This section contains experience different people for making solar panels at home. Different approaches, designs and manufacturing methods. Trials and errors, conclusions and opinions. Over time, other information on the topic will be added. For example, about controllers, circuits and methods of connecting and charging batteries, various ways organizing and optimizing energy consumption and other things that may be useful in matters of using solar energy.
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DIY solar panel, sealing elements with epoxy resin
Fabrication of two solar panels using transparent optical resin. The basis is ordinary window glass, aluminum frame, glass glued with silicone sealant. The result is durable and cheap panels with completely sealed elements. 
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Homemade panel on plexiglass
The elements in this solar panel are sandwiched between two sheets of plexiglass. The back is 4mm, and the front sheet is 2mm. The panel was assembled using mounting tape, the elements inside are held on by small pieces of this tape, and the plexiglass is also glued together around the perimeter with double-sided tape. 
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Sealing elements with conventional silicone sealant
A small photo report on the manufacture of a solar panel and sealing the elements using ordinary cheap silicone sealant. The panel is made with a slightly higher voltage than usual; instead of 36 elements, the panel has four rows of 12 elements for a total of 48 elements. 
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Homemade solar panel filled with epoxy resin
Homemade a solar panel(more precisely 3 pcs.) from photos of electrical modules 125*125*150, purchased at the OJSC "PHMZ" enterprise. The peculiarity of this solar panel is that the elements are filled with ordinary epoxy resin. The structure on which the panels are attached is portable and can be rotated all 360 degrees, though it turned out to be heavy, but quite reliable. 
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Electrification of a house in a settlement using homemade solar panels
First part large photo a story about autonomous power supply to a house in a settlement based on homemade solar panels made from wooden frames. Making the very first panel from elements on an old one window frame and her first tests. 
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Second part, making a new panel
The second panel was made on a large glass where two sets for solar cells were placed at once. The elements were also attached to the glass using tape. The finished glass with soldered elements was inserted into a wooden box, but first a film was spread over the box and the glass was inserted with it, this is to protect the back side from moisture. 
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Part 3, House Wiring and System Upgrades
Now that it became clear that the system was working, by the way, it now consists of 7 panels, it came to the internal wiring around the house. For the batteries, a shelf was made under the ceiling to reduce the length of the wire from the panels, and the wire itself was thickened to reduce losses.There is probably no person who would not like to become more independent. Possibility of complete control own time, travel without knowing borders and distances, without thinking about housing and financial problems- this is what gives you a feeling of real freedom. Today we will talk about how, using solar radiation, you can relieve yourself of the burden of energy dependence. As you guessed, we will talk about solar panels. And to be more precise, about whether it is possible to build a real solar power plant with your own hands.
History of creation and prospects for use
Humanity has been nurturing the idea of converting solar energy into electricity for a long time. Solar thermal installations were the first to appear, in which steam superheated by concentrated solar rays rotated generator turbines. Direct conversion became possible only in the mid-19th century, after the Frenchman Alexandre Edmond Baccarelle discovered the photoelectric effect. Attempts to create an operating solar cell based on this phenomenon were crowned with success only half a century later, in the laboratory of the outstanding Russian scientist Alexander Stoletov. It was possible to fully describe the mechanism of the photoelectric effect even later - humanity owes this to Albert Einstein. By the way, it was for this work that he received the Nobel Prize.
Baccarelle, Stoletov and Einstein are the scientists who laid the foundation of modern solar energy
The creation of the first solar photocell based on crystalline silicon was announced to the world by employees of Bell Laboratories back in April 1954. This date, in fact, is the starting point of technology, which will soon be able to become a full-fledged replacement for hydrocarbon fuel.
Since the current of one photovoltaic cell is milliamps, to generate electricity of sufficient power they have to be connected in modular structures. Protected from external influence arrays of solar photocells and are a solar battery (due to flat shape The device is often called a solar panel).
Conversion solar radiation in electricity has great prospects, because for every square meter earth's surface This accounts for an average of 4.2 kW/hour of energy per day, which saves almost one barrel of oil per year. Initially used only for the space industry, the technology became so commonplace already in the 80s of the last century that photocells began to be used for domestic purposes - as a power source for calculators, cameras, lamps, etc. At the same time, “serious” solar-electric installations were created. Attached to the roofs of houses, they made it possible to completely abandon wired electricity. Today we can observe the birth of power plants, which are multi-kilometer fields of silicon panels. The power they generate can power entire cities, so we can say with confidence that the future lies with solar energy.
Modern solar power plants are multi-kilometer fields of photocells capable of supplying electricity to tens of thousands of homes.
Solar battery: how it works
After Einstein described the photoelectric effect, the whole simplicity of such a seemingly complex phenomenon was revealed to the world. physical phenomenon. It is based on a substance whose individual atoms are in an unstable state. When “bombarded” by photons of light, electrons are knocked out of their orbits - these are the sources of current.
