When the good lads at Home Made Energy, Bill and Ben Ford, offered to let us take a gander at their own alternative energy product we were all too happy to oblige. If you’ve taken a look at some of our other reviews you’ll see we’re coming to terms with what it really takes to get your own power system up and running. Truth be told, its not as easy as some punters make it out to be, but that’s one of the reasons we liked giving a Home Made Energy review…it doesn’t sugar coat stuff. The Ford’s don’t lay claim to being able to build a whole solar panel array overnight. In fact, they specifically explain why it helps to be realistic about what this type of home project entails.
Its not hype, its not false promise…its a gritty workmans guide to getting the job done.
The Facts
One of the reasons we insist on seeing a whole product, and preferably put it to use before posting our review, is because different readers have different requirements. When we first started looking into alternative energy solutions, neither of us had any real concept of what it entailed. Being generally tool savvy helped, but what we looked for in our first product was a real paint by number approach, the type of thing that was basically foolproof and if anything was over-detailed in the instructions provided.
As we’ve moved on and been exposed to more products and projects, our need for the basics has reduced. One of the things we hope to do is to make sure you understand what approach any product we review takes, so you can select whatever caters to your needs. If you’re a bit of a home handyman expert, you just won’t need the base level instructions that some of us do.
So where does Home Made Energy sit on the DIY learning curve? Actually, it depends on what you want to do. The package covers solar, wind and hydro-electric power systems, and does so through the use of a handy pdf and a video series.
The instruction in relation to solar power were by far the most impressive. There is a mix of diagrams and actual photographs to help you along the way but the real value comes from the detail, not just in terms of what needs to be done, but why we’re doing it. Again, for the less experienced among us, that can make quite a difference. We still learned a few things along the way and have been prompted to make a few tweaks to our own projects as a result.
On the flip side, whilst still pretty decent, the chapters covering wind power generators and hydro-electricity were less generous in the details. To some extent, that’s understandable. Solar panel power systems are far more apt to involve intangible problems, and so are inherrently the more difficult project. With a wind power generator, there are certain unalienable truths that enable the naked eye alone to discern if its working. We need wind, we need our blades to spin, and we need our meter to register the result. All in all, not an overly challenging proposition, and there is plenty of detail when it comes to hooking up your grid system which is applicable to all energy options.
The Nitty Gritty
So what’s inside? The pdf is the backbone of Home Made Energy, and the chapters are set out below.
HOME MADE ENERGY CONTENT
CHAPTER 1: REDUCING YOUR ENERGY NEEDS
Determining Your Energy Needs
CHAPTER 2: THE MAGIC BEHIND SOLAR POWER
How Solar Power Works:
How Long Do Solar Panel Systems Last?
CHAPTER 3: BUILDING YOUR SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM
Parts & Their Functions
Different Types of Solar Energy Systems
CHAPTER 4: SOLAR PANELS: TO SALVAGE, BUY OR BUILD
Obtaining Free Solar Panels
Getting Panels At A Discount
Building Your Own Panels
CHAPTER 5: HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN SOLAR PANEL
CHAPTER 6: MAINTAINING YOUR PANELS
CHAPTER 7: HOW WIND POWER WORKS
Parts Of A Wind Turbine
CHAPTER 8: TO BUY OR BUILD YOUR WIND ENERGY SYSTEM
CHAPTER 9: BUILD YOUR OWN WIND TURBINE
CHAPTER 10: UNDERSTANDING HYDROELECTRIC POWER
CHAPTER 11: WIRING YOUR BATTERY SYSTEM
CHAPTER 12: THE ALTERNATIVE ENERGY HOME
CHAPTER 13: LARGE SCALE RENEWABLE ENERGY
CHAPTER 14: MORE CHANGE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE
Reducing Your Oil Dependence:
The Ethanol Question:
The Energy Of The Future:
CHAPTER 15: WHAT’S HOLDING BACK CHANGE?
CHAPTER 16: ADDING TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE BASEWORKSHOPS AND RESOURCES
CHAPTER 17: CLOSING THOUGHTS
As the titles suggest, the early section of the guide is devoted to easy and immediate ways to reduce your home energy bill. We then get a detailed explanation of the tools and tidbits we’ll need to construct our solar panels. One thing we did like is that Home Made Energy makes some realistic suggestions on how to cut costs on your solar panels. They even show you one way you can get them for free. It’s something we just wouldn’t have thought of, even though in retrospect we should. Its always nice when a guide gives you an ‘aha’ moment.
The guide includes instructions on how to integrate your solar or wind power system into your home, and there’s a heavy focus on safety and compliance compliance with local utility and electrical codes to ensure you get the maximum benefit for any power you generate.
There’s even a chapter which felt a lot like a pep-talk, but we didn’t mind that at all…sometimes we need a kick in the rear to get moving, just ask our wives.
There’s also a video series. We really like video’s. Its sort of like being spoon fed the information you need, and building stuff just seems easier when you see it being done. The video’s cover a range of information and are as follows:
VIDEO SERIES
#1 Introduction
#2 System Components & Types
#3 A Special Report (Important items to consider before connecting to a grid system)
#4 Electrical Fundamentals
#5 PV System Design & Sizing
# 6 Tools We Need To Construct The System
#7 & #8 Batteries
There are also unadvertised bonus items, including a PV Panel Array Sizing Worksheet, and full blown products on other alternative energy solutions.
At this point we were thinking this was a pretty good deal, then BAM…we found the DIY video’s.
DIY VIDEO’S
Yep, there are 7 video’s (over two hours worth of viewing) which show you each step of the solar power system. That’s every single step, done right in front of you. Gold.
Actually, if the pdf is the backbone, these video’s are really the flesh. You get walked through each stage of assembly, which is the most fiddly part in our experience, and the one most apt to produce issues. Getting it right is much easier when you have someone showing you how.
Here’s the next thing we liked about this product. You see, video’s are great but its not always practical to drag the computer out into the workshop to watch, learn and do at the same time. If you prefer it, you can order Home Made Energy on DVD, which means its a lot easier to fire up the video’s and watch them on the run. You do have a tv in your shed right? Where else would you watch the football?
What Will It Set Me Back?
Home Made Energy is currently selling for $47, which some folk will advertise as a 50% discount, but trust us, everyones paying the same price.
The Skinny
As you might have guessed from our rating at the start of this article, we thought Home Made Energy is an excellent buy for those looking to implement a solar power system at home. The info the guide gives is solid, the video series gives a good lead in, and the DIY video’s really help knock the project over with minimal fuss or mistakes.
However, if you’re interest lies in wind power, we think there are better alternatives. There is enough detail to give those with some design smarts enough to produce a working generator, but it doesn’t offer nearly as much detail as is provided for the solar panels. Home Made Energy doesn’t really claim otherwise, as the focus is clearly on solar power, but we make the point in any event. If you’re looking for wind power generator solutions, check out our Earth4Energy review. The hydro-electricity section is really little more than theory also.
Having said all that, the solar power aspect of the guide is spot on. The Ford’s also appear to appreciate that for many people, aesthetics play an important part in implementing alternative energy. After all, a working solar array is great, but why put up with additions to your home that look unsightly or unprofessional?
Home Made Energy is a good little product, and one worth taking a look at if you’re in the demographic looking for detailed guidance on how to build a solar power system.
