home · Appliances · What does solar cell production technology look like? Making a solar battery for your home with your own hands Technology for making solar panels from disks article

What does solar cell production technology look like? Making a solar battery for your home with your own hands Technology for making solar panels from disks article

If you pay attention to the roofs of many private houses or small companies, then you can see solar panels there. Rising prices for energy resources lead to people starting to look for alternative sources. Under these conditions, the demand for solar panels is increasing day by day.

Potential Opportunities

With the growing popularity of alternative energy sources, it is advisable to occupy a niche in the market in time. To do this, you first need to purchase equipment for production solar panels. It can be bought both in Europe, the USA and the CIS, and in China.

Depending on the demand for these products in your region or in the places where you can supply the manufactured goods, you need to decide what your production will be focused on. Currently on the market you can find panels designed for various applications.

These can be lightweight portable options that you take with you on hiking trips, stationary modules suitable for installation on the roofs of buildings and residential buildings, or powerful panels that are used as small power plants.

Working lines

If you have a manufacturing facility, then you can think about buying equipment for the production of solar panels. Also, do not forget that when making them you should always have sufficient quantities of the necessary consumable components.

Yes, to the list necessary equipment machines come in that laser cut the panel material into squares, sort them, laminate them, insert them into frames and join them together. In addition, production requires machines that mix special glue, cut the film under the panel and their edges. In production, it is impossible to do without tables, on which it will be necessary to correct angles, insert wires into panels and shape them, and carts designed to move and press them.

Each machine for the production of solar panels is an indispensable component of the line for their production. Therefore, before you start ordering materials for production, calculate the total cost of the equipment and analyze whether you can afford such expenses. True, it is worth considering that if there are sales channels, they pay for themselves quite quickly.

Manufacturing process

If you have only seen solar panels in pictures before and have little idea how they are created, then it is better to find a person who knows the technology for producing solar panels. If we talk about her in general outline, then you need to know that it consists of a number of stages.

Manufacturing begins with the inspection and preparation for work of materials received in the workshop. After cutting and sorting photovoltaic converters (PVCs), they are supplied to equipment where the process of soldering special tinned copper busbars to the panel contacts takes place. Only after this does the process of connecting all the solar cells into chains of the required length begin.

The next step is to create a sandwich, which consists of transducers assembled into a matrix, glass, two layers of sealing film and back side panels. It is at this stage that the equipment for the production of solar panels forms the circuit diagram of the module, and its operating voltage is immediately determined.

The assembled structure is checked and sent for lamination - sealing, which takes place under pressure at high temperature. Only after this the frame is attached to the prepared semi-finished product and a special connection box is mounted.

Product testing

It is almost impossible to find defects among similar products on the market, because after assembly, each panel goes to a special testing workshop.

It is there that they are checked for the possibility of voltage breakdown. After this, they are sorted, packaged and sent for sale. In stores you can find both small portable options and solar panels for the home.

The production of these species is practically no different.

Of course, only major manufacturer with large production volumes and a sufficient number of employees. It is difficult for new small manufacturers to compete with the giants, because the one-time creation of large batches allows them to reduce production costs.

Obtaining electricity from alternative power sources is a very expensive endeavor. For example, using solar energy when purchasing finished equipment you will have to spend a significant amount of money. But nowadays it is possible to assemble solar panels with your own hands for a summer house or private home from ready-made solar cells or other available materials. And before you start purchasing the necessary components and designing the structure, you need to understand what a solar battery is and its operating principle.

Solar battery: what is it and how does it work?

People who are faced with this task for the first time immediately have questions: “How to assemble a solar battery?” or “How to make a solar panel?” But having studied the device and the principle of its operation, problems with the implementation of this project disappear by themselves. After all, the design and principle of operation are simple and should not cause difficulties when creating a power source at home.

Solar battery (SB) - these are photovoltaic converters of energy emitted by the sun into electrical energy, which are connected in the form of an array of elements and enclosed in a protective structure. Converters - semiconductor elements made of silicon for generating direct current. They are produced in three types:

  • Monocrystalline;
  • Polycrystalline;
  • Amorphous (thin film).

The operating principle of the device is based on photoelectric effect. Sunlight falling on photocells knocks out free electrons from the last orbits of each atom on the silicon wafer. The movement of large numbers of free electrons between the battery electrodes produces D.C.. Next, it is converted to alternating current for home electrification.

