couldyou use solar panels to back feed into a power grid from your house?

Answer 1

Certainly......

In fact many home setups do so.

One fundamental problem with solar panels is that they can only produce direct current (DC), but household current is alternating (AC). To convert the DC current into household AC, you'll need a power inverter.

(Note: if you don't know what an inverter is, see here:)
http://www.solarpanelinfo.com/solar-panels/inverters/

Sometimes, homes or businesses will use relatively few solar panels, simply to *reduce*, or *augment* power from the grid during the heat of the day. Demand for electricity is greatest from around 9AM to 5PM, and utilities typically charge more for power during "peak" hours. Luckily this is also when solar panels produce the most power (for obvious reasons)

This is known as "peak shaving." Solar panels don't work at night, so you're still going to have to buy power from the grid after dark, but it'll be cheaper, and you won't use much at night anyways. The point here isn't to be electrically self-sufficient, just to use solar to offset some the costs of utilities.

In order to be fully self sufficient, you need to have *batteries*, to provide power during the night and on cloudy days. Batteries are expensive, toxic, cause pollution, and usually have to be replaced about every five to seven years. In addition, you need to have almost twice as many panels on your roof, to charge up the batteries and provide usable peak time power.

In either case, peak shaving, or total power generation, it's always possible to just add more panels to your roof than you strictly need, and make your power meter spin backwards.

In many states, power companies are required to buy any "negative" power that comes from home or business users, at a slightly higher rate; this is known as "net metering."

At this time, the total cost of panels, inverters, batteries, and wiring, will still probably outstrip any potential savings or profits to be had. The large added expense of batteries makes total generation less popular than the simpler peak shaving setups. On the other hand, as technology and demand advances, the relative price of good quality panels and inverters, goes down a bit every year, while the average efficiency goes up a little.

~W.O.M.B.A.T.

Answer 2

Yes, Really it is pretty simple just a little involved.

1. solar panels of the correct voltage and amps.
2. DC disconnect
3. Grid Tie Inverter
4. AC Disconnect mounted close to the Grid Meter
5. AC breakers to go in your homes Breaker Box
6. A few other items like conduit wires and panel mounts.

Check out this page for information on how to size your system and follow the links on the page to find a size and price list. Do the install your self then hire an electrician to hook up the wires. Don't forget the permits and call the Utility before you start to get their requirements.

http://www.oynot.com/solar-info.html

Answer 3

There is a step-by-step video guide online right now that can show you how to reduce your power bill by making your own solar panels.


Take a look at it: http://tinyurl.com/Earth4EnergyRew


Why pay thousands of dollars for solar energy ($27,000 average cost) when you can build your own solar panel system for just a fraction of the retail cost. You can build a single solar panel or you can build an entire array of panels to power your whole house.

Some people are saving 50% on their power bill, some people are reducing their bill to nothing. But what’s most impressive is that just by following these instructions some are even making the power company pay them!

Answer 4

Certainly long winded, but WOMBAT is right. If you were thinking about a direct connection, panel to power line, what you would get is a rather spectacular explosion. You need the inverters, AND, they have to be synchronized with the incoming line power phase.