Instructions for self-assembly of a solar battery from inexpensive Chinese panels. Instructions: Do-it-yourself solar battery at home Do-it-yourself solar battery device diagram

Humanity in order to care for the environment and economy 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. Solar battery includes photocells connected in series and in parallel, a battery that stores electricity, an inverter that converts D.C. into a variable 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

Making 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 a panel, you should not only choose the most sunny 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: this takes into account possible expansion photocells at elevated temperatures.

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, in a single circuit consisting of all necessary details, turn on the Schottky diode, 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 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, a 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 small size, which explains the low efficiency of solar cells 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 for 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 rear surface plywood 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 jars together: with silicone gel that can withstand high temperatures, or a soldering iron. Be sure to dry the glued cans very well in a stationary position.

Having attached the jars 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.

Currently, alternative energy sources are very fashionable and popular, especially among owners of country cottages or private houses. But often such a device costs a lot of money and not everyone can afford to buy solar panels for their home. Therefore, the manufacture of solar panels with their own hands has become very relevant. So how do you make solar panels yourself?

Solar panel feature

A solar battery is a semiconductor structure that is capable of converting solar radiation into electricity. This allows you to provide the house with an economical, reliable and, most importantly, uninterrupted power supply. Especially this is true for hard-to-reach areas of residence, as well as where there are frequent power outages from the main source.

Such an alternative energy source is quite practical, because, unlike a traditional energy source, it costs much less. Making solar panels with your own hands allows not only to optimize energy consumption, but also saves finances.

Advantages

Solar panels have the following advantages:

• simple installation due to the fact that there is no need to lay a cable to the supports;
• electricity generation does not harm the environment at all;
• no moving parts;
• electricity is supplied independently of the distribution network;
• minimal time spent on system maintenance;
• small weight of batteries;
• silent operation;
• long service life at minimum cost.

Flaws

Despite the rather significant advantages, solar panels also have their disadvantages, such as:

• the complexity of the manufacturing process;
• sensitivity to pollution;
• the effective operation of solar panels is affected by weather conditions (sunny or cloudy days);
• for such a design, a lot of space is needed;
• Batteries don't work at night.

Requirements for a solar battery

Everyone can install solar panels in a private house. But in order for such a do-it-yourself design to benefit to the maximum, its features should be taken into account. The following requirements are imposed on the solar battery:

Materials needed for making a solar battery with your own hands

If it is not possible to purchase solar panels, you can make them yourself. At the beginning need to decide on the material from which they will be made.

To create panels, high-quality photocells will be needed. Manufacturers today offer the following types of devices:

• single-crystal silicon elements have an efficiency of up to 13%, but in cloudy weather they are not efficient enough;
• solar cells made of polycrystalline silicon have an efficiency of up to 9%, they can work both on sunny and cloudy days.

For the energy supply of the house, it is best to use polycrystals, which are available in sets.

It is important to know that everything needed for assembly cells are best purchased from one manufacturer, since products of different brands have significant differences in the effectiveness of products. This can create additional difficulties during assembly, incur costs as a result of operation, while the solar battery will have a low power.

To make a solar panel from improvised means, you will need special conductors designed to connect photocells.

The body of the future design is best made from aluminum corners with low weight. You can also use a material such as wood. But due to the fact that the structure will be constantly subject to atmospheric influence, its service life will be reduced.

The dimensions of the panel body depend on the number of photocells.

The outer coating of photocells can be made of plexiglass or transparent polycarbonate. Also used tempered glass that does not transmit infrared rays.

Thus, to make a solar battery with your own hands, you will need the following materials:

• photocells in the set;
• fasteners;
• copper electrical wires of high power;
• silicone vacuum stands;
• soldering equipment;
• aluminum corners;
• Schottke diodes;
• transparent sheet of polycarbonate or plexiglass;
• set of fixing screws.

Such materials are purchased at a building materials store or in an online store.

How to make solar panels with your own hands?

In order to make panels with your own hands, you need to collect the required materials. A solar battery is assembled for the house in the following sequence.

To properly make solar panels with your own hands, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

Every person dreams of getting free electricity in their home, and this dream is feasible. Having made solar panels with your own hands, you can enjoy additional source power supply. Wherein this design does not cause any harm to the environment besides it is very reliable and inexpensive.