Selection of photocells

Before the beginning design work To create a panel at home, you need to choose one of three types of solar energy converters. To select suitable elements you need to know their technical characteristics:

  • Monocrystalline. The efficiency of these plates is 12–14%. However, they are sensitive to the amount of incoming light. Light clouds significantly reduce the amount of electricity generated. Service life up to 30 years.
  • Polycrystalline. These elements are capable of delivering an efficiency of 7–9%. But they are not affected by the quality of illumination and are capable of delivering the same amount of current into cloudy and even cloudy weather. Operational period - 20 years.
  • Amorphous. Manufactured from flexible silicon. They produce an efficiency of about 10%. The amount of electricity produced is not reduced by the quality of the weather. But expensive and complex production makes them difficult to obtain.

To manufacture the SB on your own, you can purchase type B converters (second grade). These include elements with minor defects; even if some components are replaced, the cost of the batteries will be 2-3 times less than the market price, thanks to this you will save your money.

To provide a private home with electricity from an alternative energy source, the first two types of plates are best suited.

Site selection and design

It is better to place batteries according to the principle: the higher the better. Great place there will be a roof of the house; there will be no shadow from trees or other buildings on it. If the design of the ceilings does not allow it to support the weight of the installation, then the location should be chosen in the area of ​​the dacha that receives the most radiation from the sun.

The assembled panels must be positioned at such an angle that the sun's rays fell as perpendicularly as possible onto the silicon elements. Ideal option It will be possible to adjust the entire installation in the direction behind the sun.

Making your own battery

You will not be able to provide your house or cottage with 220 V electricity from a solar battery, because... The size of such a battery will be enormous. One plate generates electricity with a voltage of 0.5 V. The best option is considered to be SB with rated voltage 18 V. Based on this, it is calculated required amount photocells for the device.

Frame assembly

First of all, a homemade solar battery needs protective frame (housing). It can be made from aluminum corners 30x30 mm or from wooden blocks at home. Using metal profile On one of the shelves, a chamfer is removed with a file at an angle of 45 degrees, and the second shelf is cut at the same angle. The frame parts, cut to the required size with machined ends, are twisted using squares made of the same material. Protective glass is glued to the finished frame using silicone.

Soldering plates

When soldering elements at home, you need to know that to increase voltage needs to be connected sequentially, and for increasing current strength - parallel. The flint plates are laid out on the glass, leaving a gap of 5 mm between them on each side. This gap is necessary to dampen possible thermal expansion of the elements when heated. The converters have two tracks: on one side " plus", with another - " minus" All parts are connected in series into a single circuit. Then the conductors from the last components of the chain are brought out to a common bus.

To avoid self-discharge of the device at night or in cloudy weather, experts recommend installing a 31DQ03 Schottky diode or an analogue on the contact from the “middle” point.

After completing the soldering work, use a multimeter to check the output voltage, which should be 18–19 V to fully supply a private home with electricity.

Panel assembly

Soldered converters are placed into the finished housing, then Silicone is applied to the center of each flint element, and is covered with a fiberboard backing on top to fix them. After which the structure is closed with a lid, and all joints are sealed with sealant or silicone. The finished panel is mounted on a holder or frame.

Solar batteries from scrap materials

In addition to assembling SBs from purchased photocells, they can be assembled from scrap materials that any radio amateur has: transistors, diodes and foil.

Transistor battery

For these purposes, the most suitable parts are KT type transistors or P. Inside them is a rather large silicon semiconductor cell, necessary for the production of electricity. Having selected the required number of radio components, you need to cut them off metal cover. To do this, you need to clamp it in a cleaver and use a hacksaw to carefully cut off the upper part. Inside you can see a plate that will serve as a photocell.

Transistor for battery with sawn-off cap

All these parts have three contacts: base, emitter and collector. When assembling the SB, you need to choose a collector junction due to the greatest potential difference.

Assembly is carried out on a flat plane from any dielectric material. Transistors need to be soldered into separate serial circuits, and these chains, in turn connect in parallel.

The calculation of the finished current source can be made from the characteristics of radio components. One transistor produces a voltage of 0.35 V and a current with a short circuit of 0.25 μA.

Diode battery

Solar battery made of diodes D223B can actually become a source of electric current. These diodes have the highest voltage and are made in a glass case coated with paint. The output voltage of the finished product can be determined from the calculation that one diode in the sun generates 350 mV.

