Modern realities are such that alternative power sources are by no means a cheap pleasure. Not everyone has the opportunity to order the installation of solar panels from a supplier, so do-it-yourself solar panels are becoming popular.
Making a solar battery is not difficult. To do this you will need: elements for a solar battery, flux (a pencil is suitable, which is easy to apply, but it is quite normal to use rosin), alcohol, a 40-watt soldering iron, cotton swabs, a wide tire (up to 2 meters) and a narrow tire (1.6 mm ). The narrow busbar is a tinned wire (flat copper that is coated with tin). When the sun shines, the temperature of the solar battery increases enormously, causing expansion; at night, the opposite process occurs - contraction. You can, of course, take a wider tire - 2 mm, but practice shows that optimal width is still equal to 1.6 mm.
The first step is to sort the solar cells. Each of them produces 0.26-0.35 volts. They need to be sorted to choose approximately the same face value. Their number should be 36. If there is at least one element in the battery with a low indicator, it will be resistance, which is undesirable.
We cut the tire (there should be 72 strips), determining its length by the width of two elements located at a distance of five to ten millimeters from each other.
Video: The complete process of making a solar panel with your own hands
Video: DIY solar battery made from two glasses
Video: DIY solar battery panel assembly
Video: Building a Solar Battery with your own hands
We thoroughly wipe the future soldering areas on the elements with alcohol to degrease them. To get started, just take three elements. Then we run a pencil over them (there is no need to degrease the tire, because it is tinned). We solder a busbar that fits easily, so you don’t need to apply much force to it. Having installed the soldering iron in one place, wait until the busbar begins to melt and after that, slowly move the soldering iron along the entire busbar.
Photo: Soldering a solar battery with your own hands
Then carefully remove the remaining flux with alcohol and a cotton swab. In this way, all other elements are prepared. Now you can solder with reverse side, also wiping with alcohol and applying flux, already connecting the elements into a panel (9x4 cells).
Be sure to remove excess flux. The reverse side will have positive potential at any point.
Now the structure needs to be transferred to the front surface - in our case, it is cast acrylic from the Altuglas company with a thickness of 5 mm. You can, of course, directly front side and solder photocells (this will even be more convenient).
We lay the ribbons with solar cells in such a way that on the first ribbon the first tire goes from the bottom, the second from the top. On the second - in reverse order: first on top, second on bottom, etc. This will provide a serial connection.
We solder these outputs of the narrow bus to the wide bus, removing the remains using wire cutters. Before rolling the film, you need to take measurements to make sure everything is done correctly.
You also need to check for very hot panels (by hand). If there are any, we replace them. If not, we roll 751 Oracal film, which is intended for gluing appliqués to cars. Guarantee period its operation is seven years. But, from experience, this period is much longer. We do this very carefully so that there are no distortions, because... it is no longer possible to peel it off. As a last resort, if this happens, the film must be carefully cut and re-glued. Do not press the film against the elements. From the center it is leveled to the edges, pressing only in places where there are no elements. You should not pay attention to small bubbles - they will go away during rolling. Separate the film from the base by a centimeter, no more. We check the parameters again (volts and current short circuit). A current of four amperes indicates that everything is correct.
All that remains is to place the structure in the frame.
Frame for solar battery
Plexiglas is suitable as a transparent layer, but over time it warps and turns yellow, which affects the performance of the battery. Can be used ordinary glass, which allows you to reduce the heating of solar cells due to the fact that it does not transmit the infrared spectrum. Finally there is acrylic glass, which does not reduce transparency over time and does not warp.
Aluminum corners, chipboard, plywood and other materials are most often used as the body.
The last step is sealing
Compounds are used for sealing (mainly abroad). But they cost a decent amount, so our craftsmen use or silicone sealant, or protective film(as described above), or mixed with sealants, acrylic varnish.
Soldering photocells
You can find photocells with soldered conductors on sale, but more often you have to do this yourself. What do you need to know? First, you need to work with photocells very carefully - they are fragile and expensive.
