Solar panel assembly diagram. How to make a solar battery with your own hands: how to assemble and install a solar panel

Organic living, such a popular idea in recent years, involves a harmonious "relationship" of man with the environment. The stumbling block of any ecological approach is the use of minerals for energy.

Emissions of toxic substances and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, released during the combustion of fossil fuels, are gradually killing the planet. Therefore, the concept of "green energy", which does not harm the environment, is the basic basis for many new energy technologies. One of such areas for obtaining environmentally friendly energy is the technology of converting sunlight into electric current. Yes, that's right, we will talk about solar panels and the possibility of installing autonomous power supply systems in a country house.

At the moment, industrial power plants based on solar panels, used for full energy and heat supply of a cottage, cost at least 15-20 thousand dollars with a guaranteed service life of about 25 years. The cost of any helium system in terms of the ratio of the guaranteed service life to the average annual cost of maintaining a country house is quite high: firstly, today the average cost of solar energy is commensurate with the purchase of energy resources from central energy networks, and secondly, one-time capital investments are required to install the system .

It is usually customary to separate solar systems designed for heat and power supply. In the first case, solar collector technology is used, in the second, the photovoltaic effect is used to generate electric current in solar panels. We want to talk about the possibility of self-manufacturing solar panels.

The technology of manual assembly of a solar energy system is quite simple and affordable. Almost every Russian can assemble individual energy systems with high efficiency at relatively low cost. It is profitable, affordable and even fashionable.

Choosing solar cells for solar panel

When starting to manufacture a solar system, you need to pay attention that with individual assembly there is no need for a one-time installation of a fully functional system, it can be built up gradually. If the first experience turned out to be successful, then it makes sense to expand the functionality of the solar system.

At its core, a solar battery is a generator that works on the basis of the photovoltaic effect and converts solar energy into electrical energy. Light quanta hitting a silicon wafer knock an electron out of the silicon's last atomic orbit. This effect creates a sufficient number of free electrons that form a flow of electric current.

Before assembling the battery, you need to decide on the type of photoelectric converter, namely: single-crystal, polycrystalline and amorphous. For self-assembly of a solar battery, commercially available monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar modules are selected.

Top: Monocrystalline modules without soldered contacts. Bottom: Polycrystalline modules with soldered contacts

Panels based on polycrystalline silicon have a rather low efficiency (7-9%), but this disadvantage is offset by the fact that polycrystalline silicon practically does not reduce power in cloudy and cloudy weather, the warranty life of such elements is about 10 years. Panels based on monocrystalline silicon have an efficiency of about 13% with a service life of about 25 years, but these elements greatly reduce power in the absence of direct sunlight. The efficiency of silicon crystals from different manufacturers can vary significantly. According to the practice of solar power plants in the field, we can talk about the service life of single-crystal modules for more than 30 years, and for polycrystalline modules - more than 20 years. Moreover, over the entire period of operation, the power loss in silicon mono- and polycrystalline cells is no more than 10%, while in thin-film amorphous batteries, the power decreases by 10-40% in the first two years.

Solar cells Evergreen Solar Cells with contacts in a set of 300 pcs.

On the eBay auction, you can purchase a Solar Cells kit for assembling a solar array of 36 and 72 solar cells. Such sets are available for sale in Russia. As a rule, for self-assembly of solar panels, B-type solar modules are used, that is, modules rejected in industrial production. These modules do not lose their performance and are much cheaper. Some suppliers offer solar modules on a fiberglass board, which implies a high level of tightness of the elements, and, accordingly, reliability.

Name	Characteristics	Cost, $
Everbright Solar Cells (EBay) without contacts	polycrystalline, set - 36 pcs., 81x150 mm, 1.75 W (0.5 V), 3A, efficiency (%) - 13 in a set with diodes and soldering acid in a pencil	$46.00 $8.95shipping
Solar Cells (US new)	monocrystalline, 156x156 mm, 81x150 mm, 4W (0.5 V), 8A, efficiency (%) - 16.7-17.9	$7.50
	monocrystalline, 153x138 mm, U cold stroke - 21.6V, I short. deputy - 94 mA, P - 1.53W, efficiency (%) - 13	$15.50
Solar Cells on fiberglass board	polycrystalline, 116x116 mm, U cold stroke - 7.2V, I short. deputy - 275 mA., P - 1.5W, efficiency (%) - 10	$14.50
		$87.12 $9.25 shipping
Solar Cells (EBay) without contacts	polycrystalline, set - 72 pcs., 81x150 mm 1.8W	$56.11 $9.25 shipping
Solar Cells (EBay) with contacts	monocrystalline, set - 40 pcs., 152x152 mm	$87.25 $14.99 shipping

Development of a project for a helium energy system

The design of a future solar system largely depends on the method of its installation and installation. Solar panels should be installed at an angle to ensure direct sunlight hits at right angles. The performance of a solar panel largely depends on the intensity of light energy, as well as the angle of incidence of the sun's rays. The placement of the solar battery relative to the sun and the angle of inclination depends on the geographic location of the helium system and the time of year.

From top to bottom: Monocrystalline solar panels (80 watts each) in the country house are installed almost vertically (winter). Monocrystalline solar panels in the country have a smaller angle (spring) Mechanical system for controlling the angle of the solar battery.

Industrial solar systems are often equipped with sensors that ensure the rotational movement of the solar panel in the direction of the movement of the sun's rays, as well as mirrors concentrating sunlight. In individual systems, such elements significantly complicate and increase the cost of the system, and therefore are not used. The simplest mechanical tilt angle control system can be used. In winter, solar panels should be installed almost vertically, this also protects the panel from snow and icing on the structure.

