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View Full Version : Recommended way to set up Solar Array on the cheap?




Athan
11-15-2008, 01:31 PM
I'm looking at the websites and prices and I want to know what is the best way to do this on the cheap so we can set ourselves up to expand the array later. I'm thinking of doing it this way:

1. By a DC/AC inverter

2. Buy a panel

3. Self Install it to grid.

4. Buy battery

From there save money and buy panels and accessories progressively.

Matt Collins
11-15-2008, 03:14 PM
Check the article and comments at these URLS:
http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/06/21/1931232
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2308674,00.asp
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/07/21/2310208
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/07/02/2220234
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/07/28/0153245
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/08/09/1442248
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/08/17/1611242
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/09/29/1814247
http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/08/25/007233
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/07/1448211

IPSecure
11-15-2008, 03:38 PM
http://www.supercapacitors.org/

jenny.caron
11-15-2008, 05:54 PM
You might want to check this out too...
If you do a search on google for "free solar panels" quite a bit comes up on how to get free/cheap used panels...

Here's a couple of links:
http://cleantechnica.com/2008/02/07/how-to-cheap-or-free-solar-panels/
http://www.living-off-the-grid.com/gpage4.html

Haven't tried any of this myself but it's worth a shot!

Athan
11-15-2008, 10:58 PM
Thank you so much guys!

Kludge
11-15-2008, 11:02 PM
Don't solar panels become ineffective after 10 years or so?

tmosley
11-16-2008, 09:14 AM
Don't solar panels become ineffective after 10 years or so?

Nope.

Most panels that were made in the 70's are still chugging along, having lost at most about 30-40% of their production ability.

roho76
11-16-2008, 11:17 AM
You can get individual solar cells on Ebay (http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38.l1313&_nkw=solar+cell&_sacat=See-All-Categories) and wire 36 of them in series to make a 18volt panel. They are slightly chipped but this doesn't effect overall performance. It's about $150 for a set of 36. Then you can make your own panel using this Instructable (http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/).

This will make a 60 watt panel for about $250. It's not the most beautiful thing but not bad either.

tmosley
11-16-2008, 08:59 PM
You can get individual solar cells on Ebay (http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38.l1313&_nkw=solar+cell&_sacat=See-All-Categories) and wire 36 of them in series to make a 18volt panel. They are slightly chipped but this doesn't effect overall performance. It's about $150 for a set of 36. Then you can make your own panel using this Instructable (http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/).

This will make a 60 watt panel for about $250. It's not the most beautiful thing but not bad either.

60 watts? There are individual cells that are bigger than that. Sure that's note 600 watts?

steve005
11-17-2008, 09:59 AM
one way to harness the sun using panels is using mirrors, student at whatever school, I forget which one, made a panel 10'X10' which focused the suns light to one point above the panel, the focal point got so hot they couldn't get a peice of wood to the center before it was tottally burned up, they tried metel and it melted a solid steel beam in seconds