Where to buy photocells?
The easiest way is to type a request in your browser - enough results will appear, including private entrepreneurs who offer the elements necessary to create a solar battery. True, they are quite expensive - you can find them much cheaper on Ebay. You can, of course, buy elements that were rejected in production for various reasons: they will cost much less, but there is a risk that they will turn out to be unsuitable for use folk craftsmen. In addition, delivery can cost up to thirty dollars.
Which photocells to choose?
Typically, you can find monocrystalline and polycrystalline photovoltaic converters. The former have more long term operation - up to thirty years, but they are sensitive to weather changes. The latter, on the contrary, do not reduce power too much in cloudy conditions, but have a shorter service life. In addition, compared to monocrystalline ones with an efficiency of 13%, their efficiency ranges from seven to nine percent.
To use more efficiently solar battery, it is necessary to provide for a change in the angle of inclination.
Conclusion
Making a solar panel with your own hands turned out to be not so difficult. And much cheaper than ordering it from a supplier!
The basic principle of operation of the device is that it converts solar energy into electricity using photocells. The technology involves combining such elements into one complex. After the energy has been processed, the electricity flows into special batteries.
In this article we will look at why people are increasingly installing solar panels with their own hands.
A homemade solar battery is a progressive method of saving, because you will not only receive electricity (solar cells will provide this), but you will also not spend enormous sums on purchasing batteries.
The whole process is not complicated; the main thing here is a clear sequence of actions. We will help you with this, let's get started.
How much electricity you ultimately receive will depend on the size of your solar module.
How it works
First, let's get acquainted with the subtleties that it has technological process. Photodiodes are mounted on a silicon (or copper) wafer. When light hits them, a photo-emf is generated at their outputs. In order to make a solar battery with your own hands, you need to combine such plates (their combination is called a module).
The approximate value of the energy generated from one such plate is 0.5 - 0.55 V. You should not set too high goals, because to get 220 volts you will need a battery of impressive proportions. A more realistic goal is to get 12-24 volts. These will be processed by other solar cells.
Such power can fill 12 batteries with electricity. The main elements that the design has:
- solar panel that will generate energy
- energy storage batteries
- inverter for energy conversion low voltage to standard
It is necessary to create homemade solar panels based on calculations of the energy required for a particular room. For each building the value will be individual. First of all, calculate how many batteries you will need for your purposes. The number of batteries depends on the size of the solar panel.
In order to create a high-quality solar battery at home, you will need to purchase an inverter. This important element designs are not made independently. When purchasing, be guided by the needs of your premises (minimum recommended value 1-2 kW).
Selection of photocells
Solar battery installation modern market presented in the form of two options - the assembly of a solar battery is possible from monocrystalline silicon and polycrystalline:
- the first ones have an efficiency of 13% (they are characterized by low efficiency when it is cloudy outside);
- the latter have lower efficiency - 9%, but they perform well in bad weather conditions.
In accordance with the advice of experts, in order to assemble a solar battery with your own hands, the second option will be sufficient.
Photovoltaic cells that you will use to make solar panels with your own hands must be purchased same size. Otherwise, the electricity they will generate will be limited to the performance of the smallest cell.
Other materials
To get homemade solar panels you will need:
- frame (it can be made of wood, aluminum)
- photocells
- substrate made according to fiberboard standards
- glass (plexiglass is used as an alternative)
- conductors
- diodes
Choosing an installation location
When choosing a location when assembling solar panels with your own hands, you need to be guided by the main principle - the sun's rays should hit the structure as perpendicularly as possible.
The most popular location for solar cells is the roof of the room. In general, it is recommended to install as high as possible. As alternative option serve as places where the rays hit most actively.
