Instructions for self-assembly of solar panels from inexpensive Chinese panels. Instructions: DIY solar battery at home DIY solar battery scheme
In order to take care of the environment and save money, mankind began to use alternative energy sources, to which, in particular, solar panels belong. Buying such a pleasure will be quite expensive, but it is not difficult to make this device yourself. So it doesn't hurt to learn how to make a solar panel yourself. This is what 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 how it works. 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 from silicon, but its purification is expensive, therefore, such elements as indium, copper, selenium have recently begun to be used.
Each photocell is a separate cell that generates electricity. The cells are interconnected and form a single field, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich depends on the battery power. That is, the more solar cells there are, 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 photo effect. A photocell is a silicon plate, when light hits which an electron is knocked out from the last energy level of silicon atoms. The movement of a stream of such electrons generates direct current, which is subsequently converted into alternating current. This is the phenomenon of the photoelectric effect.
Benefits
Solar panels have the following advantages:
- harmless to the environment;
- durability;
- silent work;
- ease of manufacture and installation;
- independence of electricity supply from the distribution network;
- immobility of parts of the device;
- insignificant financial costs;
- light weight;
- work without mechanical converters.
Varieties
Solar panels are classified into the following types.
Silicon
Silicon is the most popular battery material.
Silicon batteries are also divided into:
- Monocrystalline: Very pure silicon is used to make these batteries.
- Polycrystalline (cheaper than monocrystalline): polycrystals are obtained by gradual cooling of silicon.
Film
Such batteries are divided into the following types:
- Based on cadmium telluride (efficiency 10%): cadmium has a high light absorption coefficient, which allows it to be used in the manufacture of batteries.
- Based on copper-indium selenide: higher efficiency than previous ones.
- Polymeric.
Solar cells from polymers have begun to be produced relatively recently, usually furellens, polyphenylene, etc. are used for this. Polymer films are very thin, about 100 nm. Despite the efficiency of 5%, polymer batteries have their own advantages: low cost of material, environmental friendliness, elasticity.
Amorphous
The efficiency of amorphous batteries is 5%. Such panels are made of silane (silicon hydrogen) according to the principle of film batteries, so they can be classified as both silicon and film. Amorphous batteries are flexible, 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;
- mounting screws and hardware;
- polycarbonate sheet / plexiglass;
- soldering equipment.
These materials are required in order to make a solar panel with your own hands.
Selection of photocells
To make a solar panel for your home with your own hands, you should choose the right photocells. The latter are subdivided into monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous.
The efficiency of the former is 13%, but such solar cells are ineffective in bad weather, outwardly they are bright blue squares. Polycrystalline solar cells are able to generate electricity even in bad weather, although their efficiency is only 9%, they are outwardly darker than monocrystalline ones and are 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 manufacture of such cells is too expensive, so they are rarely used.
If you plan to use the electricity generated by solar cells in the country, 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, as photocells of several brands can be very different - 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, not size.
The amount of current produced is determined by the dimensions of the smallest photocell, therefore, photocells of the same size should be purchased. Of course, you should not buy cheap products, because this means that they have not passed the test. Also, do not buy wax-coated photocells (many manufacturers cover the photocells with wax to preserve the product during transport): removing it can damage the photocell.
Calculations and design
Making a solar panel with your own hands is not a difficult task, the main thing is to approach it 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. Indeed, as mentioned above, the current generated by the cell depends on its size.
Knowing the required size of 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 another place where the solar battery is planned to be installed, the conceived structure.
When installing the panel, you should not only choose the most sunny place, but also try to fix it at right angles to the sun's rays.
Stages of work
Housing
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 gaps 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 the possible expansion of the photocells with increasing temperature.
The transducers 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 parts, turn on the Schottky diode, connecting it to the positive conductor. Then all the elements are soldered together.
Assembly
Welded converters are placed in the finished frame, silicone is applied to the photocells - all this is covered with a fiberboard layer, covered with a lid, and the joints of the parts are treated with a sealant.
Even a city dweller can make and place a solar panel on a balcony with his 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 to be quite easy.