For almost half a century the photoelectric effect did not have practical application for one simple reason - there was no technology for producing materials with an unstable atomic structure. Prospects for further research appeared only with the discovery of semiconductors. The atoms of these materials either have an excess of electrons (n-conductivity) or lack them (p-conductivity). When using a two-layer structure with an n-type (cathode) and a p-type (anode) layer, the bombardment of light photons knocks electrons out of the n-layer atoms. Leaving their places, they rush into the free orbits of the atoms of the p-layer and then, through the connected load, return to their original positions. Probably each of you knows that the movement of electrons in closed loop represents electricity. It’s just that it’s not possible to force electrons to move thanks to a magnetic field, as in electric generators, but due to the flow of solar radiation particles.
The solar panel works thanks to the photovoltaic effect, which was discovered back in early XIX century
Since the power of a single photovoltaic module is not sufficient to power electronic devices, a series connection of many cells is used to obtain the required voltage. As for the current strength, it is increased by parallel connection of a certain number of such assemblies.
The generation of electricity in semiconductors directly depends on the amount solar energy, therefore, photocells are not only installed in the open air, but they also try to orient their surface perpendicular to the incident rays. And in order to protect the cells from mechanical damage and atmospheric influences, they are mounted on a rigid base and protected with glass on top.
Classification and features of modern photocells
The first solar cell was made based on selenium (Se), but the low efficiency (less than 1%), rapid aging and high chemical activity of selenium solar cells forced the search for other, cheaper and more efficient materials. And they were found in the form of crystalline silicon (Si). Since this element periodic table is a dielectric; its conductivity is ensured by inclusions of various rare earth metals. Depending on the manufacturing technology, there are several types of silicon photocells:
- monocrystalline;
- polycrystalline;
- from amorphous Si.
The first ones are made by cutting off the thinnest layers from silicon ingots of the highest purity. Externally, monocrystalline photocells look like single-color dark blue glass plates with a pronounced electrode grid. Their efficiency reaches 19%, and their service life is up to 50 years. And although the performance of panels made on the basis of monocrystals is gradually falling, there is evidence that batteries manufactured more than 40 years ago remain operational today, delivering up to 80% of their original power.
Monocrystalline solar cells have a uniform dark color and cut corners - these signs do not allow them to be confused with other photocells
In the production of polycrystalline solar cells, less pure, but cheaper silicon is used. The simplification of technology affects the appearance of the plates - they do not have a uniform shade, but a lighter pattern, which is formed by the boundaries of many crystals. The efficiency of such solar cells is slightly lower than that of monocrystalline ones - no more than 15%, and the service life is up to 25 years. It must be said that the decrease in basic performance indicators did not at all affect the popularity of polycrystalline solar cells. They benefit from a lower price and less dependence on external pollution, low clouds and orientation to the Sun.
Polycrystalline solar cells have a lighter blue tint and a non-uniform pattern - a consequence of the fact that their structure consists of many crystals
For solar cells made from amorphous Si, it is not a crystalline structure that is used, but a very thin layer of silicon, which is sprayed onto glass or polymer. Though similar method production and is the cheapest, such panels have the shortest lifespan, the reason for which is burnout and degradation of the amorphous layer in the sun. This type of photocells is also not pleased with its performance - their efficiency is no more than 9% and during operation it decreases significantly. Using solar panels from amorphous silicon justified in deserts - high solar activity neutralizes the drop in productivity, and the endless open spaces make it possible to place solar power plants of any size.
The ability to sputter a silicon structure onto any surface makes it possible to create flexible solar panels
Further development of photovoltaic cell production technology is driven by the need to reduce prices and improve performance characteristics. Film photocells today have the highest performance and durability:
- based on cadmium telluride;
- from thin polymers;
- using indium and copper selenide.
It is too early to talk about the possibility of using thin-film photocells in homemade devices. Today, only a few of the most technologically “advanced” companies are engaged in their production, so most often flexible solar cells can be seen as part of finished solar panels.
What are the best photovoltaic cells for a solar cell and where can you find them?
Homemade solar panels will always be one step behind their factory-made counterparts, and there are several reasons for this. Firstly, famous manufacturers Photocells are carefully selected, eliminating cells with unstable or reduced parameters. Secondly, in the manufacture of solar electric batteries, special glass with increased light transmission and reduced reflectivity is used - it is almost impossible to find this on sale. And thirdly, before starting serial production, all parameters of industrial designs are tested using mathematical models. As a result, the influence of cell heating on Battery efficiency, the heat removal system is improved, located optimal cross section connecting buses, ways to reduce the degradation rate of photocells, etc. are being explored. It is impossible to solve such problems without an equipped laboratory and appropriate qualifications.
The low cost of homemade solar panels makes it possible to build an installation that allows you to completely abandon the services of energy companies
Nevertheless, self-made solar panels show good performance results and are not so far behind their industrial counterparts. As for the price, here we have a gain of more than twice, that is, at the same cost, homemade products will provide twice as much electricity.
