Portable Solar Panels
Power 4 Home – Portable Solar Panels
Author: Chris Jensen
It is not unusual to see solar panels mounted on RVs, campers, and boats. Indeed, these portable solar panels can efficiently generate enough electricity to power the different appliances found in these vehicles. From televisions sets to refrigerators to lights to practically any electronic device inside a camper or RV or boat, these solar panels provide clean energy while you are on the go.
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Portable solar panels prove to be effective mobile electricity solutions. They can power laptops, cellular phones, and coffee makers so you never have to wait to get to a civic center before you can go about your business. Using these panels as a source of power takes a combination of the gifts of Mother Nature plus a little help from high technology.
There are even solar panels that you can take with you when you are out camping or backpacking. These solar panels come in various shapes, sizes, and application. There are even some that you can fully customize according to your needs.
If you are apprehensive about how much these helpful sunlight panels cost, you need not be. There are ways to build your own panels out of everyday household materials. You can find many manuals and guides on how to make them in books, magazines, and in different internet sites.
Making your own portable solar panels will not ask you to spend more than a hundred dollars. All you need is just a weekend or two, lots of dedication, and some ingenuity. If you cannot find the materials that you will need at home, you can easily buy them from hardware stores or at local junk shops. If you prefer not going around looking for materials, you can simply purchase a kit and read all the instructions so you can put all the materials and accessories together.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/power-4-home-portable-solar-panels-1136196.html
About the Author
This author is a Big Fan of Power 4 Home and Portable Solar Panels.
November 30, -0001
12:00 am
the endless world of the internet
November 30, -0001
12:00 am
Most people think all one needs is some solar panels to make power. It doesn’t usually work that way. On a boat it is easy because most boats use batteries and DC power.
If all you want to do is make DC power, you will need a battery to hook your portable unit / units to. You can then use the battery to supply power to something that uses battery power. You may need a voltage converter if the device is not 12 volt.
To use the power you get from solar panels for AC power like your house has, you need a regulator, inverter, and controller to change the DC output from the panel (s) to AC and then control the power into your electric system. You also need a unit from your electric company installed.
A decent minimal solar system for an average house may cost around $5000 – $10,000. It will take many, many years to pay back. For a full-use system with generator, it will probably take $30,000 – $40,000 IF you don’t use it for air conditioning. If you live in an area where you have a lot of cloudy days, it will take many, many, many, many years to pay back.
The reason everyone isn’t using solar power is because it is not cheap and has not been cost-effective for most situations. Most Americans would not like it’s inconvenience at times. It is not new science. It is in use many places and well known. It is great for some applications and as fuel and electrical power cost increase it will be used more.
Don’t believe the media and hollywood. They are not interested in truth. They are just interested in making you believe their way. Study and learn.
November 30, -0001
12:00 am
How many watts is the panel, and how many watts is the device you are powering and how long is it on a day? Let’s say it’s a 40W stereo that’s on 3 hours a day. 40Wx3hours = 120Watt hours.
Now let’s figure how much power the solar panel makes. If it is a 30W panel and gets 4 sun hours a day (not hours of sun, this is how long it gets the equivalent of a standard test condition), it probably gets closer to 2.5 or 3 sun hours in the winter, depending on where you are. 30W x 4 sun hours = 120Watt hours. Perfect, except there are losses in the system, so you need to figure around 30% loss overall, which brings you to 84wh. That’s too small for your load.
A 12V sealed AGM battery can be used to store the power. You’d also need to calculate the size needed for that.
There is a calculator available to do a lot of this math for you. You need to figure out your load first, then enter the wh in this calculator. It will tell you what size panel and battery you need. http://www.altestore.com/store/calculators/off_grid_calculator/
November 30, -0001
12:00 am
The cost of solar panels for homes ranges between $100-200 based on panel wattage and electrical output. For example, a 6.5 Watt portable solar panel costs $95-115, while a 9 Watt (12V) rollable solar charger costs about $180.
You can easily build a home solar panel for under $200. If you negotiate with your local hardware store, you can even get the components for under $100.
November 30, -0001
12:00 am
You can buy a small portable solar panel online for cheap from
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=portable%20solar%20panel&tag=ya-us1-20&index=blended&linkCode=ur2&camp=1789&creative=9325
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search?ie=UTF8&keywords=portable%20solar%20panel&tag=ya-uk-21&index=blended&linkCode=ur2&camp=1634&creative=6738
June 3, 2007
7:44 pm
Has anyone used portable solar panels for home use?
I found portable solar panels used for boats etc. and was wondering how I could effectly use them for my home instead. If you have used them in the past, please tell how they worked (good or bad).
August 7, 2008
11:50 pm
Portable Solar Panels – What’s The Cost Of Solar Panels For Homes
I’m keen on buying or building a portable solar panel for my home to lower dependence on costly energy and reduce my electricity bills.
January 7, 2010
9:26 am
QUestion about portable Solar Panels.. Mine is 12v?
I have had this 12v portable Solar Panel for my apartment for awhile. Only problem is that I have no balcony and I can barely get enough sun to use it with my Cobra 450 400-800 watt outlet converter. Can someone advise me a better method to use these? Like do I have to get more 12v solar panels? I have a small apartment and use it on one window. Also is it possible for me to buy a portable storage tank to store the energy gathered from the sun by the solar panel?
May 25, 2010
1:25 am
Where can I buy a portable solar panels for my home in the Philippines?
With the power crisis looming in, I think it’s better to have a solar panel than buy a portable generator which eats up petrol. Philippines must have the costliest fuel per liter in Asia. Problem is, solar panels can’t be bought as easily as generators.
August 5, 2010
4:58 pm
Where can I buy a small portable solar panel?
I am looking to purchase a portable solar panel that is reasonably small (not roof-top size) but I haven’t found anything online. Thanks!