Ideas from scrap materials
You can make a solar panel with your own hands from scrap materials. Let's consider the most popular options.
Many will be surprised to learn that foil can be used to make a solar panel with your own hands. In fact, this is not surprising, because foil increases the reflectivity of materials. For example, to reduce overheating of panels, they are placed on foil.
How to make a foil solar panel?
We 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, cut off a piece of foil, put it on a hot electric stove, heat it for half an hour, observing the blackening, then remove the foil from the stove, let it cool and see how pieces peel off the sheet. After heating, the oxide film disappears, so the black oxide can be carefully 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 a chance to touch.
Also foil can be used for heating. To do this, it must be pulled over the frame, to which you then need to connect hoses, supplied, for example, to a watering can.
So we learned how to make a solar panel for a 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 residence with their own hands. In this case, the photocell is a semiconductor wafer inside the transistor. How to make a solar panel from transistors with your own hands? First, it is necessary to open the transistor, for which it is enough to cut off the lid, so we can see the plate: it is small, 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 well-lit p-n junction and measure the current, the multimeter should record the current from a few fractions of a milliampere to 1 or slightly 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 them. 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. You need 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 removed crystals to the case.
The power of these 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 body of plywood, on which we will place polycarbonate or plexiglass, fix foam or glass wool on the back surface of the plywood for insulation. Aluminum cans will serve as photocells. It is important to choose exactly cans made of aluminum, since aluminum is less susceptible to corrosion than, for example, iron and has better heat transfer.
Further, holes are made at the bottom of the cans, the lid is cut off, and unnecessary elements are folded to ensure better air circulation. Then it is necessary to clean the jars from grease and dirt using special products that do not contain acids. Next, you need to tightly seal the cans together: with silicone gel that can withstand high temperatures, or a soldering iron. It is imperative to dry the glued cans very well in a stationary position.
After attaching the cans to the body, 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 examined the options for how to make a solar panel with your own hands. We hope that now you will not have a question on how to make a solar panel.
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 the home. Therefore, it has become very relevant to make solar panels with your own hands. So how do you make solar panels yourself?
Solar Panel Feature
Such an alternative source of energy is quite practical, because, unlike a traditional source of energy, it costs much less. Making solar panels with your own hands allows you not only to optimize energy consumption, but also saves money.
Benefits
Solar panels have the following advantages:
- easy installation due to the fact that there is no need to lay a cable to the supports;
- the generation of electricity is absolutely harmless to the environment;
- there are no moving parts;
- electricity is supplied independently of the distribution network;
- minimal time costs for system maintenance;
- low weight of batteries;
- silent work;
- long service life at minimum costs.
disadvantages
Despite the rather significant advantages, solar panels have their disadvantages, such as:
- labor intensity of the manufacturing process;
- sensitivity to pollution;
- the efficient operation of solar panels is influenced by weather conditions (sunny or cloudy days);
- a lot of space is needed for such a design;
- the batteries do not work at night.
Requirements for a solar panel
Everyone can install solar panels in a private house. But in order for such a self-made design to be of maximum benefit, its features should be taken into account. The following requirements are imposed on the solar battery:
Materials required for making a solar panel with your own hands
If it is not possible to purchase solar panels, you can make them yourself. at first you need to decide on the materialfrom which they will be made.
To create the panels, you will need quality photocells. Manufacturers today offer the following types of devices:
- monocrystalline silicon elements have an efficiency of up to 13%, but in cloudy weather they are not efficient enough;
- photocells made of polycrystalline silicon have an efficiency of up to 9%, they can work both on sunny and cloudy days.
It is best to use polycrystals to power your home, which are available in kits.
It is important to know that all necessary 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, entail costs as a result of operation, while the solar battery will have a low power.
To make a solar panel from available tools, you will need special conductors designed to connect the photocells.
The case of the future design is best made of lightweight aluminum corners. You can also use a material such as wood. But due to the fact that the design will be exposed all the time atmospheric influence, its service life will decrease.
The dimensions of the panel housing depend on the number of photocells.
