Do you or have you ever made/ or installed solar panels?

Question

How effective are they?

Answer 1

I hear they save you tons of money and uses less energy. I mean they use the sun's energy, not electiric.

But what do I know? I just HEARD that. Not sure if its true so google it up! :)

Answer 2

We have two sets (three 3' x 1' panels per set) on the roof of our bus. They generate 90 watts, providing 6 large deep-cycle batteries with power. We can run our T.V, DVD player, lights and computer for about 6 hours on this power. If we run the refrigerator, it draws a bit more 12-volt power, so the power only lasts about 3 hours.

We are planning to buy 2 - 3 more sets, plus 6 - 8 more deep-cycle batteries. This should be sufficient for our needs. We also plan, though, on buying a good 6500 watt generator in case we need it.

Within the next year or so we will have a completely self-sufficient mobile home.

I think solar panels are a wonderful way to use the sun's natural energy to power our modern appliances. It is a non-polluting, cheap (when you consider the fact that the panels and batteries last quite a long time) and it is easy to convert your home to 12-volt electricity.

Our present bus (a school bus) has only partial electricity from solar panels. The bus we are converting now (a larger, coach tour bus) will become completely self-sufficient.

Answer 3

No, I live in a condo and don't have access to the roof and would have no other place to put them. Also the condo would not allow me to have wires hanging around, nor would it be easy to wire it into my unit. And finally, it is not yet economically feasible to buy them. Electricity from the electric company is still much cheaper. And since 80% of the electricty where I live comes from clean nuclear power, it's already clean to the environment.

Answer 4

20 years ago I had 2 Arco solar panels on My landrover

It was fantastic ,i could play music all night and film video and in the morning after 1 hour in the sun ,the battery had enough again to get started.

We now have solar panels in a sustainable agriculture school in the sticks ,near Acapulco .and we got lights until about 5 in the morning.