Solar Panels Power Energy

Posts Tagged ‘Solar Cells’

Construction of solar panel is not a difficult task. You need some solar cells, wire and solder to connect them to a working circuit. A silicone caulk is needed to mount solar cells on fiberboard. Put all the items in a wooden shadow box. Cover it with a Plexiglas to protect them.

Instructions for making shadow box:-

1. Take a sheet of half inch plywood. Cut it to 22 1/4inches wide and 45 3/4inches long with the help of a saber saw. Take wood trim of 3/4inch by 3/4inch square and cut it into a length of 45-3/4inches long. This should be of 2 pieces. Similarly, cut 3 more pieces having a length of 20-3/4inches. Next drill holes of 1/4inch throughout the wood trim leaving a gap of 4inches between holes.

2. Put glue on a single side of each trim and screw 2-long trim pieces to top long plywood edges. A short piece needs to be screwed to top of plywood’s each short end. The last piece of trim needs to be screwed on the center of plywood. This gives you 2areas for solar cells installation.

3. The wood has to be protected and this can be done by painting the box with acrylic paint or exterior grade latex paint.

Instructions for mounting solar cells:-

1. Cut 2 Masonite sheets to 20 1/2inches by 21 1/4inches each. Draw a 2by6grid onto each Masonite piece.

2. Place 2-solar cells in upside down position on grid’s first row. See that it overlaps with soldering tabs. Solder tabs together with the help of soldering iron and solder. Place more extra cells into position. Keep soldering them in a line till you have 6. Next solder a 2ndrow facing in opposite direction. Again solder a 3rdrow of 6cells in 1strow’s direction.

3. Put a silicon caulk in center of each cell. Turn each row and press them on the grid.

4. In order to create a single circuit, cut a small copper wire piece and solder it to 1strow’s last cell and solder other end to middle row’s 1stcell. Solder a wire from middle row’s last cell to 3rdrow’s 1stcell. Repeat steps 1-6 for 2ndpiece of Masonite. Put both Masonite pieces into solar panel.

5. Connect 2groups of cells. Secure diode to Masonite near last solar cell. Screw a transparent Plexiglas to shadow box’s frame. Screw Plexiglas cover to panel. Connect panel to 12volt battery in order to store solar energy.