How can I use Solar Power in my home?
Question by Josh C: How can I use Solar Power in my home?
I am wanting to power just a couple household items with a small solar panel. What will I need? I know I need a solar panel, and some kind of AC-DC converter, and a battery perhaps? How would I wire it up?
I do NOT want to spend a fortune doing this, I am only in an apartment, so it needs to be small and self-contained.
Thanks!
Feel free to answer in the comment section below
3 Responses to How can I use Solar Power in my home?
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You might have trouble doing this in an apartment, since apt managers don’t usually like tenants adding things like that.
Powering any appliance will require a PV panel at least 4 feet wide and you’ll have trouble using that in an apartment. Anything small enough to fit on your balcony or deck will not make much power.
That said, if you use a battery set and charger you can charge with almost any panel and operate any device that runs on the juice available from your batteries. In an apartment you won’t have space for very big batteries.
Recreational vehicles use appliances like TV, coffemaker, refrigerator etc designed to run on 12 or 24 volts and will be easier to run on a low volt system. 120 volts will require a bigger PV panel.
Remember, volts is not the only thing to think about. You must also consider the amperage & watts. A fridge will require more amps & watts than a radio.
There are hundreds of websites that teach how to choose (size) the PV panel to run the appliances that you need. If you were in your own home then you could look at “net metering” and not care about batteries, but not in an apartment.
redscott77092
May 24, 2012 at 2:28 pm
Good luck without spending a fortune. 100 watt panel is over 400 bucks. inverter for a junk one is 50 (200 if its good) another 20-40 for a regulator, another 100-200 for some batterers.
You’re looking at around 800 bucks for something that might power your tv for few hours each day.
At this points after you have all that all you do is wire it up.It’s very easy.
Two wires comes from the panel into the regulator.
Two wires goes from the regulator to the battery.
Two wires from from the battery to the inverter.
Inverter powers what ever you want. Most time they come with normal ac plugs.
Yoho
May 24, 2012 at 2:34 pm
batteries are cheap,
a deep cycle marine battery is fine. $ 30 to $ 50
inverters are cheap $ 20 to $ 50
panels are not cheap.
Kyocera KC40T 43 Watt Solar Panel $ 250
How much you got? got sun?
MIKE
mike
May 24, 2012 at 2:51 pm