Ecology of consumption. Life hack: Independence from energy and rising prices for it, whether it is at least thermal or electric. Solar panels and homemade windmills will come to the rescue - one of the types of alternative sources of electricity

What does it mean to you to be a farmer? For me, it's independence. Independence from various kinds of sanctions imposed different countries. Independence from rising food prices, since everything can be grown on your farm. And, of course, this is independence from energy and rising prices for it, whether it is at least thermal or electric. In one of my articles, I wrote about how to build a biogas plant with my own hands, but it suits those farmers who raise livestock, but what about those farmers who are engaged in vegetable or crop production?

Solar panels and homemade windmills will come to the rescue - one of the types of alternative sources of electricity. In my opinion, everything should be combined. The windmill will charge the batteries when there is wind but no sunlight, and the solar panel is the opposite.

Working principle of solar panels:

To understand how to assemble solar panels with your own hands, you need to understand their principle of operation. This will allow you to select the appropriate material when purchasing. I think it's important to know the following:

• Solar panels are powered by photovoltaic cells, which are monocrystalline and polycrystalline. Photovoltaic cells are often referred to as solar cells.
• It is unlikely that you will be able to assemble solar cells with your own hands, so you will have to buy them anyway. I was looking for them in Russia, but unfortunately now everything is made in China.

The video below is an excerpt from a scientific program about solar panels, it tells a little history and how photovoltaic cells work. At the end of the article will detailed video about how to assemble a solar panel with your own hands.

After you learned about the principle of the solar battery from the video, we can draw some conclusions:

1. For single-crystal solar cells, the efficiency is about 13%, but it is more profitable only when the amount sunny days high enough.
2. In Russia, I think it’s not profitable to install these panels, so there are polycrystalline photovoltaic cells, their efficiency is about 7%, but they work better with cloudiness and a small amount of sunny day.
3. Now there are technologies that allow you to make a photocell with an efficiency of more than 40%.
4. Approximately one photocell will produce 2.7 watts.
5. The price for polycrystalline and monocrystalline solar cells is basically the same, and it is also the same for solar panels.

You need to understand how much power you need and, based on this, calculate the required number of solar panels, but we'll talk about this in future articles. It is important to know that solar panels can be used directly, so if you need to boil water in a 2kW kettle, you will need 20 x 100W panels. But if you use batteries, then you can get by with 3-5 batteries that will charge the battery after the kettle boils water.

I would like to note that batteries often cost as much as the panels themselves. If you use solar panels for lighting, then you can get by with a 200 watt panel and put energy-saving light bulbs in the house.

We assemble solar panels with our own hands

Before assembling solar panels with your own hands, you will need to make a frame for the battery. Plexiglas is used as a protective layer and a transparent surface in the frame, ordinary glass can also be used, but it is not so reliable. Aluminum corners are used for the body.

It is IMPORTANT to pay attention to the soldering of the photocells in the circuit, how well the solar panel will work depends on it. Photocells come with soldered wires, which will make the task easier, but you will have to solder in any case. Flux and solder are pre-applied.

How to assemble a solar panel with your own hands, see the video below.

A bit of economics about solar panels and the profitability of assembling it yourself

Having searched the Internet for photocells for assembling solar panels to buy them in Russia, I found them for 3200 rubles for 38 pieces, I think this is not profitable, since now there are panels for 4500 rubles, a difference of 1300 will reduce your time and effort.

But if you look for Chinese solar cells, you can find 4,500 rubles for 100 pieces. From 100 pieces, you can already assemble two 100 W panels. In this case, the profitability of buying photocells is obvious. I want to draw your attention to the fact that in the video below there is an assembly of photocells, the size of which is 125 * 63. On the Internet, I found Chinese solar cells with a size of 156 * 156. With their help, you can assemble 4 solar panels of 100 W each.

As promised, a video on how to assemble a solar panel with your own hands. The principle of soldering and sealing is shown in great detail.SUBSCRIBE to OUR youtube channel Econet.ru, which allows you to watch online, download from YouTube for free a video about healing, rejuvenation of a person. Love for others and for yourselfas a feeling of high vibrations - an important factor in healing - site

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet

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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 below 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 hitting sun rays on 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 electricity, which 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 let's look at the most important materials in details.