Taking into account all of the above, a picture emerges of which solar cells are suitable for our conditions. Film ones are no longer available due to their lack of availability on sale, and amorphous ones due to their short service life and low efficiency. What remains are cells made of crystalline silicon. It must be said that in the first home-made device it is better to use cheaper “polycrystals”. And only after testing the technology and getting the hang of it, you should switch to monocrystalline cells.
Cheap, substandard solar cells are suitable for testing technologies - just like high-quality devices, they can be bought on foreign trading platforms
As for the question of where to get inexpensive solar cells, they can be found on foreign trading platforms such as Taobao, Ebay, Aliexpress, Amazon, etc. There they are sold both in the form of individual solar cells of various sizes and performance, and in ready-made kits for assembling solar panels any power.
Sellers often offer so-called class “B” solar cells, which are damaged mono- or polycrystalline solar cells. Small chips, cracks or missing corners have virtually no effect on the performance of the cells, but allow you to purchase them at a much lower cost. It is for this reason that they are most profitable to use in homemade solar energy devices.
Is it possible to replace photovoltaic plates with something else?
Rarely does anyone home handyman there is no treasured box with old radio components. But diodes and transistors from old receivers and televisions are still the same semiconductors with p-n junctions that produce current when illuminated by sunlight. By taking advantage of these properties and connecting several semiconductor devices, you can make a real solar battery.
To manufacture a low-power solar battery, you can use the old element base of semiconductor devices
An attentive reader will immediately ask what the catch is. Why pay for factory-made mono- or polycrystalline cells when you can use what is literally under your feet. As always, the devil is in the details. The fact is that the most powerful germanium transistors allow you to obtain a voltage of no more than 0.2 V in bright sunlight at a current measured in microamps. In order to achieve the parameters that a flat silicon solar cell produces, you will need several dozen, or even hundreds of semiconductors. A battery made from old radio components is only suitable for charging a camping LED flashlight or a small mobile phone battery. To implement larger-scale projects, you cannot do without purchased solar cells.
How much power can you expect from solar panels?
When thinking about building your own solar power plant, everyone dreams of completely abandoning wired electricity. In order to analyze the reality of this idea, we will do some small calculations.
Finding out your daily electricity consumption is easy. To do this, just look at the invoice sent by the energy supply organization and divide the number of kilowatts indicated there by the number of days in the month. For example, if you are offered to pay for 330 kWh, this means that daily consumption is 330/30 = 11 kWh.
Graph of solar battery power depending on illumination
In your calculations, you should definitely take into account the fact that the solar panel will generate electricity only during daylight hours, with up to 70% of the generation occurring between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. In addition, the efficiency of the device directly depends on the angle of incidence of sunlight and the state of the atmosphere.
Slight cloudiness or haze will reduce the efficiency of the solar installation's current output by 2–3 times, while a sky overcast by continuous clouds will cause a drop in performance by 15–20 times. IN ideal conditions to generate 11 kW×hour of energy, a solar battery with a capacity of 11/7 = 1.6 kW would be sufficient. Considering the influence natural factors, this parameter should be increased by approximately 40–50%.
In addition, there is another factor that forces us to increase the area of the photocells used. Firstly, we should not forget that the battery will not work at night, which means that powerful batteries will be needed. Secondly, for nutrition household appliances you need a current voltage of 220 V, so you will need a powerful voltage converter (inverter). Experts say that losses on the accumulation and transformation of electricity take up to 20–30% of its total amount. Therefore, the actual power of the solar battery should be increased by 60–80% of the calculated value. Taking an inefficiency value of 70%, we obtain the rated power of our solar panel equal to 1.6 + (1.6×0.7) = 2.7 kW.
The use of high-current assemblies lithium batteries is one of the most elegant, but by no means the cheapest way to store solar electricity
To store electricity, you will need low-voltage batteries designed for voltages of 12, 24 or 48 V. Their capacity must be designed for daily energy consumption plus transformation and conversion losses. In our case, we will need an array of batteries designed to store 11 + (11×0.3) = 14.3 kW×hour of energy. If you use regular 12-volt car batteries, you will need a 14300 Wh / 12 V = 1200 Ah assembly, that is, six batteries rated at 200 amp-hours each.
As you can see, even in order to provide electricity for the household needs of an average family, you will need a serious solar-electric installation. As for the use of homemade solar panels for heating, at this stage such an idea will not even reach the limits of self-sufficiency, not to mention the fact that something can be saved.
Battery size calculation
The size of the battery depends on the required power and the dimensions of the current sources. When choosing the latter, you will definitely pay attention to the variety of photocells offered. For use in homemade devices, it is most convenient to choose medium-sized solar cells. For example, polycrystalline panels measuring 3x6 inches are designed for an output voltage of 0.5 V and a current of up to 3 A.
