You Used Solar Panels Answare And Reviews

Question: Is it practical to use solar panels on the roof of a 12 ft by 12 ft workshop to light it, and provide power to?

(Posted by: Aaron on 2008-12-23 09:53:46)

And to run the power to several small power tools, or would it be not cost effective or even possible to generate that much power. If it is, where to you purchase a system like that? Help me Obi- Wan!

Posted by: glen G on 2008-12-23, 10:03:19

You will need a lot of collectors and a massive storage base to power high amp tools.

Posted by: William B on 2008-12-23, 10:11:41

No its cheaper to buy a generator and use it

Posted by: saiboogu on 2008-12-23, 10:31:38

Payback time for solar is very long term - 10-20 years depending on your climate, the size of your system, and your local electric rates. A 12x12 roof gives you 144 sq ft, or an average of about 1400 watts available in good light. You're looking at about $10,000 US for a system of about that size. Check the ratings on your tools to find out what you could run on 1400 watts. This will only provide power during the daytime. If you can get grid power to the shed, then you can just let the panels run all day and offset your power usage (you need to find out if the local utility allows grid-tie). If you don't have grid power at the shed you'll need a battery bank to store excess power during the day and supply it at night. The same $10,000 system could do this if you add a charge controller and battery bank (few thousand additional, depending on the batteries used, runtime stored, etc).

Posted by: cowboydoc on 2008-12-24, 03:30:33

If you have all the material and have no other use for it. It wouldn't be cost effective otherwise. A Solar panel with all the connections and Storage facilities needed would be cost prohibited otherwise. Like a windmill that my son wants, he's young enough so if he puts one in, in about ten years it would start to pay for itself, not including the maintenance during this time. Sometimes a good thing cost money.