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[mikeymus]

Hello, this is my first post, so, please let me know if there are other posts to this.  i've been doing research on the solar panels and so far i've been unable to find a way to install these reasonably.  i'm very handy and my friend is an electrician.  does anyone have any suggestions as to how I could do it myself, with the help of my friend?  where to buy all the needed parts to create a solar panel system, etc.  all help is greatly appreciated.

[Zoey7373]

Try www.homepower.com  they have been publishing articles and content for do-it-yourselfers for at least 10 years. 

Hope this helps.

[laura_long]

Where do you live? This company is based in Cornwall and may be able to help
www.capture-energy.co.uk/solar-panels

[lucyguo]

If you want to know more about solar panel you can also click on this website www.g-tekhk.com. and there is a calculator of Solar panel ,it is good to use.

[Oliver]

Hi, I have been doing research too, and i found this step by step guide about how to install the solar panels and all the stuff we need and where to get it. Take a look http://741e8lk9g1hw4l6-okv1hn6s59.hop.clickbank.net

Good Luck

[silvrash]

I found a good few good guides to install solar panels on your house.  Maybe one of these will help you.  I listed them on my blog. www.solarheights.blogspot.com 

[amber22]

Generally, it's better to go for a more sophisticated 'vacuum tube' system rather than a flat plate one, because it's better adapted to the UK climate.  The tubes reduce conducted heat losses, allowing them to reach considerably higher temperatures, and the curved surface is able to compensate for changes in the angle of the sun throughout the year.  An example of a UK-designed system can be seen on SolarUK's website - http://www.solaruk.com/. 

You might like to check to see if you are eligible for a grant.  Here's a link to the low carbon buildings programme website: http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/home/.  Find out about grants before having the system installed.

[lord2035]

I thought Solar Panels are been mass production already and common in the market. Sorry, maybe i am a novice. How good is the Solar Panel in convert light energy in percentage and how good is the battery used to store solar panel energy?

So far, i have been using solar garden lights, however the lights went off after few hours near to midnight. Wondering if the battery sold is weak.

[jiltedcitizen]

I think 7% efficiency is about standard in solar panels. 

[amber22]

The vacuum tubes of the LaZer2 solar hot water system are actually 93% efficient.  Although this particular system is clearly a highly efficient one, and in tests in Europe it was found to be outperform the products of rival companies, I don't think the figure of 7% sounds quite right in the wider context of solar panels!

[jiltedcitizen]

For converting to electricity is is, if you are talking about heating water, that's another story.

[EnerStore]

You also need to know whether or not you want to be connected to your electrical grid or totally independant from the grid. Keep in the mind that the later is very expansive. Usually, people will get Grid-Tie Kits (connected to the grid) so that you can be be half-independant. During sunny period of time, you will be able to store the Solar Energy into a bank of batteries and then use it at your convenience. But first, you need to figure out the electrical consumption required and some stores (retail and online) will offer either complete kits or help to make your own based on your needs.

[Anne2010]

Are you technical talented that you can do it on your own?
I want to get solar panels, too. My neighbour told me that they would be sooooo good. ( He´s very green and does everything for a "greener Australia )
But we are not that technical genius, so we ask a company for doing this 

[shiela_robins]

Best if you have the professionals install it for you.  You don't want faulty wiring and all that shorting out and causing accidents, heaven forbid.  And yeah I would go for Grid-tied on this one. 

[bryan]

Hello Mikey,

I am not sure if you are still working on this system, but are you looking at PV or solar thermal systems?

[Dr. Green]

Has any one ever heard of solar ink? It's probably the next big thing as it allows photovoltaics to basically be painted on. Check out the video.

http://www.youtube.com/mrkeepthelightson#p/c/5A3D70088940EB20/8/NSdegGwEOA8

[Wind-Tech]

Wow, that is a cool link Dr. Green! I think that that concept has some real practical application coming its way. Think about the implications of an easy app solar panel. Solar energy would definitely see a boom because the skill needed to apply such a product is negligible. If I have said it before then I will say it again, solar and wind energy jobs are fundamentally different in the fact that solar takes very little technical skill to install and next to no technical skill to maintain. Wind on the other hand takes a lot of skill to both maintain and install and they tend to be higher paying jobs that are based in local economies so the profits from the purchase of electricity stay with the people involved locally instead of being extracted and sent to big and major profit making companies that may or may not have the local interests of the community at heart. Wind I think is the much better choice when it comes to renewable energy.

[bijeta]

My company has been looking for alternatives or more energy efficient solar panels.

Is there any company having such options or are there someone having better ideas for solar panels.

regards,

Bijeta