| Many people are converting to solar power at home, | | | | soldering and screwing skills. |
| and skipping making the monthly bill payment to the | | | | 3. Try to get all materials on the cheap. The only way |
| Local Electric Company. There are many reasons | | | | to really make a solar conversion economically feasible |
| why people are converting to alternative energies. | | | | is to get the materials necessary at the lowest |
| Some to save money, some to reduce pollution, some | | | | available cost. Find out how to get used, discontinued |
| to reduce reliance on others to sustain the American | | | | or even free solar cells. Check available manuals or |
| lifestyle. Whatever the reason for converting, here are | | | | e-books which will instruct you how to do this. |
| five simple tips that can be really helpful for the person | | | | 4. Make sure you have approval from your town or |
| doing a do it yourself conventional home electric to | | | | city to install a solar power electric system, and that |
| solar power conversion. | | | | you follow all building codes. You do not want to do |
| 1. Make sure that you plan how many solar panels you | | | | work without approval, and then redo the work after a |
| will need to power your electronic equipment, lighting, | | | | visit from the building inspector. That is a waste of |
| heating, cooling, and ventilation systems. Many books | | | | time, materials and money! Make sure to do it right, and |
| and e-books will have guides to how much solar | | | | on code specs the first time. |
| power will be necessary to adequately power your | | | | 5. Have a licensed, experienced electrician do the final |
| home. Make sure before you do the conversion that | | | | installation, hook-up and wiring of the electrical system |
| you have planned in advance how many panels will be | | | | prior to going on line with the new solar power system. |
| necessary. | | | | This is a little complicated, could be dangerous, and |
| 2. To save money on the installation, plan on doing as | | | | generally beyond the realm of the average do it |
| much of the work yourself as possible. Much of the | | | | yourself-er. You don't want to burn down your home |
| work can be done by the average person with | | | | or get electrocuted just because you're trying to save |
| average do-it-yourself skills. For example, assembling | | | | a couple of thousand dollars a year. |
| the PV cells into solar panels is really a simple task that | | | | Following these five tips will help you install your new |
| anyone could do. All that is required is the ability to | | | | solar electric system professionally and for the least |
| follow simple directions, basic carpentry skills, gluing, | | | | cost. |