Depending what you need it for will dictate how much you spend. If you want it to power your home it's going to cost more than if you want it to power a boat or caravan. However, you can greatly reduce the cost of your system by installing it yourself. Click here for more details.

1. Get yourself a photovoltaic solar panel. These can range from 5 watts to 200 watts depending on your needs. The price varies from around £50 ($100) for a 5 watt panel to around £800 ($1600) for a 200 watt panel.

2. Next, will need a charge controller.

3. Then a sealed battery.

4. Followed by a AC to DC solar power inverter. You will need this to convert the stored DC power in the battery into AC power for your household appliances.

5. And finally, to monitor the load on your generator, an inexpensive voltage meter. Although these items will all come with instructions, please be careful when working with electricity. If you feel unsure about something then I would suggest consulting a professional electrician.

I know this will increase the cost of installing your solar power generator but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Click on solar photovoltaic energy for information on solar for electricity.

Click on diy solar heating for information on solar water heating. Click on our solar power gadgets for great gift ideas.

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