Homemade Solar Panels Are Easier to Make Than You Think

Making homemade solar panels is not as hard as you may think and building them yourself can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars over buying panels that are already assembled. There are several different options when it comes to making your own, you can build them from scratch using free information off of the internet, and there are also several good websites that have DIY kits, which we will talk briefly about.

There are some basic components to homemade solar panels. You need the solar cells themselves, which you can find from various outlets, the cheapest you are going to find them is on eBay, or some other online source. Then there is the frame work, power inverter and storage batteries. Depending on your individual needs, you are going to require two to five panels to supply the minimum power for an average home. You can buy various sizes of cells, but to save time soldering them together, you should try to find 3"x6" mono-crystalline cells, and you are going to need 36 of these for a standard panel. Each cell is going to put out about half a volt, so you will be putting out around 18 volts per panel. You need to be extremely careful when handling these cells, because while they are powerful, they are fragile.

Then you are going to need the framework for your panel. You will need a sheet of plywood, at least ½ inch thick and some 1"x1" boards, three to four per panel. Then you are going to need some pegboard to fit into the wells of the frame, where you are going to glue the solar cells to. You should also buy sheets of plexiglass to cover the whole thing, so as to protect the cells from the weather and debris.

You are going to have to solder the cells together in a series, then solder each series to get the desired output. It is a good idea to buy a voltage meter, and when you have them all together, take them out in the sun and test the ends to make sure you did it right. Then you need to mount the sections into the frame, and cover it with the Plexiglass. Until they are secure in the frame, you really need to be careful when handling the cell panels themselves.

Then when every thing is done and tested, you can decide on where to place the homemade solar panels to supply the power. It is ideal to find somewhere that gets at least 8-10 hours of sunlight, many people put them on their roof. If you want to get really fancy you can buy brackets and electric motors that tilt the panels towards the sun no matter what part of the day it is.

While this may still seem complicated, it really isn't. This is just a relatively basic overview of the process. As mentioned earlier, there are many resources to make this extremely easy to do. There are free websites that can walk you through the process, but this is usually after you have all the materials. While DIY kits cost some money, they make it easy by supplying step by step instruction, list of tools and materials you will need, as well as where to purchase your supplies. You can make homemade solar panels, and it is easier than you think.

Matt Collins Junior invite you Save huge money on your energy bills by reading this Earth4energy Review, before purchasing any Home Made Energy Solar Panel or build your own solar panel. Comprehensive report and customer reviews of popular renewable energy solutions online Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Collins_Junior