  1. Place the required number of radio components in a container and fill it with acetone or another solvent and leave for several hours.
  2. Then you need to take the plate the right size from not metal material and make markings for soldering the power supply components.
  3. Once soaked, the paint can be easily scraped off.
  4. Armed with a multimeter, in the sun or under a light bulb we determine the positive contact and bend it. Diodes are soldered vertically, because In this position, the crystal best generates electricity from the sun's energy. Therefore, at the output we get the maximum voltage that the solar battery will generate.

In addition to the two methods described above, the power source can be assembled from foil. Homemade solar battery made according to step by step instructions, described below, will be able to provide electricity, although of very low power:

  1. For homemade you will need copper foil area 45 sq. cm. The cut piece is treated in a soap solution to remove fat from the surface. It is also advisable to wash your hands so as not to leave grease stains.
  2. Emery is necessary remove protective oxide film and any other type of corrosion from the cutting plane.
  3. A sheet of foil is placed on the burner of an electric stove with a power of at least 1.1 kW and heated until red-orange spots form. With further heating, the resulting oxides are converted to copper oxide. This is evidenced by the black color of the surface of the piece.
  4. After the formation of the oxide, heating must be continued within 30 minutes so that an oxide film of sufficient thickness is formed.
  5. The roasting stops and the sheet cools down along with the stove. With slow cooling, the copper and oxide cool with at different speeds, which makes the latter easy to peel off.
  6. Under running water oxide residues are removed. In this case, you must not bend the sheet or mechanically tear off small pieces so as not to damage it. thin layer oxides
  7. A second sheet is cut to the size of the first.
  8. Place two pieces of foil in a 2-5 liter plastic bottle with the neck cut off. Secure them with alligator clips. They must be positioned so that they didn't connect.
  9. A negative terminal is connected to the processed piece, and a positive terminal is connected to the second piece.
  10. It is poured into the jar saline solution. His the level should be 2.5 cm below the top edge of the electrodes. To prepare the mixture 2–4 tablespoons salt(depending on the volume of the bottle) dissolve in a small amount of water.

All solar panels are not suitable for providing a cottage or private home with electricity due to their low power. But they can serve as a power source for radios or charging small electrical appliances.

Video on the topic

With constantly rising prices for electricity, you inevitably begin to think about using natural sources for power supply. One of these possibilities is solar panels for your home or garden. If desired, they can fully provide all the needs of even a large house.

Design of a solar power supply system

Converting solar energy into electricity is an idea long time kept scientists awake. With the discovery of the properties of semiconductors, this became possible. Solar cells use silicon crystals. When sunlight hits them, a directed movement of electrons is formed in them, which is called an electric current. When connecting a sufficient number of such crystals, we obtain quite decent currents: one panel with an area of ​​​​a little more than a meter (1.3-1.4 m2 with a sufficient level of illumination can produce up to 270 W (voltage 24 V).

Since the illumination changes depending on the weather and time of day, it is not possible to directly connect devices to solar panels. We need a whole system. In addition to solar panels, you need:

  • Battery. During daylight hours under the influence sun rays Solar panels generate electricity for your home or cottage. It is not always used in full; its excess accumulates in the battery. The accumulated energy is consumed in inclement weather.
  • Controller. Not a mandatory part, but desirable (if you have enough funds). Monitors the battery's charge level to prevent it from over-discharging or exceeding its maximum charge level. Both of these conditions are detrimental to the battery, so having a controller extends the life of the battery. The controller also provides optimal mode operation of solar panels.
  • DC to AC converter (inverter). Not all devices are designed for direct current. Many work from AC voltage at 220 volts. The converter makes it possible to obtain a voltage of 220-230 V.

Solar panels for the home are only part of the system

By installing solar panels for your home or cottage, you can become completely independent from the official supplier. But for this you need to have a large number of batteries, a number of batteries. A kit that produces 1.5 kW per day costs about $1000. This is enough to meet the needs of a summer house or part of the electrical equipment in the house. A set of solar panels for producing 4 kW per day costs about $2,200, for 9 kW per day - $6,200. Since solar panels for home - modular system, you can buy an installation that will provide part of the needs, gradually increasing its productivity.