Scheme for calculating the angle of inclination of the solar panel depending on the time of year

Solar panels are installed on the sunny side of the building to provide the maximum amount of solar energy available during daylight hours. Depending on the geographic location and the level of the solstice, the angle of the battery is calculated, which is most suitable for your location.

With the complexity of the design, it is possible to create a system for controlling the angle of inclination of the solar battery depending on the season and the angle of rotation of the panel depending on the time of day. The energy efficiency of such a system will be higher.

When designing a solar system that will be installed on the roof of a house, it is imperative to find out whether the roof structure can withstand the required weight. Self-development of the project involves the calculation of the roof load, taking into account the weight of the snow cover in winter.

Selecting the optimal static tilt angle for a rooftop solar system of a single crystal type

For the manufacture of solar panels, you can choose different materials according to specific gravity and other characteristics. When choosing materials of construction, it is necessary to take into account the maximum allowable heating temperature of the solar cell, since the temperature of the solar module operating at full capacity should not exceed 250C. When the peak temperature is exceeded, the solar module dramatically loses its ability to convert sunlight into electrical current. Ready-made solar systems for individual use, as a rule, do not require cooling of solar cells. Do-it-yourself manufacturing may involve cooling the solar system or controlling the angle of the solar panel to ensure the module's functional temperature, as well as the selection of an appropriate transparent material that absorbs IR radiation.

Competent design of the solar system allows you to provide the required power of the solar battery, which will be close to the nominal. When calculating the structure, it must be taken into account that elements of the same type give the same stress, regardless of the size of the elements. Moreover, the current strength of large-sized cells will be greater, but the battery will also be much heavier. For the manufacture of a solar system, solar modules of the same size are always taken, since the maximum current will be limited by the maximum current of the small element.

Calculations show that on average, on a clear sunny day, no more than 120 W of power can be obtained from 1 m of a solar panel. Such power will not even ensure the operation of a computer. A 10 m system gives more than 1 kW of energy and can provide electricity to the main household appliances: lamps, TV, computer. For a family of 3-4 people, about 200-300 kW per month is needed, so a solar system installed on the south side with a size of 20 m can fully meet the family's energy needs.

If we consider the average statistical data on the power supply of an individual residential building, then: daily energy consumption is 3 kWh, solar radiation from spring to autumn - 4 kWh / m per day, peak power consumption - 3 kW (when the washing machine, refrigerator, iron and electric kettle are turned on ). In order to optimize energy consumption for lighting inside the home, it is important to use low-energy AC lamps - LED and fluorescent.

Making a solar battery frame

An aluminum corner is used as the frame of the solar battery. On ebay, you can buy ready-made frames for solar panels. The transparent coating is selected as desired, based on the characteristics that are required for this design.

Solar glass frame kit starting at $33

When choosing a transparent protective material, you can also focus on the following characteristics of the material:

Material	Refractive index	Light transmission, %	Specific gravity g / cm 3	Sheet size, mm	Thickness, mm	Cost, rub./m 2
Air	1,0002926	—	—	—	—	—
Glass	1,43-2,17	92-99	3,168	—	—	—
plexiglass	1,51	92-93	1,19	3040x2040	3	960.00
Polycarbonate	1,59	up to 92	0,198	3050 x2050	2	600.00
Plexiglass	1,491	92	1,19	2050x1500	11	640.00
mineral glass	1,52-1,9	98	1,40	—	—	—

If we consider the refractive index of light as a criterion for choosing a material. Plexiglas has the lowest refractive index, domestic plexiglass is a cheaper option for a transparent material, and polycarbonate is less suitable. Polycarbonate with an anti-condensation coating is available for sale, and this material also provides a high level of thermal protection. When choosing transparent materials in terms of specific gravity and ability to absorb the IR spectrum, polycarbonate will be the best. The best transparent materials for solar panels are materials with high light transmission.

When manufacturing a solar cell, it is important to choose transparent materials that do not transmit the IR spectrum and thus reduce the heating of silicon cells that lose their power at temperatures above 250C. In industry, special glasses with an oxide-metal coating are used. The ideal glass for solar panels is considered to be the material that transmits the entire spectrum except for the IR range.

Scheme of absorption of UV and IR radiation by various glasses.
a) normal glass, b) IR glass, c) duplex with heat-absorbing and normal glass.

The maximum absorption of the IR spectrum will provide protective silicate glass with iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3), but it has a greenish tint. The IR spectrum absorbs well any mineral glass, with the exception of quartz, plexiglass and plexiglass belong to the class of organic glasses. Mineral glass is more resistant to surface damage, but is very expensive and unavailable. For solar panels, a special anti-reflective ultra-clear glass is also used, which transmits up to 98% of the spectrum. Also, this glass assumes the absorption of most of the IR spectrum.

The optimal choice of optical and spectral characteristics of the glass significantly increases the photoconversion efficiency of the solar panel.

Solar panel in plexiglass housing

Many solar panel workshops recommend using plexiglass for the front and back panels. This allows contact inspection. However, the plexiglass structure can hardly be called completely hermetic, capable of ensuring uninterrupted operation of the panel for 20 years of operation.

Mounting the solar panel housing

The master class shows the manufacture of a solar panel from 36 polycrystalline solar cells measuring 81x150 mm. Based on these dimensions, you can calculate the dimensions of the future solar battery. When calculating the dimensions, it is important to make a small distance between the elements, which will take into account the change in the dimensions of the base under atmospheric influence, that is, there should be 3-5 mm between the elements. The resulting size of the workpiece should be 835x690 mm with a corner width of 35 mm.

