DIY Solar panel plans, materials and tools

If you are ready to join the growing number of people who are learning about solar energy by building their own solar panels, you will need to cover three basic areas.  You’ll need a good set of solar panel plans, instructions or tutorials; basic materials to build the enclosure and solar cells to generate the electricity; and the basic tools to build and assemble your photovoltaic panel.

Solar panel plans

Although you can find books at your local library or bookstore that explain how solar panels are constructed, some of the best guides for building your own solar panels can be found online.  They contain step by step written instructions that you can print out for reference.  And they also include video tutorials that pair the technical terms with the components, and demonstrate how the various parts need to be assembled in order to generate electricity.  By following the instructions, anyone who is reasonably handy and comfortable working with basic electrical components can build a solar panel within a couple of days.

Basic materials for building small solar panels

Since solar panels are a passive way to create electricity, there are no moving parts.  Each panel is made using a simple frame that holds a substrate on which the solar cells are mounted, and a clear cover that allows the sunlight to reach the solar cells, creating the photovoltaic reaction that generates electricity.  You can get the wood for the frame and substrate, and the Plexiglas for the cover from your local lumberyard.  And the solar cells and wiring are now easy to find online, either through solar panel dealers or on Ebay.

Basic tools for building small solar panels

If you get the substrate and the frame cut to size at the lumber yard, you won’t even need a saw in your solar panel tool kit.  But you will need a screwdriver and some screws to assemble the frame.  You will then need to assemble and connect the solar cells to create the electrical circuit that will generate and deliver the electricity, so you will need a soldering iron and lead flux. Use a multimeter to test the circuit in full, direct sunlight.  If the solar cells are generating electricity to their full capacity, you can seal the Plexiglas onto the frame using a caulking gun and silicone caulk to and keep rain and snow from getting inside of the solar panel.  At that point, your DIY solar panel is ready to go to work for you.

Basic solar panel parts

One of the reasons that building your own solar panels has become so popular is that there are really very few components involved.  A simple solar panel consists of just a few basic parts, namely an enclosure, solar cells, a substrate and wiring.   Here’s an overview of what’s involved.

Solar panel case or enclosure

This is what most people see when they think of a solar panel.  It’s the clear glass top, the frame and the backing that the solar cells are mounted on.  The case can be large enough to need a custom built metal rack for mounting on a rooftop, or small enough to be a plastic box that can be placed almost invisibly near an outdoor floodlight.  It needs to be resistant to ultra violet (UV) rays so that it doesn’t deteriorate with constant exposure to sunlight.  And the glass (usually Plexiglas) needs to be durable enough to withstand harsh weather, including hail and wind storms that could crash tree branches and other debris into it.

Substrate

This is the piece of wood, peg board or other material that the solar cells are mounted on inside of the enclosure.  It also needs to be UV-resistant to withstand prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.

Solar cells

The photovoltaic cells are similar to the silicon chips that power most computers.  They combine the silicon, metals and other materials in a way that captures direct sunlight and converts it into electricity.  The electricity can either be immediately used by direct current devices (DC) like LED lights, or stored in DC batteries and converted into alternating current (AC) to power conventional appliances like refrigerators, TVs and other electrical equipment in homes and businesses.

Tabbed and untabbed solar cells

When building your own solar panels, you can save money by buying untabbed solar cells and soldering the tabs onto the cells yourself.  This can be a good choice if you have more time than money, but it’s a tedious job.  You can save time by buying tabbed solar cells which will cut your soldering time by one-half to two-thirds.

Solar cell wiring

Once the solar cells are mounted on the substrate, they are wired to each other in a series so that they can generate electricity.  Copper wire is added to connect the solar cells to storage batteries for using the electricity later, or to connect directly to the device that the solar panel is powering like an attic fan or a solar powered toy.

Blocking diode

The blocking diode is a small component that prevents electricity that is stored in a battery from draining backward into the solar panel.  Larger photovoltaic systems use a charge controller for the same effect.

