How To Make A Solar Panel
In this day and age when oil prices are rocketing and the economy is putting the financial problems on our doorstep, we look for the best ways to save money wherever we can. Whether it’s energy-saving light-bulbs or loft-insulation, it’s usually trying to diminish our electricity consumption. However, there are alternatives, such as transferring to a renewable energy source. This can done in two ways; signing up with an energy provider who offers renewable sources or by making your own source of electricity. You can also combine the two. Below is some information about how to make a solar panel to provide you with a little free electricity to alleviate your energy consumption.
Making The Solar Panel And Housing
The first step will be to purchase some solar cells. These are essential to the actual process of turning the sun’s light into electricity you can use. However, brand new ones can be very expensive and will only push the costs further and further up. You should aim for a cost of between $50 and $100 for a small solar panel with a rate of at least 12 volts. If you can’t find solar cells of this size for that price, consider looking for some second-rate cells that might be partially broken. While they may not perform as well as perfect-condition cells, they will be adequate for a small solar panel at a fraction of the cost.
How To Make A Solar Panel
Next, you need a battery to store the power in. A rechargeable deep-cycle 12-volt battery is a good choice as it will allow for continuous use and allow for decent storage depending on the size. A price of around $50 should suit the needs of a small solar panel. For safety purposes, you should consider buying a battery box to protect the battery.
To allow your appliances to run on the electricity created by the solar panel, you’ll need a DC input. Additionally, since not all items run on DC power, you can purchase an AC inverter to cover the remaining items. For the DC input, the price should be between $10-15 and for the inverter, it depends on the product you are powered. For small televisions, consider a 100+-watt inverter, which may be around $50.
Now begin connecting everything to the battery. Using insulated wires and always starting with the negative battery pole, connect the DC inlet to the battery one wire at a time. Do the same with the solar panel.
This kind of setup allows for expansion to a larger battery, larger solar panel, or both. Your mileage may vary with this panel depending the quality of the solar cells, whether they’re top-quality or not and the weather. Furthermore, the amount of time you can run appliances for depends on the item; televisions may get a few hours from a fully charged battery, whereas a radio may last all night.
At a maximum, this should cost around $215. Of course, it can be made larger or small as you wish, though its power output will be proportionate. A well-made solar panel should last many years and provide you with all the power you need.
