Solar Power

Previously on this blog I have written about how we were without power for 11 days earlier in 2010 because of a horrific ice storm. (See Ice Storm of January 2010) While we had talked about alternative power sources before the ice storm, we never actually did anything about it -- it was just talk.  Then when everything went dark and cold for over a week, we decided to make changes as soon as we were on our feet again.

My husband says that we are too far along in life to try wind power even though we live in one of the windiest states in the nation and we live out in the middle of a cow pasture.  But he's right.  The start up costs for wind power are prohibitive for ordinary people, which is a shame.  Start up costs are at least $20,000 -- and that's doing it yourself.

However, Harbor Freight had a deal on solar panels and my husband thought we would experiment with that idea.  In addition to living in one of the windiest states, we also live in a very sunny part of our state.  He ordered the panels and they arrived promptly.  Then he found a video produced by user GoatHollow on YouTube which we found helpful and entertaining about installing and using solar panels from Harbor Freight.
Thank you, GoatHollow!

My husband built a frame for the panels and we installed them on top of my little house, "Summersgaze."  Right now the solar panels are powering two lights and my husband is also using the panels to recharge different batteries around our place.  We are pleased with the solar panels and if our little experiment continues to work, we may purchase more.

A box full of three solar panels from Harbor Freight

My husband installing panels on roof of Summersgaze.
I helped him lift the panels onto the roof.