Home Solar Power

With continuing price rises on energy, solar panel is coming more to the fore; providing practically free power. It can be expensive to have these installed however, so is a good idea to build your own solar panel.

The first thing is ensure you have the necessary tools and equipment. This will mean sourcing the best solar cells for you, which should be given a good portion of time to decide. There are many out there.

Other than this, you will need plywood, a circular saw, good sized length of 1 x 1, screws and screwdriver, caulk, outdoor paint, soldering equipment and solder, glue, copper wire, diode, batteries and Plexiglas.

Using your chosen cells as a guide, draw a grid on the plywood. Once satisfied, saw out the entire base and place to one side. It is now time to construct the actual panel itself.

Take your 1 x 1 and cut to size; determined by the size of your plywood panel. The panel should be attached to these using your screws, and applying suitable amounts of caulk and painted with outdoor paint to protect from the elements.

It is necessary to join cells together in a series. Each cell will have a tab; which should be attached to the preceding one with solder. It is important this work is done carefully, to ensure no damage. Once completed, the series of cells can be glued in place on the grid pattern on your wooden frame.

Once all set into place, the copper wire and diode line can be attached from the panel to the electrical system. The diode is necessary here, as it will prevent power being lost through reverse transfer from the batteries.

The final step is to entirely weatherproof the panel through Plexiglas over the cells. Secure in place with caulk and allow to dry. You have now managed to build your own solar panel.

By learning how to make a solar panel you can save money, help the environment, and generate electricity using free energy from the sun with DIY solar panels.

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