Welcome To DIY Solar Panels

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Welcome to DIY Solar Panels, we’re going to teach you some very helpful hints and tips that can assist you to construct a small solar panel system that will power up your gadgets such as laptop computers and also garden equipment for example: water sprinklers, automatic gate openers and the like.  For the full set of plans to set up your own home power supply using diy solar panels and wind power please download the DIY Solar Panel and Wind Turbine Guide

How To Build A Solar Panel

We’re going to take a look at all the individual materials you need to construct your Solar Panel project. You’ll see all the steps on how all these parts fit together to form a complete system. Dependant on what you will use your Solar Panel for will require some modifications to your overall design. We’ll cover what changes are required as we go along to suit what design you have in mind. Then you’ll uncover ways to enhance your solar panel system, then you’ll have a real winner of which you can expand upon.

Prior to discussing the components and materials you require to build a solar panel, let me say this: you do not need any prior building or engineering experience of any kind to build a real working and professionally designed solar panel system.

Some sort of basic soldering experience is all you’ll need. Mind you, this skill can be learnt very quickly within 5 minutes. You’ll also need to have an idea in your mind as to what electrical device you are going to power up using your solar panel.

If DIY isn’t one of your key strengths you can always invest in ready-made solar panels which actually come complete with the mounting brackets already attached. You then simply connect the electrical wiring. Naturally this is the more expensive option.

Now, what materials do we need?

1. Solar Cells
2. Plywood
3. Jones Plug
4. Silicone Caulk
5. Super glue and screws
6. Diode
7. Plexiglass
8. Wires
9. Paint
10. Battery

Solar Cells. You can pick up new cells readily from eBay and you can purchase slightly damaged ones too. It all depends on your budget and technical experience. However I must say that broken solar cells are easy to put together. My suggestion is to spend a little more on new cells if you’re not that confident.

Plywood. No matter what the size of your project is you will need 3/8” thick plywood. Here’s a tip if you’re not skilled in woodworking: purchase a sturdy photo frame, wood or metallic, and attach the plywood to the back of it. That will give you a solar panel frame which is strong and will save you time and effort. Plywood is easily obtained from any hardware store and can even be cut to length.

Jones Plug. This is simply a two-pin plug that attaches to the end of the wires that come out from the solar panel which you can plug into your electrical system. These are available at electrical retailers or even eBay as well.

Silicone. We need to ensure our solar panel is weather-proof just like we waterproof our kitchen sinks and bathtubs. You can pick silicone caulk up at any hardware store.

Super glue and screws. A tip is to use some super glue to hold some pieces down prior to screwing them down into position. Again, your local hardware store sells screws and super glue.

Wires. It is recommended to use a twisted pair of wires with different colours so you can ensure you don’t mix up the polarity as you solder the wires together.

Paint. UV protected paint is vital so that it can protect your solar panel frame from the harmful effects of UV radiation out in the open.

Diode. The Diode component allows electricity to flow only in one direction. It’s needed so that your battery doesn’t drain into the solar panel when it is overcast or at night time.

Plexiglass. This is much easier to handle rather than glass. It provides the necessary protective cover over your solar panel.

Battery. The use of a good quality battery is a very important part of the solar energy system. It provides power to your electrical device when the output from your solar panel is insufficient due to cloud or during the night.

There you have it, these are all the components you require to piece together your own solar panel at home which can produce enough power for any small electrical application.

If you are ready to set up your entire home with solar and or wind power you nee to read this first. CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED.

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DIY Solar Panels – FAQ’s

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How effiicent are solar panels when the conditions are overcast ?

When weather conditions are overcast or cloudy there is still enough diffuse sunlight for the panels to produce electricity effectively. However your panels are at their most efficient during clear sunny days. diy solar panelsIf the weather is slightly overcast your diy solar panels should still generate at least 50% of what they would on a sunny day. If conditions are very dark and overcast your panels might only be producing as little as 10% of their normal sunny day output. For completely “Off the Grid” situations deep cycle batteries are needed as a backup power storage system for non sunny situations. This is not a problem if your diy solarsystem can use the main grid if a backup power source is needed. Basically if you are using more power that your solar unit can produce then you can use your local power company to make up the shortfall. The same also applies in reverse. If your diy solar panels are producing more power than you need the remainder of the power can be pumped back into the main grid supply. In may cases you will even get paid for doing so.

Is it possible for the solar cells themselves to store electricity?

No, that is not possible. The power generated by PV solar panels must be used right then and there or stored in deep cycle batteries.

Is solar electricity a safe power ?

In many ways yes. Solar panels are made mostly from silicone and we all know what silicone is made from, sand.. Unlike many other power generators there is no nasty exhaust pipe belching out gasses. Even if the system get broken there is nothing toxic that will leech out of it. The power that ends up being produced by the inverter is no different to normal residential power. Treat it with the same respect as that and you wont have a problem.

Do diy solar panels require maintenance once they are up?