Types of solar panels

With rising energy prices, the idea of ​​using solar energy to generate electricity is becoming increasingly popular. Moreover, with the development of technology, solar converters are becoming more efficient and, at the same time, cheaper. So, if you wish, you can meet your needs by installing solar panels. But they happen different types. Let's figure it out.

The solar battery itself is a number of photocells located in a common housing, protected by a transparent front panel. For household use Solar cells are produced on the basis of silicon, since it is relatively inexpensive, and elements based on it have a good efficiency (about 20-24%). Monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film (flexible) solar cells are made based on silicon crystals. A certain number of these photocells are electrically connected to each other (series and/or parallel) and connected to terminals located on the housing.

Photocells installed in closed case. The solar battery housing is made of anodized aluminum. It is lightweight and non-corrosive. Front panel made of durable glass that must withstand snow and wind loads. In addition, it must have certain optical properties - have maximum transparency in order to transmit as many rays as possible. In general, a significant amount of energy is lost due to reflection, so the requirements for the quality of glass are high and it is also coated with an anti-reflective compound.

Types of photocells for solar panels

Solar panels for the home are made from three types of silicon cells;


If you have pitched roof and the façade is facing south or east, it makes no sense to think too much about the space occupied. Polycrystalline modules may well suit this. For the same amount of energy produced, they cost slightly less.

How to choose the right solar panel system for your home

There are common misconceptions that make you spend extra money on overly expensive equipment. Below are recommendations on how to properly build a power supply system from solar panels and not spend extra money.

What to buy

Not all components of a solar power plant are vital for operation. Some parts can be done without. They serve to increase reliability, but without them the system is operational. The first thing to remember is to purchase solar panels at the end of winter, beginning of spring. Firstly, the weather at this time is excellent, there are many sunny days, the snow reflects the sun, increasing the overall illumination. Secondly, discounts are traditionally announced at this time. The following are the tips:


If you use only these tips, and connect only equipment that runs on constant voltage, a solar panel system for your home will cost a much more modest amount than the cheapest kit. But that is not all. You can leave some of the equipment “for later” or do without it altogether.

What can you do without?

The cost of a set of solar panels for 1 kW per day is more than a thousand dollars. Considerable investment. You will inevitably wonder whether it is worth it and what the payback period will be. At current rates, you will have to wait for more than one year until you get your money back. But costs can be reduced. Not at the expense of quality, but due to a slight decrease in the operating comfort of the system and due to a reasonable approach to the selection of its components.


So, if your budget is limited, you can get by with a few solar panels and rechargeable batteries, the capacity of which is 20-25% higher than the maximum charge of solar panels. To monitor the condition, buy a car clock that also measures voltage. This will save you from having to measure the battery charge several times a day. Instead, you will need to look at your watch from time to time. That's all for the start. In the future, you can purchase additional solar panels for your home and increase the number of batteries. If desired, you can buy an inverter.

Determining the size and number of photocells

Good 12-volt solar panels should have 36 cells, and 24-volt solar panels should have 72 solar cells. This amount is optimal. With fewer photocells you will never get the stated current. And this is the best option.

Don't buy double ones solar panels- 72 and 144 elements respectively. Firstly, they are very large, which is inconvenient for transportation. Secondly, with abnormal low temperatures, which happen to us periodically, they are the first to fail. The fact is that the laminating film greatly decreases in size in cold weather. On large panels Due to the high tension, it peels off or even breaks. Transparency is lost and productivity drops catastrophically. The panel is being repaired.

Second factor. On larger panels the thickness of the body and glass should be greater. After all, the windage increases and snow loads. But this is not always done, as the price increases significantly. If you see a double panel, and the price for it is lower than for two “regular” ones, it’s better to look for something else.

Again: the best choice— a 12-volt solar panel for a home, consisting of 36 photocells. This best option, proven by practice.

Technical specifications: what to look for

Certified solar panels always indicate operating current and voltage, as well as open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current. It is worth considering that all parameters are usually indicated for a temperature of +25°C. On a sunny day on the roof, the battery heats up to temperatures significantly higher than this figure. This explains the presence of higher operating voltage.

Also pay attention to the open circuit voltage. In normal batteries it is about 22 V. And everything would be fine, but if you carry out work on the equipment without disconnecting the solar panels, the no-load voltage will damage the inverter or other connected equipment that is not designed for such a voltage. Therefore, during any work - switching wires, connecting/disconnecting batteries, etc. etc. - the first thing you should do is disconnect the solar panels (remove the terminals). Having gone through the circuit, you connect them last. This procedure will save you a lot of nerves (and money).

