It you are eager to produce your possess Photo voltaic Energy Residence you could properly have considered Do-it-yourself solar panels. Properly, whilst I applaud your desire to have a solar power home, enable me warn you that you will not conserve funds by creating your possess photo voltaic panels. Lets look at why.
Expense of a Do it yourself Photo voltaic Panel
Allows overlook the value of your time. Right here is a listing of the resources necessary:
– Distinct 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
– Solar cell package (eBay) $119, comprising:
– fifty Solar cells every 3in x 6in, 1.75w, pre-tabbed
– 10ft tabbing wire and 10ft bus wire,
– Flux pen and solder
– Peg board two panels 2ft x 2ft $5
– Distinct silicone caulk/sealant $three
– Junction box $5
– Paint, stainless screws, wooden for frame $ten
– Diodes $three
Complete expense $202. Just take off $20 for the 10 extra solar cells that are not essential, provides a total of $182 for the supplies to make a sixty watt solar panel. This functions out at $three for every watt.
Value of Factory Produced Panels
If you do a everyday look for on the Internet, most photo voltaic panels function out at $five – $seven.50 for every watt. But we ferreted all around and discovered a 120watt panel for $358 retail, equal to $two.ninety eight per watt. There are also a quantity of wholesalers inclined to market direct to the general public, and minimal buy quantities can be as lower as two panels. We found a 225watt photo voltaic panel wholesale for $549 (min order two panels), equal to $two.44 per watt.
Warnings & Hazards of Diy Photo voltaic Panels
Also, if you are considering about creating your very own solar panels to reduce the cost of your solar power residence, please be informed of the following:
– In the US, you will NOT be authorized to join your house manufactured photo voltaic panels to the grid. If you want your photo voltaic vitality home to be related to the grid, you must use photo voltaic panels with UL certification. Numerous nations have related restrictions.
– Commercially made solar panels appear with twenty five yr performance guarantees. Do-it-yourself photo voltaic panels have no assures and will possibly very last just a handful of several years at ideal.
– With any residence manufactured solar panel there is a threat of fireplace from very poor top quality soldering. If your Diy photo voltaic panel ignited and resulted in fireplace damage to your property, your insurance policies firm may well be a small reluctant to pay out out for a fire induced by a photo voltaic panel that did not have UL certification.
– And the ultimate nail in the coffin of a property created photo voltaic energy home: in the US, home made photo voltaic panels will NOT qualify for the significant rebates and tax credits that are offered.
If you want photo voltaic panels for your photo voltaic energy residence and want a program that is safe, trustworthy, qualifies for rebates and will truly lower your electricity bills, overlook Do it yourself. Do it yourself can be a fantastic introduction to knowing what it means to have a photo voltaic power home, but it is not a practical different to factory created photo voltaic panels.
Make a Photo voltaic Panel as a Science or Do it yourself Venture
Nonetheless, if you want to make your own solar panel as a science undertaking, this can be fun, gratifying and quite fulfilling. On completion you will also have a solar panel you can present off to your pals and one thing you could use to provide mild for a property, shed or outbuilding.
If you want to make a solar panel as a science project, take into account getting 1 of the “how way too make solar panels” guides. Icon Power of these are quite excellent and do an superb work of displaying you (they have some quite excellent films) what to do, how to do it and when to do. Of course, a guide will insert $forty – $50 to the value, but that could be money extremely properly expended, just do not drop for all the advertising hoopla!
Conclusion
If you want a photo voltaic power residence and to minimize your electrical power expenses, neglect the Do it yourself route. But, although you will not likely conserve income or minimize your electricity bill, generating a solar panel as portion of a science task ought to be extremely satisfying and academic. If you do not want to commit the $forty – $50 for one particular of the Do-it-yourself photo voltaic panel guides, there is a lot of info on the World wide web. I would like every success with your Photo voltaic Power Home.