If you're a fairly competent DIY enthusiast, then it's possible to install a solar energy system to supply your home with relative ease. However, you do need to understand the basics of how the system works, as well as the main components needed. Nothing can beat a quality guide which will lead you thorough the installation process, and it goes without saying that you need the necessary instructions and of course the right tools. But the very first step is to gather together the 7 major components we have mentioned above, that will make up your own home solar energy system.

Of course, unless you're an electrician, you will most likely required the help of a professional person to complete the wiring installation of your home solar power system into your main electrical panel. But by carrying out as much of the process as possible, including sourcing and installing the system yourself, you can save more than enough money to pay a professional to carry out and test the remainder of the installation. After all we are talking about electricity here.

The following discusses, in order of installation, the seven main elements required for a home solar energy system which can be installed directly on the roof of your home.

1. Solar Panels - If you like, you can purchase ready made solar panels. A far better value option is to buy the individual photovoltaic solar cells which can be easily sourced online, test and assemble them into a single solar panel. By doing it yourself, you can make up panels of any size and wattage for example, an 80W panel, a 100W panel or a 200W panel, the choice is yours. These DIY or pre-bought panels are then wired electrically together to produce larger panels called solar arrays to feed your home.



2. Solar Array Disconnect - A small but vitally important component of any home solar system. The disconnect switch will allow you to isolate or disconnect the solar DC power from the rest of the home solar system to carry out any maintenance and repairs to the solar panel in complete safety. After all, the solar panels are continually generating electrical power as long as the sun shines. It needs to be a heavy duty switch, as on a day of bright sunshine a lot of energy will be absorbed, and the switch has to be able to handle this power.



3. Battery Charge Controller - Similar in some ways to an automobile battery charger, this element ensures that the system's backup batteries themselves don't overcharge during the long sunny hours or completely discharge when cloudy or dark. Most DIY home solar energy systems have some form of battery backup built into them for when the sun's not shining. A battery charge controller is an inexpensive addition to the system. In essence, the controller maintains a regular and consistent energy feed to charge the batteries.



4. Deep Cycle Batteries - Deep cycle batteries store the solar charge generated by the solar panel. So named because they differ from the shallow cycle, thin lead batteries found in motor vehicles, deep cycle batteries are tough, robust and able to cope with the aggressive charging and discharging of a home solar energy system. New ones are expensive, but worth it, although a cheaper option is to purchase reconditioned batteries. If you're looking for the budget option, it could be possible to acquire dead or unwanted batteries that have been discarded from golf buggies, electric carts, fork trucks or similar. These will usually be free to take away and then you can recondition and test the batteries yourself but be aware that deep cycle batteries are very, very heavy.



5. System Power Meter - Although not an essential item in your home solar energy system, a power meter is often included so you can gauge exactly how much free home solar energy your system is supplying you with. It can also help you determine exactly how cost-efficient the system is, as well as giving you the opportunity to tell others how much energy you are generating and more importantly how much you're saving. After all bragging rights are everything.



6. Solar Power Converter - Because the solar panels produce DC power to your system and the electricity needs of your home are that of AC power, a solar power converter is needed to convert the supply from one to the other. In other words, it turns the DC energy into whats needed to plug your electrical items to the wall outlets in the normal fashion. A good, 1200W solar power converter can be bought for around $100, regardless of whether it's a square wave, modified wave or sine wave type converter.



7. Backup Power - Sadly, we can't guarantee that the sun will shine without a break on a daily basis, but the backup batteries can only hold a certain amount of charge for a limited period. So it's necessary to have backup power to cope with this event. If your home solar energy is a stand-alone system, this might be provided by a diesel powered generator. If you're connected into the grid (grid-tied), then the backup power will come directly from this source. However, it's also possible to utilize other natural energy sources for backup power, such as a hydro-energy or a small wind turbine system.

It doesn't matter whether you choose to purchase pre-constructed solar panels or construct your own, installing a home solar energy system really isn't that complicated or expensive if done correctly. Another advantage in having a grid-tied system is the can sell any excess power back to the power utility companies. What a turnaround considering you've been paying them money for all these years!

Alternative Energy Tutorials provide a dedicated service to enable you to learn more about the different alternative energy options available to you. If required, you can download more detailed reports and tutorials that give you all the information you require to make informed choices and take advantage of powering your home by low cost and/or free energy sources. Not only do our guides help you to save money, but they aim to make sure that your energy saving efforts are effective and work efficiently right from the word go.