How to Use Solar Power for Your Electrical

Analyze your home electrical usage. Go through your house and list every appliance. Be sure to include electronic toys and games used by your children as well as the water heater, refrigerator, heaters and so on. Write down the amount of electricity used per hour for each item, and how many hours per day it is used. Use this information to create an estimate of how much electricity you will need to generate for basic household operations.

Look for a part of your roof or yard that receives sunlight for at least six to eight hours a day.Look through material from photo-voltaic panel sellers. Compare their projected life, the electricity produced and their cost. Make note of the panels physical dimensions. Tally up how many panels you will need to provide basic electricity for your home, then calculate the amount of space they will need. You many need to plan for more than one location--if this is the case, you can even space the panels so that one group will provide electricity in the morning and another in the afternoon.

Decide whether you will have a stand-alone system or if you will still be hooked to the electrical grid. A stand-alone system will require the use of large, deep-cell rechargeable batteries. The batteries will need a small room or large closet where they can be stored away from animals or small children, yet still be accessible for maintenance. If you decide to remain connected to the local electrical company, you will want to speak with them about the possibility of selling back excess electricity generated from your home system. Some companies are set up for this, others do not yet have that capacity.

Plan for wiring from the collectors to the batteries or to an alternative intake system. You will need a control panel that will regulate the intake of solar generated electricity into your system. Unregulated solar generation can cause a power surge that has the potential to burn out sensitive equipment, such as computers. Control panels sold by solar energy companies have diodes that help regulate the flow of energy, preventing electrical fluctuations.

Purchase and add an inverter to your electrical set-up. The inverter changes the electricity generated by the solar panels from direct current--such as is used by batteries, into alternating current--the kind used by most household appliances.

Weed through your household appliances. Eliminate items that are rarely used, but still draw a small electrical charge. Change out aging energy hogs for newer, more efficient units. Encourage your family to take up hobbies such as reading books, gardening, fishing, hiking and camping as a means of increasing health and decreasing electrical energy usage.