Solar Home Kits
Kilowatts, Megawatts, AC, DC, Solar, Wind, Geo-Thermal and so
many other terms, acronyms and products - the world is filled
with ideas, innovations and ways to live off the grid and we want
to help make sense of it all. Below, you will learn the basics
of solar home kits, mounting methods and more.
Solar home kits are very effective in many regions with high
sun tables (the amount of sun exposure during a specified day
and season). To determine the size of a solar home kit for your
consumption pattern, you will need several of your energy statements
- preferably one from the winter and another from the summer.
This will show your high and low electrical and gas usages which
are crucial in determining how many solar panels you will need.
Now that you have calculated the Kilowatts of power needed to
maintain your energy consumption, placement of the solar home
kits is next on your check list.
Roof Mounts are very common, especially where land is a rare
commodity. However, using roof mounts can substantially increase
your installation costs. This is because of the labor required
to properly mount and re-seal your roof after the installation
of the solar panels. Roof mounts may also be less than ideal if
your house is facing at an angle from the sunset and sunrise patterns.
Ground Mounts are an ideal solution for budget conscious consumers
and are especially friendly for the do-it-yourselfers! Ground
mounts can be installed by anyone with a bag of cement and some
patience and are ideal for capturing the most amount of sun by
angling the panels in the direction of the sun lanes.
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An upgrade for ground mounts are motorized
rotating mounts to capture the sun for up to 10-12 hours
a day. However, this is an added expense for a very little
amount of energy return due to the increase expense for
the motors and added installation costs.
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Research and perform your due diligence before diving head first
into living off the grid. A small wind turbine may be a perfect
back up for your solar home kit. Wind turbines can crank out tens
of extra kilowatts per week, are budget friendly, and can be installed
relatively easily for a do-it-yourselfer.
Lastly, batteries are required to store the energy captured during
the day for night time consumption. You will need a secure cool
room for a panel of batteries. These batteries can be old recycled
car batteries which are abundant and cheap - however, we highly
recommend consulting with an electrician when working with the
batteries.
The final straw with energy companies: raising their prices leads
to one simple conclusion, less money in your wallet. Your goal
of investing with a solar home kit is not only to help reduce
your carbon footprint, but to reduce your reliance upon corporations
and fluctuating commodity prices. Indeed, your time is precious
and so is the environment, therefore, invest wisely with quality
products that are built using responsible recycling and eco-friendly
product sourcing to start living off the grid today.
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