With the increasing cost of electricity and the continuous rise of prices of goods and products in the market, one has to be thrifty. A smart person looks for other alternatives that save him money – money that he can use for other essentials. Nowadays, these other alternatives, although save a lot of money in the long run, cost a fortune to buy. An example would be having solar panels built and installed would have you dig into a huge amount from your well-earned savings. Do put that away, because there is such a thing as DIY Solar panels that you can easily build, install and enjoy! Before working on the project, you will have to need a guide on how to go about this.

Opinion:

Because of my interest in energy alternatives, I have seen a lot for DIY Solar guides being advertised. The Make natural Power guide is one of these many products that talk about information before starting on the project, a complete step-by-step instruction in making your own solar power generator, complete instructions on how to make a 1000-watt windmill, legal and maintenance information about your new power systems, tips on how to save money on gas and electricity and how to find the cheapest deals for the materials and parts that you will be needing.

I’m not too sure on how that flow of the manual is, though. I prefer that each part be on separate books because if all of the parts are in one manual, it will be a tedious material to carry especially when building the actual panels. I would need a lighter and handier guide book to refer to every once in a while building and constructing.

Also, in the event I need assistance in doing this project, I am not sure if they have an after sales guide or support that I could use.

On a lighter note, they seem to contain everything that you may want to know about building DIY solar panels. It may also be a good tool.

Conclusion:

Anything that would help save the earth has my applause. Although in my opinion they need to be more detailed and consider the comforts and “handiness” in using their product. This may be a fairly good reference in building DIY Solar panels.

It is very easy to make homemade solar power.To create solar power at home we need to construct a solar panel. The tools required include solar panel, Rechargeable lead or acid battery, Battery box, DC meter and Inverter.

First you need to purchase a solar panel. The size of the panel depends on how much electricity you are going to generate. Next we go for a rechargeable battery. This battery can be continuously used instead of going for a disposable battery. This battery stores the excess electricity produced when the sky is cloudy.

Next we have to purchase a battery box. This offers protection to the battery when it is recharged. This prevents the batteries from getting damaged.Then a DC meter is used to convert the energy and make it available to all the electrical appliances around your house. If your are going to use the electric power to your household appliances then we need an inverter to convert the DC into AC.

Now the next step is to attach the DC meter to the top of the battery box. Use insulated wires to connect the battery to the DC meter. Don’t forget to connect the DC inlet and the panel to the battery.

Now place the entire setup facing the sunlight. Make sure that it is positioned at a place where there is maximum sunlight. Keep it in the sunlight for more than ten hours to get some home made power. Solar panels are built at home as an alternative means of generating electric current. Solar panels can easily be constructed at home and requires little knowledge of electrical wiring.

Most of the tools are easily available in the shops. Initially it might be slightly difficult but you can learn more from your mistakes. After successful completion you can help out your neighbors to construct a solar panel to create homemade solar power. Since most people are not aware of its benefits you can take some time to help them understand how useful it will be if they had a solar panel to generate current for their home.

Currently, technology has made it possible for people to do their laundry quickly and efficiently. This has been made possible by the use of washing machines and dryers. Laundry can be fully done in less than an hour depending on the amount of clothes you are washing. In the past, this was not possible. Laundry would take at least a day from the time the process begun to when it was finished. A standard tumble dryer is a machine that is used to dry wet clothes. It is very efficient and can dry clothes in a matter of minutes. In the past, such a machine was a dream. However, people still had some ideas that they could implement to dry their clothes quicker than the sun and wind could do.

For starters, in the western part of United States, cowboys had their own method of washing clothes. Since they travelled by day and slept at night, the best way to make sure they have clean outfits was by washing their clothes at night. This gave them the challenge of drying these clothes by morning. To avoid the clothes getting dump and risk mould growing on them, they used to dry them by the fire. A fire was important if wild animals were to be kept at bay. This being the case, it was only prudent for a person to dry their clothes using the same fire that they would use to cook their dinner. In most cases, the clothes were dry by dawn and they could be worn as they were clean. In the event the clothes failed to dry, the wearer had to put them on as irrespective of the level of dampness.

People who used to travel by train found ways and means that they could keep their clothes dry after washing them. Wind is an important factor when it comes to drying clothes. This means that the higher the amount of wind experienced, the quicker clothes would dry. On a train, it would be hard for clothes to get dry if they were hung on the inside. However, hanging them on the outside proved to be a good way to dry the clothes quickly. The wind that passed through the clothes as the train was moving helped dry them up in a few hours. Unfortunately, clothes that were not fastened properly to the body of the train would disappear with the wind.

Normal homesteads also found their own method of drying clothes that were needed urgently. When a person got news that they had to travel immediately, they would need to carry some clothes. In the event the clothes were not clean, they had to wash them and dry them quickly. In homesteads that lacked iron boxes, the only method was to dry the clothes by the fire during the evening. Once the clothes were slightly damp, they would be folded properly and placed under the mattress. The warmth from the body of the person sleeping on them created a drying and ironing effect. Some teenagers still use some of these methods when their drier is broken. The methods work but they are not as efficient as the tumble dryer.