Case and glass

Solar panels for home have aluminium case. This metal does not corrode and has sufficient strength and is light in weight. A normal body must be assembled from a profile containing at least two stiffeners. In addition, the glass must be inserted into a special groove, and not fixed on top. All these are signs of normal quality.

When choosing a solar battery, pay attention to glass. In normal batteries it is not smooth, but textured. It is rough to the touch; if you rub it with your nails, you can hear a rustling sound. In addition, it must have high-quality coating, which minimizes glare. This means that nothing should be reflected in it. If reflections of surrounding objects are visible at any angle, it is better to find another panel.

Selecting the cable cross-section and the fineness of the electrical connection

Solar panels for your home must be connected to copper single-core cable. The cable cross-section depends on the distance between the module and the battery:

  • distance less than 10 meters:
    • 1.5 mm2 per 100 W solar battery;
    • for two batteries - 2.5 mm2;
    • three batteries - 4.0 mm2;
  • distance more than 10 meters:
    • to connect one panel we take 2.5 mm2;
    • two - 4.0 mm2;
    • three - 6.0 mm2.

You can take a larger cross-section, but not less (there will be big losses, but we don’t need it). When purchasing wires, pay attention to the actual cross-section, since today the declared dimensions very often do not correspond to the actual ones. To check, you will have to measure the diameter and calculate the cross-section (you can read how to do this).

When assembling the system, you can draw the positives of solar panels using a multi-core cable of a suitable cross-section, and use one thick cable for the negative. Before connecting to the batteries, we pass all the “pluses” through diodes or diode assemblies with a common cathode. This prevents the battery from shorting out (which could cause a fire) if the wires between the batteries and the battery are shorted or broken.

Diodes use types SBL2040CT, PBYR040CT. If you don’t find any, you can remove them from old power supplies personal computers. There are usually SBL3040 or similar ones. It is advisable to pass through diodes. Don’t forget that they get very hot, so you need to mount them on a radiator (you can use just one).

The system also requires a fuse box. One for each consumer. We connect the entire load through this block. Firstly, the system is safer. Secondly, if problems arise, it is easier to determine its source (by a blown fuse).

The benefits of solar energy are obvious, a lot has already been said about this and there is no doubt about it. It is for this reason that many people have already installed panels on their homes today, while others are only dreaming about it. Solar panels are certainly beneficial, but such devices have enough high cost, which is why not everyone can afford such luxury. Thanks to this, many people are wondering how to make a solar battery with their own hands, is it possible, and what is needed for this?

The answer is, of course, it is quite possible. Moreover, today there are several ways that will help you make solar panels with your own hands. The method you choose depends on what kind of performance you need.

1. Preparation of starting materials

  • Elements made of polycrystalline silicon;
  • Monocrystalline photocells.

The first option has a lower coefficient level useful action(efficiency), which is about 7-9%. However, panels consisting of such elements do not lose efficiency, even in cloudy weather. They are almost equally productive as in sunny days, and in rainy weather.

Monocrystalline panels, in turn, have more high level Efficiency, which is about 13%. However, they are more effective only in sunny weather, and in the case of cloudiness or darkness, their productivity is greatly reduced. Due to these features, polycrystalline solar cells are most often used to create a fairly powerful homemade solar battery that will be equally effective in all weather conditions.

It is strongly recommended to purchase photocells from one manufacturer. This is because the devices different brands may well have differences in effectiveness, which in turn creates additional difficulties at the time of determining total power batteries. In addition, the estimated operating period of the elements may also differ.

The simplest and most common method of acquiring the necessary elements today is auctions like eBay. Here you can purchase ready-made sets of photocells, and they will have a very reasonable price. In order to assemble solar panels for your home with your own hands from available materials, you will need special conductors with which the photocells are connected to each other. In addition, you will need a soldering iron and soldering accessories.

It is quite possible to purchase slightly damaged photocells, since they do not lose any performance at all, but at the same time have a much lower cost. Of course, such elements have a less aesthetic appearance.

