Who here has built their own Solar Panels?

[Boyd]

Curious cuz the more I read on them the more I think I can do this.. Cheaply and within my own skill set.

 

[Denim Deb]

I haven't, but am curious. How hard is it, and how cheap? Plus, where can you find info on it?

 

[savingdogs]

I'd love to hear what Sunsaver has to say on this......

 

[~gd]

You need to make clear what you mean by solar panels. The ones that collect HEAT from the sun are fairly simple. The ones that convert solar to electricy are more complex.

 

[Marianne]

I found a website a long time ago that shows how a guy made his electricity producing solar panels. He's got a link on his home page here for the panels:

http://www.mdpub.com/index.html

 

[Boyd]

System specifications for: Grand Blanc, MI
Utility: Consumers Energy Company

Solar Radiance:4.26 kWh/sq m/day Avg.
Monthly Usage:1,573 kWh/month
System Size:15.33 kW
Roof Size:1533 sq. ft.
Estimated Cost:$107,330.39
Post Incentive Cost:$-45,455.85

Going off the grid is discouraging..

 

[BarredBuff]

Gosh!!

 

[Marianne]

Those numbers don't reflect the entire picture though. The first thing we have to do is use less electricity to begin with and we all can afford to do that now. Leta, on our forum, had an audit done and her family of five uses 1/5 of one KW per day.

And like Pat and chickens said a long time ago, we don't have to go back to the stone age to do some of this stuff.

 

[Nifty]

Wow, who needs a 15 kw system!?!? IMO, that's crazy! We use a lot of electricity in my house, and our 4kw solar system pumps out more juice in the summer than we can use. I guess if you need to cover yourself in the winter to be off grid you'd need more, but I'd definitely find ways to do way less consuming than try to build a system that big. You'll have way too much power in the Summer... way more than you could ever use and store!

If I wasn't grid tied and wanted to be totally self sufficient, I'd put more money into conservation, especially during the winter and have a system that puts out just the amount of power we need and not too much more.

Details on my system and costs here: http://www.nifty-stuff.com/solar-panels-energy-part-1.php

 

[gordondi]

When it comes to pollution free future solar energy can be considered the best source of option that neither pollute the environment like thermal power plants and nor needs to have huge infrastructure like other energy plants.