DIY Solar Power Energy

Making your own solar panels can give you nearly unlimited free energy.

Creating your own solar panels is a cheap and simple way to harness the power of the sun for your own personal energy needs. Solar energy is a nearly unlimited renewable source of energy that can be used as long as the sun is out and can even be stored up and saved when it's not. In order to create your own solar panels you're going to have to purchase a number of basic materials, most of which can be found on the Internet.

Things You'll Need

• Plywood
• Saw
• Screwdriver
• 3/4-inch wood blocks
• Paint
• Fiberboard
• Drill
• Soldering iron
• Pre-tabbed solar cells
• Silicone caulk
• Plexiglas
• Electrical connector
• Voltmeter

Instructions

1. Construct the box in which you will house the solar cells. Cut the plywood to the size you need, and screw on the 3/4-inch blocks to make the sides.

2. Paint the box, and cut a length of fiberboard to fit the number of solar cells you wish to place in your solar panel. The piece of fiberboard is called a substrate and will act as a raised platform for the solar cells to rest in inside of the box.

3. Drill a hole in the bottom of the box. This will allow for the electrical wires to exit the box in order to connect to your appliances or other electronic devices.

4. Solder the electrical tabs of the solar cells together to create a series. If you didn't purchase pre-tabbed cells, you will have to solder connecting wire to each cell before you can connect them.

5. Place a small dab of silicon caulk to the back of each solar cell, and place the cells onto the substrate.

6. Glue the substrate to the box, and pull the electrical wires attached to the solar cell series through the hole in the bottom. Fill in the empty space around the hole with the wires coming out with the caulk to protect the cells from moisture.

7. Screw the Plexiglas cover onto the top of the solar panel, and attach the electrical connector to the solar cell wires.

8. Bring your solar panel outside, and connect it to a voltmeter to check and see if it works.

Tips & Warnings

• You can purchase solar cell lots from the Internet in bundles of 36, 100 and 108. The average solar panel needs 36 cells to produce a useful amount of energy, so purchasing a bundle of 108 will give you enough materials to make three solar panels.

References

• DIY Solar Panels