	A homemade solar panel made using an aluminum profile is most similar to a factory-made solar panel. This ensures a high degree of tightness and structural strength.
	For manufacturing, an aluminum corner is taken, and frame blanks 835x690 mm are made. In order to be able to fasten the hardware, holes should be made in the frame.
	Silicone sealant is applied twice to the inside of the corner.
	Make sure there are no empty spaces. The tightness and durability of the battery depends on the quality of the sealant application.
	Next, a transparent sheet of the selected material is placed in the frame: polycarbonate, plexiglass, plexiglass, anti-reflective glass. It is important to let the silicone dry in the open air, otherwise the fumes will create a film on the elements.
	Glass must be carefully pressed and fixed.
	For reliable fastening of the protective glass, you will need hardware. It is necessary to fix 4 corners of the frame and place two hardware on the long side of the frame and one hardware on the short side along the perimeter.
	Hardware is fixed with screws.
	The screws are tightened tightly with a screwdriver.
	The frame of the solar battery is ready. Before fixing the solar cells, it is necessary to clean the glass from dust.

Selection and soldering of solar cells

At the moment, the Ebay auction presents a huge range of products for self-manufacturing solar panels.

Solar Cells kit includes a set of 36 polysilicon cells, cell conductors and busbars, Schottke diodes, and a soldering acid stick

Since a do-it-yourself solar battery is almost 4 times cheaper than a finished one, self-manufacturing is a significant cost savings. You can buy defective solar cells on eBay, but they do not lose their functionality, so the cost of a solar panel can be significantly reduced if you can further sacrifice the appearance of the battery.

Damaged photocells do not lose their functionality

At the first experience, it is better to purchase kits for the manufacture of solar panels; solar cells with soldered conductors are commercially available. Soldering contacts is a rather complicated process, the complexity is exacerbated by the fragility of solar cells.

If you purchased silicon cells without conductors, then you must first solder the contacts.

	This is what a polycrystalline silicon element looks like without conductors.
	The conductors are cut using a cardboard blank.
	It is necessary to carefully place the conductor on the photocell.
	Apply soldering acid and solder to the place of soldering. For convenience, the conductor is fixed on one side with a heavy object.
	In this position, carefully solder the conductor to the photocell. During soldering, do not press on the crystal, because it is very fragile.

Soldering elements is quite painstaking work. If you cannot get a normal connection, then you need to repeat the work. According to the standards, the silver coating on the conductor must withstand 3 soldering cycles under permissible thermal conditions; in practice, you encounter the fact that the coating is destroyed. The destruction of silver plating occurs due to the use of soldering irons with unregulated power (65W), this can be avoided by lowering the power as follows - you need to turn on the cartridge with a 100W light bulb in series with the soldering iron. The power rating of a non-adjustable soldering iron is too high for soldering silicon contacts.

Even if the sellers of the conductors claim that there is solder on the connector, it is better to apply it additionally. During soldering, try to handle the elements carefully, with minimal effort they burst; do not stack the elements in a pack, the weight of the lower elements may crack.

Assembly and soldering of the solar battery

When assembling a solar battery for the first time, it is better to use a marking substrate that will help you position the elements evenly at a certain distance from each other (5 mm).

Marking substrate for solar cells

The base is made of plywood with corner markings. After soldering, a piece of mounting tape is attached to each element on the reverse side, it is enough to press the back panel against the adhesive tape, and all elements are transferred.

Mounting tape used for mounting, on the back of the solar cell

With this type of fastening, the elements themselves are not additionally sealed, they can freely expand under the influence of temperature, this will not damage the solar battery and break the contacts and elements. Only the connecting parts of the structure can be sealed. This type of mounting is more suitable for prototypes, but can hardly guarantee long-term operation in the field.

A sequential battery assembly plan looks like this:

	We lay out the elements on the glass surface. There must be a distance between the elements, which implies a free change in size without compromising the structure. Elements need to be pressed with weights.
	We solder according to the wiring diagram below. "Plus" current-carrying tracks are located on the front side of the elements, "minus" - on the reverse side. Before soldering, you need to apply flux and solder, then carefully solder the silver contacts.
	All solar cells are connected according to this principle.
	The contacts of the extreme elements are output to the bus, respectively, to the "plus" and "minus". The bus uses a wider silver conductor, which is available in the Solar Cells kit. We also recommend that you bring out the “middle” point; with its help, two additional shunt diodes are placed.
	The terminal is also installed on the outside of the frame.
	This is how the connection diagram of elements without a derived midpoint looks like.
	This is what the terminal strip looks like with the “middle” point drawn out. The “middle” point allows you to put a shunt diode on each half of the battery, which will prevent the battery from discharging when the lighting decreases or one half is darkened.
	The photo shows a shunt diode on the "positive" output, it resists the discharge of batteries through the battery at night and the discharge of other batteries during partial blackout. More often, Schottke diodes are used as shunt diodes. They give less loss on the total power of the electrical circuit. An acoustic cable in silicone insulation can be used as current-carrying wires. For isolation, you can use tubes from under the dropper. All wires must be firmly fixed with silicone.
	The elements can be connected in series (see photo), and not through a common bus, then the 2nd and 4th row must be rotated 1800 relative to the 1st row.

The main problems of assembling a solar panel are related to the quality of soldering contacts, so experts suggest testing it before sealing the panel.

Panel testing before sealing, mains voltage 14 volts, peak power 65 W

Testing can be done after soldering each group of elements. If you pay attention to the photos in the master class, then the part of the table under the solar elements is cut out. This is done intentionally to determine the performance of the electrical network after soldering the contacts.

