Monday, November 02, 2009

How to Build a Small 45 Watt Solar Generator Power Station for Under $500!

Here is an example of a 45 watt solar system you can build for under $500.

1.
45 watt solar panel kit by Harbor Freight (3 - 15 watt panels, includes power regulator) - $250

2.
Cobra 400 watt power inverter - $30

3.
Deep cycle marine 12 volt battery - $90 or an Optima 51r ($175)

TOTAL --> $370 or $455 (if you get the Optima battery)


Optional:
Schumacher SSC-1000A Automatic Speed Battery Charger ($55)

The solar panel kit will contain all the parts one needs to get free energy from the sun.


1. Assemble solar panel and regulator according to kit.


2. Hook the solar panel kit up to the deep cycle marine battery.


3. Put the solar panels into the sunlight and leave the solar panels in the sun until the battery is fully charged.


4. Once the battery is charged, hook the power inverter up to the battery according to the inverter's instructions.


5. Plug your mobile electronics or other devices into the compatible plugs on the power inverter and enjoy the power of the sun!


6. (Optional) - If you also get the battery charger above, you can use the charger to test your battery levels, so you will know when to charge the battery.
Also if you happen to find a live circuit somewhere, you can use the speed charger to quickly charge your batteries when no sun is available.

A forty-five (45) watt system is not going to be sufficient to power a home, but it will be a decent amount of power for simple electronic devices and tasks. If you want to get more power, then you can buy additional 15 solar watt panels and/or batteries to expand your system as you may need or can afford. However, please be advised that as your system increases, you will want to ensure that your inverter is always powerful enough to handle the power of your system.


Here is a link to the estimated watts of various household appliances.

Here is another chart list that shows the electrical usage (including watts) of various household appliances.


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