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.