Solar Panel Sealing

Sealing solar panels in self-manufacturing is the most controversial issue among experts. On the one hand, sealing the panels is necessary to improve durability, it is always used in industrial production. For sealing, foreign experts recommend using the Sylgard 184 epoxy compound, which gives a transparent, polymerized, highly elastic surface. The cost of "Sylgard 184" on Ebay is about $40.

Sealant with a high degree of elasticity "Sylgard 184"

On the other hand, if you do not want to incur additional costs, it is quite possible to use silicone sealant. However, in this case, it is not necessary to completely fill the elements in order to avoid their possible damage during operation. In this case, the elements can be attached to the back panel with silicone and only the edges of the structure can be sealed. It is difficult to say how effective such sealing is, but we do not recommend using non-recommended waterproofing mastics, the probability of breaking contacts and elements is very high.

	Before starting sealing, it is necessary to prepare a mixture of "Sylgard 184".
	First, the joints of the elements are poured. The mixture should set to secure the elements to the glass.
	After fixing the elements, a continuous polymerizing layer of elastic sealant is made, it can be distributed with a brush.
	This is what the surface looks like after applying the sealant. The sealing layer must dry. After complete drying, you can close the solar panel with the back panel.
	This is what the front side of a homemade solar panel looks like after sealing.

House power supply scheme

Power supply systems for houses using solar panels are commonly called photovoltaic systems, that is, systems that provide energy generation using the photovoltaic effect. Three photovoltaic systems are considered for individual residential buildings: an autonomous power supply system, a hybrid battery-grid photovoltaic system, a batteryless photovoltaic system connected to a central power supply system.

Each of the systems has its own purpose and advantages, but most often in residential buildings, photovoltaic systems are used with backup batteries and connection to a centralized power grid. The power grid is powered by solar panels, in the dark from batteries, and when they are discharged from the central power grid. In hard-to-reach areas where there is no central network, liquid fuel generators are used as a backup source of power supply.

A more economical alternative to a hybrid battery-grid power system would be a batteryless solar system connected to a central power grid. Electricity is supplied from solar panels, and at night the network is powered by the central network. Such a network is more applicable for institutions, because in residential buildings most of the energy is consumed in the evening.

Diagrams of three types of photovoltaic systems

Let's consider a typical installation of a battery-grid photovoltaic system. The solar panels act as a generator of electricity, which are connected through a junction box. Next, a solar charge controller is installed in the network to avoid short circuits at peak load. Electricity is stored in backup batteries, and is also supplied through an inverter to consumers: lighting, household appliances, an electric stove and, possibly, is used to heat water. To install a heating system, it is more efficient to use solar collectors, which belong to alternative solar technology.

Hybrid battery-grid photovoltaic system with alternating current

There are two types of power grids that are used in photovoltaic systems: DC and AC. The use of an alternating current network allows you to place electrical consumers at a distance exceeding 10-15 m, as well as provide a conditionally unlimited network load.

For a private residential building, the following components of a photovoltaic system are usually used:

• the total power of solar panels should be 1000 W, they will provide the production of about 5 kWh;
• batteries with a total capacity of 800 A / h at a voltage of 12 V;
• the inverter must have a rated power of 3 kW with a peak load of up to 6 kW, input voltage 24-48 V;
• solar discharge controller 40-50 A at 24 V;
• uninterruptible power supply to provide a short-term charge with a current of up to 150 A.

Thus, for a photovoltaic power supply system, you will need 15 panels with 36 elements, an assembly example of which is given in the master class. Each panel gives a total power of 65 watts. More powerful will be solar panels on monocrystals. For example, a solar panel of 40 monocrystals has a peak power of 160 W, but such panels are sensitive to overcast and cloudy weather. In this case, solar panels based on polycrystalline modules are optimal for use in the northern part of Russia.

Mankind, in order to care for the environment and save money, began to use alternative energy sources, which, in particular, include solar panels. Buying such a pleasure will be quite expensive, but it is not difficult to make this device with your own hands. Therefore, it does not hurt you to learn how to make a solar battery yourself. This will be discussed in our article.

Solar panels are devices that generate electricity using photovoltaic cells.

Before talking about how to make a solar battery with your own hands, you need to understand the device and the principles of its operation. The solar battery includes photocells connected in series and in parallel, a battery that stores electricity, an inverter that converts direct current into alternating current, and a controller that monitors the charging and discharging of the battery.

As a rule, photocells are made of silicon, but its purification is expensive, so elements such as indium, copper, and selenium have recently begun to be used.

Each photocell is a separate cell that generates electricity. The cells are linked to each other and form a single field, the area of ​​which determines the power of the battery. That is, the more solar cells, the more electricity is generated.

In order to make a solar panel with your own hands at home, you need to understand the essence of such a phenomenon as the photoelectric effect. A photocell is a silicon plate, when light hits it, an electron is knocked out from the last energy level of silicon atoms. The movement of the flow of such electrons generates a direct current, which is subsequently converted into alternating current. This is the phenomenon of the photoelectric effect.

Advantages

Solar panels have the following advantages:

• harmlessness to the environment;
• durability;
• silent operation;
• ease of manufacture and installation;
• independence of electricity supply from the distribution network;
• immobility of parts of the device;
• insignificant financial costs;
• light weight;
• operation without mechanical transducers.

Varieties

Solar panels are divided into the following types.

Silicon

Silicon is the most popular battery material.

Silicon batteries are also divided into:

1. Monocrystalline: These batteries use very pure silicon.
2. Polycrystalline (cheaper than monocrystalline): Polycrystals are obtained by gradual cooling of silicon.