Building Solar Panels From Kits Or Scratch

There are kits that can be purchased for building solar panels, or each part can be bought separately and panels can be made from scratch. Depending on the purpose of the solar panels, one method may be preferred over the other.

Kits are great for individuals who are just starting out with solar conversion. These kits enable them to have all the parts they need for getting solar energy hooked up to a home, car, RV, or any other type of machine. The amount of kilowatts necessary will determine the size of panels purchased. Each kit comes with a specific kW rating and most sites offer a way to determine who many panels are needed for the project they are being purchased for.

Buying individual components is often preferred by people who enjoy building things from scratch. There are many alterations that can be made this way, as long as the person completing the assembly knows what he/she is doing.

Directions for building solar panels come with kits sold on the Internet and in building supply stores. If the parts are being purchases separately, then directions on how to assembly individual parts will need to be found online or some people are able to get assistance from a friend who has assembled their own set of panels.

While the kits are mostly complete, it’s a good idea to make sure that all the necessary tools and accessories are at hand before initiating the building of the solar panels. There are so many little parts involved that it’s easy to forget something, until it comes time to add this miniature component into the building scheme.

It’s important to also have the proper battery supply for the type of panels created. Building solar panels can be quite the adventure and well worth the effort and time they take to make.

Solar Panels For Homes Are No Longer Cumbersome

Buying solar panels for homes is easy, but very expensive. Most people who are just starting out in the real world aren’t able to afford the luxury of having solar panels added to their home. Purchasing pre-made solar panels or the kits to build your own might be an option for some home owners. Whether they are bought completed or build from the ground up, solar panels are fascinating pieces of technology.

Due to the ever-changing world of technology,  solar panels for homes are constantly evolving. These used to be huge panels that had to be carefully lifted onto a house with a crane. Over the years they have gotten significantly smaller.

There are panels the size of shingles that are integrated into the roofing on new homes. These can also be added onto homes that already exist. Other types of panels are so small that they can be held between the ends of a pair of tweezers.

Homeowners tend to desire the addition of panels to either save money or to get off the grid. People are tired of paying the rising cost of electricity, which panels can eliminate altogether. Using solar energy for even partial electrical power will drastically reduce the amount of money paid each month for electricity. As the years go by, panels are becoming more and more efficient.

Installing solar panels for homes requires some knowledge on their placement. These need to be positioned on the side of the house that gets the most sunlight. Typically, the south-facing side of homes in northern climates and the north-facing side in southern climates get the most sun. Correct installation of the panels is important, so that damage doesn’t occur to any of the cells housed within the individual panels. Detailed instructions are available from many online sources for correct placement of panels.

Solar Panel Design Is Ever-Changing

A solar panel design has a specific set-up needed to make it work efficiently. The design has been refined over the years. Solar panels started out as very cumbersome pieces of technology. Today, these panels can be used in something as small as a calculator. When deciding on the placement of panels for home use. It’s helpful to know exactly what you need to get an entire solar energy system hooked up and running smoothly.

There are websites that offer a type of calculator for figuring the number of batteries and solar panels you will need to run your household. In case you aren’t always sitting at a computer, there is a tutorial on how to do the calculations manually for later on. Once the number of batteries and panels are decided upon, the proper wiring of the batteries and panels need to take place. Sites that focus on panel assembly will provide detailed information on how to set up the battery and panel system.

PV cells are the common type of cells used in solar panel design. Photovoltaic cells convert solar energy to electricity. These came about in 1954. There are also thin-film cells that are lower in cost and convert energy more efficiently.

Newer additions to the traditional method of panel assembly have recently been developed. Instead of the flat, bulky panels commonly used, smaller nano-towers are assembled into a tiny square. These work to catch tons of sunlight, sort of like blades of grass, only smaller. Even though these 3D panels are smaller, they produce over 60 times more than the older cells used in traditional solar panels.

Someday, this solar panel design will be able to be made affordable for the average consumer, instead of only for people who are able to shell out big bucks to better equip their home with solar powered appliances.