When manufacturing a solar battery, they will be connected in series into blocks of 30 pieces, which will make it possible to obtain the voltage required for charging a car battery of 13–14 V (taking into account losses). Maximum power one such block is 15 V × 3 A = 45 W. Based on this value, it will not be difficult to calculate how many elements will be needed to build a solar panel of a given power and determine its dimensions. For example, to build a 180-watt solar electric collector you will need 120 photocells with total area 2160 sq. inches (1.4 sq.m).
Building a homemade solar panel
Before you start manufacturing a solar panel, you should solve the problems of its placement, calculate the dimensions and prepare necessary materials and tool.
Choosing the right installation location is important
Since the solar panel will be made by hand, its aspect ratio can be any. This is very convenient, since a homemade device can be more successfully integrated into the roof’s exterior or design suburban area. For the same reason, you should choose a place to install the battery before starting design activities, remembering to take into account several factors:
- openness of the place to sunlight during daylight hours;
- absence of shading buildings and tall trees;
- minimum distance to the room in which storage power and converters are installed.
Of course, a roof-mounted battery looks more organic, but placing the device on the ground has more advantages. In this case, the possibility of damage is eliminated roofing materials When installing a supporting frame, the complexity of installing the device is reduced and it becomes possible to timely change the “angle of attack of the sun’s rays.” And most importantly, with a lower placement it will be much easier to keep the surface of the solar panel clean. And this is a guarantee that the installation will work at full capacity.
Mounting a solar panel on a roof is driven more by space constraints than by necessity or ease of use.
What you will need during the work process
When starting to make a homemade solar panel, you should stock up on:
- photocells;
- stranded copper wire or special busbars for connecting solar cells;
- solder;
- Schottky diodes, designed for the current output of one photocell;
- high-quality anti-reflective glass or plexiglass;
- slats and plywood for making a frame;
- silicone sealant;
- hardware;
- paint and protective composition for processing wooden surfaces.
In the work you will need the simplest tool that a home-saving owner always has at hand - a soldering iron, a glass cutter, a saw, a screwdriver, paint brush and etc.
Manufacturing instructions
To make the first solar battery, it is best to use photocells with already soldered leads - in this case, the risk of damage to the cells during assembly is reduced. However, if you are skilled with a soldering iron, you can save some money by purchasing solar cells with open contacts. To build the panel we looked at in the examples above, you will need 120 plates. Using an aspect ratio of approximately 1:1, 15 rows of photocells of 8 each will be required. In this case, we will be able to connect every two “columns” in series, and connect four such blocks in parallel. This way you can avoid tangled wires and get a smooth, beautiful installation.
Scheme electrical connections home solar power station
Frame
Assembling a solar panel should always begin with making the housing. To do this, we will need aluminum corners or wooden slats with a height of no more than 25 mm - in this case they will not cast a shadow on the outer rows of photocells. Based on the dimensions of our 3 x 6 inch (7.62 x 15.24 cm) silicon cells, the frame size should be at least 125 x 125 cm. If you decide to use a different aspect ratio (for example, 1:2), the frame can be further strengthened with a crossbar made of lath the same section.
The back side of the case should be covered with a plywood or OSB panel, and ventilation holes should be drilled in the lower end of the frame. The connection between the internal cavity of the panel and the atmosphere will be needed to equalize the humidity - otherwise, fogging of the glass cannot be avoided.
For the manufacture of a solar panel housing, the most suitable simple materials- wooden slats and plywood
By external size frame, a panel is cut out of plexiglass or high-quality glass with a high degree of transparency. In extreme cases, window glass up to 4 mm thick can be used. For its fastening, corner brackets are prepared, in which drillings are made for fastening to the frame. When using plexiglass, you can make holes directly in transparent panel- this will simplify assembly.
To protect the wooden body of the solar battery from moisture and fungus, it is impregnated with an antibacterial compound and painted with oil paint.
For ease of assembly of the electrical part, a substrate is cut out of fiberboard or other dielectric material according to internal size frames In the future, photocells will be installed on it.
Soldering plates
Before you start soldering, you should “figure out” the placement of photocells. In our case, we will need 4 cell arrays of 30 plates each, and they will be located in fifteen rows in the case. Such a long chain will be inconvenient to work with, and the risk of damage to fragile glass plates increases. It would be rational to connect 5 parts each, and complete the final assembly after the photocells are mounted on the substrate.
For convenience, photocells can be mounted on a non-conductive substrate made of textolite, plexiglass or fiberboard
After connecting each chain, you should check its functionality. To do this, each assembly is placed under table lamp. By recording current and voltage values, you can not only monitor the performance of the modules, but also compare their parameters.
For soldering we use a low-power soldering iron (maximum 40 W) and good, low-melting solder. We apply it in small quantities to the lead parts of the plates, after which, observing the polarity of the connection, we connect the parts to each other.
When soldering photocells, extreme care should be taken, since these parts are highly fragile.
