Wondering how to build a solar panel? Here are the instructions to make one and you will require (very) basic carpentry skills, a few tools and some supplies. These can be easily found at the local hardware store or online. The Tools and supplies required will be: a saw for cutting, plywood, a soldering-iron gun, a paint brush, a resin flux pen, a wire cutter, a screwdriver, a caulking gun, a volt meter, a plexi-glass cutter and a drill.
Note: This article is just a basic guide. For a complete and more detailed set of instructions, visit:
CLICK HERE FOR A CLEAR & COMPREHENSIVE STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE WITH HIGH QUALITY VIDEOS!
The other parts required are plywood sheets, Plexiglass, some tin wire, some solder, some silicone caulk, a jar of UV-ray protective varnish and solar cells. This is how to build a solar panel, as 80 solar cells will produce around 100 watts of electricity. Check the voltage of each of these cells and enlist the individual solar cell’s voltage. This will help you to decide how many cells to use, if you want to charge 20 volts battery you will require 40 solar cells which produce 0.5 volts each.
This calculation is to determine a place which receives adequate amounts of sunlight, but if it is a cloudy or a shady place you will need more cells. Cut the plywood to the dimensions of the panel size you want, which means align the number of solar cells you want in your panel, mark the area and then cut it. The panel can be any shape as the cells can be cut into the desired shape. Next, paint on the UV protection varnish and set aside to dry.
Further in the instructions on how to build a solar panel, apply the rosin flux to the back side or the bus strips of the solar cells. This is done to ensure that the tab ribbons solder well to your solar cells, ensuring correct wiring. Then connect the solar cells to each other through the two wires attached; you could make a parallel or a series connection. After this has been done fix these solar panels to the plywood sheet you have just cut and painted.
The two wires, one at the beginning of the solar cells series you just made and the other at the end need to be passed to the back of the panel board through a hole drilled in the plywood board. Now fix these wires in the holes with silicon so that the wires don’t move. Then make a frame for the panel with the see-through plexi-glass and fit it on top of the solar panel you just made and secure it well by screwing and applying silicon. Make sure that your frame is water proof by using silicon, wood screws and plywood if necessary.
Lastly in this (hopefully!) helpful how to build a solar panel guide, seal all the sides of the panel with silicon as you do not want moisture to get in there – after all, it is electrical work! To further ensure that no moisture gathers inside the panel, sand it and drill a hole at its bottom well away from all the wirings. This will allow an outlet to the accumulated moisture and keep the rain out of the panel too.
Comments on this entry are closed.