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 consecutive 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 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 sized 3x6 inches 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.

The deterioration of the environment, the rise in energy prices, the desire for autonomy and independence from the whims of statesmen - these are just a few factors that make the most hardened inhabitants turn their dreamy glances towards alternative energy sources. For most of our compatriots, thoughts about "green" energy remain a fixed idea - high prices for equipment affect, and, as a result, the unprofitability of the idea. But after all, no one forbids making an installation for obtaining free energy on your own! Today we will talk about how to build a solar battery with our own hands and consider the prospects for its use in everyday life.

Solar battery: what is it

Mankind has been on fire with the idea of ​​transforming solar radiation into electrical energy since the 30s of the last century. It was then that scientists from the Academy of Sciences of the USSR announced the creation of semiconductor copper-thallium crystals, in which, under the action of light rays, an electric current began to flow. Today, this phenomenon is known as the photoelectric effect and is widely used both in solar power plants and in a variety of sensors.

The first solar panels have been known since the 50s of the last century.

The current strength of one photocell is measured in microamperes, therefore, in order to obtain any significant electrical power, they are combined into blocks. Many of these modules form the basis of a solar battery (SB), which can be used to connect various electronic devices. If we talk about a finished device that can be installed outdoors, then it is more correct to talk about a solar panel (SP) with a design that protects the assembly of photovoltaic modules from external factors.

It must be said that the efficiency of the first electric solar systems did not even reach 10% - both the shortcomings of semiconductor technology and the fatal losses associated with the reflection, scattering or absorption of the light flux affected. Decades of hard work of scientists have paid off, and today the efficiency of the most modern solar panels reaches 26%. As for promising developments, here it is even higher - up to 46%! Of course, an attentive reader may object that other power generators operate with an energy efficiency of 95-98%. Nevertheless, we should not forget that we are talking about completely free energy, the value of which on a sunny day exceeds 100 watts per square meter. m of the earth's surface per second.

Modern solar panels generate electricity on an industrial scale

The electricity obtained with the help of solar panels can be used similarly to that obtained at conventional power plants - to power various electronic devices, lighting, heating, etc. The only difference, which is that the output of the photoelectronic module has a constant, not an alternating current, is actually an advantage. The thing is that any solar system works only during daylight hours, and its power very much depends on the height of the sun above the horizon. Since the SB cannot work at night, electricity has to be stored in batteries, and they are all just sources of direct current.

Device and principle of operation

The principle of operation of an electric battery is based on such physical phenomena as semiconductivity and the photoelectric effect. At the heart of any solar cell are semiconductors, the atoms of which lack electrons (p-type conductivity), or have an excess of them (n-type). In other words, a two-layer structure is used with an n-layer as the cathode and a p-layer as the anode. Since the holding forces of the "extra" electrodes in the n-layer are weakened (the atoms do not have enough energy for them), they are easily knocked out of their places when bombarded by light photons. Further, the electrons move into the free "holes" of the p-layer and through the connected electrical load (or battery) return to the cathode - this is how the electric current flows, provoked by the flow of solar radiation.

The conversion of solar energy into electrical energy is possible due to the photoelectric effect, which Einstein described in his works.

As noted above, the energy from one photocell is extremely small, so they are combined into modules. By connecting several such blocks in series, the battery voltage is increased, and by parallel, the current is increased. Thus, knowing the electrical parameters of one cell, it is possible to assemble a battery of the required power.

The electricity received from the solar battery can be stored in batteries and, after being converted to a voltage of 220 V, can be used to power conventional household appliances.

To protect against atmospheric action, semiconductor modules are installed in a rigid frame and covered with glass with increased light transmission. Because the solar energy can only be used during daylight hours, then batteries are used for its accumulation - you can spend their charge as needed. Inverters are used to increase the voltage and adapt it to the needs of household appliances.

Video: how a solar panel works

Classification of photovoltaic modules

Today, the production of solar panels goes in two parallel ways. On the one hand, there are photovoltaic modules based on silicon on the market, and on the other hand, film modules created using rare earth elements, modern polymers and organic semiconductors.