Film

Such batteries are divided into the following types:

1. Based on cadmium telluride (efficiency 10%): cadmium has a high light absorption coefficient, which makes it possible to use it in the production of batteries.
2. Based on copper selenide - indium: the efficiency is higher than that of the previous ones.
3. Polymer.

Solar batteries from polymers have begun to be manufactured relatively recently, usually furellenes, polyphenylene, etc. are used for this. Polymer films are very thin, about 100 nm. Despite the efficiency of 5%, polymer batteries have their advantages: cheap material, environmental friendliness, elasticity.

amorphous

The efficiency of amorphous batteries is 5%. Such panels are made of silane (silicon hydrogen) on the principle of film batteries, so they can be attributed to both silicon and film batteries. Amorphous batteries are elastic, generate electricity even in bad weather, absorb light better than other panels.

materials

To make a solar battery, you will need the following materials:

• photocells;
• aluminum corners;
• Schottky diodes;
• silicone sealants;
• conductors;
• fixing screws and hardware;
• polycarbonate sheet/plexiglass;
• soldering equipment.

These materials are required in order to make a solar battery with your own hands.

Choice of photocells

To make a solar battery for your home with your own hands, you should choose the right solar cells. The latter are subdivided into monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous.

The efficiency of the first is 13%, but such photocells are ineffective in bad weather, outwardly they are bright blue squares. Polycrystalline solar cells are capable of generating electricity even in bad weather, although their efficiency is only 9%, they are darker in appearance than monocrystalline ones and cut off at the edges. Amorphous photocells are made of flexible silicon, their efficiency is 10%, their performance does not depend on weather conditions, but the production of such cells is too expensive, so they are rarely used.

If you plan to use the electricity generated by photovoltaic cells in the country, then we advise you to assemble a solar battery with your own hands from polycrystalline cells, since their efficiency is sufficient for your purposes.

You should buy photocells of the same brand, since photocells of several brands can vary greatly - this can cause problems with battery assembly and its functioning. It should be remembered that the amount of energy produced by a cell is directly proportional to its size, that is, the larger the photocell, the more electricity it produces; cell voltage depends on its type, and not on size.

The amount of current produced is determined by the dimensions of the smallest photocell, so you should buy photocells of the same size. Of course, you should not buy cheap products, because this means that they have not passed the test. Also, you should not buy photocells coated with wax (many manufacturers cover photocells with wax to preserve products during transportation): removing it can damage the photocell.

Calculations and project

Building a solar panel with your own hands is a simple task, the main thing is to approach its implementation responsibly. To make a solar panel with your own hands, you should calculate the daily electricity consumption, then find out the average daily solar time in your area and calculate the required power. Thus, it will become clear how many cells and what size you need to purchase. After all, as mentioned above, the current generated by the cell depends on its dimensions.

Knowing the required size of the cells and their number, it is necessary to calculate the dimensions and weight of the panel, after which it is necessary to find out whether the roof or other place where the solar battery is planned to be installed will withstand the intended design.

When installing the panel, you should not only choose the sunniest place, but also try to fix it at a right angle to the sun's rays.

Stages of work

Frame

Before you start making a solar panel with your own hands, you need to build a frame for it. It protects the battery from damage, moisture and dust.

The body is assembled from a moisture-resistant material: plywood coated with a moisture-repellent agent, or aluminum corners, to which plexiglass or polycarbonate is glued with silicone sealant.

In this case, it is necessary to observe the indents between the elements (3-4 mm), since it is necessary to take into account the expansion of the material with increasing temperature.

Soldering elements

The photocells are laid out on the front side of the transparent surface, so that the distance between them on all sides is 5 mm: in this way, the possible expansion of the photocells with increasing temperature is taken into account.

Converters having two poles are fixed: positive and negative. If you want to increase the voltage, connect the elements in series, if the current - in parallel.

To avoid discharging the battery at night, a Schottky diode is included in a single circuit consisting of all the necessary parts, connecting it to the positive conductor. Then all the elements are soldered together.

Assembly

Soldered transducers are placed in the finished frame, silicone is applied to the photocells - all this is covered with a layer of fiberboard, closed with a lid, and the joints of the parts are treated with sealant.

Even a city dweller can make and place a solar battery on the balcony with their own hands. It is desirable that the balcony be glazed and insulated.
So we figured out how to make a solar battery at home, it turned out that it was not difficult at all.

Ideas from improvised materials

You can make a solar battery with your own hands from improvised materials. Consider the most popular options.

Many will be surprised to learn that foil can be used to make a solar battery with your own hands. In fact, this is not surprising, because the foil increases the reflectivity of materials. For example, to reduce overheating of the panels, they are placed on foil.

How to make a foil solar panel?

We will need:

• 2 "crocodiles";
• copper foil;
• multimeter;
• salt;
• empty plastic bottle without a neck;
• electric oven;
• drill.

After cleaning the copper sheet and washing our hands, we cut off a piece of foil, put it on a hot electric stove, heat it for half an hour, observing blackening, then remove the foil from the stove, let it cool and see how the pieces peel off from the sheet. After heating, the oxide film disappears, so the black oxide can be gently removed with water.

Then a second piece of foil is cut out the same size as the first, the two parts are bent, lowered into the bottle so that they do not have the opportunity to touch.

Foil can also be used for heating. To do this, it must be pulled onto the frame, to which you then need to connect hoses connected, for example, to a watering can.

So we learned how to make a solar panel for the home from foil.

