diy solar cell - How to build a solar panel at home

Do you want to save hundreds of dollars in your power bill?

Do you want to generate electricity using solar and wind power?

If your answer is YES, you should use solar power at your home to reduce electricity bill. Installation of solar panel used to be very costly but NOW you can do it yourself within your budget.

Michael Harvey, Renewable energy enthusiasts and creator of Earth4Energy.com developed a complete step-by-step fully illustrated manual(Earth4Energy) & easy to follow videos. Earth4Energy has been put to the test by thousands and - It Works!

Click here to read Frank story ( dated 10th Jan 2009) on how he build a 80 watt solar panel using an alloy frame within few weekends.

You can read other customers testimonials and feedback on Machael's earth4energy DIY kit to build your own solar generator.



Click here to visit earth4enery home page to know more benefits of having a solar panel at home.

Cost - $49 ( one time )

Pros and cons of solar energy

There are more of pros about solar energy than the cons. The positive aspects of solar energy have greatly overshadowed its negative aspects.

Pros of solar energy:
The solar energy is absolutely pollution free.
The most amazing thing about solar energy is that it is free and can be used unlimitedly.
Government gives financial incentives to help you pay for your solar system.
Solar power can be generated anywhere without the support of local electric supply. Hence solar power can be harnessed even in the remote areas.
Another great pro of solar energy is that it reduces the problem of finding the required space for solar panel placement, as they can be easily installed on the top of roof.

Cons of solar energy as against the pros:
The major con of solar energy is its initial installation cost. The prices of highly efficient solar cells can be above $1500.
Solar panels take up a lot of space. Not every space is viable for its installation.
Solar energy can only be used during daylight. This means that you won't be able to use solar power for the other half of the day unless you store it.
The competence of solar cells can be affected by bad weather.

Download earth4energy Manual by Michael Harvey to know more on how to build solar panel at home and save money.

How does solar power work?

Solar power is probably the most feasible form of energy which can be abundantly used in several forms to generate electricity. The fact that the solar energy can be used in various forms has amazed every individual. They constantly wonder how exactly the solar power works.
A solar panel or collector captures the power of the sunlight and transforms it into energy usually electricity or heat.

The most common method of energy conversion is through the use of photovoltaic technology which directly converts sunlight into electricity through the use of solar or PV cells. A solar panel is made up many smaller solar cells. When exposed to the sunlight, some electrons of the solar cells are found loose. These loose electrons create an electrical current which can be exploited for electrical needs.

A solar thermal collector does not need direct sunlight to work. However, they need to be positioned on the surface of the roof; in such a way that they should not have any form of shade around them at any time of the day. The solar power is not just used for powering. It can also be used to heat your water, your pool or even your central heating.

Download earth4energy Manual by Michael Harvey to know more on how to build solar panel at home and save money.

Solar energy systems

Solar energy was used as the only source of energy knowingly or unknowingly, ever since the existence of human beings. Nowadays, there are many forms of energy resources available that are used in daily life. But the un-affordability, lack of availability and environmental threats caused by their tremendous use has forced the human beings to exploit solar energy that is free, abundantly available and eco-friendly too.

The solar energy system is established with the aim to conduct thorough research activities in solar thermal application and to design and manufacture premium equipments that make solar energy useful to daily human life in all possibilities. It refers mainly to the use of solar radiation for realistic ends. All the renewable energies other than geothermal derive their energy from the sun. The technology used in solar energy systems capture, convert and distributes sunlight to produce energy. Solar hot water systems, solar pool heaters, solar home light system, solar distiller, solar crop drier, solar space heating and many more are a part of solar energy systems. These systems are very useful for the people residing in non-electric rural areas and during dependable emergency situations for important domestic, commercial and industrial applications.

Download earth4energy Manual by Michael Harvey to know more on how to build solar panel at home and save money.

Why is solar power better than other energy?

Why is solar power better than other energy?

Well, the fact that solar power has overcome all the problems related to traditional energy answers your question. The maximum use of solar power instead of other energy is proving the right choice for yourself and your family. Solar power is better than other energy due to many reasons.

Saving money: While installation of solar power is expensive, you'll be saving a lot of money on energy bills once you have set up a system. This is because the electricity produced by other means costs much higher than the electricity produced by solar power.

Ethical benefits: The reduced consumption of traditional energy has been beneficial in controlling the environmental pollution. Demand for more and more oil reserves will increase your dependency on other countries to supply it. This can cause economical conflict. The use of solar power has overcome this problem.

Traditional energy is not renewable: Once it's gone, it's gone! However, when you look for energy from the sun you can be sure about its availability. The sun shines every day and everywhere around the world.

Solar power is convenient to use: Many people think that solar power is actually more inconvenient than the traditional energy methods. The people would think so can make use of passive solar energy which involves the use of windows, building materials and floor plan design to maximise the use of sun in your home.