Having collected the individual chains, we turn them with their backs towards the substrate and glue them to the surface using silicone sealant. Each 15-volt photocell unit is equipped with a Schottky diode. This device allows current to flow only in one direction, so it will not allow the batteries to discharge when the solar panel voltage is low.
The final connection of individual strings of photocells is carried out according to the above electrical diagram. For these purposes, you can use a special bus or stranded copper wire.
The hanging elements of the solar battery should be secured with hot-melt adhesive or self-tapping screws.
Panel assembly
The substrates with photocells located on them are placed in the housing and secured with self-tapping screws. If the frame is reinforced with a cross member, then several drillings are made in it for mounting wires. The cable that is brought out is securely fixed to the frame and soldered to the terminals of the assembly. To avoid confusion with polarity, it is best to use two-color wires, connecting the red terminal to the “plus” of the battery, and the blue one to its “minus”. A continuous layer of silicone sealant is applied along the upper contour of the frame, on top of which the glass is laid. After final fixation, the assembly of the solar battery is considered complete.
After the sealant has been installed protective glass, the panel can be transported to the installation site
Installation and connection of a solar battery to consumers
For a number of reasons, a homemade solar panel is a rather fragile device, and therefore requires a reliable supporting frame. Ideal option There will be a design that will allow the source of free electricity to be oriented in both planes, but the complexity of such a system is most often a strong argument in favor of a simple inclined system. It is a movable frame that can be set at any angle to the light. One of the options for a frame made of wooden beams is presented below. You can use metal corners, pipes, tires, etc. to make it - whatever you have at hand.
Solar battery frame drawing
To connect the solar panel to the batteries, you will need a charge controller. This device will monitor the state of charge and discharge of batteries, monitor current output and switch to mains power in the event of a significant voltage drop. A device of the required power and required functionality can be purchased at the same retail outlets where photocells are sold. As for powering household consumers, this will require transforming the low-voltage voltage into 220 V. Another device - an inverter - can successfully cope with this. It must be said that the domestic industry produces reliable devices with good performance characteristics, so the converter can be purchased locally - in this case, a “real” guarantee will be a bonus.
One solar battery will not be enough to fully power your home - you will also need batteries, a charge controller and an inverter
On sale you can find inverters of the same power, differing in price several times. This scatter is explained by the “purity” of the output voltage, which is a necessary condition feeding individual electrical devices. Converters with the so-called pure sine wave have a more complicated design, and as a result, a higher cost.
Video: making a solar panel with your own hands
Building a home solar power plant is a non-trivial task and requires both financial and time costs, as well as minimal knowledge of basic electrical engineering. When starting to assemble a solar panel, you should observe maximum attention and accuracy - only in this case can you count on a successful solution to the issue. Finally, I would like to remind you that glass contamination is one of the factors affecting productivity. Remember to clean the surface of the solar panel in a timely manner, otherwise it will not be able to work at full capacity.
Hydrocarbons have been and remain the main source of energy, but increasingly humanity is turning to renewable and environmentally friendly resources. This has caused increased interest in solar panels and generators.
However, many are hesitant to install a solar system due to the high cost of equipping the complex. You can make your products cheaper if you start creating them yourself. Do you doubt your own abilities?
We will tell you how to make a solar battery with your own hands using available components. In the article you will find all necessary information in order to calculate the solar system, select the components of the complex, assemble and install the photopanel.
According to statistics, an adult uses about a dozen different devices that operate from the network every day. Although electricity is considered a relatively environmentally friendly source of energy, this is an illusion because its production uses polluting resources.
What components are needed and where to buy them
The main part is a solar photopanel. Typically, silicon wafers are purchased online and delivered from China or the USA. It's connected with at a high price for domestically produced components.
The cost of domestic plates is so high that it is more profitable to order on eBay. As for defects, out of 100 plates only 2-4 are unusable. If you order Chinese plates, the risks are higher, because... the quality leaves much to be desired. The only advantage is the price.
A ready-made panel is much more convenient to use, but also three times more expensive, so it’s better to look for components and assemble the device yourself
The remaining components can be purchased at any electrical goods store. You will also need tin solder, frame, glass, film, tape and a marking pencil.
Image gallery
Solar energy is just great, but here’s the problem: even one battery costs a lot of money, and for a good effect you need more than one, or even two. That's why the idea comes - to collect everything yourself. If you have a little soldering skill, this is easy to do. The entire assembly consists of sequentially connecting the elements into tracks, and securing the tracks to the body. Let's talk about the price right away. A set for one panel (36 pieces) costs around $70-80. And complete DIY solar panels with all the materials will cost you about $120-150. Much less than factory ones. But it must be said that they will also be less powerful. On average, each photoconverter produces 0.5 V, if you connect 36 pieces in series, it will be about 18 V.