Silicon solar cells popular today are divided into several types:

• monocrystalline;
• polycrystalline;
• amorphous.

For use in homemade solar panels, it is best to use polycrystalline silicon modules. Although the efficiency of the latter is lower than that of single-crystal elements, their performance is not so strongly affected by surface contamination, low cloudiness or the angle of incidence of sunlight.

It is not difficult to distinguish polycrystalline silicon modules from monocrystalline ones - the former have a lighter blue tint with pronounced "frosty" patterns on the surface. In addition, the type of photovoltaic plates can be determined by their shape - a single crystal has rounded edges, while its closest competitor (polycrystal) is a pronounced rectangle.

As for batteries made of amorphous silicon, they are even less dependent on weather conditions and, due to their flexibility, are practically not subject to the risk of damage during assembly. However, their use for their own purposes is limited as a fairly low power density per 1 square meter surface, and because of the high cost.

Silicon solar cells are the most common class of electrical photoplates, so they are most often used to make homemade devices.

The emergence of film photovoltaic modules is due both to the need to reduce the cost of solar panels, and the need to get more productive and durable systems. Today, the industry is mastering the production of thin solar modules based on:

• cadmium telluride with an efficiency of up to 12% and a cost of 1 W is 20–30% lower than that of single crystals;
• copper and indium selenide - efficiency 15–20%;
• polymer compounds - thickness up to 100 nm, with efficiency - up to 6%.

It is still too early to talk about the possibility of using film modules to build an electric solar station with your own hands. Despite the affordable cost, only a few companies are engaged in the manufacture of telluride-cadmium, polymer and copper-indium photocells.

Such advantages of film photocells as high efficiency and mechanical strength allow us to say with full confidence that they are the future of solar energy

Although you can find batteries created using film technology on sale, for the most part they are presented in the form of finished products. We are also interested in individual modules from which you can build an inexpensive home-made solar panel - they are still in short supply on the market.

Summary data on the efficiency of solar cells, which are produced by the industry, are presented in the table.

Table: Efficiency of modern solar panels

Where can I get photocells and can they be replaced with something else

Buying monocrystalline or polycrystalline wafers suitable for assembling a solar panel is not a problem today. The question is that the very idea of ​​​​a home-made generator of free electricity implies a result that will be much cheaper than the factory counterpart. If you buy photovoltaic modules on the spot, then you won’t be able to save much.

On foreign trading floors, solar cells are presented in a wide range - you can buy both a single product and a set of everything necessary for assembling and connecting a solar battery

For a reasonable price, solar cells can be found on foreign marketplaces, such as eBay or AliExpress.. There they are presented in a wide range and quite affordable prices. For our project, for example, common polycrystalline plates of 3x6 inches are suitable. Under ideal conditions, they can generate an electric current with a voltage of 0.5 V and a power of up to 3 A, that is, 1.5 W of electrical power.

If you are burning with the desire to save as much as possible or try your own strength, then there is no need to immediately buy good, whole modules - you can get by with substandard ones. All on the same eBay or AliExpress, you can find sets of plates with small cracks, chipped corners and other defects - the so-called "B" class products. On specifications ah photocells, external damage does not affect, which cannot be said about the price - defective parts can be bought 2-3 times cheaper than those that have a presentation. That is why it is rational to use them to test the technology on their first solar panel.

When choosing photoelectronic modules, you will see elements various types and size. Don't think that the larger their surface area, the higher the voltage they produce. This is wrong. Elements of the same type generate the same voltage regardless of size. What can not be said about the strength of the current - here the size is crucial.

Although it is possible to use an obsolete component base as photocells, the opened diodes and transistors have too low voltage and current strength - thousands of such devices will be needed

Immediately I want to warn you that it makes no sense to look for an analogue among various improvised electronic devices. Yes, you can get a working photoelectronic module from powerful diodes or transistors taken from an old radio or TV. And even make a battery by connecting several of these elements in a chain. However, it will not be possible to power anything more powerful than a calculator or an LED flashlight with such a “solar panel” due to the too weak technical characteristics of a single module.

