DIY Energy Projects > Solar Panels > How To Make A Solar Panel
How To Make A Solar Panel
Learning how to make a solar panel may well not be at the top of many peoples lists of things to do. This is mainly because it can be a very daunting task. In fact building a solar panel does not require intensive study and research, nor does it require a qualification in fabrication and welding.
When the list of materials for making a solar panel is written down many of the items will be standard hardware that many people may have in their workshop or garage. Things like silicone caulking, glue, solder, fibreboard, plastic panels, wire, screws and paint. There are of course some specialist items such as pre-tabbed cells and diodes but that is only to be expected.
The equipment that you need is even easier, no fancy machines or expensive testing equipment just soldering irons, saws, wire cutters and strippers, screwdrivers and files. The sort of items any DIY enthusiast will have already.
If you want to learn how to make a solar panel then the first thing you need to know is where you can source some solar cells. These are not the sort of items your local electrical or hardware shop is likely to have so you will need to use the Internet to help you find suppliers. Getting the cells is not difficult and the Internet is a great directory for finding suppliers. Remember though as with all online purchases there are many less than reputable suppliers out there selling cheap 'B' grade cells which are not worth buying, so check the suppliers out first. Some suppliers will sell kits including the cells, extra tabs and solder.
Once you have sourced the cells, learning how to make solar panels is then really quite easy. Simply join the cells in series and make box to house the cells. Ensure the box is weather proof by ensuring it has a lid and is sealed at all the joins with silicon caulking. If you paint the box black it will help the cells absorb more energy
The cells should be fixed to a backing board using a small dot of caulking on the back of the cell, and then connected together to ensure the flow is in one directional. You can use small diodes to ensure this happens, and to avoid electrical energy ebbing out during the night. Insulating all the parts is obviously very important and as mentioned weather proofing the box is paramount. You can make the box look very attractive on the side of your property so that it does not become an eye sore.
An even easier solution to this example of how to make a solar panel and the issue of uni-directional flow would be to put a charge control device on the storage battery to restrict the flow to just one way
This process is much simpler than people think and any good DIY enthusiast should be able to master the project. The fact that it can also be up and running in a matter of just a few hours makes it a project that shows results quickly. This in turn makes it one of the more attractive renewable energy options.
Finally remember that these panels are designed to do more than just use simple heat absorption to warm up water that passes through the system. They are a step up and convert heat energy into electrical energy and thus are much more effective in reducing your external electricity consumption.
Having read this article you should now realise that knowing how to make a solar panel is not that difficult and hopefully more people will be inspired to try some green energy and reduce the planets emissions.
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