Build Own Solar Panel

How much does it cost?

Is it hard to install?

What is the best kind?

How big do the panels and the generator need to be to energize a whole home? Or do people only use solar for some energy? If so how much?

I live in the midwest and dont get all that much sun. Will they still work on overcast days? Basically will I get enough energy in the midwest or is this just for AZ and CA?

From what I understand you get a solar panel and put it on your roof and then you also need a generator that stores the energy that the panels produce? If there are any other tips or advice or technologies that I am not thinking of please tell me.

There are 2 ways of installing solar, you can stay on the grid and get a system that will reduce your bill, that’s what I did. Or you can go off the grid, you will need a much larger system and you will need a bank of batteries to store the energy for when the sun isn’t shining.

I can tell you that the system I had installed cost $26K, but I got a rebate from my utility of $10K and a fed tax credit of $2K. If you install a system now you will get a fed tax rebate equal to 30% of the installed costs. I have a 2000 sf tri level home and my system generates over 75% of my summer usage and over 50% of my winter usage. That is a savings of over $2K per year. I should break even in 6-7 years, it would have been more like 10 without the rebate. My utility lets my meter run backwards so they are buying back all the energy I produce but don’t use. I’ve only had one day that I didn’t really generate any electricity, so even on cloudy or overcast days I get some sun on my panels, it only needs the light so it temperature doesn’t matter.

The best thing to do to see what type of system may be right for you and what results you can expect is to have a local licensed contractor come out and give you a no cost, no obligation quote. Your specific site will determine your results. My roof isn’t at the best angle, but I’m still getting better results than the contractor quoted me.

My home is 10,200sq.ft. and I was wondering if solar panels really are energy efficient, can lower your energy bill or if you can sell some power back to electric company because of the solar panels.
I have found some good and bad things about panels so I wanted to know if they are good or bad?

it depends on what you want. Heating water or electricity. It also depends on whether your home is ideally situated - not all of them are. Email me for more help if you like.

I have heard solar PV panels cost $ 75,000.00 to save about $ 2,200.00 per year and only last 20 to 24 years and need replacement. To finance that cost $ 123,000.00 over 24 years at 4.6 intrest.This sounds like a financial disaster. Any thoughts…
If I spend 75k on panels I will save a lot more than $ 2,200.00 per year? The cheap quotes out there dont seem to exist around the mid west. There is much info rate life span at 24 yrs. and losing effectiveness as they age.

As single home solution might not be cost efficient when you try to use the energy "1:1" in your home.

The concept is to use an array of solar panels on roofs and feed the energy into the grid.

Here is an article from CNN from today which shows how it is done in CA,
the article mentions companies which are active.

In NJ the concept is that solar panels are installed on roofs of buildings (schools, warehouses, private homes), the energy goes into the grid. There are different concepts: you buy everything and sell the electricity or companies "lease" your roof and pay you a certain amount.

The advantages of this is that the oil and gasoline prices do not contain the real cost, in economics this is called "externalized" meaning: you push the costs of the problems to somebody else.

I have seen DIY software which explains everything for novices. Specifically, how to build your own solar panels and tie them into your home electrical system for about $100 in parts.

Has anyone tried doing this? Was it easy?

The local codes in most areas in the US won’t allow you to install a homemade solar panel on your house, it needs to be UL listed. Don’t believe all of those bogus sites that promise you can power your house for $200, you can’t. Also, besides the solar panel, you also need an approved inverter to convert the DC power from the solar panels to AC that your appliances need.

Factory built solar panels are generally guarantied for 20 - 25 years, with a life expectancy of twice that. You will never get that life from a homemade panel.

To save money on a solar installation, you may be able to install at least part of it yourself, but the equipment needs to be UL listed or equivalent.

You can see an example of a very small grid-tied electric system here. You can see that the solar panel is just one component. http://www.altestore.com/store/Kits-and-Package-Deals/Grid-Tied-Systems/Alt-E-Designed-Grid-Tie-Packages/AltE-Grid-Tied-Package-Micro1/p5642/ The output of this system will be very small, but it is a staring point.

You should consider solar water heating as a way to save on your energy bills. Heating your water accounts for about 25% of your energy use. If you can cut that by 75%, you will save a lot of money. Depending on where you are and how many are in your household, it may cost about $5000 for a do-it-yourself installation. There are tax incentives available that could potentially pay for as much as half of the system. These systems can pay for them selves in as little as 4 - 5 years.

are solar panels for your home worth it? they seem really expensive. does it pay off? please include your source.

Yes, per Forbes.

Home depot has solar panels but they are so expensive? were is the best place to get them?

Technology needs to pay for itself, in other words people have put a lot of money into clean energy alternatives and they need to make that money back. Solar is becoming more affordable than it used to be, and its also more efficient than it was 30 years ago.

Our current energy sources are highly subsidized by the government. If you were to go to Canada or Europe, their energy prices are closer to the world market price, which means that they pay a lot more than we do for their energy.

You should check into tax credits you may be able to receive after you buy some kind of alternative energy source. For example, where I live (MT), if you put $5000 into solar panels, in about 2 years they will pay for themselves. This is because, number one, you save money on your electricity bill, and number two, tax credits, some states give pretty generous tax credits for clean energy alternatives. The catch for that is that you either have to put the money up front.

Some alternative energy companies are also starting to let you make payments (like rent to own sort of thing).

If you have a professional installer (someone who is certified), they are more likely to guarantee their work, so if there is some maintenance, then they would have to fix their mistakes or charge a nominal fee for routine maintenance.

You may want to check out realgoodssolar.com

Good luck!

have them on your home. my house is about 1700 square feet. About how much would it coast me to go completely solar? i have ac, water heater, couple of televisions,refrigerator and all that good stuff.

We looked into that about 6 yrs ago when we built our home. The cost was astronomical. If I recall, something in the order of $90,000 for our 2200 sq ft ranch to go 80% off-the-grid.

I like the idea of ‘going green’, but "green" often costs double, or even triple. You won’t be "saving money" for at least 30+ years, and that’s only if the costs of the panels remains stable. I would hope they would have declined by now, but they haven’t moved much in the last 10 years.

I read a report in Scientific American about a year or so ago that suggested the cost to produce panels now is less then $500 per panel. So why the 1000+% markup? Answer: Because it’s "green".

And can it be done without ruining the outside appearance of your house? All the solar homes I see are covered with funky panels, and it looks like a mess.

How much $$ would someone need to dish out for a transformation like that?

They run plumbing all through the walls to pump water through to warm the floors and keep plumbing all insulated…
The lighting comes from the sun through special glass panes that filter warmth into the house…
It keeps everything warm in winter…
As for summer, the same windows are covered to keep the house cool and the plumbing is controlled by electronics to keep it cool…
I have seen the builders put in these big boxes that convert all your wires and plumbing to meet the needs of the house…
They have all kinds of buttons on them for setting special heat and cooling in different rooms…
It looks like you need a degree in electronics to learn to use them…
I am sure though I could never afford them and they would not work in my house because I have a manufactured home that does not have thick walls or strong exterior…
My house is all wood…

I came accross a new, proven and tested home made wind power system and solar power system which eliminates our electricity bills. It was written by a Renewable energy enthusiasts Michael Harvey the diy called Earth4energy. You can get your copy to save energy and help environment while eliminating your power bills. Get it from here:
http://buildyourownhomeenergy.blogspot.com/

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