Many houses have old transistors lying around, but not everyone knows that they are quite suitable for making a solar battery for a summer cottage with their own hands. In this case, the photocell is a semiconductor wafer located inside the transistor. How to make a solar battery from transistors with your own hands? First you need to open the transistor, for which it is enough to cut off the cover, so we can see the plate: it is small in size, which explains the low efficiency of solar panels from transistors.

Next, you need to check the transistor. To do this, we use a multimeter: we connect the device to a transistor with a well-lit p-n junction and measure the current, the multimeter should record the current from a few fractions of a milliamp to 1 or a little more; then we switch the device to the voltage measurement mode, the multimeter should give out tenths of a volt.

We place the tested transistors inside the case, for example, sheet plastic and solder it. You can make such a solar battery with your own hands at home and use it to charge batteries and low power radios.

Old diodes are also suitable for assembling batteries. Making a solar battery with your own hands from diodes is not difficult at all. It is necessary to open the diode, exposing the crystal, which is a photocell, then heat the diode for 20 seconds on a gas stove, and when the solder melts, remove the crystal. It remains to solder the pulled out crystals to the case.

The power of such batteries is small, but it is enough to power small LEDs.

This option of making a solar battery with your own hands from improvised means will seem very strange to most, but making a solar battery with your own hands from beer cans is simple and cheap.

We will make the case from plywood, on which we will place polycarbonate or plexiglass, on the back surface of the plywood we will fix foam or glass wool for insulation. Aluminum cans will serve as photocells. It is important to choose exactly aluminum cans, since aluminum is less susceptible to corrosion than, for example, iron and has better heat transfer.

Further, holes are made in the bottom of the cans, the lid is cut off, and unnecessary elements are bent to ensure better air circulation. Then it is necessary to clean the jars of grease and dirt with the help of special products that do not contain acids. Next, you need to hermetically fasten the cans together: with silicone gel that can withstand high temperatures, or with a soldering iron. Be sure to dry the glued cans very well in a stationary position.

Having attached the cans to the body, we paint them black and close the structure with plexiglass or polycarbonate. Such a battery is capable of heating water or air with subsequent supply to the room.

We looked at options for how to make a solar panel with your own hands. We hope that now you will not have a question about how to make a solar battery.

Video

How to make solar panels with your own hands - video tutorial.

Solar panels are a source of energy that can be used to generate electricity or heat for a low-rise building. That's just solar panels have a high cost and are inaccessible to most residents of our country. Do you agree?

Another thing is when a solar battery is made by hand - the costs are significantly reduced, and such a design works no worse than an industrial production panel. Therefore, if you are seriously thinking about purchasing an alternative source of electricity, try to make it yourself - it's not very difficult.

The article will focus on the manufacture of solar panels. We will tell you what materials and tools will be required for this. And a little lower you will find step-by-step instructions with illustrations that clearly demonstrate the progress of work.

The energy of the sun can be converted into thermal energy, when the energy carrier is a heat-transfer fluid, or into electrical energy collected in batteries. The battery is a generator operating on the principle of the photoelectric effect.

The conversion of solar energy into electricity occurs after the sun's rays hit the photocell plates, which are the main part of the battery.

At the same time, light quanta “release” their electrons from extreme orbits. These free electrons give an electric current that passes through the controller and accumulates in the battery, and from there it goes to energy consumers.

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Materials for creating a solar plate

When starting to build a solar battery, you need to stock up on the following materials:

• silicate plates-photocells;
• chipboard sheets, aluminum corners and slats;
• hard foam rubber 1.5-2.5 cm thick;
• a transparent element that acts as a base for silicon wafers;
• screws, self-tapping screws;
• silicone sealant for outdoor use;
• electrical wires, diodes, terminals.

The amount of materials required depends on the size of your battery, which is most often limited by the number of solar cells available. Of the tools you will need: a screwdriver or a set of screwdrivers, a hacksaw for metal and wood, a soldering iron. To test the finished battery, you need an ammeter tester.

Now consider the most important materials in more detail.

Silicon wafers or solar cells

Photocells for batteries are of three types:

• polycrystalline;
• monocrystalline;
• amorphous.

Polycrystalline plates are characterized by low efficiency. The size of the useful action is about 10 - 12%, but this figure does not decrease over time. The life of polycrystals is 10 years.

The solar battery is assembled from modules, which in turn are made up of photovoltaic converters. Batteries with rigid silicon photocells are a kind of sandwich with successive layers fixed in an aluminum profile.

Monocrystalline solar cells boast a higher efficiency - 13-25% and long service life - over 25 years. However, over time, the efficiency of single crystals decreases.

Single-crystal converters are obtained by sawing artificially grown crystals, which explains the highest photoconductivity and performance.

Film photoconverters are obtained by depositing a thin layer of amorphous silicon on a flexible polymer surface.

Flexible amorphous silicon batteries are state of the art. Their photoelectric converter is sprayed or welded onto a polymer base. Efficiency in the region of 5 - 6%, but film systems are extremely easy to install.

Film systems with amorphous photoconverters have appeared relatively recently. This is an extremely simple and as cheap as possible, but losing consumer qualities faster than rivals.

It is not advisable to use photocells of different sizes. In this case, the maximum current generated by the batteries will be limited by the current of the smallest cell. This means that larger plates will not work at full capacity.

When buying photocells, ask the seller about the shipping method, most sellers use the waxing method to prevent the destruction of fragile elements

Most often, for home-made batteries, mono- and polycrystalline photovoltaic cells 3x6 inches in size are used, which can be ordered at online stores such as E-by.

The cost of photocells is quite high, but many stores sell the so-called elements of group B. Products assigned to this group are defective, but suitable for use, and their cost is 40-60% lower than that of standard plates.

