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It all depends what you want to do and how much electricity you use. I'm moving into a 24 foot house trailer. I'll be using very low voltage lighting (marked down, LED xmas light, except for reading, sewing & cooking). My fridge is small and i have a small freezer. I'll also be using microwave, computer and water pump. I'll have to make sure all the larger items, except the freezer, are turned off when I microwave, even the coffee maker, so I don't blow a circuit. I'll need to be disciplined. Also, the battery will drain pretty fast if I run my air conditioner or little furnace with just solar.
My goal is to drastically reduce how much electricity I consume while I'm staying on another person's property, where my electrical use isn't separately metered.
Eventually, I'll want the whole trailer completely self sufficient, and will buy a second panel, battery, voltage regulator and power converter to run air and heat.
Now, if you live in a house or an apartment, doing what I'm doing will really help your electric bill, even if it's just one, cheap panel. You could probably run the living room, if people are careful, for free: tv, lights, game, computer.
So, I'd start small and add panels as you can afford.
People are telling me 2 6 volt batteries, lined up, will store more energy than 1 12 volt. They cost eighteen bucks, incl. shipping, on ebay.
I'm just going to use up my existing battery for now, as this move and renovating the trailer cost serious money.
But, in the next, few months, I'll be buying 2 6v batts.
There are LOTS of YouTube videos, especially for small projects. Search DIY for do it yourself +solar, and start weeding through.
It really isn't hard. You just need to follow instructions carefully. Also, start learning some of the basics of how electricity works, the difference between alternating current AC and direct current DC. Your car battery is direct; your house is alternating. They do NOT mix; that's why we need a power converter.
The electricity comes out of the panel too fast and too much for a battery. That's why you put a voltage regulator. Think of water: if it's too high pressure and too much, it'll break the pitcher. So, you turn the faucet to slow the water and turn it off when the pitcher is full. That's what a voltage regulator does.
Now, you have the electricity in the battery. But you need a power converter to change it from direct current to alternating, which is household.
There are videos, instruction sites and illustrations of how to do this all over the internet. And, if people see you're really interested in learning, they're happy to teach. A lot of us who are into solar energy are very passionate and enthusiastic about it, and want to share the wealth.
Beware of videos that try to sell you packages or professional products. I had a hard time finding a video by a real guy who just wanted to put solar on his RV. Most of the videos I saw wanted to install it for me, at crazy high prices. They like to keep you ignorant, so they can make a buck.
Ebay is FULL of solar stuff. You can buy everything from a tiny solar fan to clip onto your hat on hot days all the way up to solar panels for a big house, and everything in between.
It all depends what you want to do and how much electricity you use. I'm moving into a 24 foot house trailer. I'll be using very low voltage lighting (marked down, LED xmas light, except for reading, sewing & cooking). My fridge is small and i have a small freezer. I'll also be using microwave, computer and water pump. I'll have to make sure all the larger items, except the freezer, are turned off when I microwave, even the coffee maker, so I don't blow a circuit. I'll need to be disciplined. Also, the battery will drain pretty fast if I run my air conditioner or little furnace with just solar.
My goal is to drastically reduce how much electricity I consume while I'm staying on another person's property, where my electrical use isn't separately metered.
Eventually, I'll want the whole trailer completely self sufficient, and will buy a second panel, battery, voltage regulator and power converter to run air and heat.
Now, if you live in a house or an apartment, doing what I'm doing will really help your electric bill, even if it's just one, cheap panel. You could probably run the living room, if people are careful, for free: tv, lights, game, computer.
So, I'd start small and add panels as you can afford.
People are telling me 2 6 volt batteries, lined up, will store more energy than 1 12 volt. They cost eighteen bucks, incl. shipping, on ebay.
I'm just going to use up my existing battery for now, as this move and renovating the trailer cost serious money.
But, in the next, few months, I'll be buying 2 6v batts.
There are LOTS of YouTube videos, especially for small projects. Search DIY for do it yourself +solar, and start weeding through.
It really isn't hard. You just need to follow instructions carefully. Also, start learning some of the basics of how electricity works, the difference between alternating current AC and direct current DC. Your car battery is direct; your house is alternating. They do NOT mix; that's why we need a power converter.
The electricity comes out of the panel too fast and too much for a battery. That's why you put a voltage regulator. Think of water: if it's too high pressure and too much, it'll break the pitcher. So, you turn the faucet to slow the water and turn it off when the pitcher is full. That's what a voltage regulator does.
Now, you have the electricity in the battery. But you need a power converter to change it from direct current to alternating, which is household.
There are videos, instruction sites and illustrations of how to do this all over the internet. And, if people see you're really interested in learning, they're happy to teach. A lot of us who are into solar energy are very passionate and enthusiastic about it, and want to share the wealth.
Beware of videos that try to sell you packages or professional products. I had a hard time finding a video by a real guy who just wanted to put solar on his RV. Most of the videos I saw wanted to install it for me, at crazy high prices. They like to keep you ignorant, so they can make a buck.
Ebay is FULL of solar stuff. You can buy everything from a tiny solar fan to clip onto your hat on hot days all the way up to solar panels for a big house, and everything in between.
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