Installation process
Frame
In the question of how to assemble a solar battery with your own hands, the first thing you need to start with is assembling the frame. It will provide solar cells with the necessary level of protection. For this you will need:
- corners made of aluminum (30x30)
- wooden blocks are used as an alternative
The first option is more common and effective. The tool you will need is a file. On one of the shelves you need to use it to remove the chamfer. This should be done at an angle of 45 degrees. Using the same angle of inclination as a basis, cut off the second shelf.
When the frame elements are processed, they are twisted using squares. The material of the angles must match the material of the frame.
After this comes the final stage - the completely finished frame is supplemented protective glass. It is mounted using silicone.
Soldering plates
Making a solar battery with your own hands requires special attention to this stage. The first thing production technology requires is understanding basic principle when soldering:
- series connection will increase the voltage;
- parallel connection increases the current.
The solar cell circuit requires a gap of 5 mm when installing silicon wafers on glass. It is strictly recommended to observe this value, because it is necessary in order to extinguish thermal expansion parts of the structure.
The converters are easy to understand, because their design involves only two tracks (plus and minus). Elements for solar panels must be connected in series into one chain.
It is recommended not to limit yourself only required quantity panels. The process of manufacturing solar panels can bring unexpected surprises - damage to the panels during installation (they are fragile and this is not so difficult to do even with all the care). For this reason, you should stock up on a few spare panels.
After completing this work, all that remains is to connect the conductors to the common bus.
Now you need to understand how to test the solar battery and the voltage it will produce at the output. A multimeter is used for these purposes. The optimal indicator that a home-made battery should have is 18-19 volts.
Assembling the panel
A homemade solar panel is a particularly important stage at this stage of production. After work with the case is completed, it is necessary to place the converters that were previously soldered into it. Next, to assemble the solar battery, perform the following steps:
- silicone is applied to the silicon elements (in the center)
- To ensure reliable fixation, cover the substrate (fibreboard) on top
- Next you need to close the structure with a lid
- sealing joints (use sealant or silicone as an alternative)
When all the steps have been completed and the panel has taken its final form, it must be mounted on a frame or holder.
transistor battery
A do-it-yourself solar battery is assembled from scrap materials using diodes and transistors from foil.
If you decide to make a design using a transistor, pay attention exclusively to these types - KT, P. This will be the most optimal choice due to semiconductors being ideal for the production of electrical energy.
After you decide on the right amount radio components, the metal cover is removed from them. Holding the radio component in a vice, carefully cut off the upper part. A hacksaw for metal is suitable for these purposes. The plate located in the inner part will serve as a photocell.
Further actions:
- assembly must take place on a surface that has dielectric properties
- we use a collector junction (it is characterized by the largest potential difference in contrast to the base and emitter)
- The transistor is soldered into a separate series circuit
- chains must be connected in parallel
Indicators of the output voltage from one transistor using the specified semiconductors:
- 0.35 volts
- current during short circuit is 0.25 µA
Thus, from available materials you can create effective panels with your own hands.
We use diodes
If assembled correctly, a solar battery made of diodes for a private home or cottage can also be very effective. The voltage generation indicators of one diode are 350 mV.
To properly use the diode with your own hands in similar design, decide in advance on the optimal number of radio components. This production of solar panels requires placing them in a container for treatment with acetone before starting work.
Other solvents can be used as an alternative to acetone. You need to leave the radio components in this position for at least a couple of hours.
Such solar panels for the home are made using the following steps:
- We make markings on the plate that will indicate the places for soldering the power supply elements
- soaking allows you to remove paint without much difficulty
- it is necessary to bend the positive contact (for these purposes we use a multimeter)
Manufacturing of solar panels of this type For maximum efficiency to obtain voltage requires vertical soldering of diodes. Practice confirms that this is the most optimal position for the crystal.
Solar battery made of foil
This technique is distinguished by much lower power indicators compared to the previous ones. Foil solar cells are produced in accordance with clear instructions - to start with, copper foil (45 sq.m.) is useful. You need to remove all the fat from it:
- use soap solution
- wash your hands thoroughly to prevent the formation of grease stains
The next stage of processing is the elimination of corrosion and the protective oxide film that is located on the cutting plane. This is easy to do using regular sandpaper.