The outer coating of the photocells can be made of plexiglass or transparent polycarbonate. They also use 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 a set;
- fastening hardware;
- high power copper electrical wires;
- silicone vacuum coasters;
- soldering equipment;
- aluminum corners;
- schottke diodes;
- transparent sheet of polycarbonate or plexiglass;
- a set of screws for fasteners.
Such materials are purchased from a building materials store or 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 for the house is assembled in the following sequence.
To correctly 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 realizable. Having made solar panels with your own hands, you can enjoy additional source power supply. Wherein this design does not harm the environmentand it is also very reliable and inexpensive.
Ecology of consumption. Life hack: Independence from energy and rising prices for it, be it 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, this is independence. Independence from various kinds of sanctions imposed different countries... Independence from the rise in food prices, since everything can be grown on your own farm. And, of course, this is independence from energy and the rise in prices for it, be it at least thermal or electric. In one of my articles I wrote about how to build a biogas plant with your own hands, but it is suitable for those farmers who raise livestock, but what about those farmers who are engaged in vegetable growing or plant growing?
Solar panels and homemade windmills will come to the rescue - some of the types of alternative sources of electricity. In my opinion, everything should be combined. The wind turbine will charge the batteries when there is wind but no sunlight, and the solar panel is the opposite.
How solar panels work:
To understand how to assemble solar panels with your own hands, you need to understand how they work. This will allow you to select the appropriate material upon purchase. I believe you need to know the following:
- Solar panels work by means of photocells, which are monocrystalline and polycrystalline. Solar cells are often referred to as solar cells.
- It is unlikely that solar cells can be assembled with your own hands, so you will have to buy them in any case. I was looking for them in Russia, but unfortunately now everything is done in China.
The video below is an excerpt from a science program about solar panels, it tells a bit of history and how solar cells work. At the end of the article there will be detailed video 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 summarize some of the results:
- Monocrystalline photocells have an efficiency of about 13%, but it is more profitable only when the amount sunny days high enough.
- In Russia, I think it is not profitable to install these panels, therefore there are polycrystalline solar cells, their efficiency is about 7%, but they work better in cloudy weather and a small amount of sunny day.
- Now there are technologies that make it possible to make a photocell with an efficiency of more than 40%.
- Approximately one photocell will produce 2.7 watts.
- The price for polycrystalline and monocrystalline solar cells is basically the same, 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 will 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 2 kW kettle, then this will require 20 100 W panels. But if you use batteries, then you can get by with 3-5 batteries, which will charge the battery after the kettle boils the water.
I would like to note that batteries often cost the same as the panels themselves. If you use solar panels for lighting, then you can get by with a 200 W panel and put energy-saving bulbs in the house.
We collect 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 solar cells into the circuit, it depends on how well the solar panel will work. Photocells come with soldered wires, which will make the task easier, but you will have to solder in any case. Pre-applied flux and solder.
How to assemble a solar panel with your own hands, see the video below.
A little economy about solar panels and the profitability of assembling it yourself
Having searched the Internet for photocells for assembling solar panels in order to buy them in Russia, I found them at 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 them at 4,500 rubles per 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 156 * 156 with their help you can assemble 4 solar panels of 100 watts.
As promised, the video is about 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 free video about health improvement, rejuvenation of a person. Love for others and for yourself,how the feeling of high vibrations is an important factor in healing - site
P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption - together we are changing the world! © econet
Join us at
Solar panels are a source of energy that can be used to generate electricity or heat for a low-rise building. However, solar panels are expensive and inaccessible to most people in our country. Do you agree?
It's another matter when a solar battery is made by hand - costs are significantly reduced, and such a structure works no worse than an industrial panel. Therefore, if you are seriously thinking about purchasing an alternative source of electricity, try to do it yourself - it is not very difficult.
The article will focus on the manufacture of solar panels. We will tell you what materials and tools are required for this. Below you will find step by step instructions with illustrations that clearly demonstrate the progress of work.
The sun's energy 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 photoelectric effect generator.
Conversion of energy from the sun into electricity occurs after being hit sun rays on the photocell plates, which are the main part of the battery.
