Don’t Fall Into the Trap When You Build Your Very Own Solar Panels

Before you actually begin to build a solar panel, bear in mind that there are a few potential problems to keep an eye on. Start your project on the right foot. Get all the components together before you start; get a tool box with all the right tools and a manual which gives step by step instructions.

But before even those basic steps, it is more important to have a clear picture of what your solar panel is going to end up looking like and where you are going to use it. There are many things you can do when you build a solar panel, you can build a small one for charging up re-chargeable batteries, or you can build larger 200, 300 or 400 watt panels to run home appliances and store excess electricity in a battery bank, or you can build 1000 watt panels and start a little business feeding electricity back to the grid.

The only difference between making 500 watt solar panel and 100W solar panel is the quantity of solar cells you require and the time you have available to spend on the project. People want to build their own solar panels to reduce the cost of purchasing solar a panel because they can be very expensive.

Now you know how large you solar panel is going to be, we now have to find a ready source of solar cells. Now you don’t want to pay a lot of money for them. EBay is always a good place to start when wanting to buy anything on the cheap, the only downside is that you can’t always get the exact thing you are after. So what if you can’t find what you need on ebay and other auction sites, what do you do next?

One very good option for you is to research businesses near to where you live and find the ones which use solar cells in the electrical products they use on a day to day basis. Contact these companies and make yourself known to them, tell them what you want to do so at a later date should they have any broken cells they want to dispose of, they will contact you. One of the major users of solar cells are the road and traffic signs, often you see them on the side of the road, and often they will have the company’s contact details on them. Traffic signs often get broken by manhandling or cars driving into them.

If the solar panel is damaged they will throw the old panel away replace it with a new one. These damaged panels will still work fine, and if you know how to build a solar panel, it doesn’t take much to repair them in most cases.

Finding a cheap supply of solar cells is the only major problem you need to solve if you are looking to build a solar panel on a shoestring, so start searching for those local businesses today.

Remeber what I said earlier, know what outcome you want to end up with, have a clear picture even sketch it out on a piece of paper. If you don’t have that clear picture, you will build an array which has no useful purpose. You just end up with disorganized chaos. Know what you want and go and build it.

Different Types of Solar Panels

• Monocrystalline Solar Panels
• Polycrystalline Solar Panels – String Ribbon Silicon
• Thin Film Solar Panels – cadmium telluride

When You Build A Solar Panel – What Are The Hazards To Be Aware Of?

When you build a solar panel, there are a number of things that need to be taken into consideration before you actually start. Building a solar panel is a relatively easy process if you have good instructions to follow, know where to get the individual products from and have the right equipment.

However, before all that it is important to understand what it is you want to end up with. There are many things you can do when you build a solar panel, you can build a small one for charging up re-chargeable batteries, or you can build larger 200, 300 or 400 watt panels to run home appliances and store excess electricity in a battery bank, or you can build 1000 watt panels and start a little business feeding electricity back to the grid.

The only difference between making 500 watt solar panel and 100W solar panel is the quantity of solar cells you require and the time you have available to spend on the project. People want to build their own solar panels to reduce the cost of purchasing solar a panel because they can be very expensive.

So once you have decided what size of solar panel you are going to build, the next step is to determine where you can get a cheap supply of solar cells. The first port of call for me is eBay, sometimes you can get lucky and find someone who is selling a pile of solar cells at a very good price. The only problem with this is that if you can’t find the specific size and quantity of solar cells, what do you do then?

One very good option for you is to research businesses near to where you live and find the ones which use solar cells in the electrical products they use on a day to day basis. You want to develop a relationship with these companies so that they call you when they have any damaged cells they want to get rid of. The best source of these solar cells are the businesses who put out traffic signs, for example, when repairs are being carried out to roads. The Companies name and telephone number can often be found attached to it somewhere. These signs get damaged on a regular basis and have to be repaired.

They don’t fix the solar panel if it is broken or chipped, they will fit a new one and chuck the old one in the skip. The good news is that it is normally very easy to repair a chipped or damaged solar cell, if you know how to build a solar panel, you can easily repair a solar cell.

This is the biggest pitfall you have to overcome, so go and find some local companies who are throwing away their solar cells and recycling them.

My passing shot is to remind you what I said a short while ago, know precisely what it is you want to end up with, how big and where you are going to put it. If you don’t have that clear picture, you will build an array which has no useful purpose. You will make life very hard for yourself and will probably be disappointed. Stick a picture on the wall and go and build it.

Different Types of Solar Panels

• Monocrystalline Solar Panels
• Thin Film Solar Panels – cadmium telluride
• Satellite Grade Solar Cells

Five Points To Consider When Buying A DIY Solar Power Kit

Both business and homeowners are turning to solar power in an effort to reduce their energy bills. One of the fastest ways to add this type of renewable energy to your system is by purchasing a DIY solar power kit. However, there are five important things with which you should be familiar before you make such a purchase.

Dimension of the Solar Panels

The DIY solar power kit must indicate the exact measurements of the solar panels, because this will let you know if you have enough roof space for the solar module. Additionally, the weight of the solar panels should be displayed on the kit, which you will need to know if you have roof tiles since they determine if the solar panels can be supported by your roof. If you know the weight and dimension of the panels, you can determine whether your roof is structurally sound enough to handle the added load.

Total Power Generation

Before installing any DIY solar power kit, you must first calculate how much power is consumed in your home. Additionally, determine how many appliances you want to connect to the solar power system. Once you have this figure calculated, purchase an appropriate DIY solar power kit. There are kits of different sizes available to meet your requirements; additionally, some kits can be interconnected if one is not enough.