The sheet of foil must be heated to the point where red-orange spots begin to appear. The final stage of this process can be considered the adoption of a black color by the surface.
This indicates the formation of copper oxide. It's best to do this on a burner. electric stove. The minimum power indicator should be 1.1 kW.
In order to obtain an oxide film with optimal thickness, from the moment the oxide forms, the sheet needs to be heated for another half hour. After this frying, you can proceed to further steps:
- oxide peels off; all of its residue is removed by washing with ordinary water
- any deformation of the sheet, bending, or attempts to remove oxide by mechanical means are excluded
- cut out another sheet, based on the parameters of the previous one
- cut off the neck of a plastic bottle (from 2 to 5 liters)
- We place two pieces of foil in it, and then secure them
- any contact of these pieces is excluded
- terminal with a minus for the processed piece, with a plus for the other
- the jar is filled with a special solution
The top edge should be separated from the electrodes by 2.5 cm. To prepare the mixture you will need a few tablespoons of salt. Its quantity should be proportional to the volume of the container.
A solar battery made of transistors, a solar battery made of LEDs and other varieties of them have proven their effectiveness over years of practice. A solar-powered fan will also be productive.
The use of silicon and copper types is increasingly being used by our compatriots. Now you know what equipment is needed for the production of solar panels, how to independently produce the necessary solar cell, and carry out high-quality cross-section calculations.
With the help of the acquired knowledge, you can easily make solar panels yourself, use a solar panel for your home and garden extremely effectively - see for yourself!
The sun is an inexhaustible source of energy. People have long learned how to use it effectively. We will not go into the physics of the process, but will look at how this free energy resource can be used. A homemade solar panel will help us with this.
Operating principle
What is a solar cell? This is a special module that consists of a huge number of the most basic photodiodes. These semiconductor elements were grown using special technologies in factory conditions on silicon wafers.
Unfortunately, such devices are by no means cheap. Most people cannot purchase them, but in this case there are many ways to make solar panels yourself. And this battery will be able to compete with commercial models. Moreover, its price will not be at all comparable to what stores offer.
Building a battery from silicon wafers
The kit includes 36 silicon wafers. They are offered in sizes 8*15 centimeters. The overall power figures will be about 76 W. You will also need wires to connect the elements to each other, and a diode that will perform the blocking function.
One silicon wafer produces 2.1 W and 0.53 V at a current of up to 4 A. The wafers only need to be connected in series. Only in this way will our energy source be able to produce 76 watts. There are two tracks on the front side. This is the “minus”, and the “plus” is located on the back side. Each panel must be positioned with a gap. You should get nine plates in four rows. In this case, the second and fourth rows must be turned in the opposite direction relative to the first. This is required so that everything is conveniently connected into one circuit. The diode must be taken into account. It allows you to prevent the storage battery from discharging at night or on a cloudy day. The “minus” of the diode must be connected to the “plus” of the battery. To charge the battery you will need a special controller. Using an inverter, you can obtain a normal household voltage of 220 V.
DIY solar panel assembly
Plexiglas has the lowest refractive index of light. It will be used as a body. This is enough inexpensive material. And if you need it even cheaper, then you can buy plexiglass. In the worst case scenario, you can use polycarbonate. But it is not very suitable for the case in terms of its characteristics. In stores you can find special polycarbonate with a coating that is protected from condensation. It also allows you to provide the battery high level protection from heat. But these are not all the elements that will make up the solar panel. It’s easy to find glass with good transparency with your own hands; this is one of the main components of the design. By the way, even ordinary glass will do.
Making a frame
During installation, silicon crystals must be mounted at a short distance. After all, you need to take into account various atmospheric influences that can affect changes in the base. So, it is desirable that the distance is about 5 mm. Resulting size finished design will be somewhere around 835*690 mm.
