Your Questions About Solar Generators For The Home
Chris asks…
Is it possible to make solar panels for generating electricity out of everyday materials?
I have made a wind generator out of cheap, everyday materials.
Is it possible to make solar panels for generating electricity from everyday materials, perhaps something like a thermocouple with two different metals?
admin answers:
Not unless you can figure out a way to produce a semi-conductor at home. Basically a solar cell (photovoltaic cell) is a couple of layers of silicon P type and N type. Electrons become excited when light quanta penetrates into the P layer. The excited electrons move to the N type and (very oversimplified) create electricity.
I doubt you would have the facilities to create the materials at home.
Susan asks…
I want to power my new home I am building on solar power alone what will the cost be roughly?
I also want to stay off the electric grid . It would cost an additional ten thousand dollars to be hooked into it and I want to be independant from utilities. Would solar panels and batteries power lights and T.V , computer , washer dryer ect.
admin answers:
TV, lights and small appliances, yes. Washer, maybe. Dryer, not likely unless it’s gas – consider a clothesline. Electric range or oven, no. Hot tub, no unless it’s converted to a gas heater.
The raw panels are about $3-8 per watt. So for 6Kw figure about $18k for the panels. The charger/inverter and batteries, figure $2-3k more. Figure about $30k including the installation.
You might also consider a generator. The off-grid houses I’ve seen tend to have them, even if they have batteries too. Add $3k for that.
Do you have a creek? Consider small-scale hydro too.
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