Things To Consider Before You Go With A DIY Solar Power Project

There are many reasons people think about going with solar energy. Some people want to reduce their electrical bills or gain energy independence. Some people feel strongly about going green to save the planet, while others want to prepare their families for natural or man made disasters. Whatever your reasons may be there are some things you will need to take into consideration first.

Site analysis is the first step I would recommend you take. Whether you choose to mount your solar array on your roof or on a pole or bracket mount, look at your southern exposure and survey the view. Do you have a lot of tall trees or buildings that might block your access to the sun? What about electric poles or lines? Anything that can block the rays of the sun will cut down on the efficiency of your solar array. Keep in mind how the sun changes from summer to winter and how that will effect your solar array. Trees can be cut down or trimmed, but buildings can't. The height of your array will also make a difference.

Most people will tell you that you have to have a true Southern exposure. While this is optimal, you can still have a workable solar system if you are facing the Southeast or the Southwest. At certain times of the year, you can still face the East or West and still produce solar power. You will just lose efficiency and electrical production. These are factors to keep in mind before you install a solar generating system.

The next thing to think about is how much solar power you want to produce and the size of your system. I highly recommend that you first do a energy audit and also consider how to cut back on your energy usage. Most public electrical utilities will conduct a energy audit on your home and give you recommendations on how to cut down your heating and cooling costs... One thing most people never consider is the phantom loads their electrical items like their computer, television, entertainment centers and other electronic devices can pull. A phantom load is the electricity these items use when you have them turned off. For example, I have my television, entertainment center, and satellite receiver all on a power strip I turn off when I am done with them. The same goes for my computer, wifi router, and satellite modem. doing small changes like this can cut your electrical usage back considerably. Try this for 3-4 months before you go solar and you can compare the kilowatt hours you have used. then it's time to get serious about the size of the solar array you will need if want to bee totally energy independent or just want a partial reduction in your electrical bill.

Now that you have an idea of the amount of electricity you use, can to begin to plan your solar system. Solar energy is not cheap, but if you produce enough energy most states have net metering laws that basically say that if you over produce electrical energy back into the electrical grid you electrical utility has to pay you for the energy you have produced and fed back to the grid. Most solar systems have a net cost of between $10,000 to $30,000 for the average American home. the cost of installation depends on several factors. Will your solar array be pole mounted or roof mounted. I prefer pole mounted arrays for their inexpensive cost and ease of maintenance. They can be easy to adjust for the optimal tilt from season to season and ore easy to keep clean, which helps improve the efficiency of your solar system. Roof mounted systems don't have these advantages and have higher installation costs. For instance is your house is roofed in cedar shake or Spanish tile the cost will go up considerably. These roofing products are brittle and prone to breakage. Special tools and expertise are required, making them especially harder for the DIYer. Asphalt shingles are the easiest type of roof to install a solar array on. Something else to consider is the current age of your roof and its lifespan. If you have asphalt shingles are 20 years old, then I would want to replace them before I had a solar array mounted on my roof. In other words you need to marry your solar array to your roof. This can raise the cost of installation and is worth keeping in mind.

One thing most people don't consider is that having a solar array may increase the appraised value of your home. The US Department of Energy estimates that may add $10 to $20 dollars to your home value for every dollar in energy cost saved in one year. For example if your solar systems reduces your electrical cost by $500 dollars per year you may add $5,000 to $10,000 to your homes value. A solar system can be a major investment and add real value to your home.

I teach people how to make DIY solar panels and believe them to be superior to manufactured solar panels, but with that being said going DIY is not for everyone. Most solar panel manufacturers offer a warranty of 20 to 25 years. Solar panels are not very susceptible to breakage, and they do tend to go down in efficiency by .5% a year. But with no moving parts they tend to not fail. Batteries used in solar systems generally have a limited warranty of 5 to 10 years and sometimes will last up to 15 years. AGM batteries perform well and have very low maintenance. When you start looking at the warranties of the of the items like your inverters and charge controllers the warranties varies along with the price. Some of the more expensive electronics' have warranties up to 10 years. Personally if you can afford it, I would go with the best electronics you can afford. When you are looking at the electronics it is always a good rule of thumb to get them to handle 25% over the amount of electricity you think you will produce and use.

One last thing to think about is how this will effect your homeowners insurance. All insurance carriers vary in the premiums they charge for covering solar arrays. They are likely to ask you if your solar array is pole mounted or roof mounted, the type and number of your solar panels, and possibly the name of the licensed electrical contractor who installed the solar panels and electronics to your houses electrical system. Always be sure to follow the your areas local building codes. Most counties can tell you what they require. If your solar array is pole mounted or mounted on the roof of a outbuilding your rates will probably be lower than if they are mounted on your house. Always talk to you insurance carrier before you install any solar arrays for what they require.

These are somethings to consider before you go solar and spend a lot of money. In future articles we will go into more depth on different aspects of solar systems.

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