Creating solar panels
My DIY solar panles project did i complete back at the end of 2011. At that time it was somewhat profitable to build your own solar panels. At this time of writing, commercial solar panels are way cheaper, and way longer durable.
Then your own build panels. But the economic side of this project was never the motivation to start this project in the first place.
So without further ado, where do you start in creating your own solar panels? Well Youtube What else!!! I started with https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2UxOY_wpFo I use a different technique yet it was still very informative.
Besides watching DIY tutorials. You need to dig into the wonderfull world of electricity, electronics and the principles of how solar energy is generated. Not really rocket science, but working with electricity can be dangerous.... yes my own experience :(.
After Youtube, ebay is your next best friend. In my case because of safety reasons. I had to build my solar panels in the attic. Narrow and steep stairs made me chose in using 50 x 50cm glass sheets. This also dictated somewhat the sizeof of the solar cells i needed to chose. Solar cells come in all kind of various sizes and shapes and there electrical properties. In my case i had chosen for 6x3 inches(15 x 8 cm) cells.
In short, on my 19.7x19.7 inches(50x50cm glass sheet. I can place 5x3(15) solar cells. With the electrical properties of 0.5v by 4 amps per solar cells. This give me a theoratical 30 watts of power generation per panel times 5 panels wich i was planning to build. Gives me a total of 150 theoretical watts. To connect every solar cell to the next one you need flat tabbing wire and special flux to solder the tabbings onto the solar cells.
So off i went and order a set of solar cells on ebay and .....wait .....wait ...and waiting some more.
Finally the ordered solar cells from ebay arrived!!!
Finally after some time i received my order from ebay. Reading experiences from other DIY builders i was a bit nervous to say the least. Some folk wich ordered solar cells, received a box with shards. The thickness of a solar cell is arround 0.2mm and needless to say silicon fragile in itself is even more so at 0.2. Soldering cells is quite an enjoyable happening, but i am getting ahead of myself at the moment.
Finally after some time i received my order from ebay. Reading experiences from other DIY builders i was a bit nervous to say the least. Some folk wich ordered solar cells, received a box with shards. The thickness of a solar cell is arround 0.2mm and needless to say silicon fragile in itself is even more so at 0.2. Soldering cells is quite an enjoyable happening, but i am getting ahead of myself at the moment.
Finally after some time i received my order from ebay. Reading experiences from other DIY builders i was a bit nervous to say the least. Some folk wich ordered solar cells, received a box with shards. The thickness of a solar cell is arround 0.2mm and needless to say silicon fragile in itself is even more so at 0.2. Soldering cells is quite an enjoyable happening, but i am getting ahead of myself at the moment.
Finally after some time i received my order from ebay. Reading experiences from other DIY builders i was a bit nervous to say the least. Some folk wich ordered solar cells, received a box with shards. The thickness of a solar cell is arround 0.2mm and needless to say silicon fragile in itself is even more so at 0.2. Soldering cells is quite an enjoyable happening, but i am getting ahead of myself at the moment.
Finally after some time i received my order from ebay. Reading experiences from other DIY builders i was a bit nervous to say the least. Some folk wich ordered solar cells, received a box with shards. The thickness of a solar cell is arround 0.2mm and needless to say silicon fragile in itself is even more so at 0.2. Soldering cells is quite an enjoyable happening, but i am getting ahead of myself at the moment.
Finally after some time i received my order from ebay. Reading experiences from other DIY builders i was a bit nervous to say the least. Some folk wich ordered solar cells, received a box with shards. The thickness of a solar cell is arround 0.2mm and needless to say silicon fragile in itself is even more so at 0.2. Soldering cells is quite an enjoyable happening, but i am getting ahead of myself at the moment.
Finally after some time i received my order from ebay. Reading experiences from other DIY builders i was a bit nervous to say the least. Some folk wich ordered solar cells, received a box with shards. The thickness of a solar cell is arround 0.2mm and needless to say silicon fragile in itself is even more so at 0.2. Soldering cells is quite an enjoyable happening, but i am getting ahead of myself at the moment.
Testing the solar cells.
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Soldering the individual solar cells
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Drilling into glass
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First part of the aluminium frame
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>>Fast foreward >> Testing the 5x3 soldered cells
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>>Fast foreward 2>> Solar cells sandwiched!!!
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Time to take the panel outside for testing.
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Time to take the panel outside for testing.
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Finishing the aluminium frame
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Finishing the aluminium frame
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Finishing the aluminium frame
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Finishing the aluminium frame
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Finishing the aluminium frame
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Finishing the aluminium frame
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Finishing the aluminium frame
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Finishing the aluminium frame
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Finishing the aluminium frame
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Finishing the aluminium frame
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We received ... a box!!!
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We received ... a box!!!
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The drawing machine!!!
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Drawing the eiffel tower
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The Prusa Lack enclosure
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The Prusa Lack enclosure
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The Prusa Lack enclosure
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