Solar Panel Building Basics

<h1>Solar Panel Building Basics</h1>Author: <a title="Cristian Stan" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/cristian-stan/73245.htm">Cristian Stan</a> It can start off as weekend projects and a semi-serious hobby, but learning to build solar panels is something that will be beneficial to you in so many ways. It will save you money, and save the environment from being poisoned by greenhouse gases. It can also be a lot of fun. Getting Your Feet Wet If you’re not too keen on spending hundreds of dollars on something that you are not sure you can get working, buy some used solar cells and “recycle” a few household materials. These are the basic materials that you will need: <ol> <li>Solar cells- you can get used ones online and will be about half the cost of new ones. Small chips and scratches do not affect the generating capacity of these cells by much, but make sure that the ones you buy will have the metal tags or you’ll be soldering tags for weeks.</li> </ol> <ol> <li>Frame- a large flat surface where you will be placing the solar cells. The cells are little squares that you need to put in groups and connect together with wires that will go through the frame and eventually to your battery.</li> </ol> <ol> <li>Soldering Equipment and Flux- these are what you will use to attach the cells to the frame.</li> </ol> <ol> <li>Rags, tweezers, ruler, pencil, pliers, and gloves just for good measure.</li> </ol> Assembling Your First Solar Panel Building a solar panel is a skill that is easy to acquire because there is only one way to go about it. There’s no secret recipe. Lay down the frame on a flat surface, stick the solar cells on to it, drill holes to attach the wires on to the cells and connect those with the battery.  That’s it, but there are ways to make the process easier and more logically. The first thing that you need to have is a dedicated work area. While the solar panel is not the Sistine Chapel, it is delicate and involved work. Before you start your project, you should have all your ducks in a row. Make sure you have all the basic materials that you need before starting off work. You could also make a basic sketch or blue print of your project on paper before you start attaching the cells. Once those are attached, you can’t take them off without breaking them into useless pieces. These are the basic tips that you can use for your first project: <ol> <li>Measure your frame, and measure your solar cells. Try to fit in as many cell blocks onto the frame that way you can generate more electricity. At this point you may want to think about how much power you want to generate eventually;</li> </ol> <ol> <li>Attach the cells in an organized manner, either top to bottom or side to side.</li> </ol> <ol> <li>Finish the cell attachments first before wiring them together to avoid having the wirings getting all tangled up while you are attaching the cells. </li> </ol> About the Author: Visit HomemadeSolarEnergyPanels.Com to learn <a href="http://www.homemadesolarenergypanels.com/solar-powering-on-a-budget-learn-how-to-build-your-own-solar-panels/">how to make a solar panel</a>, advantages of <a href="http://www.homemadesolarenergypanels.com">homemade solar panels</a> and <a href="http://www.homemadesolarenergypanels.com/the-science-behind-solar-energy-and-how-solar-panels-work/">how solar panels work</a>!Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/solar-panel-building-basics-1184576.html" title="Solar Panel Building Basics">Solar Panel Building Basics</a>

It can start off as weekend projects and a semi-serious hobby, but learning to build solar panels is something that will be beneficial to you in so many ways. It will save you money, and save the environment from being poisoned by greenhouse gases. It can also be a lot of fun.

Getting Your Feet Wet

If you’re not too keen on spending hundreds of dollars on something that you are not sure you can get working, buy some used solar cells and “recycle” a few household materials. These are the basic materials that you will need:

Solar cells- you can get used ones online and will be about half the cost of new ones. Small chips and scratches do not affect the generating capacity of these cells by much, but make sure that the ones you buy will have the metal tags or you’ll be soldering tags for weeks.

Frame- a large flat surface where you will be placing the solar cells. The cells are little squares that you need to put in groups and connect together with wires that will go through the frame and eventually to your battery.

Soldering Equipment and Flux- these are what you will use to attach the cells to the frame.

Rags, tweezers, ruler, pencil, pliers, and gloves just for good measure.

Assembling Your First Solar Panel

Building a solar panel is a skill that is easy to acquire because there is only one way to go about it. There’s no secret recipe. Lay down the frame on a flat surface, stick the solar cells on to it, drill holes to attach the wires on to the cells and connect those with the battery. That’s it, but there are ways to make the process easier and more logically.

The first thing that you need to have is a dedicated work area. While the solar panel is not the Sistine Chapel, it is delicate and involved work.

Before you start your project, you should have all your ducks in a row. Make sure you have all the basic materials that you need before starting off work. You could also make a basic sketch or blue print of your project on paper before you start attaching the cells. Once those are attached, you can’t take them off without breaking them into useless pieces. These are the basic tips that you can use for your first project:

Measure your frame, and measure your solar cells. Try to fit in as many cell blocks onto the frame that way you can generate more electricity. At this point you may want to think about how much power you want to generate eventually;

Attach the cells in an organized manner, either top to bottom or side to side.

Finish the cell attachments first before wiring them together to avoid having the wirings getting all tangled up while you are attaching the cells.

Visit HomemadeSolarEnergyPanels.Com to learn how to make a solar panel, advantages of homemade solar panels and how solar panels work!

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Article Tags: solar panels, diy solar panels

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