The principle of calculating battery power

To calculate the required power of a home-made electric solar system, you need to know the monthly electricity consumption. It is easiest to determine this parameter - the amount of electricity consumed in kilowatt-hours can be viewed by the meter or found out by looking at the bills that the energy sales company regularly sends. So, if the costs are, for example, 200 kWh, then the solar battery should generate about 7 kWh of electricity per day.

In calculations, it should be taken into account that solar panels generate electricity only during daylight hours, and their performance depends both on the angle of the Sun above the horizon and weather conditions. On average, up to 70% of the total amount of energy is generated from 9 am to 4 pm, and in the presence of even a slight cloudiness or haze, the power of the panels drops by 2–3 times. If the sky is covered with solid clouds, then at best you can get 5-7% of the maximum capacity of the solar system.

According to the energy efficiency graph of the solar battery, it can be seen that the main share of the generated energy falls on the time from 9 to 16 hours.

Given all of the above, it can be calculated that to produce 7 kWh of energy under ideal conditions, you need an array of panels with a power of at least 1 kW. If we take into account the decrease in productivity associated with a change in the angle of incidence of rays, weather factors, as well as losses in batteries and energy converters, then this figure must be increased by at least 50-70 percent. If we take into account the upper indicator, then for this example a solar panel with a power of 1.7 kW will be needed.

Further calculation depends on which photocells will be used. For example, take the previously mentioned 3˝×6˝ polycrystalline cells (area 0.0046 sq. m) with a voltage of 5 V and a current of up to 3 A. To collect an array of photovoltaic cells with an output voltage of 12 V and a current of 1,700 W / 12 V = 141 A, you will need to connect 24 elements in a row (a serial connection allows you to sum up the voltage) and use 141 A / 3 A = 47 such rows (1,128 plates). The area of ​​​​the battery with the most dense laying will be 1,128 x 0.0046 = 5.2 square meters. m

In order to accumulate and transform solar energy into the usual 220 volts, you will need an array of batteries, a charge controller and a step-up inverter

To accumulate electricity, batteries with a voltage of 12 V, 24 V or 48 V are used, and their capacity should be enough to accommodate the same 7 kWh of energy. If we take the common 12-volt lead batteries (far from the most the best option), then their capacity must be at least 7,000 Wh / 12 V = 583 Ah, that is, three large batteries of 200 Ah each. It should be borne in mind that the efficiency of batteries is no more than 80%, and also that when the voltage is converted by an inverter to 220 V, from 15 to 20% of energy will be lost. Therefore, you will have to buy at least one more of the same battery to compensate for all losses.

To the question of the possibility of using electric solar panels for heating

As you may have already noticed, the phrase "solar battery" or "solar panel" is constantly mentioned in the context of an electrical device. This was not done by chance, since other solar panels or batteries - geocollectors - are often called in the same way.

Several solar collectors can provide a house hot water and will bear part of the heating costs

The ability to directly convert the energy of solar radiation directly into heat can significantly increase the productivity of such installations. Thus, modern geocollectors with a selective coating of vacuum tubes have an efficiency of 70–80% and can be used both in hot water supply systems and for space heating.

The design of the solar collector with vacuum tubes minimizes heat transfer to the external environment

Returning to the question of whether an electric solar panel can be used to power heating appliances, let's consider how much heat is needed, for example, for a house of 70 square meters. meters. Based on standard recommendations of 100 W of heat per 1 sq. m of the area of ​​​​the room, we get the cost of 7 kW of energy per hour, or approximately 70 kWh per day (heating devices, after all, will not be turned on all the time).

That is, 10 self-made batteries with a total area of ​​​​52 sq.m. Imagine a colossus, say, 4 m wide and more than 13 m long, as well as a block of 12-volt batteries with a total capacity of 7200 ampere-hours? Such a system will not even be able to reach self-sufficiency before the battery life is exhausted. As you can see, it is still too early to talk about the advisability of using solar panels for heating purposes.

Choosing a place for installing an electric solar panel

It is necessary to choose a place where the solar panel will be installed at the design stage. This can be either a south-facing roof slope, or an open area on suburban area. The latter, of course, is preferable for several reasons:

• the solar panel installed at the bottom is easier to maintain;
• on the ground it is easier to mount the rotary device;
• additional load on the roof and its damage during the installation of the solar system is excluded.

