With today’s emphasis on going green, cheap solar panels are becoming more popular. Making your own alternative energy at home is an easy and inexpensive way to supplement your electrical needs.

Hiring a company to come in and build an alternative energy source can be very expensive and take years to see a return on the initial investment. Homemade versions can provide just as much power for a mere fraction of the cost.

The first step in creating cheap solar panels at home is to collect all the necessary supplies. Cells are the most expensive part of the build. Most often, one solar panel is created from many different individual cells soldered together. This created one large collection unit that can then be tied into the electrical grid. The grid is the power supply you pay for each month.

Once the cells are mounted on a board, they can be soldered together to transfer power from one cell to the next. The more cells connected, the more power collected from the sun.

Many people choose to start small on their first build with just 25 or so cells. These can be aligned in lines of five to create a perfect square. Each line of cells is soldered together in a row with one output connection at the bottom.

After each of the pieces are connected, the power will need to be moved from your solar panels to an inverter or battery. Batteries are used to collect and store energy and an inverter changes the DC output to AC for use in the home.

A bit more expertise is needed to move the power through the electrical panel of the home. When done correctly, the dial that moves as electricity is used in the home can slow dramatically, stop or even move in the opposite direction.

When power is fed back into the electrical grid, credits are issued by the local electric company. These credits can be used to pay for power use on days when home demand is higher than collection.

It is important to seek professional help when attempting to tie in an alternative energy source to the home’s electrical meter. Even when using cheap solar panels, you want your electrical connection to be safe.

If building your own source of energy is not what you are trying to attempt, some companies offer inexpensive installation on units that have been preordered or built for another client but never installed. Federal tax credits in the United States can also lower the cost by paying back some of the price for renewable power collection.

Going green does not have to be expensive. There are limitless options like purchasing pieces from online auction websites or from local businesses that have extra parts. Some cities are developing group buying programs which help to make solar power more affordable for everyone.

The sun offers unlimited amounts of energy and no matter how small the build, you can take advantage of that power and lower your home electric bill.

Author Bio: M.S. Rochell is the owner of http://www.Go-Green-Solar-Energy.com which offers education and inspiration on the benefits of going green with solar energy. For more on cheap solar panels please visit for our free Solar Panel Basics eBook.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: cheap solar panels,cheap solar power,diy solar power,diy solar panels