A solar panel is made by hand using an aluminum profile. It has the maximum resemblance to branded products. Wherein homemade battery more airtight and durable.
For assembly you will need an aluminum corner. A blank for the future frame is made from it. Dimensions - 835*690 mm. In order to fasten the profiles together, it is necessary to make technological holes in advance.
The inside of the profile should be coated with silicone-based sealant. You need to apply it very carefully so that all places are coated. The efficiency and reliability that the solar panel will have depends entirely on how well it is applied.
With your own hands, you now need to put a sheet of pre-selected transparent material into the profile frame. It could be anything else. An important point: the silicone layer must dry. This must be taken into account, otherwise a film will appear on the silicon elements.
On next stage transparent material it is necessary to squeeze and secure well. To make the fastening as reliable as possible, you should use hardware. We will secure the glass around the perimeter and at four corners. Now the solar panel, made by hand, is almost ready. All that remains is to connect the silicon elements to each other.
Soldering crystals
Now you need to lay the conductor onto the silicon plate as carefully as possible. Next we apply flux and solder. To make it more convenient to work, you can fix the conductor on one side with something.
In this position, carefully solder the conductor to the contact pad. Do not press on the crystal with a soldering iron. It is very fragile, you can break it.
Latest assembly operations
If making solar panels with your own hands is your first time, then it is better to use a special marking substrate. She will help position necessary elements as exactly as possible at the required distance. In order to correctly cut the wires of the required length connecting individual elements, it should be noted that the conductor must be soldered to the contact pad. It is slightly placed beyond the edge of the crystal. If you make preliminary calculations, it turns out that the wires should be 155 mm each.
When you assemble all this into a single structure, it is better to take a sheet of plywood or plexiglass. For convenience, it is better to pre-position the crystals horizontally and fix them. This is easily done using crosses for laying tiles.
After you connect all the elements together, stick double-sided construction tape on the back of each crystal. You just need to press the back panel a little, and all the crystals will be easily transferred to the base.
This type of fastening is not additionally sealed in any way. Crystals can expand when high temperatures, but it's not scary. Only individual parts need to be sealed.
Now you need to use it to secure all the tires and the glass itself. Before sealing and completely assembling the battery, it is advisable to test it.
Sealing
If you have regular silicone sealant, you don’t need to completely fill the crystals with it. This way you can eliminate the risk of damage. To fill this structure, you need not silicone, but epoxy resin.
This is how you can easily and effortlessly receive electrical energy almost for nothing. Now let's look at how else you can make solar panels with your own hands.
Experimental battery
Efficient systems for converting solar energy require huge factories, special care behind them and a serious amount of money.
Let's try to make something ourselves. Everything you need for the experiment can be easily purchased at a hardware store or found in your kitchen.
DIY solar panel made from foil
For assembly you will need copper foil. It can be easily found in the garage or, in extreme cases, can be easily purchased at any hardware store. To assemble the battery you need 45 square centimeters of foil. You should also buy two alligator clips and a small multimeter.
To get a working solar cell, it is advisable to have electric stove. You need at least 1100 watts of power. It should heat up to a bright red color. Also prepare the usual plastic bottle without a neck and a couple of tablespoons of salt. Get a drill with an abrasive attachment and a sheet of metal from the garage.
Let's get started
The first step is to cut a piece of copper foil of such a size that it fits completely on the electric stove. You will be required to wash your hands so that there is no residue left on the copper. greasy stains from fingers. It is also advisable to wash the copper. To remove the coating from the copper sheet, use sandpaper.
copper foil
Next, we place the cleaned sheet on the tile and turn it on to its maximum capacity. When the tile begins to heat up, you will be able to observe the appearance of beautiful orange spots on the copper sheet. Then the color will change to black. It is necessary to hold the copper for about half an hour on a red-hot tile. This is very important point. Thus, a thick layer of oxide peels off easily, while a thin layer will stick. After half an hour has passed, remove the copper from the stove and let it cool. You will be able to watch how pieces fall off the foil.