Download earth4energy Manual by Michael Harvey to know more on how to build solar panel at home and save money.

How does solar energy work?

How does solar energy work?
This is a common question that strikes every human being on the earth. Solar energy is a kind of renewable energy that comes in the form of heat from the sun. Today's modern technology has finally enabled the use of solar energy in many common devices such as solar powered calculators, solar water heaters, solar dryers, solar powered highway communication systems and many such devices that can be exposed to the sunlight and that use very low amount of electrical energy.

The solar energy can be direct, indirect, active or passive. But how the does it work?

The solar energy works with the help of a solar panel. There are two advances towards solar energy conversion. These are solar thermal and photovoltaic method. Solar thermal method uses energy from the sun directly to generate heat while the photovoltaic method directly transforms the sun's power into electricity.

The energy from the sun is captivated when the sun shines on the solar panels, causing a chemical reaction that generates electricity. The electricity generated by the photovoltaic method can be used to fulfill energy needs at homes, businesses and factories. The energy can also be stored in a battery to be used at night.

What are the benefits of using solar power?

Economic benefits of using solar power:
Solar power provides superior electricity at low cost. The average monthly bill for a solar home is often below than what a family pays for kerosene, batteries and candles. The second economic benefit is that it encourages small-enterprise development. Small shops and village markets can use the systems to provide lighting to operate during the evening. Apart from these benefits, solar powered countries create direct employment opportunities and also preserve foreign exchange.

Environmental benefits of using solar power:
The use of solar energy is an effective energy conservation programme for the Third World countries. Besides, it has reduced local air pollution, eliminated greenhouse gas emissions and reduced the need for a dry-cell battery disposal.

Educational benefits of using solar power in rural areas:
The use of solar power in rural areas has improved the literacy rates by providing high quality electric reading lights, which are better than kerosene or candle lighting. It has also increased the access to news and information in the remote areas where the traditional electricity has not reached the yet. Solar power coupled with wireless communication has made it possible to introduce wireless telephonic communication services in remote villages.

Download earth4energy Manual by Michael Harvey to know more on how to build solar panel at home and save money.

What is a solar power?

Solar power is the force which comes from the most powerful resource; the Sun. The solar rays hit the Earth, thus influencing the climate, weather and life on it. Even the tiny fraction of sunlight that touches the Earth is enough to meet the energy and power needs of the entire human population on earth. In fact, the sunlight that shines on the earth in just one hour can satisfy the world energy demand for an entire year. Solar power is sometimes used as a replacement for solar energy.

The solar power can be used in two different ways: as a heat source or as an energy source. The solar power in the form of heat has been used since ancient days. People have used sunlight for drying clothes and food since thousands of years. However, Sun in the form of energy or power is being used only recently. Solar power technology is used to capture energy from the sun in a variety of ways such as- Solar cells, solar water heaters, solar furnaces etc. Countries like India, UK, United States, Greece and Africa are increasingly utilising the powerful and never ending solar energy to generate electricity. Many people today, are interested in further developing renewable energy technologies, such as solar devices.

Download earth4energy Manual by Michael Harvey to know more on how to build solar panel at home and save money.

Do It Yourself Solar Power System for Your Home?

Evaluating a do it yourself solar power system on your home?

Imagine converting freely available solar power into electricity that can be used to power your home. The amount of electricity that will be generated depends on the number and wattage of the solar panels and the number of direct sun light the solar panels receive.

If the solar panels are producing more electricity that what is needed to run your home the excess solar power can be sold to the electric company. This is a great situation to be in, be selling electricity back to the utility district.

There are a few things that you need to consider before deciding on installing a solar power system on your house.

In order to recoup the initial investment you need to determine how long it will take. You don’t want to move out of the house before having recouped your investment.

Do you have a large enough space on your roof where the solar panels can be installed on that receives at least six hours of direct sun light each day? Solar cells work best in direct sunlight. If most of the south facing roof space is covered by nice large trees a photovoltaic system is not going to produce much electricity.

Pitch of your roof. Are you comfortable walking on your roof? Is it too steep for you? When installing a do it yourself solar power system you will be spending some time on the roof installing the solar panels and wiring them together. If you are not comfortable working on the roof for a day or two you might want to consider hiring someone to install the solar panels for you.

How to find do it yourself solar power retailers that you can work with. Start with the yellow pages and contact the local solar retailers in your area. Check out each retailer with the local BBB.

Another option is to search for solar retailer sites with the search phrase 'do it yourself solar power system'. Check out the result sites. Be sure to verify that the site is reputable and secure.
Before purchasing a do it yourself solar power system from a retailer be they local or online there are a few questions you should ask them. Will they help you determine the load of your home and size the solar power system to your home's electrical needs?

