DIY solar pannels

[txchickster]

Has anyone here built their own solar panels? I know it is possible (its not like they sprout from the ground someone makes them) but I want to know if anyone has tried it. If so:

how did it go?
how much did it cost?
what book or system did you use for blue prints?
how much of your home does it run?

Also in line with this questioning is wind turbine.

I know people can make these at home and for cheaper than prefab (because like everything prefab means its been marked up) but I want to know how difficult it is truly to create a system like this and if the $ you saved doing it yourself was worth it.

[SolarGary]

Hi,
I've collected a few "how to"s on building panels here:
Solar Photovoltaic Projects

Some of them are pretty detailed and will give you an idea what's involved.

Bottom line (I think) is that except as a learning exercise its not worth it. Lots of work, questionable life, and not much (if any) cost saving with the cheaper panel prices these days.

Making solar thermal panels is a whole other story -- if you want to build, I'd think about a solar thermal collector.

Gary

[txchickster]

with the cheaper panel prices these days.

where are you finding cheaper panels. even the small ones I am finding that wont even power 25% of my home are in the thousands. If I was looking for just off the grid light in a chicken coop that would be different but I am looking for something to power my house, and wont cost me thousands up front, I am self sustaining on a budget.

I am looking into thermal solar but that seems to only be effective for heating water and that's not a large concern here.

[PD-Riverman]

Originally Posted by txchickster

where are you finding cheaper panels. even the small ones I am finding that wont even power 25% of my home are in the thousands. If I was looking for just off the grid light in a chicken coop that would be different but I am looking for something to power my house, and wont cost me thousands up front, I am self sustaining on a budget.

I am looking into thermal solar but that seems to only be effective for heating water and that's not a large concern here.

If you hand pump your water, cook over a wood stove, heat your water with the Sun or wood, "can" all your storage foods, use manual tools and kitchen items, Etc, Etc it will not cost you hardly anything to go off grid. If you got a $200 a month electric bill and you do not cut back it will cost You MEGA Bucks to go off grid. You can find solar panels for less than $1 per watt, even if you could build some a few cent cheaper---sealing and building them properly so they would last a long time would be hard for a handy man to do.

[TnAndy]

Originally Posted by txchickster

... I am looking for something to power my house, and wont cost me thousands up front...

You and EVERYBODY else.

Unfortunately, it doesn't exist.

The one big shock most folks new to alternative energy discover is what a true bargain they have in grid power.

And the hucksters running around the internet advertising you can "build your own in a weekend from parts from the local hardware store" are simply trying to bilk you out of money for a crappy book that won't do you a lick of good.

Google them.....see how many BBB complaints they have on refunds ( or rather LACK of refunds )....how many time their State has sued them for fraud, and so on.....

The bottom line is if you plan to produce much in the way of power ( like 500 kilowatt hours per month or more ), you are going to have to spend 15,000 bucks to do it, and that's IF you do all the labor yourself.

My system is a 6kw ( panel amount ) battery backup system and I have about $30,000 in it ( 20,000 after tax credits ) and it produces about 600kw/hrs/month....about 2/3 of the power we use monthly.

None of my solar panels are homemade....no way, no how would I consider building a panel, given today's prices are in the $1/watt range for almost any brand ( some are less ). I simply do not believe you can build a reliable, weather proof panel for less than you can buy panels today.....and you can't get UL listing for 'homemade' panels, meaning IF you plan to grid connect, and deal with electrical codes, you probably can't get by without UL listed panels.

As Gary says above, if you want to experiment with solar, or maybe even a small project or so, by all means, build your own. If you're dead serious about producing POWER, don't even go there.

Here's a website that keeps up with panel prices:

Free Solar Panel Price Survey | EcoBusinessLinks

[Jim-mi]

You and I can not weather seal a PV panel like it is done in a proper factory...
Moisture leads to corrosion and failure.
Many have tryed to build their own PV panels, . . .But as of yet I have NOT heard of any one claiming to have 'working panels 10 years old........

But . . . . building "your own" is an interesting hobby-lobby way to get involved with renewables.....

Rather than getting mad at us for telling you all this . .a very good starting point for you, is to do a gutsy assesment of 'your' electrical usage. your insulation, windows etc. etc. old inefficient appliances . . . . .
A much more efficient refrigerator is less $$$ than adding more PV panels to try and cover an energy Hog.....
Very nasty loads are dishwashers, electric dryers . .etc.

[txchickster]

Rather than getting mad at us for telling you all this

I'm not mad. I am looking for information and am curious about the possibilities out there. Just wondering how practical building your own is vs. buying systems that are marked up. I am not trying to upset anyone an I am sorry if I somehow offended you by asking questions.

Thank you for all of your responses

[Jim-mi]

Perhaps I should have worded it differently.
All to many times folks post here and they have a preconceived idea.......
And when they get response saying that their idea wont work . . . . . they get huffy / mad.
We were passing on the info that DIY PV panels are not, for the long run, a good idea...


Also you asked about wind.
I have installed many wind turbines on big towers....
I have seen many Utube home concocted units that frankly don't work for the long run.
Those home built *units* serve the purpose of getting the person into 'wind' . . . .But a big blow or big gust of wind would shatter most all the things I have seen.

Buying a unit from a reputable manufacture is for the long haul well worth it.
There is two exceptions; try Otherpower.com these guys are good.

[wy_white_wolf]

i've built a couple of my own panels so to answer you questions.

Cost to build was about $4 a watt. You can now buy panels for under a $1.

They didn't last a year as any moisture that gets in corrodes the connections. I didn't use Slygard but have seen were others have managed to get a few years out of there's dusing it but still didn'y get the 25+ years like factory panels.

Used my own design/system based off of several articles I'd read on the internet/book.

They power none of my household as Code will not allow non-UL listed panels attached to the resisidence. On/off grid doesn't matter on Code. They need to be UL listed.

One surce for cheap panels is Solar Panels, PV Systems and Inverters Distributor

WWW

[rsbhunter]

As TNAndy and the others said, you are much better off buying panels....that being said, you first need to realize what your energy demands are, what is the minimum amount you can get by with, and if you can adapt to solar powers limits...as it won't conform to you ...If you have grid now, be grateful....i know the thought of not getting an electric bill each month is enticing.....but everything i have read tells you it's mostly not even a "break even" situation on solar cost compared to grid $$$$$ If you don't have grid, then the game changes...but honestly, solar is alot of $$$$ to get into for a real, sustaining long term deal......but i am setting up a system for my place in the mountains that is way far from grid.....for a cabin i'm into approx $7000.00 of solar, without cost of wire, batteries ($4000.00 probably) but grid would run about 30-50k to have brought in..as far as wind, as the people will tell you, unless you get enough wind to blow your hat off everyday, there probably isn't enough to use wind turbines.. just my .02 ...rsbhunter