Dc Home Builders

Homemade Solar Panels

The world wide web is full of do-it-yourself (DIY) forums, websites, and electronic books on the subject of homemade solar panels.With all of this info, you’d think that every person would have solar panels on their house, in their backyards, or even on their cars by now.  

The trouble is, most people do not recognize if they really have the skills or equipment needed to make their own solar panels.  In addition, lots of DIY solar panels can end up costing as much as pre-made, store bought ones when it is all said and done and it’s obvious why DIY solar panels aren’t popular.

It is really much easier than majority of people think. The hardest part is getting past the initial difficulty of speculating if you can do it. The entire family can take pleasure in this amazing fun and satisfying project.

Solar panels consist of 3 key divisions: solar cells, a container to shelter the cells, and electronics such as wiring and control units.

The container or box is the most complex part of the solar panel.The solar cells is hit by sunlight on one one side and power is created   Most solar systems are direct current so the wiring is fairly simple.No electronics knowledge is necessary because most of the controllers, inverters, pre-made

The boxes, however, have to be clear on one side (where the cells “look out” towards the sky), must be weather proof, reasonably shock proof, and light enough that they are effortlessly handled for moving, mounting, etc.~ The boxes must also have openings for wires to exit, a way for someone to open them again to service the solar cells should they need it, etc.  Generally, when something on a solar system breaks down, it’s the panel boxes and not the cells themselves that have the problem.

So constructing or getting a sturdy, well-bulit boxes is important.  Light Steel, aluminum and plastics are the most common supplies used to make the boxes.  Glass or clear plastic are most often the covering for the top is also most common.  

When acquiring ready-made panels, the cells are usually the most expensive component.  When building your own panels, however, you will probably find that the boxes were the most pricey component.  Once built, test them thoroughly for weatherproofing prior to installing the solar cells.

Solar cells can be purchased in ready made panels, laid out in a series, or they can be bought one by one and laid out in a series.  Most do-it-yourself panel builders will purchase separate cells, as they are often low-priced and easier to get.  A lot of online stores sell flawed, damaged, or otherwise unsatisfactory solar cells at a big discount.  Those with some knowledge of the cells can obtain these and often fix them or make them usable for their project.  If you don’t have that kind of knowledge, you are better off purchasing new cells that have a warranty and that are compatible with one another so you can easily connect them together to string a series.

Most often, they will be purchased in “bricks.”  These are small series of pre-wired cells that can be attached, in turn, with other bricks to make more.  They are usually sold in voltage quantities, so a typical brick might have 1/2 volt (V), a full V, or some variation.  As a sample: to charge a car battery (12V), you will need between 16 and 18V.  Keep in mind that the voltage measurement for your brick is it’s maximum production.  In most of the U.S., you can expect to get 50-75% efficiency from a [solar panel].  Remember that when creating your series.

Other things to remember include how to lay in series and how to add voltages to calculate totals when doing so.  Basic soldering ability is essential for building solar panels, but are not tough to learn.  Get some cheap electronics at a thrift or hobby store and attempt wiring them together or joining them – such as toys that both move (R/C car) and make sounds (talking teddy bear).  This low-cost rehearsal will pay off when dealing with expensive cells later.

Finally, handle all of homemade solar panels with care while placing them together.  Leave plenty of room, after assembly, between cells, the box itself, etc. so that you can easily get in to remove and replace a brick or fix a connection if needed.

To know more about solar panels, check out Solar Panel Kit

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