Naturally solar panels work better when they are clean. Always use a non abrasive cleaner when cleanong your PV cells.. A monthly check on battery levels, their overall condition, battery connections, fuses and wiring is recommended for safety upkeep. Check your diy solar panels for any defects or splitting and seal any cracks with a tube of silicone where applicable. For the most part your solar panels require very little upkeep. There are no moving parts to slowly wear out which gives them a head and shoulders advantage over other traditional power sources.

What is the biggest problem with diy solar panels ?

Without a doubt it is water damage. Water leaking into the panel itself or into the connections causing failure.  To ensure that this does not happen you will need to make sure that your panels are mounted the correct way. diy solar panelsMany people have made the mistake of mounting their solar panels horizontally. This turns your solar panels frame into a water collector instead of a solar collector. It also pays to keep some room under the panel (between the roof and the panel) to keep your panels dry and free of debris like leaves and tree branches etc.

How well do solar panels work in wintery weather like snow ?

Well to start with, solar panels need sunlight not heat in order to produce electricity. In the winter there is less hours of actual sunlight so your output will reflect this as well. When solar panels get covered with snow they will almost instantly cease to work until the sun melts the snow and the sun reaches the modules surface again. Clearing the snow from around your diy solar panels will enable them to commence working again.

 

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DIY Solar Panels Explained

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In todays modern energy hungry world, diy solar panels are fast becoming a safe and affordable alternative to grid supplied power for those wishing to be more power self sufficient. When you build your own solar panels you utilize the enormous power of the sun to provide abundant energy for your home. diy solar panelsEveryone is doing it, heck, they even use solar powered signs at roadworks now.  So what makes up solar panels ? What kind of materials are diy solar energy panels made from and how do they provide useable electricity to run your house on. ?  So if you are interested in diy solar power, let’s take a look at just how diy solar panels work and how they produce power.

The technology that solar panels use all comes down to the  two main types of solar heat collection. These are solar cells and solar collectors. In most cases when it comes to diy solar panels, solar cells are generally most peoples choice if you want to build your own solar panel.  These solar cells are also commonly known as photovoltaic cells, these are what makes up photovoltaic panels. Sounds like a very scary word does’nt it ? Photovoltaic. Like something that you would normally find in a science textbook but it is not really that bad, In fact, it’s actually quite self descriptive once you break it down. It goes like a little something like this. The equasion is photo = light, voltaic = electricity (think volts). diy solar powerBasically this is energy or volts that emanate from light or sunlight in this case. These special cells are mostly made up out of silicone which is a great semi conductor. It’s nothing new, infact it is the same silicone technology that your pc is using as you read this. Silicone is also widely used in do it yourself solar power due to it’s ability to conduct power efficiently.  When sunlight srtkes upon these silicone filled photovoltaic cells the suns natural solar energy is absorbed and a current is produced inside the cell containment. By connecting many of these cells togerher you make what is commonly known as a solar panel. By placing electrical contacts on the outside of these panels, you are able to use the free electricity that is produced. So thats how you make them, now what ? It’s time to find a place to put them where they will be most effective all year round.

Once you have your diy solar panels all wired together you will need to find the most sun filled spot to place them in. Somewhere where they will be exposed to the sun for the maximum hours each day  hence collecting the most energy possible. Most people who build diy solar panels are doing so for their own home residence so the up on to of the roof is generally the number one choice for installation.

To get the most from your solar panels you must be careful when installing your solar panels on the roof as many people often get the placement and angles of their solar panels wrong. if just 1 of your solar panels get installed incorrectly it can greatly compromise the effeciency of the entire panel wasting time and money in the process. The ultimate soloution, which you will see in the manual we have here on the site, is adjustable mounting supports to enable you to adjust the panels allignment throughout the year as the sun moves between seasons. This does however depend on the location and position of your house in relation to the sun.

Now that you are generating electricity from your diy solar power efforts it is time to convert that valuable energy into usable power. Now before you can use this free solar energy to power things inside your house you need to convert it into something usable. It needs to be converted from  direct current DC into alternating current AC. This is easily done and only requires an inverter do do so. An inverter will convert direct current power DC straight into alternating current power AC . Many common household appliances already use this clever technology. Now that you are producing your own diy solar energy you need to look at storing it for when the is no sunlight to recharge the system.

The task of managing this stored solar energy is given to deep cycle batteries. When fully charged, deep cycle batteries can provide a long slow release of electricity over an extended period of time. It is this feature that makes them different from say a car battery where a large amount of power is needed all at once to make the car turn over and start.

Whenever you are out and about and you see solar panels mounted somewhere you will undoubtly notice that there are many panels placed together inside each individual panel. diy solar panelsIn fact, if you look real hard you can actually make out the tiny individual panels that make up the larger panels inside of each of those as well. Also, if you want to build your own solar panel, pay close attention to how other people have erected their panels in relation to where they recieve the sun. How have they placed their diy solar panels to get the most out of their location. I cannot stress this enough, placement is everything when it comes to maximising the power output of your diy solar panels.

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