DIY Solar Panels

.
Have you wondered whether these DIY solar panel kits we see advertised, largely via Google Adsense and Adwords, are legitimate? How can an instructional manual or videos provide the right tools to build solar panels, as a garage project over the weekend? These were my initial questions. I've also pondered that if crystalline silicon panels are still fairly expensive, how then on earth could you build solar panels that are of any quality with a DIY system, and do it very reasonably. It's not like we can compare building solar panels to running down to the hardware store and coming back to cram the front lawn with solar lights. Building solar panels would be a sizable project and one you would want to do well.

It's for all the above reasons I wanted to highlight for you a DIY solar instructional package that's worth looking into if you are interested in getting started with Solar power for your home and you enjoy DIY projects. Before I describe this program to you I want to make clear that many solar incentives or solar tax credits may not be available to you if you choose to do a DIY solar installation. Some incentives programs have a strict set of criteria, like using a certified Solar Installer, to qualify for the incentive. So make sure you get the scoop on DIY installations in your village, state, province, county, territory, ashram or kibbutz. Check things out with the permits office as well. Doing this preliminary information gathering will ensure you don't run into any surprises or zoning problems down the road.


Let me make it clear that we are not endorsing doing a DIY solar installation over getting a contractor to install a standard pv panel home system. DIY is not for everyone, but is a viable way to get started with solar for those so inclined. If you are seriously considering taking on this type of project we know it can be a challenge to get straight information about products online. Having said that if you don't like the product we are covering here simply get a refund. They have a 60 day money back guarantee and are registered with the BBB in the U.S. with a rating of A at the time of this post. All the other DIY instructional packages we've reviewed have no BBB registration and often didn't provide adequate contact information.

We won't be doing a comparison review here, telling you why we think this is such a great product against other similar products online. We simply would like to lay out the components in this DIY solar instructional package.



GreenDIYenergy is available to purchase online and includes a PDF manual and access to a video library providing hands on instructions for various stages of the building and installation of DIY solar panels. More specifically the manual contains key information on residential electrical systems and how to safely mount and connect one, two or ten solar panels into your home's existing electrical wiring. Solar panels create DC, or direct current electricity, which has to be converted to AC, alternating current, to power your home. This is the heart of any residential solar panel system and an essential topic covered in this material.

GreenDIYenergy has further included consumer information about solar incentives and tax credits for both U.S. and Canadian customers. There are some things you many qualify for. Also find step by steps of battery storage, electrical wiring plans that illustrate how to do the wiring, and discussion on the importance of getting permits prior to getting started. As a bonus at no extra cost, they're offering a DIY wind manual taking you through how to build and install a residential wind turbine.

They do provide a Technical Support Center. If you get stuck or think you might have done something backwards you can bring your questions to an interactive forum, post them and get an answer, or search related topics. They provide other resources for support as well. One thing about the package that we really liked is that it covers topics peripheral to residential solar that are integral to understanding how to get properly set up with a DIY residential solar system.

Some things to consider before going ahead with this are:

1. You may need to buy extra tools, like a soldering iron. You can alternately borrow tools from a friend or even possibly rent some tools or get something second hand.
2. If you are interested in buying this product but have questions, you can email info@GreenDIYenergy.com
3. We can't substantiate whether building DIY solar panels will be as cheap as they say it can be, because we don't live in the U.S. or other countries. We are touching on the subject of cost because many folks are struggling through the recession and we don't want to mislead anyone into buying something with false expectations around potential costs. Having said that, solar energy remains the best investment available that can meet family energy needs, improve the value of your home, prepare for future energy needs and provides an opportunity to create safe, clean energy replacing the damaging energy practices we rely on, that are harming the environment.
   
4. Safety, safety and then some more safety. Fully consider the safety of yourself and your family when undertaking electrical installation of solar panels. Never, never work alone when doing this project. Just holler at your neighbors to let them know what you doing if no one else is around. If your neighbor throws a shoe at you and tells you to shut up, then get someone you know to come over and help. Later you can instruct your neighbor on how much money you save with residential solar and wind energy. GreenDiyenergy talks about safety in their program.
5. Although this is the last point, it is the most important step preceding solar installation and we've put it last so that it sticks with you. Get a Home Energy Audit done. It will identify where your home leaks energy so that you can make improvements. Installing solar or solar/wind systems without doing an energy audit first is a lot like handing someone a large bucket of endless fresh water, but the bucket has holes that went undetected. What happens to all that beautiful fresh water? It winds up watering the sidewalk day in and day out.  A waste. You get the idea. Don't waste efforts installing a system if the energy will be wasted. We cover this topic if you'd like to read more about Home Energy Audits and the importance of creating an energy efficient home.
   

This link will take you to GreenDiyenergy.com to read more about their instructional materials, and provides several methods to purchase their package. We would enjoy getting feedback on the topic of DIY solar from our readers so feel free to use the feedback link to the right.