DIY Solar Panel Guide – How to Reduce the Size of Your Solar Panel Array
2 min read
So you want to build a solar panel? Good for you. As a DIY endeavor, making your own solar panel is becoming more and more popular. And, if you do it right, you can save as much as a third of the cost of buying a commercially available system.
Solar panels have been around since the 1940s, but it is only in recent years that they have become an economical alternative to powering your home from the electric grid. The parts and materials needed to build a solar panel are more accessible than ever. And whether you want to build one to reduce your energy bills, to create a source of green energy for your home, or because you don’t have access to the electricity grid, it’s a worthwhile project to take on.
The size of your solar panel array will determine the amount of power it can provide you with. And while you can store collected electricity using cells or batteries so that you can benefit from your free energy even at night, you shouldn’t expect to have an unlimited supply at your fingertips as you might if you were on the grid. You can however, massively reduce you reliance on bought electricity.
Some DIY Solar Panel Guides suggest saving even more money by building your solar panels from broken or discarded solar cells. It is possible to do this, but you want to ensure that you don’t have to piece together too many broken cells as the additional wiring involved can dramatically reduce the power output of your panel. The fewer solar panels you can use to get the output Wattage you need, the better.
Anything you can do to lower the energy consumption of your home will also reduce the power output you will need from your solar energy system. For example, by upgrading the insulation of your home or by installing a solar heating system, you can further reduce your reliance on electricity and get away with building a smaller solar panel array.
A good DIY Solar Panel Guide will walk you through the potential minefield and ensure that you end up with a reliable and efficient solar energy system you can be proud of.
