How to Build a Solar Panel (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

Do you want to get clean and free renewable energy? Save on electricity bills in your home? Try making your own solar panels! They are much less expensive than commercial panels and can work just as well! Start with Step 1 below to make your own solar panel.

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Part 1 of 6: Putting the Pieces together

Step 1. Buy the cells

There are several types of solar cells that you can buy, but the best option in terms of cost and efficiency is polycrystalline cells. Buy as many as you need, depending on the energy/amount of power you want to generate. The specifications are usually written down when you buy.

• Make sure you buy in extra quantity. These cells are very easily damaged.

  

• The easiest way to buy cells is to look for them online, but you may also be able to get them from a hardware store in your area.

  

• You may have to remove the wax coating from the cells if the manufacturer shipped with a coating wax. To do this, dip it in hot (not boiling) water.

  

Step 2. Measure and cut a board

You will need a thin board made of non-conductive material to attach the cells to. Place the cells in the settings you want to use, then measure the dimensions and cut the board according to the measurement results.

• Leave an inch or two on either end of the board. This space will be used for cables connecting between rows of cells.

  

Step 3. Measure and cut all of your tabbing wire

When you look at your polycrystalline cells, you will notice a set of small lines going in one direction (at a long distance) and two large lines going in the opposite direction (at a short distance). You'll need to connect the tabbing wire to continue the larger lines and connect them to the back of the next cell in the arrangement you've created. Measure the length of this outline, multiply by two, then cut two strands for each cell.

Step 4. Use a pen flux over each line (at a distance of three squares or strips, usually 2 or 3 lines), at the back of the cell

Step 5. Melt a thin layer of solder over the squares/strips on the back of the cell (note:

this step is not necessary if you purchased pre-soldered tabbing, which will be much more effective to use as it saves time, heats the cells only once, and consumes less solder).

Step 6. Heat the first half of the tabbing wire over the soldered square/strip to attach it to the cell

Repeat for the other strips.

Part 2 of 6: Connecting the Cells

Step 1. Glue the cells to the board

Apply a small amount of glue to the back of the cell (right in the middle) and press it against the board. The tabbing wire should form a straight line in each row. Make sure all the ends of the wire are between each cell and are free to move, with only two parts protruding between each cell. Remember that one row of wire must point in the opposite direction from the next row, so that the tabbing wire only protrudes at the end of one row and on the opposite side in the next row.

• You should plan to put the cells in long rows so that there are fewer rows. For example, place three rows of 12 cells lengthwise and side by side.

  

• Make sure you leave about an inch of space at either end of the board.

  

Step 2. Solder the cells to hold them together

Apply flux along two thick lines (contact pads) on each cell, then take the free parts of the tabbing wire and apply solder along the pads. Note: the tabbing wire connected to the back of one cell must always be connected to the front of the next cell.

Step 3. Connect the first row with bus wire

At the beginning of the first row, solder the tabbing wire in front of the first cell. The tabbing wire should be about an inch longer than necessary to cover the stripes, and extend through the extra space on the panelboard. Then, solder the two wires with bus wire, the same size as the distance between the thick cell lines.

Step 4. Connect the second row

Connect the end of the first row to the beginning of the second row with a bus wire that extends between the two thick wires (one at the edge of the panel and the second at the far end of the next row). You must prepare the first cell in the second row with extra tabbing wire, as you did in the first row.

• Connect the four tabbing wires with this bus wire.

  

Step 5. Continue to connect all the rows

Continue using the long bus wire until you reach the end, then connect this end with another short bus wire.

Part 3 of 6: Creating Your Panel Box

Step 1. Measure your cell panel

Measure the space required by your cell holder panel. You will at least need a box as large as this measurement. Add 2.5 cm on each side to make room for the box. If you're guessing you won't have 2.5x2.5 cm of space on each corner after you insert the panels, also make sure your box has that much free space.

• Also make sure there is enough space left for the bus wires at the ends of your panels.

  

Step 2. Cut the base

Cut the plywood to the same measurements in the previous step and add room for the sides of the box. You can use a table saw or a jigsaw, depending on what you have.

Step 3. Shape the sides

Measure two 2.5x5cm pieces to match the long sides at the bottom of the box. Then, do the same thing to insert between these long pieces so that your square is finished. Put the measured pieces together and attach them with bolts and nuts.

Step 4. Attach the sides

Screw the top sides down with the bolts to secure them to the bottom of the box. The number of screws you will need per side will depend on the length, but a good minimum is three screws per side.

Step 5. Color the box

Color the box any color you want. Consider using white or reflective colors as these will keep the box cool. A cooler box will make the cells cooler resulting in better performance. Use paint designed for outdoor use. This paint will help protect the wood from the elements and make your panels last longer.

Step 6. Install your solar panels

Glue the panel with the cells you have attached to the grid. Make sure the panels are secure and the cells are facing up and can absorb sunlight.

Part 4 of 6: Attaching the Cables

Step 1. Connect the last bus cable with a diode

Buy a diode that is slightly larger than your panel's amperage size and connect it to the bus wire. Secure with silicone. The brightly colored lead of the diode (with the white stripe) must point to the negative end of the battery (or device). The other end must be connected to the negative end of your panel. This prevents energy from flowing back through the solar panels from the battery when it is not recharging.

