| Over the last couple of years solar power generators | | | | other required tools including a soldering iron that heats |
| have become more and more popular due to our hard | | | | up fast. You need be careful as the markets are full of |
| economical times. Thousands of solar power systems | | | | non-quality solar cells, the cheapest and most effective |
| are being installed domestically every day. Not only | | | | ones can be found online. Basically you won't be |
| people lower their energy bills but solar panels are also | | | | spending more than one hundred and fifty to two |
| safe for the environment. Read on if you're interested | | | | hundred dollars altogether. Imagine that a solar panel |
| in making your own solar panels that can drastically | | | | normally costs around $3000. (Last time I've checked |
| reduce your energy bills month after month. | | | | at my local power system supplier.) |
| Normally a ready made solar panel costs up to a few | | | | Depending on the size of your house and how much |
| thousands and I'm sure not everyone wants to make | | | | energy you need, you might want to make more than |
| such an investment. This is the reason why more and | | | | one solar panel. A charge controller will be required in |
| more people are deciding to build their own solar | | | | order to regulate the amount of energy that each |
| panels right in their own backyard. All the parts that | | | | panel sends into the charging batteries. For those that |
| you need to build a solar system don't cost you more | | | | don't know the batterie's life is being shortened when |
| than $200 dollars depending on where you buy the | | | | you over charge them and that's why a charge |
| parts from. (We've researched the Internet for a while | | | | controller is a 'must have'. |
| and noticed that the solar cells for example are the | | | | No matter how many solar panels you need to make, |
| cheapest to buy online -- as low as $1 per cell.) | | | | building them on your own will drastically reduce the |
| In fact the photovoltaic cell is the most important part | | | | costs comparing to what you would pay for a few |
| of the system. Each panel contains a set of solar cells | | | | ready-made ones. We're now building our fifth panel |
| that are wired up with copper in series. Even a 200 | | | | and so far we haven't spent more than nine hundred |
| watt solar panel produces enough energy to either | | | | dollars altogether. And if you're a bit lucky you might be |
| charge a battery for further use or to be converted | | | | able to get some of the materials at a local garage |
| directly into AC voltage for domestic use. | | | | sale. Even if it's hard to believe you can save more |
| If you decide to start building you own solar panels you | | | | than 80% on your energy bills each year by making |
| need to have all the required parts such as | | | | your own solar panels. |
| photovoltaic cells, copper wire, boards, glass and all the | | | | |