Solar Tech Town

Contest #24 – Win A Solar Panel

Robert Smith — Sat, 05 May 2012 22:00:06 +0000

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Contest #23 – Win A Solar Panel

Robert Smith — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 06:20:06 +0000

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Installing A Solar Panel System

Robert Smith — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 01:13:49 +0000

During the week of June 21, 2010, Bob Kovacs had a photovoltaic solar system installed at his home in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. The installation took place over two days, with the panels installed the first day and the electrical connections completed the second day. The system consists of 18 235-Watt panels, and each panel has a dedicated inverter installed under the solar panel. As one can see, the crews were fast, neat and professional.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHCrdtIvD3I

DIY Solar Panel System Cost

Robert Smith — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 02:56:07 +0000

Adam Stevenson is interviewed about his solar panel system he had installed. Adam shares some very valuable information about those looking to install a large solar panel system.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udUSVdJ2WqY

Interview conducted by SolarDave:

SolarDave: Please tell me about your solar panel system and how you saved some money?

Adam Stevenson: The total of the system and materials was $22K. I ended up spending about another $1,800 in permit fees and a structural engineer and $400 for an electrician, several hundred dollars for a guy to come help me out for the two afternoons he spent with me.

Xcel (Energy) gave me $16,538 rebate. Fix cost based on the number of kilowatts you are installing and has nothing to do with how much you pay the permit office or the electrician.

My final cost after rebate was $7,237. (SolarDave note: that is cheap!)

I started my research in solar probably about a year before I actually installed it went and got a couple of bids from some of the local solar people both from contractors that my friends have used as well as just searching the internet and while talking to one of the guys I find of developed a good feeling from him, and I asked the question “Would it be possible to do some of the work myself” and kind of learn along the way he said “Sure I absolutely support the do-it-yourself-er (DIY) so I said why don’t you throw me bids, what it would cost just come home and have solar one day and what it would cost to have it done where I do some or all the work myself. And throw them both to me and I said let’s try the second one.

The guys name is Steve Cross from Sun Spot Solar.

I gave him my electric bills and said this is how much I think I need to generate and he said I agree and lets do these types of panels 180 watts each, you will need some where around 19 to 22 we figured out 21 fit pretty well.

So I went and got all the permit information from Golden (Colorado), filled it out. He came by 1/2 hour one day he type all the Xcel application on the internet and I kind of ran the process and when I had a question I would just send him an email and he helped me out.

I think in parallel we order the equipment – he dropped off in my driveway. Then one of his installers came out and helped me for two afternoons and I pretty much myself put in the whole rack system on the roof and the installer came out and helped me kind of a two man job carrying the panels up, putting the panels down and bracketing them down.

I think we sketch out on the side of one of the solar panel boxes how they are all going to wire together so that we get three rows of series – 7 series strings so the amperage works out.

I let his installer run the conduit because that is pretty much a one person job and then I paid an electrician to plug it all in for me.

Solar Power Setup

Robert Smith — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 10:49:23 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWQThIuP1WE

Texasprepper2 shows his Solar / Wind Power setup. The vid is a little long, but he had to cover a lot of important information.

Portable Solar Power System

DIY Solar Panels Home-Built vs Factory

Robert Smith — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:16:33 +0000

A YouTuber, wranglepuss, shares his thoughts for several months into using homemade solar panels:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN85k-Ywy98

Contest #22 – Win A Solar Panel

Robert Smith — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 06:30:37 +0000

How To Enter

Check the rules below to make sure you qualify. Next Input your YouTube username in the text field, input the correct letters for the security box, and click the Enter button. It’s that easy.

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Contest #21 – Win A Solar Panel

Robert Smith — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:42:12 +0000

How To Enter

Check the rules below to make sure you qualify. Next Input your YouTube username in the text field, input the correct letters for the security box, and click the Enter button. It’s that easy.

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Contest #20 – Win A Solar Panel

Robert Smith — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 15:06:25 +0000

How To Enter

Check the rules below to make sure you qualify. Next Input your YouTube username in the text field, input the correct letters for the security box, and click the Enter button. It’s that easy.

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How To Build A Solar Charged Remote Control Electric Lawn Mower

Robert Smith — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 06:39:49 +0000

Learn how to build a Solar Charged Remote Control Electric Lawn Mower over at Robert Smith’s central website: RC-LawnMower.com Robert has created a total of 14 videos that explain his entire process for creating this device. All the parts, tools, wiring diagrams, and other resources are also listed on his website.

Remote Control Lawn Mower Update