{ What is Electricity? }

Energy is around us in a variety of forms, which include, to name just a few, gasoline, running water, light and electricity. We often transfer energy from one form to another, for example, when an automobile uses the chemical energy in fuel to move. Some types of energy are easy to store (i.e. chemical) and others are easy to move from one place to another (i.e. electricity and light). Electricity is one form of energy that we have harnessed in the past 100 years. By definition, electricity is the energy available from the movement of electrons within a conducting material. It is analogous to water flowing out of a hose; the electrons are like drops of water. Enough electrons with force behind them can perform useful work. more...

Appliance Power Ratings

Ceiling Fan (DC) Cell Phone Charger Coffee Maker Computer Drill Freezer (10 cu. ft.) Furnace Fan Hair Dryer 25 20 600 100-300 300 300 500-600 1500 Laser Printer Lights - Incandescent Lights - Fluorescent Microwave Radio (DC) Refrigerator Skill Saw Stereo (AC) 400-600 15-100 7-80 800 5 250-500 1000 10-30 Television (20”) Television (30”) Toaster VCR Water Pump (DC) Well Pump (AC) 75 125 1000 20 120 1400 *the above table shows the approximate draw of common household appliances in watts.

{ How Solar Energy Panels Work }

{ How Solar Panel are made ? }

Curious how photovoltaic solar panels are brought to life? Here is a short video   clip that explains the basic process. While technology and automation continue to refine the exact steps, this video from the Discovery Channel offers an interesting overview

{ US Solar Radiation Maps }

These solar insulation maps are provided by the Dept. of Energy, NREL (US National Renewable Energy Lab). They can help you determine the approximate sun-hours per day in your location. Here's an example:
Let's say you live in Southern California, near the coast. You have an application where you require power year-round. So, you look for the worst months of the year for sunshine, December and January here in the states. Look at the maps for those months and you will see that S. California has a minimum of 4.5-5 hrs per day. Note that the designation in the maps, kWh/m2/day is equivalent to sun hours per day. You would use 4.5 hours for a year-round application near the coast of southern California. If you were using an RV, just in the spring through fall months, you would look up the lowest hours of sun per day in those months in your location and use that for the sun-hours per day.

{ Solar Experimenters }

Tips for those just getting started with solar energy:
The amount of light falling on the solar panel is important. Most of our small solar panels will work well with a 100-150W household incandescent bulb for short experiments. Any lower wattage will probably give poor results. The solar panel should be about 12" from the light source at most. The heat of the bulb for long periods (or at a closer distance) can damage the solar panel. If you are trying to use your solar panel indoors with sunlight through a window, you'll get the best results by opening the window and screen - some window glass blocks a significant amount of light, and screens will shade the panel Be sure to angle the panel at approximately 45 degrees and set it to face the sun. Make sure your solar panel matches the voltage and current requirements of the device you want to run. For example, use a 1.5V solar panel to run a 1.5V LED, and use a 3V solar panel to run a 2.7-3V LED. Some motors require a start-up current to get the motor running, so make sure the panel you choose can supply that current. For example, if a motor requires 200 mA to start, your solar panel must have a current output of at least 200 mA.

{ Sun Power Renewable Energy }

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