When everything cools down, the oxide film will disappear. You can easily clean most of the black oxide with water. If something doesn't come off, it's not worth trying. The main thing is not to deform the foil. Deformation may cause damage thin layer oxide, it is very necessary for the experiment. If it is not there, a solar panel made by yourself will not work.
Assembly
Cut the second piece of foil to the same dimensions as the first. Next, very carefully you need to bend the two parts so that they fit into the plastic bottle, but do not touch each other.
Then attach the crocodile clips to the plates. The wire from the “unfried” foil goes to the “plus”, the wire from the “fried” foil to the “minus”. Now take the salt and hot water. Stir the salt until completely dissolved. Let's pour the solution into our bottle. And now you can see the fruits of your labors. This homemade solar panel, made with your own hands, can be slightly improved in the future.
Other ways to use solar energy
Solar energy is no longer used. In space, it powers the famous Mars rover on Mars from the Sun. And in the United States of America, Google data centers operate from the sun. In those parts of our country where there is no electricity, people can watch the news on TV. All this thanks to the Sun.
And also given energy allows you to heat your home. A do-it-yourself air-solar panel is very simply made from beer cans. They accumulate heat and release it into the living space. It's effective, free and accessible.
For a long time, solar panels were either bulky panels for satellites and space stations, or low-power solar cells for pocket calculators. This was due to the primitiveness of the first monocrystalline silicon solar cells: they not only had low efficiency (no more than 25% in theory, in practice - about 7%), but also noticeably lost efficiency when the angle of incidence of light deviated from 90˚. Considering that in Europe in cloudy weather the power density solar radiation can fall below 100 W/m 2, too large areas of solar panels were required to obtain any significant power. Therefore, the first solar power plants were built only in conditions maximum power luminous flux And clear weather, that is, in deserts near the equator.
A significant breakthrough in the creation of photocells has returned interest in solar energy: for example, the cheapest and most accessible polycrystalline silicon cells, although they have lower efficiency than monocrystalline ones, are also less sensitive to operating conditions. A solar panel based on polycrystalline wafers will produce enough stable voltage under partly cloudy conditions. More modern solar cells based on gallium arsenide have an efficiency of up to 40%, but are too expensive to make a solar cell yourself.
The video talks about the idea of building a solar battery and its implementation
Is it worth doing?
In many cases the solar panel will be very useful: for example, the owner of a private house or cottage located far from the power grid will be able to keep his phone charged even from a compact panel, connect low-power consumers like car refrigerators.For this purpose, ready-made compact panels are produced and sold, made in the form of quickly folded assemblies based on synthetic fabric. IN middle lane In Russia, such a panel measuring about 30x40 cm can provide power within 5 W at a voltage of 12 V.
A larger battery will be able to provide up to 100 watts electrical power. It would seem that this is not so much, but it is worth remembering the principle of operation of small ones: in them the entire load is powered through a pulse converter from a battery of batteries, which are charged from a low-power windmill. Thus it becomes possible use more powerful consumers.
Using a similar principle when building a home solar power plant makes it more profitable than a wind turbine: in summer the sun shines most of the day, in contrast to the fickle and often absent wind. For this reason, the batteries will be able to charge much faster during the day, and the solar panel itself is much easier to install than one requiring a high mast.
There is also a point in using a solar battery solely as a source of emergency power. For example, if a gas heating boiler with circulation pumps, when the power supply is turned off, you can use a pulse converter (inverter) to power them from batteries, which are kept charged from a solar panel, keeping the heating system operational.
TV story on this topic
Your own power supply will help you out both in conditions of absence centralized network(in remote and hard-to-reach regions, in the country, on a hike), and when building a more environmentally friendly approach to the consumption of natural resources.