In this case, the light quanta “release” their electrons from the extreme orbits. These free electrons give electricity, which passes through the controller and accumulates in the battery, and from there goes to power consumers.
Image gallery
Materials for making 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 photocells available. From 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 details.
Silicon wafers or photocells
Photocells for batteries are of three types:
- polycrystalline;
- monocrystalline;
- amorphous.
Polycrystalline plates are characterized by low efficiency. The size of the effective action is about 10 - 12%, but this indicator does not decrease over time. Duration of work of polycrystals - 10 years.
The solar battery is assembled from modules, which in turn are made up of photovoltaic converters. Batteries with hard silicon photovoltaic cells are a kind of sandwich with sequential layers fixed in an aluminum profile
Monocrystalline solar cells boast a higher efficiency - 13-25% and a long service life - over 25 years. However, over time, the efficiency of single crystals decreases.
Monocrystalline converters are obtained by sawing artificially grown crystals, which explains the highest photoconductivity and productivity.
Film photoconverters are produced by applying a thin layer of amorphous silicon on a flexible polymer surface
Flexible batteries with amorphous silicon are state of the art. Their photovoltaic converter is sprayed on or fused onto a polymer base. The efficiency is in the region of 5 - 6%, but film systems are extremely convenient 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 competitors.
Inappropriate 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 for the delivery method, most sellers use the wax method to prevent fragile elements from collapsing
Most often for homemade batteries, mono and polycrystalline photocells 3x6 inches are used, which can be ordered from E-buy online stores.
The cost of photocells is quite high, but many stores sell the so-called elements of group B. Products classified in this group are defective, but suitable for use, and their cost is lower than that of standard plates by 40-60%.
Most online stores sell photocells in sets of 36 or 72 photovoltaic conversion plates. Busbars are required to connect individual modules to the battery; terminals will be required to connect to the system.
Image gallery
The solar battery can be used as a backup power source in case of frequent outages of the centralized power supply. An uninterruptible power supply system must be provided for automatic switching.
Such a system is convenient in that when using a traditional source of electricity, charging is simultaneously performed. The equipment serving the solar battery is located inside the house, therefore it is necessary to provide a special room for it.
Deteriorating ecology, rising energy prices, the desire for autonomy and independence from the whims of statesmen - these are just a few factors that make the most inveterate inhabitants turn dreamy views towards alternative energy sources. For most of our compatriots, the idea of \u200b\u200b"green" energy remains a fix idea - high prices for equipment, and, as a consequence, the unprofitability of the venture affect. 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
Humanity has been on fire with the idea of \u200b\u200btransforming solar radiation into electrical energy since the 30s of the last century. It was then that scientists from the USSR Academy of Sciences announced the creation of semiconductor copper-thallium crystals, in which an electric current began to flow under the action of light rays. 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, to obtain any significant electrical power, they are combined into blocks. Many of these modules form the basis of the solar battery (SB), which can be used to connect various electronic devices... If we talk about a finished device that can be installed in the open air, then it is more correct to talk about a solar panel (SP) with a structure 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 reach even 10% - both the shortcomings of semiconductor technology and unavoidable losses associated with reflection, scattering or absorption of the light flux affected. Decades of hard work of scientists have yielded their results, 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 might argue that other power generators operate at 95–98% energy efficiency. Nevertheless, one should not forget that we are talking about completely free energy, the value of which on a sunny day exceeds 100 W 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 in the same way as that obtained in conventional power plants - to power various electronic devices, lighting, heating, etc. The only difference is that the output of the photovoltaic module is a constant, not a variable current is actually an advantage. The thing is that any solar system works only during daylight hours, and its power depends very much on the height of the sun above the horizon. Since the SB cannot work at night, electricity has to be accumulated in batteries, and they are all just DC sources.
