Solar Strength Home – Warnings Regarding Do it yourself Photo voltaic Panels
It you are keen to produce your possess Photo voltaic Power Home you may possibly nicely have considered Diy photo voltaic panels. Properly, although I applaud your want to have a photo voltaic power property, permit me warn you that you will not help save money by producing your personal photo voltaic panels. iconpower.com appear at why.
Value of a Do-it-yourself Solar Panel
Lets overlook the price of your time. Here is a listing of the supplies needed:
– Clear plexiglass or low iron photo voltaic glass 2ft x 4ft x 1/4in $34 or far more
– 3/4in 2ft x 4ft plywood panel $23
– Photo voltaic cell package (eBay) $119, comprising:
– fifty Photo voltaic cells each and every 3in x 6in, 1.75w, pre-tabbed
– 10ft tabbing wire and 10ft bus wire,
– Flux pen and solder
– Peg board 2 panels 2ft x 2ft $5
– Very clear silicone caulk/sealant $3
– Junction box $5
– Paint, stainless screws, wooden for frame $10
– Diodes $three
Complete expense $202. Take off $twenty for the ten extra photo voltaic cells that are not needed, offers a overall of $182 for the materials to make a sixty watt solar panel. This functions out at $3 for each watt.
Value of Factory Manufactured Panels
If you do a informal research on the World wide web, most solar panels function out at $5 – $seven.50 for each watt. But we ferreted all around and discovered a 120watt panel for $358 retail, equal to $two.ninety eight for each watt. There are also a quantity of wholesalers willing to offer direct to the community, and minimum order quantities can be as reduced as two panels. We located a 225watt photo voltaic panel wholesale for $549 (min order 2 panels), equivalent to $two.44 per watt.
Warnings & Risks of Do-it-yourself Photo voltaic Panels
Also, if you are considering about creating your personal photo voltaic panels to reduce the value of your photo voltaic power house, remember to be informed of the pursuing:
– In the US, you will NOT be allowed to link your home produced photo voltaic panels to the grid. If you want your photo voltaic energy home to be related to the grid, you need to use solar panels with UL certification. Several nations have related laws.
– Commercially made solar panels arrive with twenty five calendar year performance ensures. Do-it-yourself solar panels have no ensures and will possibly last just a few years at greatest.
– With any house made solar panel there is a danger of fire from poor high quality soldering. If your Do it yourself solar panel ignited and resulted in hearth injury to your house, your insurance policies company might be a tiny unwilling to pay out out for a hearth brought on by a photo voltaic panel that did not have UL certification.
– And the ultimate nail in the coffin of a residence created solar energy house: in the US, home made photo voltaic panels will NOT qualify for the substantial rebates and tax credits that are obtainable.
If you want solar panels for your photo voltaic energy home and want a method that is risk-free, dependable, qualifies for rebates and will really reduce your electricity payments, fail to remember Diy. Do-it-yourself can be a excellent introduction to understanding what it means to have a photo voltaic energy property, but it is not a practical alternative to factory made solar panels.
Make a Solar Panel as a Science or Diy Undertaking
Even so, if you want to make your possess photo voltaic panel as a science project, this can be fun, enjoyable and very fulfilling. On completion you will also have a photo voltaic panel you can present off to your buddies and some thing you could use to give light-weight for a property, shed or outbuilding.
If you want to make a photo voltaic panel as a science undertaking, contemplate getting a single of the “how too make solar panels” guides. Some of these are extremely good and do an superb occupation of demonstrating you (they have some very great videos) what to do, how to do it and when to do. Yes, a manual will incorporate $forty – $fifty to the price, but that could be cash extremely effectively spent, just never drop for all the marketing and advertising hype!
Conclusion
If you want a solar energy house and to reduce your electricity expenses, neglect the Do-it-yourself route. But, though you will not likely save income or minimize your electrical power monthly bill, producing a photo voltaic panel as component of a science project ought to be quite gratifying and academic. If you do not want to spend the $40 – $fifty for one of the Diy solar panel guides, there is a great deal of info on the World wide web. I wish each good results with your Photo voltaic Vitality House.