12v solar charge controller

12v solar charge controller

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DIY Solar Power Generator

A residential solar power system can produce tremendous benefits for a homeowner in the area of reducing energy costs, which can cause large strains in an average American home by draining large amounts from the household's monthly budget. Even a do-it-yourself or DIY solar power generator can reduce energy bills down to considerable levels. In some cases where the solar power backup generator is efficient enough, energy bills can drop to zero and even negative levels, meaning the household is actually returning excess power back to the utility companies.

Several solar power kits are available from online and offline sources and prices are dropping considerably as further advancements make it possible for solar panels to be more affordable to the average American household. DIY solar power generator kits are also available or you can make one on your own. The following describes a procedure on how to build a solar power generator for only a few hundred dollars.

A Basic Procedure in Building Your Own DIY Solar Power Generator

The following describes a procedure of building a DIY solar power generator capable of generating 100 watt-hours of electrical energy from a daily solar exposure of just 5 hours, enough to power a 25-watt load like a laptop, an electric fan or a small television for four hours.

* For this project, you will need a 12v solar power readily available in the market. You will also need a 4-amp charge controller and a 32 amp-hour battery. This sealed battery can store up to 400 watts of electrical energy and the charge controller can prevent the batteries from overcharging.

* When solar energy is converted into electrical energy by the solar cells, DC or direct current is produced. However, standard household appliances use AC or alternating current and you will need a power inverter to convert DC power to AC.

* To monitor the electrical load produced by the generator as well as the levels of electrical power during charging or usage, a voltage meter should be incorporated with your DIY solar power generator.

* For the enclosure, you can use a wooden or plastic container where you can easily drill holes where you could pass the insulated wiring for the battery and inverter. The solar panels are packaged separately and should be installed in a strategic location on your roof where it can receive maximum exposure to sunlight.

* Follow proper wiring diagrams for your solar panel modules, which you can obtain from the manufacturer. The negative and positive leads of the panels, the battery and the charge controller should be properly identified first before making any connections. Ensure that polarities are matched during connections, otherwise your components will be damaged during operation.

This DIY solar power generator can generate and store up to 400 watt-hours of electrical energy that can be used to power small appliances. This is free solar energy converted into practically usable electrical energy.

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Two Solar Charge Controllers connected to One Battery