Device and principle of operation
The principle of operation of an electric battery is based on such physical phenomena as semiconductor and photoelectric effect. At the heart of any solar cell are semiconductors, whose atoms lack electrons (p-type conductivity), or have an excess of them (n-type). In other words, a two-layer structure with an n-layer as the cathode and a p-layer as the anode is used. Since the holding forces of the "extra" electrodes in the n-layer are weakened (atoms do not have enough energy for them), they are easily knocked out of their places when bombarded by photons of light. Then 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 thanks 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 units in series, the battery voltage is increased, and the current is increased by parallel. Thus, knowing the electrical parameters of one cell, you can 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 ordinary household appliances.
To protect against weathering, semiconductor modules are installed in a rigid frame and covered with glass with increased light transmission. Insofar as solar energy can be used only during daylight hours, then batteries are used to accumulate it - you can use up 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
PV module classification
Today, solar cell production follows two parallel paths. On the one hand, there are silicon-based photovoltaic modules on the market, and on the other hand, film modules created using rare-earth elements, modern polymers and organic semiconductors.
Today's popular silicon solar cells 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 monocrystalline elements, their performance is not so strongly influenced 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 amorphous silicon batteries, they are even less dependent on weather conditions and due to their flexibility are practically not subject to the risk of damage during assembly. Nevertheless, their use for their own purposes is limited as a rather low specific power per 1 square meter surface, and because of the high cost.
Silicon solar cells are the most common class of electrical photographic plates, so they are most often used to make homemade devices.
The emergence of film photovoltaic modules is due to both the need to reduce the cost of solar cells and the need to obtain more efficient 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 an efficiency of up to 6%.
It is still too early to talk about the possibility of using film modules for building 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 solar cells.
Such advantages of film photocells as high efficiency and mechanical strength make it possible to say with full confidence that they are the future of solar energy.
Although you can find batteries made using film technology on sale, most of them are presented in the form of finished products. We are interested in individual modules from which you can build an inexpensive homemade solar panel - they are still in short supply on the market.
A summary of the efficiency of industrial solar cells is presented in the table.
Table: Efficiency of modern solar panels
Where can I get photocells and can they be replaced with something else
It is not a problem to buy monocrystalline or polycrystalline wafers suitable for solar panel assembly today. The question is that the very idea of \u200b\u200ba home-made generator of free electricity implies a result that will be much cheaper than a factory analogue. If you buy PV modules locally, 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 3x6 "polycrystalline wafers are suitable. Under ideal conditions, they can generate an electric current of 0.5 V and a power of up to 3 A, that is, 1.5 W of electrical power.
If you are eager to save as much as possible or try your own strengths, 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 class "B" products. On technical characteristicsexternal damage does not affect the photocells, which cannot be said about the price - defective parts can be bought 2-3 times cheaper than those that have a presentation. Therefore, it is rational to use them in order to test the technology on your first solar panel.
When choosing photovoltaic modules, you will see the elements different types and size. Don't assume that the larger their surface area, the more stress they generate. This is not true. Cells of the same type generate the same voltage regardless of size. The same cannot be said about the strength of the current - here the size is of decisive importance.
Although an obsolete component base can be used as photocells, opened diodes and transistors have too low voltage and amperage - thousands of such devices will be needed
Immediately I would like to warn you that there is no point in looking for an analogue among the various electronic devices at hand. Yes, you can get a working photoelectric module from powerful diodes or transistors removed from an old radio or TV. And even make a battery by connecting several such elements in a chain. However, it will not be possible to power anything more powerful than a calculator or LED flashlight with such a "solar panel" due to the too weak technical characteristics of a single module.
Battery power calculation principle
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 supply 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 the calculations, it should be borne in mind that solar panels generate electricity only during daylight hours, and their performance depends on both 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 slight cloudiness or haze, the power of the panels decreases 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
Considering all of the above, it can be calculated that to obtain 7 kWh of energy under ideal conditions, an array of panels with a capacity of at least 1 kW is required. If we take into account the decrease in productivity associated with a change in the angle of incidence of the 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 the upper figure into account, then for the example under consideration, a 1.7 kW solar panel will be needed.