It is not difficult to assemble your own solar station; it contains only four components:
- solar panels;
- battery charge;
- controller;
- inverter
All of them are easy to find and order through online stores. Here's how to do it solar power plant with your own hands to create a full-fledged autonomous energy supply system at home? First you need to collect information about your needs, the capabilities of the area where the solar station will operate, and make everything necessary calculations for the selection of constituent elements.
How to calculate the number of solar panels
Choosing a solar station begins with searching for information on insolation in your area - the amount of solar energy that falls on earth's surface(measured in watts per square meter). This data can be found in special weather reference books or on the Internet. Typically, insolation is indicated separately for each month, because the level is highly dependent on the season. If you plan to use a solar station all year round, then you need to focus on the months with the lowest indicators.
Next, you need to calculate your electricity needs for each month. Remember that for autonomous system power supply plays a role not only in the efficiency of energy storage, but also in its economical use. Smaller needs will allow you to save significantly when purchasing solar panels and creating a budget version of a solar power station with your own hands.
Compare your electricity needs with the level of insolation in your area and you will find out the area of solar panels that is needed for your solar station. Please note that the efficiency of the panels is only 12-14%. Always focus on the lowest figure.
Thus, if the insolation level in the most unfavorable month in your area is 20 kWh/m², then with an efficiency of 12% one panel with an area of 0.7 m² will produce 1.68 kWh. Your energy requirement, for example, is 80 kWh/month. This means that in the least sunny month, 48 panels (80/1.68) will be able to satisfy this need. You can read more about how to choose solar panels in our previous one.
How to install a solar panel
For the best efficiency, the solar panel should be installed so that the sun's rays fall on it at an angle of 90 degrees. Since the sun constantly moves across the sky, there are two solutions:
- Dynamic installation. Use a servo to make the solar panel rotate as the sun moves across the sky. The servo drive will allow you to collect 50% more energy than a static installation.
- Stationary installation. To extract maximum benefit from the stationary position of the solar panel, it is necessary to find the installation angle at which the panel will collect the maximum possible amount of sun rays. For year-round operation, this angle is calculated using the formula +15 degrees to the latitude of the area. For the summer months this is -15 degrees to the latitude of the area.
How to choose a charge controller
Another way to assemble a solar power plant yourself to make it work efficiently is to use it, which allows you to track maximum power points (MPPT). Such a controller can store energy even during low light conditions and continues to supply it to the battery in an optimal manner.
So, energy from solar panels goes to the battery. This allows energy to be stored so that it can be used even in the absence of sunlight. In addition, batteries smooth out uneven energy supply, for example, during strong winds or clouds.
To correctly select and install a battery for a home solar power station with your own hands, you need to consider two parameters:
- It is very important that the charging current (from the panels) does not exceed 10% of the rated capacity level for acid batteries and 30% for alkaline devices.
- Low side voltage inverter design.
Consider battery self-discharge rates (not always indicated by manufacturers). For example, acid devices are recharged every six months to avoid breakdown.
How to choose an inverter
Description of parameters and mandatory functions of an ideal inverter:
- sinusoidal signal with distortion not exceeding three percent;
- when a load is connected, the voltage amplitude changes by no more than ten percent;
- double current conversion - direct and alternating;
- analog conversion part alternating current with a good transformer;
- short circuit protection;
- overload reserve.
When modeling your home's electrical system, group the loads so that different types of loads are powered by different inverters.
Solar stations are working alternative way home energy supply. But not in all regions the insolation is sufficient to pay for solar equipment and to fully provide electricity. Sometimes it is worth paying attention to hybrid solar power plants, which can also be built with your own hands, but where, in addition to solar panels, there may be wind turbines, as well as diesel or even gasoline generators.
If you just want to try to “tame” solar energy, but are not ready to completely change the power supply to your home, make a mini solar power station with your own hands. It will consist of several solar panels, a battery and a controller. This will all fit in a suitcase, but will provide you with energy during a sudden power outage, a trip to the country or to nature. Calculations and selection of components follow the same principle as for a full-fledged home station.