Do-it-yourself Solar Panels - Converting Solar Energy To Electricity At Home

Do-it-yourself solar panels produce electricity when a phenomenon known as photovoltaic effect takes place

. Whenever photons hit the surface of a specially doped semiconductor, a small potential difference occurs across the electrodes. When several of such semiconductors are put together, they can generate a substantial amount of electricity that can be put to use.

As you may have realized by now, the (semiconductor) material used is largely responsible for the efficiency of energy conversion -- from sunlight to electricity. As scientists discover better semiconductors and better production techniques, photovoltaic cells become cheaper to produce. And as the demand for solar panels increase, economies of scale drives the cost of solar cells to the price we know today.

Recently, many hobbyists are getting interested in building for themselves homemade solar panels. This further reduces the cost of introducing a solar power generator into their house. In fact, most of them are able to gather materials from used and broken solar panels to construct fully working (restored) panels at a tenth of the original cost.

However, before you commit to a do-it-yourself solar panel project, you need to consider what you'll be using it for. Beginners often start with smaller panels that they use to power their garage lights or garden sprinklers. Experienced enthusiasts often attempt to substitute grid power using solar panels. This can be done by using several pieces of homemade solar panels installed on rooftops.

If your aspiration is to build a grid-tied or off-grid system for your home, you'll need to determine the size of your solar energy system needed. Then you'll be able to determine the type and quantity of batteries to buy and the kind of inverters to use. You'll also need to cater sufficient space in your home to house these electrical items safely.

Because many DIY solar panels are built from used photovoltaic panels, their efficiency may be much worse than off-the-shelf panels fitted with new photovoltaic cells. Therefore it is important to keep the efficiency as high as possible.

This can be achieved by keeping the solar panels as cool as possible. Because efficiency drops as the temperature of photovoltaic cell rises. If your solar panels are installed on the rooftop, you need to ensure sufficient gap between the roof and panels so cool air can pass through to bring away excess heat from the solar panels.

Another way to ensure maximum electricity production is to locate your solar panels at a place with the most sunshine throughout the year. This means the panels should be tilted toward the south (if you're living in the northern hemisphere) and there should be as little shading as possible.

If the place you live in allows you to produce sufficient energy for your household needs, you're in luck. With your own set of do-it-yourself solar panels, electricity cost will no longer be a concern as long as the sun is shining for you. You'll also experience a shorter payback period than comparable retail models simply because homemade solar panels are cheaper.

by: John Greenspan

Do-it-yourself Solar Panels - Converting Solar Energy To Electricity At Home

Do-it-yourself solar panels produce electricity when a phenomenon known as photovoltaic effect takes place

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