Category: Solar Power
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Buying Used or New Solar Panels? A few thoughts…
It’s very common for people to shop used solar panels. I personally have had the experience of buying both used and new, and learned a lot. If you’re interested, I produced a video a while back that includes commentary on this subject (posted to the right). On with the article! Used Solar Panels The most…
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(Updated) Solar Panels can heat your Home or Shop – DIY video series
Did you know that a small (~1kW) array of solar panels can generate enough heat for a typical room in a home or shop? In fact the idea is so simple, so good and so affordable, it ought to be in every home. Note: due to the complexity and safety issues of modifying AC space…
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Why Survivalists should own at least one solar panel
Perhaps you’re not really into solar, but are a survivalist or into preparedness, prepping etc. I would argue that everyone should own at least one (or two +) 100 Watt 12 Volt solar panels as part of their survival and preparedness kit. They are truly a high tech Swiss army knife. Plus a 100 Watt…
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Low Voltage Solar Panels can cook food directly – And why it matters
Did you know it’s possible to cook food directly off low voltage solar panels? No inverter, no high voltages, no battery, no charge controller. It’s technically feasible, and I have done it several times now with prototypes developed in my solar workshop. The simplicity and efficiency of such a setup is nothing short of astounding.…
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The problem with today’s electric cars (EVs) and it’s not charging
In the author’s opinion, the EV market has taken a wrong turn, probably on purpose. By the way, EVs are not going to save the world, this is a silly illusion and part of a fanatical belief system. I love electric cars For the record, I loved the idea of electric cars before “T-Motors” (not…
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Ryobi 18v Solar Battery Charger DIY project
Wouldn’t it be great if Ryobi 18v power tool batteries could be charged directly from a 100 watt solar panel? A while back I developed a prototype which achieved this aim successfully. Products like this should already be on the shelf. With solar power, efficiency is a good thing. The normal route involves the solar…
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Are wall mounted solar panels worth it?
I took the chance of mounting some 100w monocrystalline solar panels on the wall of my metal building (solar workshop). If interested, check out my video of the setup at the bottom of the page. I really needed some extra power for lab experiments and so forth, but did not want the burden of more…
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Are Plug-in Grid Tie Inverters safe?
Grid Tie (Tied) Inverters are an attractive way to use solar power to reduce electric bills. They work by backfeeding A/C power into the electrical service wiring or via a standard wall outlet, causing a slightly higher line voltage. In a nutshell, this causes the Grid Tie Inverter’s power to be used up first by…
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Risky Solar Experiments in my shop – part 1 PV Solar Netbook
I often wondered what would happen if I took a 12V solar panel with its high VoC (Voltage Open Circuit) and plugged it straight into a netbook or laptop! It is my opinion that all laptops, netbooks and mobile computing devices should accept a direct Solar PV input – it’s easy to do, a nice…
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What is PV To Load? (PV2L) concepts
What is PV To Load? and (PV2L) concepts You’re probably familar with the idea of connecting Solar Panels to a Charge Controller to a Battery to an Inverter and finally, to an appliance. PV to Load (PV2L for short) is a more efficient way to run some appliances – simply put, the load or appliance…
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Making Hot Water if the Grid Goes Down – Cheap Easy DIY
Have you ever thought what you would do if the electrical utility power service was down for a week or a month, and you couldn’t easily get a hot shower? Believe it or not, there is a cheap and easy DIY solution. If you already have a few solar panels, they can heat water for…
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