subject: How to Build Your Own Solar Panel [print this page] Article: Do you want to make your own monocrystalline solar panel and save on utility bills? You will need some basic home workshop skills to easily build your monocrystalline solar panel manufacturer. The materials may be found on the internet, your local hardware store or even in your own workshop. This short article will give you a basic outline of what it will take for you to build your own monocrystalline solar panel at home. Uses for your monocrystalline solar panel supplier are varied but may include boating, camping, power failures or cabins that are outside the electricity grid. You should have sufficient power for TV, VCR, computer, lights, DC or 12 volt appliances. The first things you need to buy are some solar cells. The most economical way to do this is to check out eBay and look for damaged or broken solar cells. These are generally factory seconds that are slightly chipped but this will not make any appreciable difference to their efficiency. These solar cells come in various sizes, but remember that the bigger they are, the heavier and more non-transportable the finished panel will be. Mono-crystalline solar cells come in bricks of several individual cells. Those measuring 6" x 3" produce 1/2 volt of electricity. 36 cells mounted in a panel would give you 18 volts which will be able to charge 12 volt batteries. Be very careful handling and working with these solar cells as they are extremely fragile, brittle and paper-thin. The first step in making your monocrystalline solar panel is to make the box the cells will sit in. This will be a shallow shadow box; i.e. a back with small sides that will not shade the cells. Make it out of any timber you might have on hand, or buy some. A sheet of peg-board fits onto the backing board to make attaching the solar cells a simple job. Give the shadow box and the pegboard several coats of paint (what you have lying around works really well). Make sure to paint both sides of the timber and pegboard to prevent buckling in the weather. The completed panel will be protected from the weather by a sheet of plexiglass. Next the solar cells need to be soldered together. Draw up the final placement of the cells on the pegboard, and start to solder the cells together in a series of 6 to a row. Use low wattage soldering iron and fine solder. Be careful when soldering as the solar cells are very thin and could damage easily. All that is left to do is to attach wiring, a blocking diode to prevent the panel discharging during the night and a plug to connect your own monocrystalline solar panel. This will produce about 18 volts and 3 amps in full sun.