Most online retailers sell PV cells in packs of 36 or 72 PV conversion plates. Buses are required to connect individual modules into a battery, terminals will be needed to connect to the system.

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The solar battery can be used as a backup energy source in case of frequent shutdown of the centralized power supply. For automatic switching, it is necessary to provide an uninterruptible power supply system.

Such a system is convenient in that when using a traditional source of electricity, charging is carried out simultaneously. The equipment serving the solar battery is located inside the house, so it is necessary to provide a special room for it.

If you decide to assemble a solar panel on your own, then you will most likely come across such a thing as soldering conductors to photovoltaic cells. By itself, the process of soldering tires to solar cells is very painstaking, therefore difficult. So that your desire for the use of alternative energy sources does not encounter such an obstacle, you can familiarize yourself with the basic aspects of the correct soldering of conductors to solar panel elements.

Materials needed for soldering elements:
1) solar cells
2) thin flat conductors
3) soldering iron
4) wide flat conductors
5) flux
6) solder

Let us consider in more detail all the nuances of the process of soldering solar panel elements.

The most important thing in this process is not to rush. The solar cells themselves are very thin and fragile, their thickness is only 0.2 mm, so any excessive force or sudden movement can break them.

On average, it takes about two days to solder one solar panel consisting of 36 elements. Therefore, if you decide to assemble entire systems consisting of many solar panels, then seriously think about the amount of time spent on soldering conductors, it may be more profitable for you to purchase solar cells with ready-made conductors.

The main mistake of those who first decided to assemble a solar panel is that they consider it sufficient to purchase only the solar cells themselves in the store, and the rest can be replaced with analogues sold on the local radio components market. However, this vision is not entirely correct, flat conductors are used in solar panels, which are not recommended to be replaced with ordinary wires, since rather thick wires are required, which means a lot of time spent on soldering, an unaesthetic appearance of the structure, and, moreover, excessive wire rigidity can cause damage to the element itself.

That is why the author recommends ordering a set of solar cells already with diodes, tires, thin flat conductors for soldering elements and wider ones for connecting sections to each other. This approach will save both your time and money on shipping.

We also need a soldering iron with a power of 60-80 watts. If the soldering iron is less powerful, then most likely it will cool faster due to the fact that the large surface of the solar cell will take away heat, therefore, you will have to press the soldering iron and hold it longer on the solar cell. This, in turn, can cause the element to break or overheat. As a solder, the author recommends using wire tin, you can even use rosin. Any acid-free flux for soldering electronics is suitable as a flux, but it is advisable to use one that does not require rinsing and leaves less greasy marks.

After all the necessary tools and components have been assembled, you can start preparing for soldering solar cells. First you need to cut flat conductors. The length of the conductors must be calculated so that it is slightly shorter than the width of the solar cell. Thus, when using solar cells measuring 78 by 156 mm, the length of the conductor should be 146 mm, given the gap of 5 mm between the cells. The distribution of the conductor over the element is as follows: 78 mm is soldered to the front of the element, 5 mm is left for the gap between them, and 63 mm is soldered to three contacts located on the back of the element.

It is quite convenient to cut conductors using thick cardboard. Two sheets of cardboard 63 mm wide and 5 mm thick are taken, they are put together, and then the conductor is wound around them. Then the cardboard is moved apart and on one side the conductor is cut with scissors.

It should also be noted that when soldering elements 6 by 6, in order to save money, it is permissible to solder the tire not along the entire length, but simply tin the remaining part.

However, remember how well the conductors are soldered will greatly depend on the efficiency of the entire solar battery.

After cutting the conductor, you can begin to prepare the elements for soldering. Usually the front side of the elements is a minus, and the back side is a plus. therefore, along the entire length of the contact pad of the front side, it is smeared with flux.

Then the flat conductor is applied and fixed with a soldering iron. It is not necessary to tin the contact, since the contacts are silver-plated on the front side, and there is a thin layer of tin on the bus itself. The main thing is that the tire is firmly soldered to the contacts and held well, otherwise you should still tinker.

After that, the conductor is soldered on the reverse side of the element with a smooth movement, the main thing is to ensure that the element itself does not overheat during the process.

These actions must be done with each element, and then start soldering them into a common circuit. As a standard, it is customary to connect elements in series from plus to minus in one chain, so the voltage of all elements is summed up, and the current remains the same.

Below is a diagram of soldering elements into a common circuit:

After you have decided on the final shape of the solar panel, you should place the elements in several rows on the work surface with the back side up.

There are several points that will help you fix the elements during soldering, so that in the end the panel has a nice and neat look. The edges of the solar cells can be grabbed with adhesive tape, which is later simply cut off with a clerical knife. In order for the distance between the elements to be the same, you can use construction crosses, which are usually used for laying tiles, these crosses will provide a gap of 2-5 mm.

It is best to make a whole layout from plywood, on which crosses are glued.

Although the use of solar energy has become widespread today, the price of photovoltaic batteries remains at a high level. But they can be made by hand. In most cases, owners of private houses are interested in this. But some manage to supply even their apartment with self-made photo panels.

Solar battery device

Before you create a solar battery with your own hands, you should understand how it works. Batteries store electrical energy. The operation of the battery itself is based on the photoelectric effect. It occurs in solar cells, which "collect" the energy of the sun's rays. Such plates just act as the main part of the photobatteries. How is energy converted from solar to electrical?

