4 Things You’ll Need to Take Your Home Office Off the Grid for under $250

Solar power is nothing new. However, what is fairly new about solar energy is the fact it’s now more cost effective than ever.

Solar cells, which cost as much as $6.00 each back in the 1990’s can now be purchased from eBay sellers for about 50 cents each. Plus, other components also cost much less than they used to years ago. Add to the lower costs the availability of video tutorials online, and you’ve got a perfect solution to help you get off the grid, or at the very least, power one room in your home with renewable, solar energy.

Listed below are the items you’ll need to power up a home office and save hundreds of dollars each year…

1. Solar Panel ($100)

Solar panels are made of solar cells bought from eBay, which must be welded together in a serial pattern to generate a 12 volt flow of power. Solar cells are typically nested between two panes of glass and sealed using silicone.

2. Charge Controller ($12)

The solar panels are connected to a charge controller to prevent your batteries from over charging. Charge controllers can also even out voltage, amperage and wattage. Buy your charge controller from from eBay, and save big bucks!

3. Two Reconditioned Deep Cycle 12V Battery ($50-$70)

Connect your charge controller to batteries specially designed to be charged and discharge often. Shop at Advanced Auto Parts and use a promo code to save $40 per battery. The more batteries, the better.

4. Power Inverter ($35)

To generate a stream of 110 volt power, connect a 750 Watt power inverter bought at Walmart to your battery. The power inverter will power a cable modem, computer, TV, lights, fans and pretty much anything that does not involve heating or cooling. For such appliances, you’ll need a dedicated solar power plant that generates at least 3,000 Watts…

When it comes to solar energy, the only thing that can prevent you from getting off the grid is procrastination!