Installation location electrical panel should be open to sunlight throughout the daylight hours, so there should be no trees or buildings nearby, the shadow of which could fall on its surface.

When choosing a place to install a solar system, be sure to take into account the possibility of shading solar panels by surrounding objects.

The second circumstance, forcing us to look for such a site before assembling the solar battery, is related to determining the dimensions of the panel. By assembling the device with our own hands, we can be quite flexible in choosing its dimensions. As a result, you can get an installation that fits perfectly into the exterior.

Let's start making a solar battery with our own hands

Having made all the necessary calculations and having decided on a place for installing a solar battery, you can begin to manufacture it.

What will be needed at work

In addition to the purchased solar cells, when building an electric solar panel, you will need the following materials:

• copper stranded wire;
• solder;
• special tires for connecting the outputs of photocells;
• Schottky diodes, designed for the maximum current of one cell;
• solder;
• wooden slats or aluminum corners;
• plywood or OSB;
• Fiberboard or other rigid sheet dielectric material;
• plexiglass (you can use polycarbonate, anti-reflective ultra-clear glass or IR-absorbing window glass with a thickness of at least 4 mm);
• silicone sealant;
• self-tapping screws;
• antibacterial impregnation for wood;
• Oil paint.

When choosing glass for a solar panel, you should choose IR-absorbing grades with maximum light transmission and minimum light reflection.

To work, you need this simple tool:

• soldering iron;
• hacksaw or jigsaw;
• a set of screwdrivers or a screwdriver;
• paint brushes.

If an additional bracket will be built under the solar panel or swivel support, then, accordingly, the list of materials and tools should be replenished wooden beam or metal corners, steel bar, welding machine etc. When installing the SB on the ground, the site can be concreted or tiled.

Instructions for the progress of work

As an example, consider the process of building an electric solar system from the above-mentioned 3x6 solar cells with a voltage of 0.5 V and a current of up to 3A. To charge a 12-volt battery, it is necessary that our battery “give out” at least 18 V, that is, 36 plates are needed. The assembly should be carried out in stages, otherwise errors in the work cannot be avoided. It should be remembered that any alterations, as well as excessive manipulations with photocells, can damage them - these devices are characterized by increased fragility.

To make a full-fledged solar battery, you will need several dozen photocells.

Case manufacturing

The solar battery case is a flat box closed with plywood on one side and transparent glass on the other. For the manufacture of the frame, you can use both aluminum corners and wooden slats. The second option is easier to work with, so for the manufacture of your first panel, we recommend choosing it.

When starting to build a solar panel, make a small drawing - in the future this will help save time and avoid errors with dimensions

From rails with a section of 20x20 mm, a rectangular frame is assembled with external dimensions 118x58 cm, reinforced with one cross member.

The solar panel is wooden shield with sides no more than 2 cm high - in this case, they will not obscure the photocells

In the lower ends of the body, as well as in the spacer bar, they drill ventilation devices. They will communicate the inner cavity with the atmosphere, so that the glass will not fog up from the inside. After that, a rectangle is cut out of the Plexiglas sheet, corresponding to the external dimensions of the frame.

Holes made in the rails serve to ventilate the interior space of the panel

The back side of the box is sewn up with plywood or OSB. The body is treated with an antiseptic and painted with oil paint.

To protect the wooden case from atmospheric influences, it is painted with oil paint.

According to the size of the internal cavities of the body, 2 substrates for photocells are cut out. Their use during the installation of plates will not only make work more convenient, but also reduce the risk of damage to fragile glass. For substrates, you can take any dense material - fiberboard, textolite, etc. The main thing is that it does not conduct electric current and resists heat well.

Any suitable dielectric can be used as substrates for photocells, for example, perforated fiberboard

Plate Assembly

The assembly of the plates begins with unpacking. Often, for the safety of photocells, they are collected in a stack and filled with paraffin. In this case, the products are immersed in a container with water and heated in a water bath. After the paraffin is melted, the plates should be separated from each other and dried well.

