Your Solar Powered Home

Do you want to convert your homes into solar power homes for energy? That may be the wisest choice that you will ever do. Not only will you be able to save on electric bills, you will also be doing your part in saving the environment. More and more people are turning to the sun for a clean and steady source of energy. Many people think that this type of technology is expensive. In fact, there is a cheaper and easier solution to this dilemma.

Not so long ago, the idea of homeowners owning and maintaining their solar power generators was far-fetched and almost impossible. Previously, such technology is available and privy only to large organizations, both government and private with the know-how and capital. The public neither had the resources or the knowledge to tap on such technologies in the past.

But right now, thanks to people like Al Gore, the world is changing. More and more people are becoming aware that unless we do our part, the world will become a very hot and difficult place to live in – few of the many grave effects global warming can bring about. Everybody is now also mindful of the high cost of electricity. With the current global economic meltdown, everyone is feeling the pinch, forcing people to look for alternative ways to save money.

Currently, building your own solar panels for personal use is much easier and less costly compared to several years ago. The materials can be purchased through local hardware stores or through different sources on the Internet. Just set aside $200 dollars and you will be set to go. The materials you will need are the following: (1) small solar cells, (2) batteries and wiring, (3) DIY equipment, and (4) backing board.

The steps are quite easy and manageable. Attach the solar panels to the board. After that, you then wire it up and connect it to the batteries. And lastly, you take the panels to a sunny location. This is just a crash course; if you want something more elaborate and more efficient, you have to purchase a copy of renewable energy for home guide that. There are many different versions sold through online retailers.

Setting up such a power system may sound costly initially, but in the long run you will realize that it is the most sensible investment you ever made. Solar power homes are indeed the way of the future.

Tired of high electric bills? Discover how thousands of families are using homemade solar power systems to power their homes!

On our earth solar power is a source of primary energy and this form of energy is one which has been used forever and an example is hanging the clothes to dry outside as being one of the times that we use the energy from the sun. Food generated in plants comes from the solar light and then the animals eat the food. Solar power of all the energy sources is the cleanest and nearly all the earth’s natural processes come from this source. The sunlight is collected and then it is converted into electricity so this is called solar power.

How is solar energy generated?

Explosions happen called thermonuclear when helium atoms and hydrogen atoms are fused together and then huge bursts of energy are released. Some of this results in radiation which is a free energy source for the solar panels which are homemade. Electrical energy comes when these solar panels are converting this form of radiation which then can be stored in a battery form to be used later on.

Two ways to generate power

1. Direct-Using solar or photovoltaic cells PV the sunlight will be converted into electricity directly.

2. Indirect-Boiling water is an indirect way to use the suns energy so that the steam that is made moves the turbines and then these are used for indirectly providing power in CSP concentrating solar power.

Uses of solar power

Hand held calculators electronic equipment emergency road signs buoys remote solar-powered sensors and also lights in a parking lot. Some boats and experimental vehicles are using solar powered energy now too. One of the best is the solar panels which are placed outside buildings where the solar cell is continuously charged during the daylight so that at night the electricity is then free so that the streets are lit and providing security for everyone. Satellites are using solar panels where the solar cells are providing power for the electrical systems to operate on the satellites.

Science behind the generation of solar power

Solar panels is what is used to generate solar power as they have photovoltaic cells or the common name being solar cells and when they are arranged in a pattern on a grid surface they collect the energy. Silicon is one material used in solar cells and when the solar energy falls on these solar panels the energy generated knocks loose the electrons and then they can be free to flow. The current then is an electric field and the free electrons flow in that direction. Contacts of metal have to be put in place on the bottom and top of the solar cells to draw this current for use externally. The cell made from silicon known as the single-crystal is one solar cell to consider.

Properties of different chemicals are in silicon in the form of crystalline. There are 14 electrons in one atom of silicon and they are set in shells of 3 varieties. Two shells being the inner ones are joined to the nucleus and then are full as the outer shell has 4 electrons. Then there is an outer shell which is short 4 electrons and the silicon atom will be looking for ways to fill up that last shell. To complete the outer shell the 4 electrons will be shared with the near silicon atoms and this process forms a crystalline. This explains crystalline silicon but pure crystalline silicon is such a poor conductor as all the electrons are locked in.

