The sun is the most abundant source of power in the whole solar system. Learning how to build a solar panel to place on your home or your business will allow you to use a power supply which that is predicted by scientist to still be burning steady 4 billion years from today. If you don’t think that’s a permanent solution for dwindling fossil fuels and searing energy bills, then there isn’t one!
How to build a solar panel. The first thing you should consider before you learn how to build a solar pane, is if you live in the northern or the southern hemisphere. For example, solar panels in the northern hemisphere need to face south so that they can capture the most sunlight. If the roof of your desired structure doesn’t faces south (or if you’re in the southern hemisphere, north), then you can easily mount your solar panels on poles which have been placed on a location which does face the necessary direction.
Building your own solar panels is actually quite simple, as long as you have basic carpentry skills. You can start by collecting your tools and the necessary parts. If your local home improvement store doesn’t have the parts, then you can try the one place which will surely have them, eBay!
First, you need to use your Rosin Flux pen to place flux onto the bus strips of your solar cells. Doing this will ensure proper adherence and proper connections in the wiring for when you solder the tab ribbons onto the solar cells. You will then need to connect the solar cells to one another.
Once all the cells are connected, using the least silicon possible, place them securely onto the plywood panel. You will be left with two unattached wires which belong to the solar cells, you will need to drill two holes into the plywood so that you may feed the wires through. Then, seal any remaining gaps around those holes using silicon.
The next thing you will need to do is build a “frame” for your solar panels, since they will need to be covered with Plexiglas. Using wood screws and more silicon, adhere the frame to your plywood board, and make sure it’s waterproof. You can then secure the Plexiglas onto the frame, using the silicon first and then screws. However, you must make sure that you first drill the screw holes onto the Plexiglas prior to attaching the frame. Not doing so can result in cracking.
Make sure that you also check every inch of the solar panel for any gaps where moisture can penetrate it. Seal any holes that you find with silicon, no matter how small they may be. However, you must keep in mind that no matter how tight you seal your panels, moisture can still buildup in the interior of the panel’s. The only thing that remains to be done now is to drill a small hole near the bottom of the panel, but it must be away from the wiring. This way, air can flow into the panel which in turn reduce any moisture build up. Placing the hole near the bottom will also stop any rain from collecting!
Didn’t think you could learn how to build a solar panel? Well guess what? You just learned!