I’m not sure what’s my roof is made of, could be clay or concrete or decra. But you know this material absorb heat and subsequently travel all the way down into the house, that makes a house hot. Nevertheless, thought of going green, if i replace my roof with solar panel/cell, does it also make my home less hot since it does not absorb heat as much as conventional roof (solar cells are suppose to absorb light, right?)

From a purely theoretical standpoint, the solar energy that your panels convert to electricity can’t make your house hotter.

From a practical standpoint, the solar panels will shade the roof somewhat, especially if they are mounted on some kind of support a couple of inches above the roof plane.

Hard to say how much of an effect this would have.

Hi i am looking to install solar panels for my home but would like to try and do it on my own to save a bit of money…
But I keep reading the term "panel photovoltaic" or "photovoltaic panel" I don’t know what this means, could someone give me some advice.

Hi Tas, A Photovoltaic panel is the individual collector, or cell, electrically connected. They form photovoltaic modules, better known as a solar panel. The photovoltaic panel is arranged in arrays, or many panels fitted together in a grid.

Now I feel smart.. In basic terms panel photovoltaic means solar panel..

I went to this site http://build-your-own-solarpanels.com

It will give you a better understand of solar power works.. Hope this helps

I am very interested in making solar panels in Karachi, Pakistan. But cant figure out where i get solar cells? If there is some DIY methods please tell me.

you do google search and contact the companies which manufactures solar panel..or contact an expert in this field..

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electron flow is neg to positive

I am wondering about the average cost to put solar panels on the average size home. (I know it takes a 3 to 4kw system, I think)
Would this power the home all the time?
Will there be power left over to sell back to the power company?
Just trying to get a clear understanding of solar panels from people that run their homes with solar?

I have a 3.74 kw dc system. The full cost to have the system installed was $26K. I got a $10K rebate from my utility and a fed tax credit (it has been increased to 30% of the total cost so it would be $7800). Not all utilities will allow your meter to run backwards, mine does. It was estimated my system would pay for it’s self in 6.2 years. My city just passed a 20% rate increase, so I should break even much sooner. My system is tied to the grid so I sell them my excess and buy what I need when the sun isn’t up. I don’t have a storage system. I create about 90% of my summer usage and about 75% of my winter usage. My bills went from about $200 down to about $20 for the summer. In the spring my bills are closer to $10.

I highly recommend getting a quote from a local installer, because local rebates and incentives can have a big impact on the over all costs. Where you live, the angle of the panels, any shade issues etc. can all have an impact on production. Any quality company should be able to tell you how much it will cost, a fair estimate of production and an estimate of how long before you break even. It helps if you can give the installer a usage history, I was able to get 2 years history from my utility.

It always helps to begin with conservation.

Despite what many people say, you don’t need batteries for a solar system if you are going to also be connected to the electric company (grid). You just need the panels and an inverter (and mounting hardware and safety equipment like breakers and fuses).

Most people don’t generate all of the electricity they use. They offset some of their use with solar and buy the rest from the grid. You can get a very small grid-tied solar system for as little as $3000. However, it won’t generate much electricity at all. I’d say an average size system is around $10k - $20k. Here are some packages that show all of the components needed. http://www.altestore.com/store/Kits-and-Package-Deals/Grid-Tied-Systems/Alt-E-Designed-Grid-Tie-Packages/c1087/

If you want to see how much you need, look at your electric bill and see how many kwh you buy each month. Put that number into a calculator like this one, and see how big of a system you need. http://www.altestore.com/store/calculators/on_grid_calculator/. Installed cost is about $8 per watt of solar panel.

each panel how many kilowatts does each panel put out X how many panels to run a house

it all depends on the size of the panel

If it might be controversial, I suggest asking the individual members of the board informally whether you can discuss it with them, first. Ultimately, this sort of thing is won one vote at a time. It wouldn’t hurt to plant the idea with a few of your neighbors, too. Ask them what they think of the idea - that will give you a chance to explain how great it will be.

As for the letter, it doesn’t matter that much if you’ve lobbied the board in advance. Do add your contact information at the bottom, and a reminder that you’re more than willing to work with them toward something mutually agreeable.