In order to have the solar cells conduct more there are some impurities put into the silicon in order for the solar cells to work properly so these impurities help in this process. An atom of silicon has 5 electrons in its shell which is the outer one. Phosphorous is free and there is 1 electron in phosphorous so that when the silicon atom bonds with its neighbors the phosphorous is then freed. When the heat or energy is also added to this most of these electrons will then go free too so then there are many free carriers produced. This process which takes place when you add impurities is named doping and when the doping of phosphorous into the silicon atom takes place then and only then will the silicon which we will get is then called N for negative or N-type because of the free electrons domination which takes place.

The solar cell then has this N-type but to get another part of the silicon atom it is doped with some boron and this has 3 electrons instead of 4 in the outer shell of it in order to turn it into a P-type silicon. P is for positive where the other one was negative and this P-type actually has free holes. When you put the N-type and the P-type silicons together and the free electrons from the side of N so then this requires some place for the holes to fall into so the free holes on the P-type side and then they rush in to fill up the hole. This then completes the field of electricity which in turn makes our cells of solar power work.

Shawn Clifton is the Editor for Nix The Grid, a web site dedicated to affordable energy independence. To find out more and get your copy of the Alternative Energy Glossary, just visit http://www.NixTheGrid.com/ezine-articles.html and join the march yourself toward affordable energy independence.

There are a few ways to use the Sun’s energy to create home solar power systems. They can be categorized as passive and direct systems. Passive systems have been use for thousands of years and the inspiration behind such systems was probably the fact that our ancestors felt hot in the Sun. From this point they realized that the heat from the Sun can make water hot, cook food, dry clay bricks and countless other applications. Today there are systems that can passively heat the home living areas and the water used in the home. This article will not cover these topics but focus on the direct use of the Sun to create electricity for use in the home.

In terms of the use of solar energy, creating electricity from sunlight is a relatively new innovation. The technology needed to create electricity from sunlight was first developed to a commercially viable standard in the 1950′s. It is known as the photovoltaic (PV) cell. A PV cell is made of a silicon compound that reacts when photons from sunlight strike it. This reaction causes an electron from the silicon atom to be thrown loose. When a number of PV cells are linked together in a serial configuration, the electrons flow to a positive charge creating an electrical current.

A number of PV cells in a serial configuration is known as a solar module. When numerous solar modules are linked together in either a parallel or serial configuration they are known as a solar panel.

Solar panels are the devices that you may have seen on the roofs of houses in your neighborhood. They can be placed elsewhere, but the roof is often the most sensible place as it is likely to get exposed to direct sunlight and the panels can’t be damaged or vandalized as easily or take up room in the yard.

The solar panels create direct current (DC) electricity. This is often pushed through a power inverter. The inverter converts DC to alternating current (AC). AC is used in the home to power most appliances.

An electrical service panel or breaker box then distributes the AC to various electrical points in the house or to the lighting system. A utility meter manages your electricity usage if you are connected to the grid.

For instance, if it is during the day when the sunlight is at its strongest, most electricity will be produced. If this coincides with you being at work the chances are you won’t be using any of this solar generated power. Thus the meter may go backwards. This is effectively giving you credit for the electricity that you are creating with your home solar power system.

Your home solar power system can be connected to the grid as described above or it can be off grid. On the grid or grid tied (also known as a net metering system) is a way to make money with your solar panels. Many utility companies have their own set of rules governing this arrangement so you need to check with the company you are using beforehand. Many states have laws that dictate how the net metering system should work and what guidelines the companies should follow.

A true off grid system means you are not connected to a reliable power supply so you have the responsibility of creating your own energy. The primary source can be solar panels but there should always be a back up system in case you use more energy than you expected or the Sun doesn’t shine as much.

Many people will have a fuel powered generator for this purpose. People more interested in renewable power sources might go for a wind power generator or some other renewable system. Another aspect of an off the grid system is that DC needs to be stored in a battery bank for use at night or when the Sun is not shining. This is another responsibility and space has to be found on the property to securely house the batteries.

Most people start with a grid tied system as it is easier to use and there is less responsibility. As you gain more experience you may think about going off the grid. This form of home solar power system will save you money on monthly utility bills but more work to run and maintain.

Learn more about how do solar panels work and how a solar power AC inverter system works in a home solar power system at http://www.solarpowerappliances.com Adrian Whittle writes about using solar power and appliances that can utilize renewable energy sources.