Posts Tagged ‘homemade’
Energy Conservation: The Advantages Of Self-made Solar Panels
Conserving energy is not only good for the environment but also for the pocket as it helps people save money for electric bills. With the continuing economic downturn and increasing concern for environmental care, putting up a homemade solar panel is the most efficient thing to do to help address these issues. Making your own panels is fun and easy, especially if you are a DIY person. To make your own solar panels, you need to have all the materials needed.
Essentially, to make your own solar panel you will need wood glue, silicone caulk, wire cutters and strippers, solder and soldering iron. Plus some woodworking tools like drill, screwdriver and saw. In putting up a homemade solar panel, you will need to have solar panel kits. These are just containers filled with solar cells.
To begin with your homemade solar panel project, you need to buy solar cells. A 3×6 cell can generate up to 0.5 volts and 3.5 amps. Since the most effective solar panels should have an output of at least 18 volts, you need to put 16 cells for each panel. Solar cells can be bought in hardware stores or from online stores, like eBay. There are lots of auctioned solar cells; however, you have to choose class A. Lower class usually has damaged corners and blemishes that affect the quality of the cells to generate energy.
To make your own solar panel, you just need to build a box or container for the cells. You can decide on the layout and dimensions for your cells; although you will need an additional wood to place unto the box where the cells are attached. You need to put a clear cover for your boxes. You can use plexiglass and lexan, which are the usual materials used for this purpose.
So you are now ready to attach wirings and install the panels anytime soon. For a thorough step-by-step guide, you can access online videos or guides on how DIY solar panels work. As far as expenses are concerned, it is not expensive to make your own solar panels . In fact, the cost is just around $130 USD or lower. But of course, it would be different if you are buying pre-made solar panels.