Technorati Tags: solar powered home, wind solar power

You may be surprised to know that residential solar systems have been in use for quite awhile. They are certainly becoming much more common now as the prices are starting to drop and people are much more aware of the environmental impact of archaic fossil fuels and older methods of energy generation. Even with the prices dropping to between $10,000 and $50,000, the costs are still out of most people’s price range. The alternative? Many families have taken the initiative to learn how to set up their own residential solar systems for a fraction of the cost of a professional installation. So, what is involved in a DIY Solar Power installation? Read on.

First of all, before you dive right in and get started building your own solar panels, you should have a basic understanding of how solar power works. Things like evaluating your location for the best placement and angle of your panels and calculating how many panels and batteries you need should be your first steps. You can do a search on the Internet and find piles and piles of information, but some of it is conflicting and it is easy to get confused and bogged down in all the research. Your best bet is to just get one of the popular DIY Solar Guides that people are using to build their systems with. They have already done all the research for you so it will save you a lot of time, energy and frustration.

Next you will need to source your materials that you will need. Everything you need to build your residential solar system is available at your local hardware store. Make sure you aren’t spending a fortune on materials, there is no need to spend thousands on it, no matter what the hardware store clerk tries to tell you. The guide that I used uses common parts that cost less than $200 total to build the whole thing.

Now you will need to learn how to actually assemble the system. The only way to do this successfully and affordably on the first try is to follow the instructions in your DIY Solar Guide. Make sure that the guide you get covers everything you need, including how to store the power and how to implement net metering. You’ll want lots of illustrations and videos too, as that makes it much easier to follow along.

A good quality DIY Solar guide will explain all of this and more. Some even cover both residential solar systems as well as wind power systems.

Read our reviews of the top DIY Solar Guides and get starting on your own residential solar system today.

Technorati Tags: DIY Solar Guides, DIY Solar Power, residential solar systems

The size of your home means very little. You will need to look at your power bills for the last year or two and determine your average energy usage and your highest energy usage. Then you will need to determine how much direct sunlight your area gets. Another consideration is whether your roof faces true south or not. If it doesn’t, then solar panels are not going to work for you.

Once you have determined all of the above, you can begin to research solar installations, your options, local suppliers, costs, and wheter you are willing to do the work yourself or not. (A DIY Solar solution will save you thousands if you are willing to do it)

There are many sites that can help you with all of this research.

Determining Solar exposure (Canada): https://glfc.cfsnet.nfis.org/mapserver/pv/index.php
Determining Solar exposure (US): http://www.nrel.gov/gis/images/map_pv_national_letter.jpg
Determining optimal angle of the panels, how to build and install your own solar panels: http://www.solar-powered-home.com/solarpowerhomereviews.php

Discover how thousands of families are saving thousands of dollars in their own solar powered homes. To make sure you get the best DIY Solar Guide, check our DIY Solar guide Reviews and get started today!

Technorati Tags: DIY Solar Guide, How much solar panel do I need, solar powered homes