Build Your Own Solar Panels
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This is part 2 of a two part article on how to build your own solar panels. To see part one, please go to Build a Solar Panel.
Once the panel is put together it is installed on a rooftop or on a stand and pointed toward the direction that receives the most direct sunlight throughout most of the day. Usually panels are pointed southward, but may sometimes be placed with a partial eastern or western exposure.
Once the panel is put together it is installed on a rooftop or on a stand and pointed toward the direction that receives the most direct sunlight throughout most of the day. Usually panels are pointed southward, but may sometimes be placed with a partial eastern or western exposure.
3. Enclosure - Make your panels are weather-tight so that they'll last a good long time. When constructed properly, homemade solar panels will perform and last just like those you would buy.
4. Wiring - Make sure you follow the instructions on wirring the cells together. Proper wiring within the panel will allow the panel to achieve its maximum potential for generating power.
5. The best investment you can make before you build your own solar panels is to purchase one of the many guides or e-books available on the topic. If you are going to go this route, make sure you select one that provides the whole picture and not just something that will tell you how to build a solar panel.
I prefer the Earth4Energy guide. It has great supplemental video content, lifetime membership to their on-line instructional website and free upgrades for life so that as they issue improvements to their guide I get them for free. The video content is especially helpful, especially for beginners.
You can check out two other decent guides as well. They are Power4Home and Energy To Green. These are also good and reasonably priced, but I still like Earth4Energy best for the reasons noted above.
Whether you get one of the guides suggested on this page, or find something you like better, just make sure you get something that is accurate and reliable, and that you won't outgrow as your system and your knowledge develop over time.
4. Wiring - Make sure you follow the instructions on wirring the cells together. Proper wiring within the panel will allow the panel to achieve its maximum potential for generating power.
5. The best investment you can make before you build your own solar panels is to purchase one of the many guides or e-books available on the topic. If you are going to go this route, make sure you select one that provides the whole picture and not just something that will tell you how to build a solar panel.
I prefer the Earth4Energy guide. It has great supplemental video content, lifetime membership to their on-line instructional website and free upgrades for life so that as they issue improvements to their guide I get them for free. The video content is especially helpful, especially for beginners.
You can check out two other decent guides as well. They are Power4Home and Energy To Green. These are also good and reasonably priced, but I still like Earth4Energy best for the reasons noted above.
Whether you get one of the guides suggested on this page, or find something you like better, just make sure you get something that is accurate and reliable, and that you won't outgrow as your system and your knowledge develop over time.
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It is easy to find parts locally and there are also a number of sources on line for used parts and even used panels that can be incorporated to expand your system.
So then. Building your own solar panels is very achievable and realistic, but there are a lot of things to know and the project requires some time and most importantly, a bit of planning.
So then. Building your own solar panels is very achievable and realistic, but there are a lot of things to know and the project requires some time and most importantly, a bit of planning.
Building your own solar panel will save a lot of money over the cost of buying a system from an energy contractor which will allow you to offset the expense with energy bill savings a lot sooner. The typical whole house solar energy system can take up to 20 years to pay for itself in energy savings.
1. Get all your parts together - Find all the parts you need and have them handy so that when you start building, the project will go a lot faster.
2. Decide where you will mount your panels. Evaluate the amount of direct sunlight that your property receives. Panels are usually pointed toward the south, so start out in that direction and pick the spot that gets the most direct sunlight for the longest period each day. The more sun your panels get the more power they will be able to generate.
2. Decide where you will mount your panels. Evaluate the amount of direct sunlight that your property receives. Panels are usually pointed toward the south, so start out in that direction and pick the spot that gets the most direct sunlight for the longest period each day. The more sun your panels get the more power they will be able to generate.