Solar power is a hot topic these days as more and more people are becoming eco-conscious. Add to that fact that people are always looking for ways to save money and you got people looking to make their own solar power. Building your own solar panels really isn’t as complicated as you might think. Homemade solar panels may not be as efficient as their commercially made counterparts, but they sure are a lot cheaper if you can do some simple handyman work. To build a solar panel you will need some basic materials and a budget of about $150-$200 per solar panel that you want to build.
The first thing to consider is how much energy do you use and how much of that do you want powered by solar energy? You will need to determine this in watts or kw. If you want to use solar to power your entire house, then check your latest monthly utility bill – it will have that months power consumption listed on it. Finally figure out how many solar panels you will need for your power goals.
Materials
- Solar Cells (you will need about 36 total cells to power a 12v battery)
- Wire Glue
- Plywood/Lumber
- Posterboard
- Wire
- Silicon Caulk
- Diodes
- Plexiglas
- Solder + Soldering Iron
- Paint
Constructing The Solar Panel Case
So what exactly is it that you’ll be making? Well for starters you’ll need to build a case or box to hold the solar cells that will be providing you with power. When building a solar panel the case should be shallow so the sides don’t cast shadows on any of the cells. You can use plywood or some other type of lumber for the construction of the case. You will need to make it big enough to house all your solar cells so if your going with the 36 cells as recommended, you should accommodate the 3×6 inch cells. Drill a few holes in the bottom of the case to relieve air pressure but not allow moisture or rain inside.
When you’ve finished the case you will have to fit a piece of non UV filtering Plexiglas for the top of the case. This is so the solar cells can receive the solar energy without being damaged by the elements. Once the Plexiglas is the right dimensions you’re ready to paint the case. Use a paint that is suitable for outdoors.
Assembling The Solar Cells
Now that the case is ready you can begin to prepare the cells. The solar cells that you’ll need you can be blemished, cracked, chipped, or factory-second solar cells out of any the 3 main types of cells: monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and amorphous. You can find these types of solar pv cells on eBay or sometimes you can contact producers of solar panels who regularly sell off these damaged cells. We will make another post soon about how you can find cheap solar cells.
Plan out where you’re going to place the cells in the case by sketching it out. If your cells have tabs the soldering process will be easy and I won’t go into how to solder here as there are plenty of guides out there for that type of thing. If they don’t because you’re using broken or cracked cells well that’s another story. You will have to scratch off some of the surface of the cell to prepare a spot for the solder. Continue in a grid pattern until they’re all ready and then you just glue them down to the poster board. Don’t use too much glue and make them too tight or the cells might crack later on.
Connect The Cells
You’ll have to connect all the cells now with some type of wire. Use your silicon caulk to anchor the wire so it doesn’t move too much. Once they’re all connected you can place them in the case. Ensure that all the cells are connected properly and test to see if they are producing power. If everything is working, you need to install a blocking diode. A blocking diode will prevent your solar cells from draining your battery. You want to mount it on the inside of your case with more of the silicon caulk.
After its all connected and working you will have to run the wires outside through a hole in the side of the case. Fill the hole with the caulk and let it dry for a few hours. When its finished its time to put on the Plexiglas you fitted earlier. Screw it down and ensure that it is properly sealed with the silicon caulk. You can add a plug now or leave it to be directly connect it to a battery for energy storage.
Mounting The Solar Panel(s)
Once you have your solar panels complete you are going to have to mount them somewhere. There are two main ways accomplish this: mount on the roof or on the ground.
Ground Mounted
The cheapest way to mount your panels is just to use a static setup where you point the panels in the best direction to receive the most sunlight. There are a few ways you can do this: on top of a single pole, on the side of a single pole, or panels on multiple adjustable, supporting legs. Just pick whatever will work best for your situation.
If you have the cash to spend you can buy an active solar tracker that will automatically adjust your panels into the best position. You can also get passive solar trackers but both of these are quite expensive and is defeating the purpose of the guide – to save money.
Roof Mounted
Your solar panel(s) can be mounted on just about any type of roof but shingle roofs are probably the easiest to work with and slightly more challengingly is tile roofs. The best way to mount your panels is to secure them to the rafters using stainless steel bolts. This can be a little tricky if you’re inexperienced in dealing with roofs but there are guides out there that can help you with this. You can always hire a roofer to do the work for you if you’re uncomfortable with it.
Other Applications For Solar Panels
Solar power can be used for many other things – you don’t need to power your whole home with them and in many cases that is impractical. You can use them to charge a small battery that you can use to power emergency lights or use it to power your outside lights at night. You can also use them for solar flashlights, radios, TVs, PDA, or even a laptop for a short time. You can use solar energy for just about everything.
The best thing about solar power is that it is free after the construction fees. It also won’t pollute and if you work to lower your energy consumption can save you money on your power bill. Making a solar panel can be a great investment if you have the time or experience, or even if you can’t make one yourself you can pay to have one installed for you.
So hopefully you have learned how to make a solar panel with our simple little guide here. If you have any questions feel free to comment.
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