Creating Solar Panels 101

Solar energy has been successfully tapped for power since olden days by adopting various methods. Solar energy is inexhaustible. It is eco-friendly and costs nothing, in its raw nature. It requires very little maintenance as compared to other forms of energy. Using solar energy to power domestic as well as commercial requirements is a hot subject of discussion in the current power crisis situation. Are you eager to build your own solar panel? If so, look upon yourself as fortunate since it is relatively simple, even for a beginner.

Construction of a solar panel can be divided into ten stages, which again is based on what your needs are, the quantum of solar power you would want to be produced and the number of solar panels you are keen on building.

The cost of building your own basic solar panel is not exorbitant. In fact, it is reasonably affordable for most households. Generally you can produce a solar panel for $200.00 or less that will generate enough electricity to see a savings from your monthly utility bill.

Some people that build solar panels connect them to their electric company utility grid to supplement the home-generated power and lessen the bills. Others want to completely disengage from the grid altogether and produce 100 % of the homes electrical power needs. To totally disconnect, you will likely need at least 4-5 solar panels with high sun exposure to generate sufficient power.

Here are the 10 steps you need to create your own solar panel:

Step 1: First figure out approximately how much electricity you desire to or need to generate. That will provide you with the estimate of the number of solar panels you should build. The common family household uses between 10,000 and 30,000 Watts of power daily. You should check your last few months of electric bills to see exactly how much power your household consumed. Each household varies somewhat depending on the amount of hot water, appliances, central air conditioning if any, age and size of the home, number of family members and other factors which impact on usage. Keep in mind a representative solar cell will generate approximately 2 Watts of power. That is one cell. A solar panel can contain hundreds or hundreds of thousands of cells. At 2 Watts per cell, you can see you will need between 5,000 and 15,000 distinct cells in the panel to provide all of the electric power for the home. Depending on the number of solar cells you require, the resulting figures show you must construct between 5 and 15 solar panels. As discussed above, however, nothing and no one requires you to go off the electrical grid and power your entire house by solar energy. You can simply choose to build less solar panels and provide only a supplement to your traditional electric power. The savings can still make your time and effort worthwhile in reducing your overall utility bill and of course any solar energy you generate is a positive effect on the environment.

Phase 2: Immediately after you compute the number of solar cells needed for the job; buy them on eBay, by mentioning chipped or broken solar cells on search engine. They happen to be financially viable being as efficacious as any new cells. You may purchase the solar cells from the shops in your area also; however, procuring them from eBay would be a better proposition.

Phase 3: Next, you will have to procure other related items also for the solar panels. They are: 1. Not too thick plywood (nearby hardware shop) 2. Flexi-glass about 0.5 inches in thickness (hardware shop). 3. Tin-coated tabbing cable (peruse in eBay). 4. Silicone (for closing up holes). 5. Solder iron (for linking the cells). 6. Rosin flux pen (for connecting your cells). 7. UV Protector (to prevent damage to your new solar panel). 8. Volt meter. The moment the aforesaid items are ready, you may begin assembling or erecting your very first solar panel.

Step 4: To begin the assembly cut the thin plywood into the proper size, clean it and lay out your cells on it so you know they will fit. Then add a number of layers of the UV Protector to the thin plywood so it can withstand sun damage.

Stage 5: Next, you will need to join the solar cells uniformly in a row. This is by no means easy, and it is difficult to elucidate them here, however, the simple procedures are: Look for the tabs behind all your cells and leave a minute quantity of iron soldering on them. Now, you will need to connect all the cells together with the help of tabbing wire, in an alternate manner, that front of one joined to the back of another cell, in order to complete the circuit.

Phase 6: You then have to stick the above mentioned already linked cells on the back of your plywood sheet applying silicone as an adhesive. Besides, you will have to attach cables to each row of the cells and make a hole behind your plywood to ensure that you have the cabling done from the cells to the battery or any other power storage mode.

Phase 7: Fix the flexi-glass to the edges of your plywood sheet and adequately cover the cells, by applying silicone again.

Step 8: Use the silicone also to fill in any spaces or holes, including those through which the wires are running.

Stage 9: Introduce a breather hole at the base of your plywood close to where the wires emerge to prevent dampness collection inside the solar panel.

Phase 10: Next, connect the electrical cables from the panel to the panels junction box- which in turn will connect to your charge controller, and then to your batteries. You may seek guidance from a hardware outlet in your area when you are installing this to ascertain that you are having the correct volts and amps for your cabling ” as they are well conversant in this matter to assist you after surveying your equipment.

Its ready now ” to ensure if it is working fine, just direct your cells to the sun, connect a voltmeter, and you will be pleasantly astonished to see the power your new panel is producing.