Further calculation depends on which photocells will be used. For example, take the previously mentioned polycrystalline cells 3˝ × 6 элементы (area 0.0046 sq. M) with a voltage of 5 V and a current strength of up to 3 A. To collect an array of photocells with an output voltage of 12 V and a current strength equal to 1,700 W / 12 V \u003d 141 A, you will need to connect 24 elements in a row (serial connection allows you to sum up the voltage) and use 141 A / 3 A \u003d 47 such rows (1 128 plates). The area of \u200b\u200bthe battery with the most dense packing will be 1,128 x 0.0046 \u003d 5.2 sq. 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 sufficient to accommodate the same 7 kWh of energy. If we take common 12-volt lead-acid batteries (far from the most the best option), then their capacity should be at least 7,000 W × h / 12 V \u003d 583 A × h, that is, three large batteries of 200 Amp-hours 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, 15 to 20% of energy will be lost. Therefore, you will have to purchase at least one more battery of the same to compensate for all losses.
On the issue of the possibility of using electric solar panels for heating purposes
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 - geo-collectors - are often called the same way.
Several solar collectors will be able to provide the house with hot water and will bear part of the heating costs
The ability to directly convert solar energy directly into heat can significantly increase the productivity of such installations. Thus, modern geo-collectors with selective coating of vacuum tubes have an efficiency of 70–80% and can be used both in hot water supply systems and for heating rooms.
The design of the solar collector with vacuum tubes minimizes heat transfer to the external environment
Returning to the question of whether it is possible to use an electric solar panel to power heating appliances, let's consider how much heat is needed, for example, for a house of 70 square meters. meters. Based on the standard recommendations of 100 W of heat per 1 sq. m of floor space, we get the cost of 7 kW of energy per hour or approximately 70 kWh per day (heating devices will not be turned on all the time).
That is, 10 homemade batteries with a total area of \u200b\u200b52 sq.m. Can you imagine a colossus that is, 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 the 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 in a suburban area. The second, of course, is preferable for several reasons:
- the solar panel installed below is easier to maintain;
- it is easier to mount a rotary device on the ground;
- the additional load on the roof and its damage when installing the solar system is excluded.
Installation location electrical panel should be open to sunlight throughout the day, so there should be no trees or buildings nearby, the shadow of which could fall on its surface.
When choosing a place for installing a solar system, be sure to take into account the possibility of solar panels shading by surrounding objects
The second circumstance compelling us to look for such a site before starting the assembly of the solar battery is associated with determining the dimensions of the panel. Assembling the device with our own hands, we can be flexible enough to choose its size. As a result, you can get an installation that fits perfectly into the exterior.
We start making a solar battery with our own hands
Having made all the necessary calculations and having decided on the place for installing the solar battery, you can start making it.
What is needed in the work
In addition to the purchased photocells, when building an electric solar panel, you will need the following materials:
- copper stranded wire;
- solder;
- special buses for connecting photocell leads;
- 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 super-transparent glass or infrared-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 solar panels, select IR-absorbing grades with maximum light transmittance and minimum light reflection
For work, you will need such a simple tool:
- soldering iron;
- hacksaw or jigsaw;
- a set of screwdrivers or screwdriver;
- paint brushes.
If an additional bracket or swivel support is to be built under the solar panel, then, accordingly, the list of materials and tools should be added wooden bar or metal corners, steel bar, welding machine etc. When installing the SB on the ground, the site can be concreted or tiled.
Workflow instructions
As an example, consider the process of building an electric solar system from the above-considered 3x6 inch solar cells with a voltage of 0.5 V and a current strength of up to 3A. To charge a 12-volt battery, our battery needs to "give out" at least 18 V, that is, 36 plates are needed. The assembly should be carried out in stages, otherwise errors cannot be avoided. It should be remembered that any alterations, as well as excessive manipulations with photocells can lead to their damage - these devices are highly fragile.
To make a full-fledged solar battery, you will need several dozen photocells
Manufacturing of the case
The solar cell body 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 we recommend choosing it for making your first panel.
When starting the construction of the solar panel, make a small drawing - in the future this will help save time and avoid errors with dimensions
A rectangular frame with external dimensions of 118x58 cm, reinforced with one cross-piece, is assembled from slats with a section of 20x20 mm.
