How to Make Solar Panels for Home

A solar panel, roof-mounted

Inexpensive homemade solar panels will heat air inside the house, with no other source of energy than the sun. They can cut your heating bill considerably, while helping the environment by eliminating fossil fuel consumption. You can make the panels from new materials or scrap. New materials will cost less than $100 (in 2010 prices) and scrap materials will make the project even cheaper.

Things You'll Need

• Plexiglass
• Plywood, 1/2-inch
• Insulation board, 1 1/2-inch
• Utility knife
• Aluminum flashing
• Weather stripping
• Screws, four-inch
• Screws, six-inch
• Washers
• Electric drill
• Hole-cutting bit
• Black paint, high-heat
• Ducting, five-inch
• Silicone seal
• Wall plate
• Sliding vent

Instructions

1. 

   A wall-mounted solar panel

   Obtain double insulated glass or Plexiglas. The size of your panel will depend on the size of glass. Let's assume for this example we find a piece that is four feet by five feet.

2. Build a frame for the glass with 2x4's and screw a piece of 1/2-inch plywood to the back of the frame. Since this will attach to the south side of your house you can cover it with metal that matches the trim of the house or paint it to match the trim.

3. Line the back of the panel with 1 1/2-inch insulation board. Do not fasten it down. This board comes in four feet x eight feet sheets and can be cut to fit with a utility knife. Add the insulation boards to the sides on the panel as well, it should be screwed down on the sides.

4. Aluminum flashing can be used as the heat-absorption plate. The flashing comes in different widths and lengths. Cut it to fit the back of the panel and it's OK if it overlaps.

5. Determine the size of your pathways, that is the area between the baffle boards. An area of 20 square inches, 10 inches x two inches, should be sufficient for this size panel. Drill several holes through the baffles, apply weather stripping to the bottom of the boards. Then put a four-inch screw through the baffles, aluminum, insulation board and into the plywood backing.

6. Cut out the air openings, using a hole cutting drill bit. One opening should be in the lower left hand corner of the panel and the other in the upper right corner of the panel. Make the holes for this panel five inches in diameter, that will give it an area of 20 square inches, to match the pathway size.

7. Determine where the studs are on the side of your house. You will attach the panel to the studs and position it so that the air holes are not blocked by a stud. After figuring out where the panel should be located, screw it to the south side of the house, using six-inch screws and washers.

8. Paint the inside of the panel using a special black paint that absorbs the heat. After the paint dries make air mixers with aluminum by stapling the aluminum around the baffles and interior frame, making ridges in the aluminum. The ridges cause air turbulence as the air moves through the panel which mixes the air.

9. Cut two holes in the side of the house the same size as, and lined up with, the ones in the panel. Slide the duct work through the hole and into the panel, seal around the duct work with silicone and bend the metal ears in place, to secure the duct work on both ends. Inside the house, add a wall plate with a sliding vent that can be opened and closed to create a finished look on both holes. Secure it with screws.

10. Put weather stripping on the top of the baffles and the interior frame. Slide the glass into place and make sure it fits tightly against the weather stripping. No air should pass over the baffles, with the glass fitting properly, screw it in place. When completed the air will move to and from the solar panel by convection. Cold air enters through the bottom hole and rises to the top as it is heated and re-enters the house through the top hole. At night, close the vents so that cool air does not enter the house. In warmer weather keep the vents closed all the time.

References

• Mobile Home Repair:: Building an inexpensive solar heating panel
• The Sietch: Build your own solar thermal panel