1. The rays of the sun fall on one of the sides of the plate, which has a thin layer of boron or phosphorus.
2. Under their influence, many electrons are released. The phosphor film holds them, preventing them from flying apart.
3. The movement of electrons is ordered by the metal "tracks" that each plate is equipped with.
4. This is how an electric current is generated. It can be obtained the more, the more silicon cells are taken.

The first in the list of necessary materials are, of course, solar photovoltaic cells. Since it does not stand still, many different solar plates have already been developed.

• Film. Today they are produced only by technologically "advanced" companies, so they can only be "hunted". Such elements are found in ready-made photobatteries.
• Amorphous. These are photographic plates capable of collecting the sun's rays in any weather conditions: at sunset, in dusty air, in rain, etc. Amorphous elements are based on the thinnest layer of silicon deposited on a glass or polymer surface. To create a homemade solar battery with your own hands, such elements are rarely used due to the short service life and insufficient efficiency.
• From crystalline silicon. There are two types of photographic plates:
  • Monocrystalline. Consist of a single silicon crystal. The efficiency of such panels is higher due to the one-way direction. Such elements are more often used in regions with high solar activity. Such cells can be recognized by a uniform dark color and cut corners. Their efficiency is about 19%, and the service life reaches 50 years.
  • Polycrystalline. Many small crystals are combined into one element. The efficiency of this is reduced, but the panels can be used where the sun is not too active. The structure of a large number of crystals can be detected by a lighter shade of blue and an inhomogeneous pattern. Polycrystals are inferior to single crystals in service life (up to 25 years) and efficiency (up to 15%).

For the first time, it is better to make a solar battery with your own hands from cheaper polycrystalline plates. It is worth switching to single-crystals after the technology has been run-in. Inexpensive photographic plates are sold in foreign online stores. The most famous among them are EBay, Aliexpress and Amazon.

Today, some vendors offer discounted "B" grade photographic plates. They are cheaper due to the existing damage: various chips, missing corners, microcracks, etc. The performance of the cells does not suffer from this, but the price is significantly reduced. For "stuffing the hand" such elements are quite suitable.

Having decided to make a solar battery with your own hands from improvised means, you can replace photographic plates with semiconductors with p-n junctions. They often remain from old receivers and televisions. Semiconductors are also capable of generating current when exposed to solar radiation. For the manufacture of the panel, it remains only to connect several similar parts.

The catch here is the insufficient power of the devices received. With the most powerful transistors, it is possible to obtain a voltage of no more than 0.2 V from each. The current strength in them will be measured in microamps, and this is in the brightest sun. To achieve the same parameters that give silicon solar cells, you will need to find hundreds of semiconductors. But even in the best case, you can only charge an LED flashlight or a mobile phone.

An important step in the instructions on how to make a solar battery with your own hands is the calculation of its size. The voltage and current of the photocells are important here. For medium cells, these parameters are 0.5 V and 3 A, respectively. If 30 cells are connected to create a battery, then its power will be 30 0.5 V 3 A = 45 watts.

What else is needed to create a photo battery

Before starting work, check if everything from the list is at your fingertips:

• slats and plywood for the frame;
• silicone sealant;
• solder;
• antiseptic and paint for wood;
• stranded copper wire for connecting photocells;
• aluminum corners;
• anti-reflective glass, polycarbonate or plexiglass;
• Schottky diodes, designed for the return of one photographic plate.

You will also need a simple tool: a soldering iron, a saw, a glass cutter, a screwdriver, a paint brush - everything that any household owner has.

Instructions for creating a solar panel

When connecting solar cells, it is worth adhering to an aspect ratio of 1: 1. For example, if according to your calculations it turns out that you need to lay 120 plates, then you can arrange them in 12 rows of 10 pieces. Connect every two "columns" in parallel, and 5 received blocks - in series. So the wires will be laid neatly. Having decided on the location of the cells, you can begin to follow the instructions on how to assemble a solar battery with your own hands. It includes several main steps.

The body is made of wooden slats. Their height should not be more than 25 mm, otherwise the extreme rows of cells will be shaded. Aluminum corners are used to connect the rails. The dimensions of the body are determined by the dimensions of the photographic plates. For cells 3x6 inches (7.62x15.24 cm) when arranged in 12 rows of 10 pcs. a frame of at least 160x100 cm is required.

The reverse side is sewn up with plywood, and ventilation holes are drilled at the bottom of the frame. To protect the wood, it is coated with an antiseptic and then painted. Already on the finished frame of glass or plexiglass, a panel is cut out, which is fixed with the help of corner brackets.

To complete this task, you need a soldering iron with a power of up to 40 W and low-melting solder. A small amount of it is applied to the output parts of the plates. Be sure to observe the polarity of the connection. The distance between the photocells must be at least 5 mm to account for possible expansion. To increase the voltage, the elements are connected in series, and to increase the current - in parallel.

When the individual chains are assembled, they are placed with their back to the substrate and glued with a sealant. Each block of solar plates must be equipped with a Schottky diode, which prevents the batteries from discharging at night. According to the scheme presented above, all chains are connected using a copper wire or a special bus.

final assembly

Already finished substrates are placed in the body. Self-tapping screws are used for fastening. If there is a cross member in the frame, holes for the wires are drilled in it. The cable brought out is fixed and soldered to the terminals of the assembly. The glass is placed in the frame, having previously applied a layer of sealant to the upper contour of the frame.

Having studied how do-it-yourself solar panels are made at home, we can conclude that this requires at least minimal knowledge of electrical engineering. But having done everything as carefully as possible, you can hope for a successful completion of the task. You also need to be prepared, which requires financial and time costs. After practicing on the first panel, you can make more than one solar battery, thereby providing your home with free electricity.