The solar cell housing is wooden shield with bumpers no more than 2 cm high - in this case, they will not shade the photocells
Drilled in the lower ends of the body, as well as in the spacer bar ventilation devices... They will communicate the inner cavity with the atmosphere, so that the glass will not fog up on the inside. After that, a rectangle is cut out of the plexiglass sheet, corresponding to the outer dimensions of the frame.
The holes made in the rails are used to ventilate the interior of the panel.
The reverse 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 the weather, it is painted with oil paint
2 substrates for photocells are cut out to the size of the internal cavities of the housing. Their use during the installation of the plates will not only make the 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
Assembly of plates
The assembly of the plates begins with unpacking. Often, for the safety of photocells, they are collected in a pile 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.
It is best to remove wax from the plate pack 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
Photocells are laid out on the substrate so that their leads are directed in the right direction. In our case, all 36 plates are connected in series - this will allow us to "dial" the 18 V we need. For ease of installation, 6 plates should be soldered each, getting 6 separate chains.
Before soldering, the photocells are arranged in chains of the required length.
Knowing the principle of forming solar panels, you can easily select the required voltage and current. Everything is very simple: first, a group of plates connected in series is assembled, which will give the required voltage. After that, the individual blocks are connected in parallel - this will add up their current strength. Thus, you can get a panel of any capacity.
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 photocells 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. Then the chains of photocells are unrolled and carefully glued to the substrate.
To fix the photocells on the substrate, use a silicone sealant or rubber glue
A Schottky diode is soldered to the positive terminal of each chain - it will protect the battery from discharge through the panel at night or in case of strong clouds. Using a special busbar or copper braid, the individual blocks are connected into a single circuit.
In the wiring diagram, solar panel elements are circled with a dotted line.
With a serial connection, the positive terminal must be connected to the negative contact, and in parallel - to the one of the same name.
Installation of plates in the housing
The photocells collected on the substrate are placed in the case and fixed to the plywood using self-tapping screws. The individual parts of the solar panel are connected to each other with a copper conductor. It can be passed through one of the ventilation holes in the cross member - this will not interfere with the installation of the glass.
A multicore cable is soldered to the "plus" and "minus", which is led out through the 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 attached with corners or self-tapping screws. To protect the photocells from moisture, a layer of silicone sealant is applied between the frame and the glass. At this, the assembly can be considered complete - you can take out the solar battery to the roof and connect it to consumers.
After laying and fixing the glass cover, the solar panel is ready for use
The efficiency of a solar battery depends on its orientation to the sun - 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 pivot frame. This structure is a wooden or metal frame mounted on a pivoting horizontal axis.
For maximum efficiency, the solar panel must be oriented strictly towards the Sun. Automatic installations, called heliotrackers, do the best with this task.
For turning and fixing the frame, you can use both a mechanical drive (for example, a chain drive), and a support bar with step adjustment. The most advanced rotary devices are equipped with a rotation unit in vertical plane and an automatic tracking system for the Sun. Such equipment can be assembled using stepper motors and a modern microcontroller such as the 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
The connection of the solar battery to the autonomous power supply system should be done through the 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 done copper wires with a cross section of at least 3-4 sq. mm - this will avoid ohmic energy losses.
The solar battery charge controller will allow it to operate at maximum current output and protect the batteries from over-discharge
Finally, I would like to recommend monitoring the solar battery not only by the indicators and arrows of the devices. Remember that dirty glass can reduce the productivity of the installation by 50% or more. Do not forget to carry out regular cleaning, and a self-assembled installation will repay you with kilowatts of completely free, and most importantly, environmentally friendly energy.
Video: DIY solar panel assembly
Today there are no barriers to assembling a solar panel with your own hands. There are no problems with the purchase of photocells, or with the purchase of a controller or energy converter. Hopefully this article will provide you with a starting point on your journey to an autonomous home, and you will finally get down to business. We will be waiting for questions, ideas and suggestions from you regarding the design and improvement of solar panels. Until next time!
Related entries:
No related records found.