A little theory: types of photocells for solar panels
The most a big problem- purchase photoelectric converters. These are the same silicon wafers that convert sunlight into electricity. Here you need to understand a little about the types of photocells. They are produced in two types: polycrystalline and monocrystalline. Monocrystalline ones are more expensive, but have a higher efficiency - 20-25%, polycrystalline ones - cheaper, but their productivity is lower - 17-20%. How to distinguish them externally? Polycrystalline have a bright blue color. Monocrystalline ones are a little darker and they have not a square, but a multifaceted shape - a square with cut edges.
About the release form. There are solar cells with already soldered conductors, and there are kits where the conductors are included and you need to solder everything yourself. Everyone decides what to buy, but it must be said that without skill you will damage at least one plate, and most likely more than one. And if you don’t know how to solder very well... then it’s better to pay a little more, but get parts that are almost ready for use.
Making photocells for solar panels with your own hands is unrealistic. To do this, you need to be able to grow silicon crystals and then process it. Therefore, you need to know where to buy. More on this later.
Where and how to buy photocells
Now about the quality. For everyone Chinese sites like Ebay or Alibaba, rejects are sold. Those parts that did not pass tests at the factory. That's why you won't get a perfect battery. But their price is not the highest, so you can put up with it. At least at first. Assemble a couple of test solar panels with your own hands, get your hands on it, and then you can take it from the factory.
Some sell solar cells sealed in wax. This prevents them from being damaged during transportation, but it is quite difficult to get rid of the wax without damaging the plates. You need to dip them all together in hot, but not boiling water. Wait until the wax melts, then carefully separate. Then bathe each plate one by one in a hot soapy solution, then dip it in a clean hot water. You may need several such “ablutions”; the water and soap solution will have to be changed, and more than once. After removing the wax, place the clean plates on a terry towel to dry. This is a very troublesome matter. So it's better to buy without wax. It's much easier this way.
Now about shopping on Chinese sites. Specifically about Ebay and Alibaba. They are verified, thousands of people buy something there every day. The system is no different. After registration, as usual, enter the name of the element in the search bar. Then you choose the offer you like for some reason. Be sure to choose from options that offer free shipping. free shipping). If there is no such mark, then delivery will have to be paid separately. And it is often more than the cost of the product and certainly more than the difference that you gain on the price.
You need to focus not only on the price, but also on the seller’s rating and reviews. Read carefully the composition of the product, its parameters and reviews. You can communicate with the seller, but you need to write messages in English.
Regarding payment. It is transferred to the seller on these sites only after you sign off on receiving the goods. In the meantime, while delivery is underway, your money is in the account of the trading platform. You can pay with a card. If you are afraid to reveal your card data, use intermediate services. They are different, but the essence is the same - your card will not light up. There are also returns on these sites, but this is a long story, so it’s better to buy from trusted sellers (with good rating and reviews).
Yes. The delivery depends on the region. And the point is not so much how long it will take from China, but how soon the mail will deliver it. IN best case scenario- three weeks, but maybe a month and a half.
How to assemble
Assembling a solar battery with your own hands consists of three stages:
- Making the frame.
- Soldering solar cells.
- Framing and sealing.
The frame can be made from aluminum corners or wooden slats. But the shape of the frame, materials, and manufacturing sequence depend on the installation method.
Method one: installation on a window
The battery is hung on a window, on a frame from inside the room or outside, but also on the window. Then you need to make a frame from an aluminum corner, and glue glass or polycarbonate to it. In this case, at least small gaps remain between the photocells, through which some light penetrates into the room. Choose the frame dimensions based on the size of your solar cells and how you are going to arrange them. The dimensions of the window may also play a role. Please note that the plane must be flat - photoelectric converters are very fragile and will crack at the slightest distortion.
Having unfolded the finished frame with the glued glass face down, apply a layer of sealant to the surface of the glass. On the sealant, again front side down, lay out the rulers assembled from photocells.
Made from thick elastic foam rubber (thickness at least 4 cm) and a piece polyethylene film(200 microns) make a mat: cover the foam rubber with film and fasten it well. Better than polyethylene solder, but you can also use tape, but all joints should be on the same side. The second one should be even and smooth. The size of the mat should fit well into the frame (without bending or effort).
We laid the mat on photocells embedded in sealant. There is a board on it, which is slightly smaller in size than the frame, and a solid load on the board. This simple device will help expel air bubbles that are trapped under the photocells. Air reduces productivity, and greatly. Because the fewer bubbles there are, the better. Leave the entire structure for 12 hours.
Now it's time to remove the weight and unstick the mat. Do it slowly and without haste. It is important not to damage the soldering and conductors. Therefore, pull smoothly, without jerking. After the mat has been removed, the panel must be left for a while to dry. When the sealant stops sticking, you can hang the panel and use it.
Instead of a lengthy procedure with sealant, you can use a special film for sealing. It's called EVA. Simply spread the film on top of the battery assembled and laid on the glass and heat it with a hair dryer until it is completely sealed. It takes much less time.
