Solar Power For Homes
The great thing about solar power for homes is the many ways in which it can be utilized. From PV arrays (also known as solar panels) collecting sunlight for use throughout your home, to individual, stand-alone applications that cost you no money for daily operation. Solar energy is one of the best, most easily accessible, [...]
Having an Off-the-Grid Home: Understanding the Basics
If you are considering having an off-the-grid home, you really need to understand how your entire solar power system for your home works. It’s not very complicated, but you do need to understand the following 9 components of a complete solar power system for living in an off-the-grid home. The PV array is a collection [...]
Solar Grid-Tie Systems: The Best of Both Worlds
Do you want to start using solar power in your home but aren’t comfortable with unhooking from the electric utility and having an off-the-grid home? Then solar grid-tie systems are just what you’re looking for. A grid-tie system provides the benefit of generating and using your own solar power combined with the use of electricity [...]
Solar Net-Metering: How it Works
A great way to reduce your electric bill is to utilize solar net-metering. With solar energy net-metering, you “sell” any excess solar electricity back to your local utility. This is usually in the form of a credit. Your electric meter will literally run backwards when you are “selling” your electricity back. Then when you use [...]
Is DIY Solar Power Possible?
Is it really possible to have DIY solar power in your home? If you like do-it-yourself projects, then yes! Now what we’re talking about here is electrical power (photovoltaics), as opposed to solar water heaters and solar heat systems. Solar water heaters are also a great DIY solar project. Solar heat systems have best results [...]
Solar Pumps
What better way to power your pond or fountain than with a solar pump? Ponds and fountains are a great DIY project, but when it comes to the wiring of the pump for water circulation/waterfalls, most people must hire an electrician to run the wire from their house to the pond/fountain. But what if you [...]
Solar Chargers
There are all types of solar chargers on the market today. There are some chargers made for explicit purposes, such as recharging everyday household batteries to trickle charging car and marine batteries. Other chargers, known as universal chargers, are able to connect and charge different devices with mulitple interfaces. Solar Panel Battery Charger A solar [...]
Solar Lighting
Solar lighting is probably the easiest way to incorporate solar energy in your home. Many solar lighting products now utilize LEDs, which provides bright light while using very little electricity. This means that the solar lighting can use smaller batteries to hold a charge that can, in most cases, run the light from dusk to [...]
Stand-Alone Solar Power Products for Your Home
What is a stand-alone solar power product? It is a product that produces its own electricity for its own use. Unlike large PV arrays used to in solar power for homes, stand-alone solar power products usually have smaller PV panels and sometimes a small battery to store electricity for its own use at night or [...]
Benefits of Solar Power for Homes
There are many benefits of solar energy use in our homes. Financial Benefits of Solar Energy: The available amount of fossil fuels and the future price of the fuel is uncertain. If you use solar energy, oil prices won’t affect your household electricity. The trend has been an increase in electric rates, sometimes as much [...]