Solar Power Electricity

Posts Tagged ‘installing solar panels’

It does not come as a great surprise that to save on electricity costs, few things are as popular and effective as installing solar panels.  If you really want to make a huge saving, you’ll have to build and install them yourself. If you have to pay someone to do it for you it will cost you thousands of dollars, as opposed to installing them yourself. Before you head up on the roof there are a few things you have to keep in mind.

1. Determine how many solar panels you have room for and how many you will need to supply your electrical needs. In most cases you won’t have the room for all the panels you’ll need to supply all your electrical needs. Most people will have to settle with a few panels which will save them money but not free them completely from the clutches of the utility company.

2. Find out where the rafters are so you can have a solid place to attach the panels. To do this all you need to do is use a stud finder.

3. Use a laser line or string to mark out the exact positioning of the panels and all the rafters.  Measure to determine how much room you’ll need for the number of panels you’ll be installing.

4. Drill the holes and attach the bolts to the rafters where you will be attaching the solar panels.

5. Attach the rails for the solar panels to the mounts using 3/8 inch bolts.

6. Attach the panels to the rails.  Make sure each one is securely attached.  Hook up the conduit from the solar panels to the converter.  Make sure everything is attached securely so it doesn’t come loose in a heavy wind.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to save money on your utility bills by taking full advantage of the energy of the sun. Installing solar panels is quite easy to do, all you need is some time, a few simple tools and a little bit of ingenuity.  That’s it and you can be on your way to huge savings before you know it.

If you have decided that it is time to lessen your carbon footprint and to save yourself some bucks by harnessing the power of the sun, you are no doubt wondering about the next big step: solar panel installation. The good news is that when it comes to finding the best place to install the panels you have several options.

Of course, we are all familiar with the panels being installed on the roof. This is the most common spot for two main reasons. One, it’s out of the way. The panels are less prone to damage on your roof, though they will still be exposed to extreme weather, they are protected from kids and pets. Two, the roof generally will offer the largest unobstructed area of sunlight. Obviously the more sun you get the more effective your home built panels will be.

When it comes to time to determine the best position for installing solar panels, make sure that the spot you choose is wide open. Check for trees, buildings, etc that may block the sunlight from your panel. Either trim the trees or find another location.

Also take the movement of the sun throughout the seasons into consideration. If you look out your window today to see how much sun your roof gets, remember that that will be different 3 months from now. Make sure that the area you choose will get good sunlight all year round, not just one season of the year.

If you decide that your roof is the best location you will need to make sure that it can carry the load of the panels. You will also want to use a stud finder to locate the rafters. Once you’ve done that you can attach the mounting brackets, slide in the rails and attach the panels. After that all you have to do is connect the panels to your converter and you’re good to go.

When you start on your project the first thing you’ll want to do is learn all you can about building a solar panel as well as solar panel installation. For that purpose you need to find a detailed manual or guide that will show you in simple to follow step by step instructions what you need to build and install your solar panels. It’s really not that hard and the money you’ll save will make it well worth the effort.