The 5 Essential Steps You Need To
Know When Learning
How To Build Solar Panels
With a little bit of elbow grease and a soldering gun, you can learn
how to build solar panels in 5 simple steps.
What You Need To Know Before Assembling Your Own Solar Panels
Right now, you are probably looking at building residential solar power systems to cut your electricity usage, either to reduce expenses over the long term, or to reduce your carbon impact.
You are trying to figure out how to build solar panels because pre-built photo-voltaic solar panels can be fairly expensive, the usual cost per watt of generated systems is around $4.50 and is dropping fast.
To get useful amounts of power, you usually need to generate about 2,000 watts or more.
Thus, learning how to build solar panels can dramatically cut the cost of installing solar panels.
If You Are Looking To Build Solar Panels, Then You Will Need To Take An Assessment Of Your Time And Your Ability
If you want to know how to build solar panels, you'll want to do a realistic assessment of how much work you're willing to put into the project.
To build solar panels, you will need to:
- Purchase solar panel parts,
- Spend time with a soldering gun, and
- Understand how to read a circuit diagram.
All that said, when you know how to build solar panels, you'll be able to build an effective (if not exactly perfect) solar panel array for about $0.50 to $1.00 per watt, which is a significant savings.
Commercial Panel Sales - And What You Can Do To Get Your Hands On Cheap Solar Cells
When you learn how to build solar panels, the first thing you have to do is understand that commercial panel sales are built on making panels from 'intact' solar cells.
Solar cells are extruded from doped silicon crystal matrices, one doped to have 5 electrons in the outer shell, and one doped to have 3 electrons.
- The first cell is the 'negative plane', the second cell is the 'positive plane'.
- These two sheets of silicon are then pressed next to each other with a thin resistive barrier, and you get a solar cell.
Many Solar Power DIYers Use Functional Factory Second Cells To Build Their Solar Panel
The thing to recall on this is that while the manufacturing process is fairly automated, there will be a certain number of 'factory rejects'.- These will be functional cells with chips or small cracks; this will keep the cell from looking as nice, but won't appreciably reduce its performance for most residential applications.
- It's these 'factory second' cells that drive the cost down - the companies selling them are selling them to avoid throwing them out.
Make Sure To Only Buy Solar Cells That Have An Anti-Reflective Coating
There are other issues you need to concern yourself with when you learn how to build solar panels.
The first is that silicon is a highly reflective surface - most of the solar cells that you buy will have an anti-reflective coating on them, but some may not.
Be sure to enquire at the time you buy the cells.
How To Build Your Solar Panel Step #1. Set Up Your Solar Cells In Arrays
After you buy all of the solar cells you need, you will need to set up your solar panel array.
When you're learning how to build solar panels, you'll be setting up grids of panels so that you get 3 cells wide by 6 cells wide, which is 324 watts, at 12 volts.
- Most of your solar cells will be set up as 18 watt plates (it's the industry standard size).
To make a thousand watts, you'll need roughly three of these panels.
- You need to make sure that the voltage that comes off of your solar cells is sufficiently high to run whatever device you're going to run - or to go into your battery bank.
How To Build Your Solar Panel Step #2. Decide Whether You Will Store Your Solar Energy With Battery Banks
After you've learned how to build solar panels, you'll need a way to store your energy.
- The usual way to do this is to shunt it into batteries.
- The solar power battery bank is the other major expense for building a solar power system.
When You Begin To Think About Your Solar Power Battery Bank, Think Quality
You can get by with 12 volt lead acid gel cells, but this is one place where spending more money up front will save you money down the road.
Seriously look into buying deep cycle or maritime batteries - they store more power in less space (better power density) and they don't develop a charge memory as quickly.
- This means you'll have less work needed to make sure it keeps storing power later.
How To Build Your Solar Panel Step #3. Build Your Enclosure
The other part of learning how to build a solar panel is that you will need to build an enclosure for them.
- Your solar panel enclosure needs to be water tight (to keep rain and dust off of them) and it will need to be durable enough to handle the elements.
- We recommend building your solar panel array out of wood (for the back plane and the enclosure) and some simple poly-acrylic for the front.
How To Build Your Solar Panel Step #4. Determine How You Will Mount Your Solar Panel
Other things that may be of use to you in setting up how to build a solar panel include putting the panel on a swivel with a motor and a light sensor from a camera set.
Your solar panel swivel can be rigged up with a bit of effort to make a system where the solar panel will swivel to track the sun
- It's a good way to get the most out of your solar panel array.
How To Build Your Solar Panel Step #5. Consider How You Will Design Your Solar Panel System To Keep Your Panel From Running Hot
While you're thinking about how to build your solar panel, don't forget about the 'warming factor.
- Anything that works to store your photovoltaic cells will also get plenty warm.
If it's feasible, consider running pipes up behind your photovoltaic panels to circulate water.
Water has a very high thermal mass, and heating water with sunlight is the most efficient way to capture solar energy for home use.
- It's roughly 2.5 times as effective as photovoltaic photo cells, and creating and storing hot water is generally the single largest energy expense in a household.
How To Build A Solar Panel - The Bottom-Line
No matter how you build your solar panel, a solar energy system is only one part of your total energy management system.
Regardless of how you build your solar panel array, take the time to do the usual steps.
- Look at how much energy you actually use.
- Also, look for ways to reduce your energy expenditure (better insulation, energy efficient appliances) and then do a cost benefit.
So What's Your 'Build-Your-Own-Solar-Panel' Story, Tip Or Advice?
Do you have a solar panel DIY story, tip, or picture that you would like to share? Share it!
What Other Visitors Have Said
Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...
Building My Solar Panel Systems Gave Me A Way To Give Back To The Environment
I Am A Health Professional - And I Have Witness The Health Effects Of A Polluted Environment
I am a person belonging to the medical profession and ...
My DIY Solar Panel Project Was A Blast
Hi I Am Vicky, And I Like To Share My Own DIY Solar Panel Building Experience.
First of all I am an ordinary guy doing my Engineering.
While I ...
Before You Make Your Own Solar Panels, Really Think About How Your Will Mount Your Solar Project
The Fact That You Can Actually Make Your Own Solar Panel Really Appealed To Me (And My Budget)
The main reason behind my solar panels is to power my ...
How Solar Panels Work
How Do Solar Panels Work - The Main Function
The main function of a solar panel is to transform sunlight in to usable electricity.
Solar ...
Why My Solar Heating Panels Project Was An Instant Hit!
I Started My Solar Heating Panels Projects As A Way To Give Back To The Planet
Living in the city, I thought I might do my share to save the planet....
If You're Looking Into Making Solar Panels, Try It, It Will Definitely Pay Off
I Was Determined To Try My Hand At Making Solar Panels
In fact, I do not know much of the technical details involved with making solar panels, but ...
How I Made A Small Solar Panel With A Collection Of Old Solar Calculators
About Me And Why I Decided To Make A Small Solar Panel
I am pursuing Electronics Engineering course from Pune University. I came from the area of Maharashtra ...
The Advantage Of Renewable Energy
Though Many People Use Solar Power, There Is An Advantage Of Renewable Energy.
Renewable energy, defined as power from the sun, wind, plants, and moving ...
Nature Hikes Meet Solar Power - Why I Think Mini Solar Panels Rock
I Take Many Short Travels
Hello. My Name is Srushti, I'm from India. I am an environmentalist and I like traveling and so I undertake short travels ...
Here's To Finding A Way To Bring More Solar Power Into Your Family!
P.S. Here's a few more tips to help your solar power projects go smoothly...
