Do it Yourself Solar Power

Solar power is a great way to help save the environment and your pocket book. Purchasing a complete do it yourself solar power kit from a local store however may cost a hefty chunk of pocket change. Although it may still be a good long term investment, and it will save you money on your electricity bills, you need to be careful what and where you buy. You can purchase solar power kits for as little as $150, and depending on how much solar power you decide to take advantage of, to thousands of dollars. To be honest, the cheaper kits will not generate much electricity and are only suitable for powering a light in a seldom used building. To power your home you need to shop wisely.

The cost of a do it yourself solar power kit usually comes down to a price per Watt basis. You can purchase simple kits through the internet, and some local home building stores, or you can go the true do it yourself route and create your own kit by buying individual components and putting it together yourself. Although it may be a little daunting taking this last route, it could end up saving you 50% over the price of a solar power kit. You will need to get hold of a decent installation manual, so I've reviewed a couple of these in my blog linked below.

Where you put the panels is very important because if your panels are not getting enough sun then you just wasted your money. Try finding what area of your property that gets direct sunlight for the most amount of time throughout the day. This will generally be facing south or south west, so arm yourself with a compass and sit and watch the sun for a day. If your spouse complains about you spending all day sitting in the sun, just tell them you are doing essential research into saving the environment.

To find out where to get low-priced kits and guides for do it yourself solar power please visit my blog DIY Home Solar Power at 4solarpower.net

Marty is editor and writer for a number of energy efficiency websites.