How To Build A Solar Panel From Scratch

Im not going to try and kid you. Solar panels are expensive. In fact, next to the storage batteries, solar panels make up the biggest financial barrier to most people converting to solar energy.

Now, you dont need batteries if you dont want to store your solar generated power to use at night and on cloudy days. But there is no way to produce solar energy without using solar panels.

But what if you save a bundle of money by making your own solar panels? And what if you didnt have to be an engineer or physicist to do it?

Well, you can. And I am going to show you how its done.

Required Tools

You probably already have most of the tools you need if youre an average DIY person. Otherwise, between your local home improvement and electronics store, you can get everything you need.

• Hand or electric wood saw
• Soldering iron or gun
• Paint brush
• Rosin flux pen
• Wire cutters
• Screwdriver
• Caulking gun
• Volt meter
• Plexiglas cutters
• Drill

Parts and Supplies

• 3/8 or outdoor-grade plywood (4x8 sheet)
• 4/8 sheet of Plexiglas
• Tin wire
• Electrical solder
• Silicon caulk
• UV-ray protective varnish
• Solar Cells (available online or at electronic supply stores)

Ready? Lets get started.

Calculate the number of solar cells you need by considering that 80 cells will produce around 100 watts of power under ideal sunlight conditions. You need around 36 cells to charge an 18 volt battery.

Lay out your solar cells in rows and columns and then cut your plywood to a size necessary to support the dimensions you end up with. Most people use a rectangular layout, but that is not necessary. Use any layout pattern that works best with your roof and the number of solar cells youll be using per panel.

Apply the UV-ray protective varnish to all sides of your cut plywood.

Use the rosin flux pen to carefully apply flux to connector strips on each solar cell. Then use your solder and soldering gun/iron to connect each cell together.

Use dabs of the silicon caulk to attach the connected solar cells to the plywood panel.

Drill two small holes to accommodate the two wires leading from the last solar cell in your array. Feed the wires through the holes and then seal the holes with silicon.

Construct the frame that will support the Plexiglas and use silicon and wood screws to attach the frame to the plywood panel containing your solar cells.

Pre-drill screw holes in the Plexiglas. Then apply a bead of silicon around the edges of the Plexiglas where it will contact the frame. Press down to make a tight seal and then screw in the wood screws. Do not over-tighten or you could crack the Plexiglas.

Carefully inspect the assembled panel to make sure there are no gaps where moisture can enter. Seal any openings with silicon.

Drill a small hole on the bottom of the panel, away from all the electrical connections, allow air to circulate through the panel and remove condensation.

Guess what? Youve built a solar panel. Now that was easy, wasnt it?

By: Jakob Jelling

The Benefits of Having Homemade Solar Cells

If there ought to be something that you have heard about installing homemade solar cells that is quite misleading, it is that you will need to shell out a lot of money for it. The truth is that one can easily assemble homemade solar cells in their homes and begin enjoying huge amounts of savings in energy bills each month.

About two years ago, having homemade solar cells could sell a person short by over a thousand dollars at the onset. This is how much it would usually cost to take on a local contractor who will set up your place to utilize this particular natural energy. But to be frank about it, the system behind this contraption is not precisely that of rocket science.

A lot of people have been following a distinctively designed plan to construct their very own homemade solar cells at a fairly cheap rate. At around two hundred dollars, you can actually start gathering the benefits of utilizing the sun's energy. That particular price is but a mere fraction of the actual cost if you would have chosen to hire a professional to do the installation.

Several do-it-yourself guides and plans are now being made available to almost anybody who is planning to cut down on his electricity bills. However, you may want to be extra cautious in dealing with free plans that claim to assist you in doing so, since most of them are really difficult and too complex for an average man to follow and usually lack many important details.

There are several instructional guides that are pretty good that you can get for only fifty dollars or less. The ones that come with step-by-step directions on video are what you should preferably get because they will undoubtedly make the whole process a lot easier for you.

Majority of what you will need can be bought from any local hardware store. The basic things like glass sheets, plywood, and copper wires can be found there. You might even already have these things in your garage. For your photovoltaic arrays, they may be procured at a very affordable rate with your local supplier or over the Internet.

What is rather amazing about this project is that it allows you to start out small. You are able to produce enough power for simple appliances, like your computer, TV, or small lights. Later on, you can gradually add more panels that can sufficiently supply power to run your entire household. That will definitely take you off the grid.

Not sure of what to do with the excess electricity you produce? Sell it to your local electric company. Not only will you be getting the extra money, you will also be helping out the environment. That is why the idea of using homemade solar cells has all the benefits put together in one neat package.

Tired of high electric bills? Discover how thousands of families are using homemade solar power systems to power their homes!