Cooker

Yep! You may think I am insane but you can create a slow cooker from your washing machine! How? By using the drum and some of the mechanisms, you will be able to make a rotating slow cooker that will make great stews, curries and more! So you washing machines can go from cleaning to staining clothes!

Art

These days anything can be art. I wouldn’t be surprised if a picture of someone poo wins the Turner Prize. However, there are artists out there who believe that washing machines make great pieces of art.

Brick

If you are a ‘douche’ you can turn you washing machine on with the door taken off and throw a brick into it. The results of this action are devastating for your washing machines and mean without a considerable repair job it may not ever work again. You can see examples of this on Youtube, but it should be noted that this is not the best thing to do.

Give To Charity

This is the option I would go for. Let’s face it, there are a lot of people in the UK that are on the breadline, and this number is ever increasing. And even if you give your washing machine to a charity that is not related to the UK there are even more people worldwide who would appreciate it. Often the charities will pick it up and at least make a little money from it selling it in their shop.

Music

Believe it or not there is a band called Tonehammer that did an album based on noises made from a washing machine. So it is true you can actually give your loyal friend a singing voice after its washing days are over. Their album was aptly named ‘laundronium’ but critics (me) think that Bathonium would be a more appropriate name, because the album is toilet.

1 – Anything That Says Dry-Clean Only

I have made this mistake, well I made two mistakes. Firstly I spent £100 on a Fred Perry Cardigan and secondly I didn’t read that it said dry clean only on it! When it came out of the wash it looked like one of Willow’s cast offs. Moral of the story, don’t ever spend £100 on Fred Perry and always read the washing instructions!

2 – Soiled Pants

Men are stupid. This is why I have put this on the list. If for some reason you or a young child has had an accident, don’t throw the soiled clothes in the wash. Not only will it not wash properly, it will leave a stain, leaving you embarrassed should anybody see it. Or even worse when your poor, unsuspecting child strips off for gym class they will immediately be ‘that kid’, a reputation that can stick for a lifetime, or at least through the rest of their school years.

3 – Delicate Clothing

If you have been left clothes by the missus you need to consider what looks ‘delicate’ and keep those items well away from even top quality washing machines. I am talking silk and anything that feels with a bit of effort you could tear it. My suggestion is don’t even bother trying to wash them! Because a) if they break they are not yours and b) You have probably already forgotten point 2.

4 – Trainers

Have you ever done it? I have and my washing machine was not impressed! Banging about for hours it was, damaging its internal mechanisms and generally causing a racket. Also, it is really hard to get out that final bit of damp and boys being boys we will put them back on when they are not quite dry, thus causing some strongly unpleasant odours to occur in the foot area!

5- Swimming Trunks

If you are, or have been a competitive swimmer, like me, you will know that swimming trunks or ‘speedos’ tend to lose their string when you put them in the washing machine.  Also, you are in water all the time with them, why would you need to put them in the wash?!

First, homemade solar panels don’t last as long and you will see the efficiency decrease in a shorter period of time. Manufactured solar panels usually come with a 25 year warranty and last considerably longer than homemade panels (25+ years).

Homemade solar panels do not have the proper certifications to qualify for the state and federal tax rebates. Without these certifications, you wouldn’t be compliant with the building/electrical code or insurance companies. It would take thousands of dollars and several months to get your panels listed by a NRTL(Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories).

It could be a fire hazard. You should never put high powered, homemade panels consisting of wood and/or plastic over your home or flammable material. You would want to mount them on bare ground, a concrete surface, etc.

An alternative for off grid or other solar projects is getting blemished solar panels. These type of panels have small blemishes that don’t really affect the output of the panels. You can get these type of panels for $2.50/w up to $4/w including a 25 year warranty. These types of panels are not UL listed. The prices of commercial, UL listed solar panels are currently going for $4-5 per watt.

Here is an entry on the sun electric website regarding this matter:

“The Problem of Do It Your Self Panels. Building your own solar module can be fun and exciting. However if you want to power your building on solar power it is best to purchase manufactured panels. The cost of the materials, time, and labor will cost you more than if you buy a panel that is already guaranteed to produce over 40 years of use with a 25 year warranty. With a manufactured panel you know exactly what you’ll get and you will know that the panel is functioning correctly. In the end you’ll pay more and get less power and life.”

A solar thermal (heating) DIY would be worth looking into if your itching for a solar solution. Solar thermal produces cost effective hot water and reduces the need for gas or electricity to heat water. It’s cheaper to build a solar thermal system, and usually an easier task. Also, the payback time for solar thermal is quicker than solar electric systems.

Lastly, DON’T PAY for those DIY Solar Panel Guides you see polluting the Internet! Your better off just going to a solar forum and learn for free.