Removal of wax from the plate pack is best done in a water bath. The method shown in the figure has not proven itself in the best way - when boiling, the plates begin to vibrate and hit each other

The photocells are laid out on the substrate in such a way that their leads are directed in the right direction. In our case, all 36 plates are connected in series - this will allow us to “gain” the 18 V we need. For ease of installation, 6 plates should be soldered, getting 6 separate chains.

Before soldering, the photocells are laid out in chains of the required length.

Knowing the principle of forming solar panels, you can easily select the required voltage and current strength. Everything is very simple: first, a group of series-connected plates is assembled, which will give the desired voltage. After that, the individual blocks are connected in parallel - in this case, their current strength will be summed up. Thus, you can get a panel of any power.

Solder is applied to the conductive paths of the photocells and the parts are connected to each other using a low-power soldering iron.

When buying cheaper photovoltaic cells without leads, be prepared for the painstaking work of soldering conductors

After collecting all six groups, a drop of silicone sealant must be applied to the center of each plate. The photocell strings are then unfolded and carefully glued to the substrate.

To fix the photocells on the substrate, use silicone sealant or rubber glue.

A Schottky diode is soldered to the positive terminal of each chain - it will protect the battery from being discharged through the panel at night or during heavy cloud cover. Using a special bus or copper braid, individual blocks are connected into a single circuit.

In the electrical connection diagram, the elements of the solar panel are circled with a dotted line

With a serial connection, the positive output must be connected to the negative contact, and with a parallel connection, to the one of the same name.

Installing plates in the body

The photocells assembled on the substrate are placed in the case and fixed to the plywood using self-tapping screws. Separate parts of the solar battery are connected to each other by a copper conductor. It can be passed through one of the ventilation holes in the cross member - so there will be no interference when installing the glass.

A multi-core cable is soldered to the “plus” and “minus”, which is brought out through a hole in the bottom of the case - it will be needed to connect the panel to the battery. To prevent damage to the plates, the cable is firmly fixed to the wooden frame.

After installing the plates, all hinged elements are fixed with hot glue or sealant.

From above, the solar battery is covered with a sheet of plexiglass, which is fixed with corners or self-tapping screws. To protect the photocells from moisture, a layer of silicone sealant is applied between the frame and glass. On this, the assembly can be considered complete - you can take the solar battery to the roof and connect it to consumers.

After laying and fixing the glass cover, the solar panel is ready for operation.

The efficiency of the solar battery depends on its orientation to the sun - the maximum power is achieved when the sun's rays fall at a right angle. To increase the productivity of the installation, it is placed on a swivel frame. This design is a wooden or metal frame mounted on a swivel horizontal axis.

For maximum efficiency, the solar panel must be oriented directly to the Sun. This task is best handled by automatic installations called solar trackers.

To rotate and fix the frame, you can use either a mechanical drive (for example, a chain drive) or a step-adjustable retaining bar. The most advanced rotary devices are equipped with a rotation unit in vertical plane and an automatic solar tracking system. Such equipment can be assembled using stepper motors and a modern microcontroller, such as Arduino.

Building a solar tracker at home is an extremely difficult task, so most often craftsmen get by with a simple frame with an inclined or fixed frame

Connecting a solar battery to an autonomous power supply system should be done using a charge controller. This device will not only correctly distribute the flows of electrical energy, but also prevent deep discharge of the battery, increasing its service life. All connections, including the connection of the 220V inverter, must be made copper wires with a cross section of at least 3-4 square meters. mm - this will avoid ohmic energy losses.

The solar battery charge controller will allow it to work with maximum current output and protect the batteries from excessive discharge.

Finally, I would like to recommend that you monitor the solar battery not only by indicators and instrument arrows. Be aware that dirty glass can reduce plant performance by 50% or more. Do not forget to carry out regular cleaning, and a do-it-yourself installation will repay you with kilowatts of completely free, and most importantly, environmentally friendly energy.

Video: do-it-yourself solar panel assembly

Today, there are no barriers to assembling a solar panel with your own hands. There are no problems either with the purchase of photocells, or with the purchase of a controller or energy converter. We hope that this article will be your starting point on the path to an autonomous home, and you will finally get down to business. We will be waiting for your questions, ideas and suggestions regarding the design and improvement of solar panels. See you soon!

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