Will they allow you to review the installation instructions before purchasing the solar power system?
Do they offer telephone technical support?
How long is the warranty on the equipment?
Who do you contact for warranty work?
You are now ready to find the right retail outlet that will provide you with the best do it yourself solar power system and great customer service. Even if you decide not to install a solar power system yourself, consider hiring a local company that specializes in installing solar power systems in homes. It will be more expensive, but in the long run the cost savings will be well worth it.

Considering tackling DIY solar power project for your home? Try visiting http://www.homesolarpowerguide.com, a popular solar power facts website that offers tips, advise and resources including information on solar power generation, understanding residential solar power and home solar power.

How many solar cells are required to run my house?

How many solar cells are required to run my house?

The answer to this question depends on how much electricity is consumed by you, and whether you receive brighter sun rays where you live.


You might require a lot of solar cells to power your whole house. But the initial step to be taken, before you build your own solar panel, is to reduce your electricity consumption. You can reduce your electricity usage by using super efficient, long-lasting fluorescent light bulbs. Also replace your old fridge with a new one which will cost you some money, but much less than the solar energy you would need to run it. Reduce the use of heating and cooling systems which often carry the major electrical load in your home.

The next logical step would be to work out how much energy you could expect from a solar panel at your location. The average size of a solar system that completely powers the house is 2000 Watts. In order to make 2000 watts of power you might require solar panels that are about 24 feet long and 10 feet high. Although, the requirement of each house is different, a PV system installation would generate approximately 750 kW per year.

Download earth4energy Manual by Michael Harvey to know more on how to build solar panel at home and save money.

click here to know more on diy solar panel

How to build a solar battery charger?

In this article you will find the easiest way to build a solar battery charger. The project involves a simple procedure to make your own solar battery charger with the use of a small photovoltaic solar panel. However, some readily available components are required to build a solar battery charger. They are:
1of 4 * 2700 mah AA rechargeable batteries
1 of 6V 250ma solar panel
2 of 2AA battery holder with flying leads
1 of blocking diode
It should be remembered that building a solar battery charger does not need any soldering. As an alternative, terminal strips are used to make the connections and only a flat headed screwdriver is required to lock each wire/component in place. Initially all the four batteries are put into the battery holders and then the holders are wired together in sequence. The positive lead from one battery holder is connected to the negative from the other. All the other free wires are required for charging inputs. The circular end of the blocking diode is then connected to the positive battery input and the other end to the positive output from the solar panel. The negative output from the solar panel is connected directly to negative battery input. The solar panel has to be covered to measure the correct battery voltage as the voltage computed during the charging does not show the exact measure

How is solar energy used?

The sun's rays hit the surface of the Earth in the form of radiation which is known as solar energy. The solar energy works better where there is a lot of sunlight. The appliance of solar energy can be grouped into three primary classes: heating/cooling, electricity production and chemical processes. The solar energy is frequently used to provide electricity to pump water, for domestic lighting, street lighting and railway signals.

How is solar energy used seems like a mystery to some. Solar energy can be captured and used in several ways including photovoltaic cells, active solar energy, passive solar energy and solar thermal-electric technologies. The photovoltaic cells are semiconductor devices, which demonstrate electrical properties in the presence of sunlight. The active solar thermal systems are used to capture solar energy which in turn converts heat into air or water. These systems are usually used for space heating and water heating. Some buildings in the northern hemisphere are planned in such a way that they do not need a solar collector. The basic building materials like walls and floors are meant to absorb and store the sun's heat during the day and release the heat at night. The solar thermal electric technologies concentrate on solar energy from the sun to drive a generator or heat engine.
click here to know more on diy solar panel

How do solar panels work?

Solar panels collect solar radiation from the sun and transform that into electrical power. Solar panel includes several numbers of solar cells. The higher quality solar cells in a solar panel can produce more electrical output.
Solar panels depend upon the properties of silicon. Silicon, the second most abundant element on the earth, is accumulated beneath non-reflective glass to produce photovoltaic panels. One silicon atom can unite with another silicon atom to create a strong bond, sharing each other's electrons. Because the two silicon atoms exactly fill each other's capacity of eight, there is no positive or negative charge. Hence, in order to create electricity the silicon atom must be combined with the other element. The element containing three electrons, like boron can be joined with the silicon to produce a positive charge. These positive combinations and their differing charges are used to make solar panels.
The panel collects photons from the sun and actively converts them into electricity. The electricity generated from photons striking the surface of the solar panel allows electrons to be thrown out of their orbits and released. The power created then flows into an inverter. The inverter transforms the power into basic electrical power.

How to solar cells work?

Solar cells convert solar energy into electricity. They perform the conversion without moving parts, pollution radiation on maintenance. Solar cells convert one form of energy into another with the special properties of semiconductor materials. The conversion process slows down or stops completely when a cloud passes in front of the sun or when the sun goes down in the evening. The process is resumed only when the sunlight returns.

