Archive for the "Solar Panels" Category

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Solar Panel Guides are a Scam

I imply (and actually even say) many times on this website that it is easy to make solar panels. What I think would be more accurate to say is “If you are a green enthusiast, love new challenges, think do-it-yourself projects are fun and don’t mind rolling your sleeves up and applying a little elbow grease, it is easy to make solar panels.” In this article discover reasons why you may think it is not easy to build solar panels.

The Worst DIY Solar Panel Article on the Internet

Not all information available on the internet regarding building solar panels is accurate, or safe. Take for instance this highly popular and highly incorrect article at eHow articles. It ranks #3 in Google, and yet not even one single point raised by this eHow article is accurate. My article dissects this eHow post point-by-point.

Information on Solar Irrigation Pumps

There are several options when it comes to irrigating your garden or farmlands. Is a solar irrigation water pump right for your situation? Read this article and discover the options you have. Watering livestock and your fields or vineyards with a solar powered irrigation pump is the best long-term solution for your water pumping needs. Compares solar pumping to conventional hand pumps, diesel generators and other types of water pumping available today.

Have Your Cake and Eat it Too – Random Thoughts on Net Metering

Have your cake and eat it too? The cake is homemade solar panels. The eating is net metering. Can you have both at the same time? (Net metering is feeding power into your local power company power grid as storage or to receive compensation if you produce more than you consume). The problem is not qualifying for net metering with homemade solar panels — is there a solution that will allow net metering and a homemade solar panel installation?

Solar Panels are like the Energizer Bunny, They Keep Going and Going

The concept of “how long should a solar panel last” has not had enough time to prove itself yet. Many people have the notion that a solar panel will last approximately 25 years — as this is how long manufacturers warranty them for. In calculating the costs of solar panels, many people guesstimate 25 years and even say by 25 years it will only produce at 80% capacity. Read this article and you will find — they may last a bit longer!

Michael Raines Solar Panel Installer

Michael Raines is an actor on the Discovery Channel show “The Colony”. The premise of the show is surviving after a biological apocalypse. He brings his alternative energy expertise to the show. In real life, he is a solar panel installer. He has a cool website where he has a custom 7 kilowatt electric bike and a homemade grid-tied plug n play outlet inverter solar panel. This article is about his solar panel. Are grid-tied plug and play outlet inverters a good idea?

Top 5 Guilty Tear Jerking Reasons to Go Solar

KAB (Keep America Beautiful) ran a campaign in the 70s, designed to pull on your heartstrings and convince people to stop pollution by making them feel super guilty. It is widely recognized as the most effective public service announcement (PSA) of all time. In tribute to this ad — I put together the top 5 tear-jerking guilty reasons you should switch off foreign oil and on to clean and renewable solar energy!

Being Practical about Solar Panel Applications

Being practical about solar panel installations — not every installation will serve every purpose. If you have a homemade solar panel installation, chances are it will not qualify for net metering with your utility company. The solution is to add batteries, but this elevates the real cost of homemade solar panels to way above $1 per watt. Read this article to learn more about the real costs of a homemade solar panel installation, and ways to reduce the costs.

Solar Micro Inverter vs Conventional Solar Inverters

AC/DC, a heavy metal band, or an energy conversion challenge for your solar panel installation? Solar panels produce DC (direct current) which needs to be converted to AC (alternating current) before you can use it to power your household items. To convert the energy, you need an inverter. There are two options — traditional inverters convert all the power from your alternative energy sources at one source. Micro inverters convert to AC at the panel itself. Which is better?

How to Buy Cheap Solar Cells

Most solar panel guides recommend buying solar cells off ebay to make a cheap solar panel yourself. Learn more about what you are looking for — this article outlines different types of solar cells you can buy off ebay and how cost effective they are per watt. This article shows you how less-than-$1 per watt solar panels are within your reach. Updated for Fall, 2010.