Homemade Solar Panals

[ztrjim]

Guide to homemade renewable energy solar panels

I am currently searching for way to make inexpensive solar panels. My goal is to power my 15x15 shed that will power lights, air compressor, maybe a small fridge and varies power tools. I didn't wanna get involved with running a power line in the ground because I have a gas main running through my back yard!

Please share with me here your thoughts and/or projects you make have done? Thanks in advance

 

[bcp]

From:
GreenDIYenergy.com

This DIY Guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of constructing 60- to 120- watt Solar Panels for under $200. You can easily do it for less than $100 if you do a little extra work in collecting materials.

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If you can make a 100 watt panel for $175, that will be $3150 (for only the panels) to provide the same watts as one 15 amp 120 volt outlet, while the sun is shining brightly. Looks like this free power would cost you about $4000+-.

Maybe a long extension cord instead?

Bruce


GreenDIYEnergy Scam Review: Sure Smells Like A Scam


From:
GreenDIYenergy or HomeMadeEnergy - Scam Review | Open4Energy

You cannot build your own solar cells anymore than you can make your own plasma TV. You can purchase the parts, but the silicon solar cells are most of the cost of the panel. You can wire up your own cells and mount them in a frame, but there is no way you are going to get anything for $150 that will be of much use. You would be lucky to put together a 10W system that could power a compact florescent bulb for about 6 hours a day.

 

[bumperm]

Besides the issues bcp addresses, a solar system with the capabilities you are looking for will be expensive due to the high peak power needed for the air compressor even though it's use would be intermittent. The lower, but more continuous load for the fridge will also need to be addressed. As an example, the absorbtion fridge used in most RV's will draw about 30 amps when running on 12 vdc, or 360 watts when it cyles on. The air compressor, even a smaller one that still operates on 110 VAC, would be over 1000 watts.

To make it happen when the sun don't shine due to darkness or clouds, you will need a bank of batteries charged by solar, and powering a suitably sized inverter to convert your DC power to AC, assuming you want to power 110 AC tools and such. To size the battery bank, a rule of thumb is one watt of solar for each amp hour of battery capacity. On my smaller 26' motorhome, I have 400 watts of solar, 4 golf cart batteries for 450 AH, and a 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter. That smallish system will run the microwave, but not the roof air conditioner. It would run a smaller air compressor, but not for long!

I'd locate that gas line, hand dig around it, and run power to the shed unless there's no other way.

 

[joecoin]

Put in an above ground propane tank. Run a generator as needed. Forget the refrigerator.(Although there are propane powered ones).

 

[Al Mac]

The other posts hit the nail on the head on solar limits and what can be run.
I expect that you will be using the building quit a bit with a fridge in the plan. Get the gas company to locate the gas line and put in underground power.

Don't put in a smaller line for today's usage. Make it large enough to handle the expansion of your growing tool collection you will have ( bigger beer fridge):drink:

Al

 

[Redneck in training]

Readymade solar panels cost about $0.80/W. That is price hard to beat by DIY. The biggest expense for 登ff grid is the inverter, charge controller and batteries. You will spend less money installing the cable than you will spend by building the "off grid" solar system. If you have the cable installed then you can add "grid tie" solar to lower or eliminate you electric bill. Roof mounted DIY solar can be installed for about $2/W before tax rebates. Federal tax rebate is 30% of the cost of the material, state rebates vary. We have installed large DIY solar system on our property so I can provide you with expertize I gained by doing so.

 

[TnAndy]

Even as recently as 2008 (when I bought my first panels), solar panels were in the $4/watt range. At that time, you "might" could have beaten the price of them building your own. You still couldn't (in my opinion, open for debate I guess) beat the quality of a factory made panel and build something that would last 25 years or more in outside weather conditions.

Today, you can buy first rate American made panels for under a dollar/watt, and Chinese made panels for under 75 cents/watt. There is simply NO WAY you can beat that price building your own. Can't be done. All those "build your own solar panel and save thousands" books out there are simply selling books/videos to people that know nothing about solar power.

To set up an off grid system (which is what you're talking about) to do what you want will cost you a minimum of $5,000. I set up just such a system for a buddy with an off grid cabin, and his ran more like 8k, because he put in a decent battery bank as well. Just as Redneck said, it's not JUST the panels....the other components you must buy have not come down in price, and batteries have gone UP in price. (nearly 30% more for the same batteries I bought in 2008).

Not to discourage you on solar, because I think it has it's place. I run an 11,000 watt system at my house that provides all our power. I've set up other systems for folks from 2,000 to 10,000w, both grid tied, and off grid.

But running a small system off grid is the most expensive way to go. People simply don't appreciate the amount of power it takes to "run a few lights/stuff in the barn or chicken house, or shed" and what a bargain grid power is.

Again, as Redneck said, you'd be better off to learn how to install your own grid tied system, and lower your electric bill. You can definitely beat solar company installed pricing (assuming you can do your own), and also eliminate components an off grid system must have (charge controllers, batteries, etc.) because you are grid tied.

As for your shed, figure out how to run an underground line. Hand dig it if you're that worried about the location of your gas line.....heck, Myrtle Beach is all sand anyway, right ?

 

[ESBkevin]

All the data in that renewable energy guide is lifted from a free website that the guy who actually did the panels made.

He also made a simple wind turbine, a charging system and a device for moving the panels into the sun (a work in progress ATM).

Here is a free link for those with the desire

How I built an electricity producing Solar Panel

There is a good FAQ worth reading/printing too if you are minded to have a go.

HTH

 

[newbury]

I've been researching this off and on for years. I've remote buildings I'd like to have power in and the biggest drawback to me is the cost of the batteries.
And the cost of replacing those batteries over time.

I've a 10x15 shed that needs lights, presently I string a cord across the lawn.

With the advent of the new Li battery packs and LED lights I'm thinking I might be able to rig up some LED lights to run off my DeWalt 20V 5AH battery packs. I use those for my "power tools" that I use in the shed.

But if you are trying to save $$ DIY off grid solar is real expensive.

 

[TnAndy]

With a few LED lights, you can certainly get by with a lot less power....and batteries.....but throw in refrigerator and air compressor, you're up to a fairly decent size system.

A 20v5amphr battery, for example, could run (assuming zero system loss) 100w for an hour, or 50w for 2hrs, and so on. You could run a couple of low watt LED for several hours. That is quite doable.