware stores.
3. Follow the instructions: Probably the biggest mistake a lot of people make with diy projects is rushing the process and not paying enough attention to the instructions, take the time to read through and study your guide at least once before starting, it will make the whole process that much easier.

As I’ve emphasized in this article, making your own homemade solar power is a relatively easy process, best of all you get to enjoy the substantial financial benefits that come with saving hundreds if not thousands of dollars (depending on your usual consumption) annually of your power bill. In our household we estimate a 70% reduction off our traditional power bill, those sort of savings are substantial and I’m sure you would agree in any times, let alone the current economic ones we find ourselves in, this is a welcome and much needed relief.

So if you are interested in building your own diy solar power project and saving some money, what are you waiting for? Visit the following link for more information on homemade solar power.

As mentioned above there are some great homemade solar power guides and some not so great ones, to read a review of a side by side comparison of the best three available online, take a look at the following link DIY Solar Power kits Reviewed.

You might be able to handle some of the inspections and maintenance tasks on your own, but others may require a qualified technician.

For help finding a qualified technician, see the Learn More resources listed on the right side of this page (or below if you’ve printed out this page). Ask for a cost estimate in writing before having any work done. For some systems, it may be more cost effective to replace, shut off, or remove the solar system than to have it repaired.

Periodic Inspection List

Here are some suggested inspections of solar system components. Also read your owner’s manual for a suggested maintenance schedule.

• Collector shading

  Visually check for shading of the collectors during the day (mid-morning, noon, and mid-afternoon) on an annual basis. Shading can greatly affect the performance of solar collectors. Vegetation growth over time or new construction on your house or your neighbor’s property may produce shading that wasn’t there when the collectors were installed.

• Collector soiling

  Dusty or soiled collectors will perform poorly. Periodic cleaning may be necessary in dry, dusty climates.

• Collector glazing and seals

  Look for cracks in the collector glazing, and check to see if seals are in good condition. Plastic glazing, if excessively yellowed, may need to be replaced.

• Plumbing, ductwork, and wiring connections

  Look for fluid leaks at pipe connections. Check duct connections and seals. Ducts should be sealed with a mastic compound. All wiring connections should be tight.

• Piping, duct, and wiring insulation

  Look for damage or degradation of insulation covering pipes, ducts, and wiring.

• Roof penetrations

  Flashing and sealant around roof penetrations should be in good condition.

• Support structures

  Check all nuts and bolts attaching the collectors to any support structures for tightness.

• Pressure relief valve (on liquid solar heating collectors)

  Make sure the valve is not stuck open or closed.

• Dampers (in solar air heating systems)

  If possible, make sure the dampers open and close properly.

• Pumps or blowers

  Verify that distribution pumps or blowers (fans) are operating. Listen to see if they come on when the sun is shining on the collectors after mid-morning. If you can’t hear a pump or blower operating, then either the controller has malfunctioned or the pump or blower has.

• Heat transfer fluids

  Antifreeze solutions in liquid (hydronic) solar heating collectors need to be replaced periodically. It’s a task best left to a qualified technician. If water with a high mineral content (i.e., hard water) is circulated in the collectors, mineral buildup in the piping may need to be removed by adding a de-scaling or mild acidic solution to the water every few years.

• Storage systems

  Check storage tanks, etc., for cracks, leaks, rust, or other signs of corrosion.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy

How much money you save depends on the following:

* The amount of hot water you use
* Your system’s performance
* Your geographic location and solar resource
* Available financing and incentives
* The cost of conventional fuels (natural gas, oil, and electricity)
* The cost of the fuel you use for your backup water heating system, if you have one.

On average, if you install a solar water heater, your water heating bills should drop 50%–80%. Also, because the sun is free, you’re protected from future fuel shortages and price hikes.

If you’re building a new home or refinancing, the economics are even more attractive. Including the price of a solar water heater in a new 30-year mortgage usually amounts to between $13 and $20 per month. The federal income tax deduction for mortgage interest attributable to the solar system reduces that by about $3–$5 per month. So if your fuel savings are more than $15 per month, the solar investment is profitable immediately. On a monthly basis, you’re saving more than you’re paying.

Source: EERE, U.S. Department of Energy

A solar power inverter forms an important part of any home solar energy system which supplies enough electricity to get you off the grid.

The inverter converts direct current, which is produced by a solar panel, into alternating current.

There is also a charge controller, which can use excess power to charge your system’s battery, and provide energy without any waste.

In some cases, solar power might be your best solution, if you want to get your home running off the grid. It is also relatively simple to install, and doesn’t require a large quantity of parts and components, in order to produce electricity.

Each system is different, but generally speaking, all you need is:

Your wiringA battery to store electricity inA set of solar panelsA solar regulator or charge controller

Solar panels usually produce 12 to 24 volts DC. Some appliances can run on this power, but most home appliances require 110 or 220 volts AC.

This is where a solar power inverter is needed. It converts the direct current into alternating current.

What is direct current? Direct current, or DC, flows continuously in one direction, while alternating current changes in its direction of flow.