Durability

Because they are outdoors, solar power panels are constantly exposed to harsh elements like hail, rain, snow and sun. Because of this, the solar cells must be covered with tempered glass and the frame must be made of a resilient material like aluminum.

Long-Term Warranty

It can take years before you see a return on investment, or ROI, from the installation of a DIY solar power kit. It is important to consider the length of a product’s warranty before buying one. Most experts recommend getting a 20- to 25-year warranty on new solar panels.

Installation and Maintenance

Select a DIY solar power kit that has easy installation. There are kits available on the market that contain all the components needed to start your own solar power system. Additionally, you should also consider one that will require only minimal maintenance over the years in service. The best choice is solar panels that require, at minimum, scrubbing once a year to have the panels work at maximum efficiency.

Anna Vera Williams helps others understand how to utilize solar power to live cleaner and more economical lives.

For more information on solar energy and how it can be used, please visit Do-it-Yourself Solar Energy.

This article was originally published on Anna’s blog, at Five Things to Consider When Purchasing DIY Solar Power Kits.

When You Build A Solar Panel – What Are The Risks To Watch Out For?

Before you actually begin to build a solar panel, bear in mind that there are a few potential problems to keep an eye on. Start your project on the right foot. Get all the components together before you start; get a tool box with all the right tools and a manual which gives step by step instructions.

But before even those basic steps, it is more important to have a clear picture of what your solar panel is going to end up looking like and where you are going to use it. Decide how big your dream is. Do want to start a solar farm, building 2000 watt panels and feed electricity back to the national grid or do you want to build 500 watt panels for running specific appliances in your home or do just want a small one; to build a solar panel for re-charging your digital camera batteries?

The only difference between making 500 watt solar panel and 100W solar panel is the quantity of solar cells you require and the time you have available to spend on the project. Most of us, who build our own solar panels to generate electricity for our homes, do it so that we can drastically reduce the expense of actually fitting solar panels as they can be prohibitively expensive.

Now you know how large you solar panel is going to be, we now have to find a ready source of solar cells. Now you don’t want to pay a lot of money for them. Auction sites can be a good place to find low cost solar cells and other stuff, you have to do your due diligence and check out the seller thoroughly, making sure you don’t get ripped off. However, this process is a bit hit and miss and only about 50% of the time can you find something that you are looking for.

The best option is to contact companies in your local area who use solar panels to power remote pieces of electrical equipment. Find these organizations, contact them and start building rapport. Explain your project goals and the tight budget you are working to, so when they do get damaged solar cells, they will contact you to take them away. A big user of solar cells are the companies who repair roads or make street signs for roads. Repairs are frequently carried on damaged signs.

They don’t fix the solar panel if it is broken or chipped, they will fit a new one and chuck the old one in the skip. These damaged panels will still work fine, and if you know how to build a solar panel, it doesn’t take much to repair them in most cases.

This is the biggest pitfall you have to overcome, so go and find some local companies who are throwing away their solar cells and recycling them.

My passing shot is to remind you what I said a short while ago, know precisely what it is you want to end up with, how big and where you are going to put it. From my experience, if you don’t have this, you build an odd panel for this and an odd panel for that. You will make life very hard for yourself and will probably be disappointed. Know what you want and go and build it.

Different Types of Solar Panels

• Thin Film Solar Panels – cadmium telluride
• Polycrystalline Solar Panels – String Ribbon Silicon
• Monocrystalline Solar Panels

5 Things To Consider When Purchasing A DIY Solar Power Kit

With energy bills skyrocketing, both businesses and homeowners are seeing solar power as a workable alternative. Perhaps the simplest way to implement this type of renewable energy to your system is to purchase a DIY solar power kit. But before you make such a purchase, you should be familiar with these five important aspects.

Solar Power Dimensions

The DIY solar power kit must indicate the exact measurements of the solar panels, because this will let you know if you have enough roof space for the solar module. Additionally, the weight of the solar panels should be displayed on the kit, which you will need to know if you have roof tiles since they determine if the solar panels can be supported by your roof. You will be able to more easily determine if your roof is stable enough structurally to handle the added load if you know the weight and dimension of the panels.

Total Power Generation

Calculate how much power you consume in your home before installing a DIY solar power kit. Then decide on the number of appliances you’ll be connecting to your solar power system. Once you have this figure calculated, purchase an appropriate DIY solar power kit. There are kits of different sizes available to meet your requirements; additionally, some kits can be interconnected if one is not enough.

Durability

The solar power panels are exposed to the harsh elements of nature, such as sun, rain, hail and snow. Because of this, the solar cells must be covered with tempered glass and the frame must be made of a resilient material like aluminum.

Long-Term Warranty

It can take years before you see a return on investment, or ROI, from the installation of a DIY solar power kit. It is important to consider the length of a product’s warranty before buying one. It is recommended to get one with a 20- to 25-year warranty period on solar panels.

Installation and Maintenance

Select a DIY solar power kit that has easy installation. You can purchase kits that come with all the components you’ll need to start your own solar power system. Additionally, you should also consider one that will require only minimal maintenance over the years in service. Solar panels that require an annual scrubbing to keep them working at their maximum potential are your best bet.

Anna Vera Williams helps others understand how to utilize solar power to live cleaner and more economical lives.

For more information on solar energy and how it can be used, please visit Solar Energy.

This article was originally published on Anna’s blog, at Five Things to Consider When Purchasing DIY Solar Power Kits.