Solar Panels For Homes

Unless you have been living under a stone recently you will have noticed that Oil prices are going up almost every day. That’s not just bad news for motorists though, for the list of things that are made from oil is unbelievably long. Everything from cosmetics to carrier bags, food, paint and plastics; the list just goes on and on. Apart from the price of gas, though, most of us will notice the rising price of oil being reflected in higher utility bills. But help is at hand from an unlikely source – the sun. Thanks to some clever technology we can now use solar cell power to provide us with electricity to heat our homes and power our lights.

Solar cells have been around for many years now – probably much longer than you think, but it is only with today’s advances in technology and, of course the rising oil price, that solar cell power is becoming economically viable. Previous solar cell designs didn’t produce much in the way of electricity for the surface area they took up. They were expensive to produce, and most of them didn’t work efficiently in anything less than direct sunlight.

Today’s solar cells, however, thanks to advances in material technology, and electronic control systems are much more efficient. It is now possible to generate sufficient solar cell power to heat water for your washing and bathing, if not your central heating, on even cloudy days. Solar cells are obviously most efficient in direct bright sunlight, but this is no longer a necessity.

Solar cell power is best suited to producing hot water. This hot water can then be stored and used for bathing and cooking etc, or it can power your central heating, although it is often necessary to supplement the solar cell power with a conventional electricity supply, especially in larger houses. Normal hot water heaters often consume almost a half of a house’s energy. Therefore, by replacing a gas or electrically powered hot water heater with a solar cell power heater you can significantly reduce your energy bill. In some states you may even qualify for tax relief on such a system considerably, as well as making the owners eligible for a tax cut in select states.

Todays solar power cells are also becoming cheaper. For the price of a years utility bills, it is now possible to build a solar power system for your house that will give a lifetimes supply of free electricity with virtually no maintenance.

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So, now is the time to get yourself into solar cell power for your house. You could save a lot more than just the planet.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Solar Cell Power – the Key to a Greener Future

building a solar panel part 1

Sunforce 7 Amp Charge Controller $17.41 The Sunforce 60012 7 Amp Charge Controller prevents overcharging of 12-volt batteries. It is intended for use with 12-volt solar panels, and can handle up to 7 amps of array current and up to 100 watts of solar power. The controller is easy to use with a charging light that indicates that your battery is charging, and a green light that indicates a fully charged battery. The 60012 measures 4 x 1 x...

Sunforce 60032 30 Amp Digital Charge Controller $78.52 Prevents overcharging of 12volt batteriesProtects battery from overcharge and dischargeFor use with 12 volt Solar Panels and batteries onlyHandles up to 30 Amps of Array currentHandles up to 500 Watts of solar powerMaintenance free protection of your solar panel and batteriesMaintains battery voltageMaintain 12 volt batteries in a fully charged state1 Year Warranty...

Designers Edge L-949 10-LED Rechargeable Solar-Panel Shed Light $22.50 ...

2/3AA Rechargeable NiCD Button Top Battery for Solar Lighting $3.95 These Nickel Cadmium 2/3AA button top cells are excellent for building custom battery packs. If you are a novice or an old pro, these batteries will keep you powered up. These batteries can be recharged 500-1000 times giving you years of use. They are many applications, such as digital cameras, portable devices, and mainly used for solar lights/lighting. If your solar lights need a button top 2/3A...

AAA Rechargeable Battery 600mAh NiMH 1.2V Consumer Button Top $2.25 These Nickel Metal Hydride AAA cells are excellent for building custom battery packs. If you are a novice or an old pro, these batteries will keep you powered up. These batteries can be recharged 500-1000 times giving you years of use....

AAA Size Rechargeable Battery 750mAh NiMH 1.2V Flat Top Cell $2.95 These Nickel Metal Hydride AAA cells are excellent for building custom battery packs. If you are a novice or an old pro, these batteries will keep you powered up. These batteries can be recharged 500-1000 times giving you years of use....

OWI Frightened Grasshopper Kit - Solar Powered $0.49 An educational robot and mini solar toy. He's small, but he's an attention-getter! Explore the potential of solar power with this neat science item. The Frightened Grasshopper Solar Powered Bug Teaches about forms of alternative energy. Shows how solar energy can be used to generate electricity. Illustrates how radiant energy from the sun can be transformed to electrical energy with a PV cell A mo...

Elenco Snap Circuits Green - Alternative Energy Kit $41.99 With the Elenco Electronics Snap Circuits Green Alternative Energy Kit, kids can get a hands-on, entertaining education about what green energy means. This innovative kit contains real circuit components that snap together to create working electronic circuits and devices, featuring projects designed specifically to illustrate different sources of electricity. The kit includes over 40 pieces and a...

CSL Robotikits 6-in-1 Solar Kit $2.99 Children use 21 snapping together parts to building six different desings. It's most advantageous because: it's very inexpensive for individuals or groups; clear easy to following instructions; motivating the children to learning about solar energy; a great project for boys or girls clubs; teaches students to follow precise visual diagrams; have hours of fun experimenting. For best results use o...

40 Prime Solar Cell DIY Kit with Solar Tabbing, Bus, Flux and Diode $69.99 For Sale are 40 NEW, solar cells that are 3"x 6" each. PLUS Tabbing, Bus, Flux and a Diode. Great experience to build your own solar panel and save a lot of money....