by Brian Bradley

Are you new to solar power and wanting to go green right now? Consider starting with a portable solar generator, which is easier to build and maintain than a system attached to your home.

You can build your own, fully functional generator for under $200 – and if you do it correctly, it can pay for itself in only a few weeks of use.

To build it, you’ll need: 1) the solar panel itself 2) a charge controller 3) a battery and 4) an inverter. Try to make the solar panel small, because you’ll be carrying it around all the time.

Try to get a small, 12 Volt solar panel – that’s all you need for camping trips and for miniature appliances. Once you attach the charge controller, the power drawn will be greatly limited as well and your battery life will be extended.

The energy collected by your solar panel is stored by the battery, and you can then use it whenever you need it. The direct current electricity that you get is converted into alternating current by the inverter.

The first step to make all this is to connect your solar panel to the charge controller. Then, connect the battery to the charge controller, and connect the battery to the inverter. The inverter should connect to your appliances.

To get these parts, you could go to your local hardware store, or just find someone who’s giving them away or selling them for very cheap.

To add even more, start with a “battery box” to protect your batteries from the elements and from outside threats. You could also get a system meter to see how full your battery is and to point you to problems early on.

About the Author:
Brian Bradley is the Editor of DIY Clean Energy, the web’s top website for how to make your own solar panels and how to make a portable solar generator.

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Filed under: Homes

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