The semiconductors in solar cells are made from silicone which has properties of both metal and an insulator. The silicon makes most of the solar cell but some boron atoms are present throughout the cell and a very thin layer of phosphorus-doped silicon is created at the front surface of the cell. The permanent dislodgment of electrons creates a fixed electrostatic field just under the front face of the solar cell. This inner electrostatic field makes the solar cell work. At the atomic level, light is collected from energy particles called photons that flow from the sun and hit the solar cell. As each photon hit the silicon atom, it ionizes the atom by transmitting its energy to an outer electron, allowing it to break free of the atom. The energy of the photon is transformed into electron movement energy called electric current.

click here to know more on diy solar panel

How can solar power benefit the environment?

Along with its economic benefits solar power has also benefited the environment since almost 20 years. Some of the advantages are:

Renewable energy: The most leading advantage of solar power is that it can be renewed unlike other energy sources such as oil and fuel which cannot be renewed.

Reduced Pollution: Solar power is considered among the major environment friendly resources of energy. The solar cells do not emit harmful gases like carbon dioxide or nitrogen oxide, which are the key contributors to the formation of ground level ozone. Ozone aggravates respiratory problems which lead to increased urban pollution.

Acid rains reduction: Sulphur oxide and nitrogen oxide are the primary causes of acid rains. Acid rain damages lakes, streams, trees and forest soils. The risk of acid rain formation can be eliminated by using solar power. Produces clean electricity from the Sun: The electricity generated from solar power helps you to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions and reduce your national dependence on foreign oil.

Reduces global warming: Carbon dioxide along with other harmful gases causes global warming. This results in increased violent storms, decreased snowfall and rising sea levels. All these natural calamities can be controlled by using solar power as the only form of energy.

click here to know more on diy solar panel

Advantages of solar energy

Some of the advantages of solar energy are:
An alternative to traditional energy: Due to the global warming concerns and the unaffordable energy rates, solar energy is considered as one of the most efficient and affordable energy alternatives available today.
Pollution free: Solar energy is clean and sustainable which helps to protect our environment. It does not release carbon dioxide or other harmful gases into the atmosphere like many other traditional forms of energy do.
Unlimited energy resource: Solar energy is not a limited resource as fossil fuels are. It can be used constantly until the sun is up there.
Low maintenance rate: Solar energy systems are a practically maintenance free and will last for years. They operate silently and can easily be operated in future whenever your family needs it.
Saves your money: The installation of solar energy systems is a one-time investment. It does not require any fuel and is therefore not affected by the ever-increasing prices of fuel. You can also save money on your electricity bills if you have a solar energy system at home.
Beneficial for health and safety: The gases that ooze out from the use of traditional energy leads to respiratory disorders and impaired eyesight. Solar energy, especially stored for night-time use, conquers these problems.
click here to know more on diy solar panel

How To Build A Solar Panel

Solar Panel is a structure containing solar cells that captures sunlight and converts it into either electricity or heat. Using solar panel is getting more and more popular as they help you to cut down electricity costs .

How to build a solar panel?

Up until 2007, it was quite costly to install solar powered systems or wind turbines in your home. The only real way to harness the potential power these systems can generate was to hire a contractor which could cost any where from $2,000 up to $20,000 depending on the size of your house and how elaborate of a system was being installed. Click here to get step by step instructions on how to build solar panel system.

People, who are planning to build a solar panel, can make them with the help of easily available solar panel kits. These kits come with everything that you need to build your own solar panel from the comfort of your own home. Home-made or DIY solar panels involve recreating solar panels out of broken re-used solar cell pieces.

You need around 6 to 8 hours to build a solar panel at home and it generally costs less than $200. You cut your power bill by 80% using residential solar panel.

How To Build Panels

The cost of building your own solar panel is remarkably less than buying and installing big solar panels. The solar panel kits are fully equipped with specific parts and also contain step-by-step instructions on how to build solar panel. List of specific parts you would require for building solar panels are PV panels, Array DC disconnect, Charge controller, Deep cycle battery and an Inverter. It will take around 6 to 7 hours to make your own solar panel and you can start using home solar panels right away. Click here to get step by step instructions on how to build solar panel system.

People have started considering solar panel prices as an investment that actually pays for itself over time. So don’t just let it go off your mind. Get out there, buy solar panel kit and start making solar panels for home! The last thing to note is that this is something that you can do with your whole family. Make your home a solar powered home. It is not only going to save your money but bring you closer to your family and kids as they help you to make your lifestyle better.




Click here to know more on how to build residential solar panel.

Earth4energy is one of the most popular step-by-step solar panel building guides. Click here to get step by step instructions on how to build solar panel system.