Build Your Own Solar Panels: How Hard Can It Be?
By: ahilleas11 | Posted: 07th April 2009
Electric and heating bills are just getting way too expensive for your pocket and you've decided that it's time to take action and install solar panels at home. But how do you install solar panels? Here's the overall process regarding photovoltaic solar panels-panels that generate electricity. They convert sunlight into electricity.
To build solar panels you can either use solar panel kits or build them from scratch.
Solar panel kits are simple designs where almost anyone can build a solar panel.
Building solar panels from scratch is more complicated and more for those with handy-man skills.
The kits supply you with photovoltaic cells, the wiring, the assembly hardware and the mounting devices. It's very easy to put together. Just keep in mind that you may need to check your local building codes in case a permit or licensed installer is required.
Solar panel kits can be found online by various suppliers. Log on to the internet, go to your search engine and search for "solar cell kits". You'll find a plethora of information and resources that will help you find exactly what you need.
Building you panels from scratch is less expensive but more labour intensive. It needs raw copper sheeting, like the copper flashing available at hardware stores, and a heat source. You need to heat the copper for at least a half hour to create the chemical reaction that produces copper oxide on the surface of the copper sheet.
Once the cooper panel cools, combine it with another non-oxidized copper panel of the same size. Add salt-water solution and enclose all the components in a durable glass panel. After the panel is assembled, add the wiring and mounting components. Now you have a low voltage panel. You will need to assemble many of these in order to get the energy production necessary to power household devices.
Whether you choose to build your panels from scratch or to use a solar panel kit you'll be sure to save money, energy and the environment.
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Tags: hardware stores, chemical reaction, heat source, energy production, heating bills, photovoltaic cells, glass panel, solar cell