Method two: installation on a wall, roof, etc.
In this case everything is different. The back wall should be dense and non-conductive. Possibly - wooden, plywood, etc. Therefore, it makes sense to make the frame from wooden blocks. Only the height of the body should be small so that the shadow from the sides does not interfere.
In the photo, the body consists of two halves, but this is not at all necessary. It's just easier to assemble and lay short rulers, but in this case there will be more connections. Yes. A few nuances: you need to provide several holes in the housing. At the bottom you need several pieces for the condensation to escape, as well as two holes for the conductors from the battery.
Then paint the battery case with white paint - silicon wafers have a fairly wide range of operating temperatures, but it is not unlimited: from -40 o C to +50 o C. And in the summer, +50 o C easily rises in a closed box. That's why it's needed White color so that the photoconverters do not overheat. Overheating, like hypothermia, leads to reduced efficiency. This, by the way, may explain an incomprehensible phenomenon: it’s noon, the sun is hot, and the battery began to produce less electricity. And she just overheated. For the southern regions, you probably need to lay down foil. It will be more effective. Moreover, productivity will most likely increase: radiation reflected by the foil will also be captured.
After the paint has dried, you can lay the assembled paths. But this time face up. How to attach them? Place a drop of heat-resistant sealant in the middle of each plate. Why not apply it over the entire surface? Because of thermal expansion the plate will change sizes. If you glue it only in the middle, nothing will happen to it. If there are at least two points, it will burst sooner or later. Therefore, carefully apply a drop in the middle and gently press the plate. Don't press - it's very easy to crush.
In some cases, the plates were first attached to a base - a sheet of fiberboard painted the same white color. And then they were fixed to the body with screws on the base.
After all the rulers are laid, connect them in series. To prevent the conductors from dangling, they can be fixed with a few drops of sealant. You can remove the wires from the elements through the bottom or through the side - whichever is more convenient. Pull them through the hole, and then fill the hole with the same sealant. Now you need to let all the connections dry. If you cover it too early, a coating will form on the glass and photocells, which will greatly reduce the battery's efficiency. Therefore, we wait at least a day (or as long as indicated on the sealant packaging).
Now all that’s left to do is cover everything with glass or transparent plastic. How to attach it is up to you. But don't seal it at first. At least until the test. There may be a problem somewhere.
And one more nuance. If you plan to connect batteries to the system, you will need to install a diode that will prevent the battery from discharging through the battery at night or in bad weather. It is best to install a Schottky diode. I connect it to the battery in series. It is better to install it inside the structure - when high temperatures its voltage drop decreases, i.e. in working condition it will reduce the voltage less.
How to solder elements for a solar battery
A little about handling silicon wafers. They are very, very fragile and easily crack and break. Therefore, you need to handle them with extreme caution and store them in hard containers away from children.
You need to work on a flat, hard surface. If the table is covered with oilcloth, place a sheet of something hard. The plate should not bend, but its entire surface should rest firmly on the base. Moreover, the base must be smooth. Experience shows that the ideal option is a piece of laminate. It is hard, even, smooth. They solder on the back side, not on the front.
For soldering, you can use flux or rosin, or any of the compounds in the soldering marker. Everyone here has their own preferences. But it is desirable that the composition does not leave traces on the matrix.
Place the silicon wafer face up (face is the blue side). It has two or three tracks. You coat them with flux or a marker, an alcohol (not aqueous-alcohol) solution of rosin. Photoconverters usually come with a thin contact tape. Sometimes it is cut into pieces, sometimes it comes in a reel. If the tape is wound on a reel, you need to cut a piece equal to twice the width of the solar cell plus 1 cm.
Solder the cut piece onto the flux-treated strip. The tape turns out to be much longer than the record; the rest remains on one side. Try to hold the soldering iron without lifting it off. As much as possible. For better soldering, you should have a drop of solder or tin at the tip of the tip. Then the soldering will be of high quality. There should be no unsoldered areas; warm everything up well. But don't push! Especially around the edges. These are very fragile products. Solder the tapes to all tracks one by one. Photoconverters turn out to be “tailed”.
Now, actually, about how to assemble a solar battery with your own hands. Let's start assembling the line. WITH reverse side records also have tracks. Now we solder the “tail” from the top plate to the bottom one. The technology is the same: we coat the track with flux, then solder it. So we connect in series required quantity photoelectric converters.
In some versions, on the back side there are not tracks, but platforms. Then there is less soldering, but there may be more quality complaints. In this case, we coat only the areas with flux. And we also solder only on them. That's all, actually. The assembled tracks can be transferred to the base or body. But there are many more tricks.
For example, a certain distance (4-5 mm) must be maintained between photocells, which is not so easy without clamps. The slightest misalignment, and there is a possibility of breaking the conductor or breaking the plate. Therefore, to set a certain step, construction crosses are glued onto a piece of laminate (used when laying tiles), or markings are made.
All the problems that arise when making solar panels with your own hands are related to soldering. Therefore, before sealing, and better yet, before transferring the ruler to the case, check the assembly with an ammeter. If everything is fine, you can continue working.
Results
Now you know how to make a solar battery at home. The matter is not the most difficult, but it requires painstaking work.
Solar battery is a device that allows you to generate electricity using special photocells. It helps to significantly reduce electricity costs and obtain an inexhaustible source of electricity. Such an installation can not only be purchased at finished form, but also do it yourself. A solar panel for a home in the private sector will become ideal solution, which will help avoid frequent power outages.
General information
Before making a solar battery at home, you need to study in detail its structure, operating principle, advantages and disadvantages. Having this information, you can correctly select the necessary components that will work for a long time and be beneficial.
Design and principle of operation
Designs of all types work by converting energy emitted by a nearby star into electrical energy. This happens thanks to special photocells that are combined into an array and form a common structure. Semiconductor elements made of silicon are used as energy converters.
Operating principle of solar panel:
- Light coming from the Sun hits photocells.
- It knocks out free electrons from the last orbits of all silicon atoms.
- Because of this it appears a large number of free electrons, which begin to move quickly and chaotically between the electrodes.
- The consequence of this process is the generation of direct current.
- It is then quickly converted to variable and sent to the receiving device.
- It distributes the received electricity throughout the house.
Advantages and disadvantages
DIY solar panels have a number of advantages over factory designs and other energy sources. Thanks to this, the devices are quickly gaining popularity and are used all over the world.
Among positive aspects solar panels the following should be highlighted:
Despite the many advantages, solar panels also have disadvantages. They must be taken into account before starting the manufacture of the structure and its installation.
The disadvantages include the following:
In order for the finished structure to perform its functions efficiently and provide people with a sufficient amount of electricity, it is necessary to manufacture it correctly. To do this, you need to take into account many factors and choose only high-quality materials.
Primary requirements
Before you make a solar battery with your own hands, you need to complete a series of steps: preparatory activities and carefully study all the requirements for the device. This will help to get a working installation and simplify the installation process.
To ensure that the solar panel operates at its maximum potential, the following requirements must be met:
Materials and tools
Most important details devices are considered to be photocells. Manufacturers offer customers only 2 varieties: monocrystalline (efficiency up to 13%) and polycrystalline silicon (efficiency up to 9%).
The first option is only suitable for working in sunny weather, and the second - to any. Others important elements structures are conductors. They are used to connect photocells to each other.
For making a panel You will need the following materials and tools:
Procedure
In order to make solar panels with your own hands at home, you must follow the sequence of actions. Only in this case can mistakes be avoided and the desired result achieved.
The panel manufacturing process is simple and consists of the following steps:
- A set of poly- or monocrystalline solar cells is taken and the parts are assembled into a common structure. Their number is determined based on the requirements of the home owners.
- Contours formed from tin soldered conductors are applied to the photocells. This operation is performed on a level glass surface using a soldering iron.
- According to a pre-prepared electrical circuit, all cells are connected to each other. In this case, it is necessary to connect shunt diodes. The ideal option for a solar battery would be to use Schottky diodes to prevent the panel from discharging at night.
- The cell structure is moved to an open space and tested for functionality. If there are no problems, you can begin assembling the frame.
- For these purposes, special aluminum corners are used, which are attached to the body elements using hardware.
- Apply to the inner parts of the slats and distribute evenly thin layer silicone sealant.
- A sheet of plexiglass or polycarbonate is placed on top of it and pressed tightly against the contour of the frame.
- The structure is left for several hours for the silicone sealant to dry completely.
- Once this process is completed, the transparent sheet is additionally attached to the body using hardware.
- Selected photocells with conductors are placed along the entire inner part of the resulting surface. In this case, it is important to leave a small distance (about 5 millimeters) between adjacent cells. To simplify this procedure, you can apply the necessary markings in advance.
- The installed cells are securely fixed to the frame using mounting silicone, and the panel is completely sealed. All this will help increase the life of the solar battery.
- The product is left to dry the applied mixture and acquires its final appearance.
Products from scrap materials
A solar battery can be assembled not only from expensive materials, but also from improvised materials. Finished design Although it will be less efficient, it will allow you to save a little on electricity.
This is one of the simplest and available options making a homemade solar panel. The device will be based on low-voltage diodes, which are made in a glass case.
The battery is made following the following sequence of actions:
Copper foil
If you need to get a small amount of electricity, you can make a solar battery from ordinary foil.
The finished design will have low power, so it can only be used to recharge small devices.
Step-by-step instruction:
Beer cans
This simple method of making a battery does not require large financial costs. With its help, you can get a small amount of electricity, which will slightly reduce costs.
Procedure:
A self-made solar panel is a wonderful device that can reduce energy costs. If it is manufactured correctly and all recommendations are followed, you can make a high-quality product that will work for many years.