Step 2. Connect the wires

Connect the black wire to the diode and continue it to the terminal block which you need to attach to the side of the box. Then, connect the white wire from the short bus wire to the opposite side of the terminal box.

Step 3. Connect your panel to the current controller

Buy a current controller and connect it with the panel, make sure you connect the positive and negative sides correctly. Pass the wires from the terminal box to the current controller using colored wire to mark the currents.

If you are using more than one panel, you may want to connect all the positive and negative wires with a ring to make sure you only have two main wires

Step 4. Connect the current controller to your battery

Purchase a battery that will match the size of the panel you are making. Connect the current controller to the battery following the manufacturer's instructions.

Step 5. Use the battery

Once your battery is connected and charged by your panel, you can run electronics from the battery, depending on the level of power you need. Enjoy your free power source!

Part 5 of 6: Sealing the Box

Step 1. Buy a sheet of plexiglass

Purchase a sheet of cut plexiglass to put in your panel box. You can buy it from a specialty hardware or hardware store in your area. Make sure you buy plexiglass and not ordinary glass, because ordinary glass is easily damaged or shattered (so your home will lose its power source).

Step 2. Install a block barrier for the glass

Cut 2.5 x 2.5 cm wooden blocks to fit in the corners of the box. However, make sure these blocks are high enough to fit over the terminal beams, but still under the lip of the box, at a depth that is slightly more than the thickness of your plexiglass. Glue these barriers with wood glue or other similar glue.

Step 3. Insert your plexiglass

Place the plexiglass on top of the box so it can rest against the blocks. Carefully screw the plexiglass into these blocks using screws and drill bits.

Step 4. Seal the box

Use a silicone liner to seal the edges of the box. Also seal any gaps you can find. This box should be as waterproof as possible. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to apply the coating properly.

Part 6 of 6: Installing Your Panel

Step 1. You can mount the panels in a number of different ways

• Mount it on a car. One option is to build and mount your panels on a stroller. This will place the panels at a certain angle, but you can change their direction to increase the amount of solar energy in a day. However, this will require you to adjust it 2-3 times a day.

  

• Mount it on your roof. This is the normal way of installing panels, but the angle must be consistent with the path of the sun's rays, and the panel's exposure to sunlight will be limited, only at certain times of the day. However, this option is best if you have a lot of panels and only a few places on the ground to install them.

  

• Mount it on the satellite mast. The pole that is usually used to place satellite dishes can also be used to install solar panels. This pole can even be programmed to move with the sun. However, this method can only be used if you only have a few solar panels.

  

Tips

• This equipment was developed to be an automated work unit using the efficiency of a PV cell with a direct current (I-V) test. The I-V test exposes the PV cell to a light source calibrated to produce electric current at different voltages. Using this data, cell efficiency can be classified. It is the system that does this, dividing the PV cells into eight different efficiency grades for subsequence use in solar panels, with cells at similar efficiency levels grouped together to maximize the overall efficiency of the panel.
• Wires are connected from the junction box to power the panels. This cable is called the MC4 connector cable.
• Solar energy is a renewable energy source. You must take advantage of it, not only for yourself, but also for your environment.
• Through your efforts to make homemade solar panels, you can help prevent environmental pollution by reducing the use of fossil fuels.
• Tabbing and bussing are two applications that link individual solar cells to form a power module/panel. These applications also provide a method for transferring power from the solar cells to the power outlet in the form of a junction box. The connection between solar cells occurs when all these cells, which are still individual, are connected with tabbing tape (also known as stringing tape), to form a group of solar cells. This method is usually termed cell tabbing (or stringing). The tabbing tape transmits the solar cell current to a larger band, the bus band, which then transmits its energy from the cell cluster to the junction box module where it can be output.
• Tabbing tape is usually attached as parallel strips that run from the top of one cell to the bottom of the next cell, to connect the negative and positive sides of these successive cells. This tape is soldered to the paste that is applied to the TCO. The tabbing application then generates a collection of solar cells. After all the cells are held together with tabbing tape, these cells are then placed on a substrate, which is usually glass. Then, the thicker bus tape is soldered to connect the tabbing tape to each set of cells. This tabbing tape then collects electric current in a collection of cells and flows it to the bus band. The bus tape will transmit the accumulated electric power from all the cell groups to the junction box for final power generation. Think of tabbing tape as a path that crosses a solar cell. Bus ribbons are toll roads that connect and connect the two. The bus band is wider at the junction because it has to carry more electric power.
• The standard size of a solar cell is 156 mm × 156 mm, sometimes 125 mm x 125 mm. To create panels of different sizes, these cells must be cropped to a certain size. After the trials, the cells were cut on a solar cell laser cutting machine. This machine is operated automatically, according to the cell size we want, using a software system. Some of the specifications are the same as the technical specifications of a CNC machine.
• Do the trimming and framing.
• In this article, the silicone glue is spread on the back of the connecting box manually, then this box is manually applied to the back of the panel.
• So, what are you waiting for? Go into your yard, grab a ruler and pencil, and get to work. Making solar panels is fun and exciting!
• A solar cell test is a must before installing it, especially if you are going to glue it onto a board and fix it permanently with solder.

Warning

• Be careful with all the equipment you use.
• If you are unsure of working with electricity, contact a professional. Don't get electrocuted!