Cheap, Reliable Solar Generator, the Best Choice for Backup Power for Your Home
Is being 'green' in your own life important to you?
This video shows how to setup the basics of an emergency solar backup generator.
This is a simple solution that costs about the same as a good diesel generator but requires no fossil fuels at all to run, will never need to have it's fuel tank refilled and will work even on cloudy days or in winter. Factor in the rising costs of fossil fuels and this solution begins to look very appealing indeed.
The most expensive part of the system depends on how much electricity you want to generate. For me, during a extended power outage (which we get from time to time living rural) I am really only concerned with keeping my freezer running, so my food doesn't spoil, a space heater (in winter because I live in Canada) a transistor radio to get any updates and a simple table lamp. For cooking during outages I actually use a simple camp stove and, in a pinch, if you are low on battery power due to extended usage you can use a camp lantern for light.
This design in the video was tested during a 24 hr power outage in which I was able to run a small freezer and a couple of lights and a household battery re-charger. It works and it costs less than the average gas backup generator of similar capabilities and I can add onto it as finances permit and need arise.
The light in this photo is powered exclusively by the sun.
What you will need:
Item
| Approximate Cost
| Notes
|
|---|---|---|
Solar Panel(s)
| $80.00 -> $500.00 each
| The more capability these have the more they will cost. I use 4 - 15 watt panels daisy chained together for a total of 60 watts and these cost 80 dollars each.
|
Charge Regulator
| $20 dollars and up
| These regulate the flow of power from your solar panels to your batteries. which one you need depends alot on the type of batteries you use. The cheapest one is roughly $20.00 and the price goes up from there.
|
Batteries
| $80.00 dollars and up
| There are many options for batteries. For small simple generators, golf cart batteries are actually quite robust and relatively cheap. For large power requirements Marine batteries have a great reputation but are very costly. Technology is always improving in this area as well so what you use today can be replaced by something better down the road.
|
Wires and cables.
| included in most solar panel kits.
| Wires and cables can be anything really, you can buy them or rig something up yourself. They should, of course, be copper wires. Be sure to check that they are included in the solar panel kits, not every panel kit has them.
|
Power Inverter
| $100.00 -> $500.00
| Tiny small inverters that cost less than $100.00 are generally no good for this type of system. You need to determine what appliances you need to run during an outage, determine how much power they use and that will determine how much you need to spend on this item.
|
The costs are approximate costs only, prices will vary from retailer to retailer.
A Simple Solution
The beauty of solar power is the ease with which just about anyone can setup their own generators. When people discuss solar power as a green solution they often dismiss it as something that is 'out of reach' or because they feel the technology does not work. For example, many feel solar panels do not work on cloudy days or in the winter, both of those assumptions are false. Solar panels work fine in both summer and winter and on sunny and cloudy days. I have had my solar generator work even when the panels were covered in fresh snow.
The cost to upgrade just your own home to solar power is not that great and it will reduce the amount of money spent on electricity even if you only use it for a portion of your requirements. How much less per month would one pay if the freezers in their homes ran on solar power ?
Solar is also far more reliable than wind power and more efficient as well. Wind power generates nothing when there is no wind and must be shut down in the case of extreme wind speeds. One does not need to shut off the solar generator when it is bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky.
For Further Reading ...
- How to setup a simple solar generator for your home - YouTube
In this vid we show a simple home solar power generator which has already paid us back in saved food due to a 24 hour power outage resulting from a storm in ... - Solar Power
SolarPower.org is dedicated to the rapid deployment of renewable energy and solar power across America with valuable tools, information, and solar news. - Solar power - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Some basic info on Solar Power
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2012 Robin Olsen
