Did you know that you could have all the power energy you need to light up the whole house FOR FREE? That’s right! One powerful source to provide all of your electricity needs for NO cost at all. That is what solar energy can do to you.
Back in our elementary and high school days, we were taught on the different kinds of energy. Most of these forms of energy are provided by nature itself to bring us electrical power required for our entire house. Although, we gain basic knowledge on these forms of energy, benefits and applications are overlooked hence, we continue paying on our electrical needs.
The good news is that solar energy makes us forget about all those monthly electrical bills. In fact, this form of energy wants us to enjoy all of the power we need for our house without stressing on the charges we have to pay monthly for our electric usage. How is this possible?
Well, free solar energy is possible when you use a solar panel. By building your own solar panel and install them in an appropriate location in your house, you will enjoy all the power your solar panel generates from the sun.
That sounds remarkable, right? But, what is a solar panel? How do I build my own solar panel?
Let us define first a solar panel. A solar panel is a collection of solar cells linked together in a single panel to acquire energy from the sun. This solar energy-generating device is installed on the roof angled where the sunlight is mostly dominant. If an angle of the roof is not capable of facing a good position to the sun, these solar panels are then positioned in an area near the house where it can generate most of the solar energy. The energy generated by the solar cells are then converted to electrical energy and distributed all over the house.
With all the technicalities and scientific information on solar panels, you would probably think that building your own solar panel is difficult. Well, think again. Building a solar panel is not as hard as you think. If you have basic knowledge in carpentry or electrical works, then you are able to build your own solar panel.
So, how do you build your own solar panel?
The first thing you must do is to acquire the necessary tools. You need to have solar cells, volt meter, plywood, UV protective varnish, flux, silicone, Plexiglas and of course carpentry tools and some screws. I will not state the exact dimensions of each tools since these are dependent on how big your solar panel is.
Before you purchase you solar cells, figure out first the number of watts you need to produce. A single solar cell may not be as powerful as you think. It requires more cells to produce the necessary watts for your entire house. You can test the solar cells individually with the voltmeter and add all these volts until you achieve the desired watts. Normally, a solar cell can produce .5 volts.
After you figured out how many solar cells you need, you can check on your plywood dimension. Bear in mind that all your solar cells must exactly fit the plywood. You can then put some UV varnish on your plywood so that it will protect it from too much exposure on the sun.
Now, you can prepare your solar cells. You may notice that most manufacturers wax their solar cells in order to prevent damage when shipped to different places. This is good since it reduce the risk of buying a damaged solar cell. But, often, these waxes may be very difficult to remove. What you need to do is to place them in hot water, but, remember not to allow the water to boil, as this would make the solar cells react. Alert supervision is required in this process. Dry your solar cells when the wax is removed. After that, you can arrange your solar cells in your plywood panel.
Start by placing flux in your solar cells. This will ensure that your solar cells are completely attached on your panel. Then you can connect your solar cells through some wirings. Apply a least amount of silicon to fix them securely onto the panel.
Next is to put the frame in place. A Plexiglas is needed in this process. You can affix the frame using silicon and some screw. Make sure you do this firmly so that no external factor can damage your solar cells inside.
Before you can praise your hard work on your solar panel, check first for any gaps, which may allow moisture to sip in. If everything looks fine and protected, you may set up your solar panel on your house roof or any liable area near your house.
Now, you can enjoy the free gift of power nature can offer.
To know more on how a solar panel works, here is a video for you to watch: