Do It Yourself Solar For The Home

There are a number of interesting DIY projects where the entire family can gain knowledge on solar energy. As homeowner these projects can save you some money and it would be cool building them with the kids and they can be great learning tools. Creating usable applications to save energy by using solar energy is very simple to put into operation and most people dont understand that.

It can be great fun and everybody will enjoy building a sun cooker to slow cook dishes at a summer barbeque. The cooker can be constructed from a box lined with aluminum where the sides are sloped inwards. A piece of see thru plastic or class can be used to cover the open side of the box and this side must face the sun. Every Person including the neighbors will be amazed with the results from this low tech application of solar energy.

Another cool DIY project that positively will be huge fun to build is your own solar hot water system and this project will make a big impact on the utility bill. Copper pipes will be heated by constructed thermal panels, heating the water flowing thru these pipes. A small pump will then pump the warm water into a very well insulated tank and it can then be distributed to all the points the home. As an experiment one can construct a small unit before implementing it on a bigger scale. Successful units were even built from car radiators where the radiator was painted black and mounted inside a box that faced the sun at an angle of 30?.

Even on fairly overcast days the water will still be hot enough to supply the kitchen, laundry and showers with warm water.

A more efficient form of solar warm water system is the evacuated tube collection system and it is also easy to build and just right for the DIY enthusiast. Similar to the flat plate collector system but it has a vacuum tube with attached heat conductor. This guarantee that the warmth of the sun is captured more effectively. Water motion is comparable to the heat exchange system, it is more pricey but the energy can be stored and released more efficiently.

Photo voltaic technology is the climax in homemade solar for the home and are used in solar cells to produce electricity. This form of electricity production is green and environmentally friendly and any DIY person can successfully build a solar power system.

Solar cell technology has advanced a lot in the last decade and is now very efficient and suitable as an alternative energy source and the best of all they are now more reasonably priced. Prices have dropped 50 per sent in the previous decades and the new solar panels can generate electricity at much lower sunlight intensities and are extremely reliable.

A solar panel installation project can need a little technical know-how depending on the size of the project but on the up side it can supply your home with significant amount of electricity for the largest part of the year. To give you the experience and feel of solar electricity start small with just one or two panels you can always upscale the project to satisfy a larger demand.

You dont need to strengthen the structure or alter the look of your house to install solar panels. The solar panels must be installed in full sun so steer clear of shade and overhanging tree branches usually the roof of the house is the best spot. various people integrate solar panels into the blueprint of the house giving it a more ultramodern look and it also make a statement in terms of being green and saving the environment.

Mankind has used solar energy for thousands of years to dry fruit, meat and grains. Solar is not new we have just reinvented it. Good luck with your green energy projects and have fun.