Alternating current (AC) is used because it is a type of electricity which can be carried over longer distances, with minimal energy loss . Oddly enough, however, most household appliances have built in devices which convert the AC into DC, in order to operate.

Various types of solar inverters can be found on the market currently. You might come across some which are pretty cheap. But keep in mind that these might be inferior in quality. Some inverters get warmer when in use – and that heat adds up to a loss of energy.

Different solar inverters use different “loads,” as well. The “load” is the amount of current or energy that the inverter can handle. For home use, you might want to get a solar inverter that can handle a couple of hundred watts, at any given time. These aren’t always cheap, but they will be worthwhile in the long run.

Possibly the best choice of solar inverter is the true sine wave. This type of inverter produces power identical to what you would receive from the main supply grid. When viewed on an oscilloscope, the waves are smooth.

If the true sine wave is beyond your budget, you might settle for a modified sine wave. This gives a lesser quality power than the true sine wave does, but is less expensive.

Getting Completely Off the Grid

If you are looking to get your home running off the grid completely, then get a “stand-alone power system inverter.” With this type of device, you plug the deep cycle batteries in – and it can be installed by virtually anyone.

You can also get a “mains grid inverter,” which draws power from your solar panels, and at the same time feeds excess energy back to the main grid. In some states, you can earn money back from the power companies when you produce excess power and feed it back to the grid.

Installing a Solar Power System in Your Home

When installing a partial or complete solar energy system into your home, there are generally two ways to go about it.

1.Hire a professional installation company to install your system

2.Do it yourself.

The least expensive choice is the latter – do-it-yourself.

There are many high-quality and popular do-it-yourself guides available, which will teach you how to install your own solar power or wind power system at home. These guides often include manuals, instructional videos, diagrams, and step-by-step instructions. For more information on these guides, please see DIY Solar Power.

You can find solar inverters and related solar power products at Solar Power Inverter.

About The Author

For more information on this subject, please visit DIY Solar Power.

http://www.findportablesolarpower.com

Contrary to general believe, assembling your solar panel is not as hard as it is made out to be and you do not need special technical skills. In fact, the components are easily bought from the local hardware store and the basic materials you need are very easily found toolkit items. The basic materials are namely plywood, salt, copper wire, sandpaper, metal scissors etc are very common and affordable.

Simply ensure that you have a rooftop which directly faces the sun and with extensive sunlight. Ensure that the angle and location where you place your homemade solar panels are in the position of capturing the optimal amount of sunlight. If you do not have a large sun facing rooftop, use your backyard or garden.

It is important to note that the solar panels absorb and collect the UV wavelengths of the sunlight for conversion into electricity. Hence, the cells are capable of collecting and storing energy, i.e. the UV wavelengths even in cloudy weather. The only difference is that in a sunny day, the solar panels work better and less hard.

At less than 200 dollars to build and install, your homemade solar power systems simply costs about 6 percent of a 3000 dollar professionally ready made panel. Not to mention that this is an initial setup cost will very quickly pay for itself almost in the first month of usage when the electricity cost savings you immediately gained more than off set the setup cost.

You will need a good guidebook for your homemade solar panels system which provides specific instructions and design diagrams. Make sure you choose one with member forums for discussion as well as step by step videos that walk you through the critical steps and you are good to go. If you think that this would be expensive, well think again, as this manual usually cost less than a good meal.

So start reducing your carbon footprint, start building your very own solar panels and Start cutting your utility bills by at least half.

About The Author

The benefits of using solar energy to power your home are well documented. While oil requires expensive exploration and holds consumers ransom by its fluctuating prices, sunlight for solar power is absolutely free. Sunlight is not only free to all, it is also a constantly renewable source of power and is an alternative clean natural fuel source by the gift of mother nature. Solar power comparatively is a better fuel source for us as it does not discharge harmful gases unlike oil. It is no wonder that many households have begun switching to solar power for homes as their key energy source.

In light of the escalating utility bills, many people either have problems paying their bills or drastically cutting back on usage in order to make ends meet. Adopting solar power by building your own solar panels to generate electricity is a proven effective solution to the above problem. And the best part of it is, you need not have to change your lifestyle or cut usage just to pay your bills.

High cost of purchase and installation of the solar panels used to be the key setback for solar power to take off. But this situation no longer poses as hindrance to solar power development, especially when building solar power for homes with the do it yourself approach. Guides and instruction manuals have become available online which provide specific instructions on how to build your own solar panels for home use. Some better ones even have step by step videos that walk you through the every critical stage as well as a member forum for discussion. The cost of components and materials do not even exceed 200 dollars if you so choose to build it yourself.

In this difficult economic downturn, especially when you are never sure if you will still be able to bring home your next pay check, a dime saved is a dime earned. And being self reliant on homemade solar power is a great start towards being liberated from high escalating costs. In fact, it has been tried and tested by feedback from existing users that those claims of 80 percent savings in utility bills are true.

About The Author

Tap on Free Renewable Energy, Half your electricity bills. Start to Build Your Own Solar Panels for Home today. Simply Visit http://www.SolarWindEnergyDIY.com for Your Solar Power Guide Review