For the manufacture of the battery case, the most suitable material are aluminum corners that have a small height. Of course, it is quite possible to make solar panels with your own hands from available materials, without buying corners, but using, for example, wooden blocks. However, it is worth understanding that homemade solar panels will be constantly used, and therefore exposed to various weather conditions. In this case, the wood can deteriorate extremely quickly, so you will have to redo the body.

The dimensions of the solar battery depend on the number of photocells that will be used. External protective covering The panels must be transparent and at the same time sufficiently strong and durable. It is best to use plexiglass or polycarbonate as such a coating. You can, of course, use durable strained glass, however, you should be more careful with such panels. Also, it will be better if this protection does not allow infrared rays to pass through, since such protection reduces the heating of the panel during use.

2. Soldering conductors

After you have purchased everything necessary materials, you can proceed to assembling a homemade solar battery. First of all, you need to solder the conductors to the photocells. This process is very labor-intensive and will require some patience and accuracy from you. During the soldering process, some difficulties may arise due to the fragility of the photocell structure. It will be much easier to buy elements that already have soldered conductors, however, even with soldering yourself, you will soon get the hang of it and easily cope with this task. In addition, already soldered solar cells may have a higher cost.

If you plan to solder the conductors yourself, you need to know the following procedure:

  • The first step is to cut the existing conductors to the required length (it is more convenient to do this using a cardboard template);
  • Next, you need to carefully place the cut conductor on the photocell;
  • After this, you should apply soldering acid, as well as solder, to the place where soldering will be performed;
  • Carefully and carefully solder the conductor. In this case, under no circumstances should you press on the crystal. Soldering is done easily and quickly. This will come with experience.

This process is not quick, which is why when making homemade solar panels for your home, you will need some time and patience.

3. Assembling the housing and installing photocells

As already mentioned, to produce a frame of the required size, aluminum corners are needed, as well as fastening materials (hardware). It is best to take corners with a low height, since otherwise they will block the Sun and create a shadow on the photocells. In addition, using too high corners, you will end up with an unreasonably wide housing for the panel.

It is necessary to apply to the inner edges of the bonded profiles silicone sealant. This is necessary to ensure that the homemade solar battery is sealed. A sheet of plexiglass cut to size should be placed on the applied sealant, pressing it tightly and fixing it. After the sealant has dried, the plexiglass can be additionally secured with hardware.

After completing the above steps, you must place it on the inner plane transparent sheet photocells with soldered conductors. In this case, it is necessary to maintain a small distance between the cells (about 5 mm). This is explained by the fact that elements can expand under the influence of temperature during use. In addition, thanks to these indentations, the possibility of breaking contacts is eliminated. In order for a solar battery for your home to be correctly assembled, this process must be approached with utmost care. In addition, to make work easier, you can pre-mark the substrate.

4. Combining photocells into a single system

Soldering all photocells into one system must comply with electrical diagram. To date, several schemes are known:

  • Serial connection;
  • Connection to a common bus;
  • Connection with derived midpoint.

There are also other schemes, therefore, it is best to first select the most suitable option. In this case, the main thing is that the circuit contains shunt diodes, which must be installed on a common “+” conductor. These diodes are required in order to prevent the device from discharging at night or in partial darkness. For these purposes, it is best to use Schottky diodes. As current carrying wires, you can use ordinary cables with silicone insulation. Of course, they must be secured securely and firmly.

After combining photocells according to the chosen scheme, the resulting solar battery must be tested for current and voltage. To do this, you will need a regular ammeter and voltmeter, or a multimeter that has both of these functions. If the test is successful, it means that the elements are connected correctly and all contacts are intact.

After checking, all photocells should be fixed and the panel sealed. Most easy way consists of applying mounting silicone to each element, after which the device must be covered with a panel, which can be made of durable plastic. Moreover, if you use transparent plastic, then you will have the opportunity to monitor the possible appearance of defects or cracks in the elements. After the silicone has dried, the back panel must be fixed into a pre-fabricated aluminum frame. All seams of the structure must also be sealed with silicone. You can also use double-sided adhesive tape to secure the photocells. The main rule is that the thickness of this tape (or silicone layer) exceeds the soldering height. This will help prevent damage to the contacts.

5. DIY solar battery made from transistors

Today it is possible to make a solar battery with your own hands, without using purchased photocells. For example, it can be made from transistors or diodes. Of course, it is impossible to make a solar battery from these materials that can provide energy to an entire house, but such a device is quite capable of powering small and compact electrical appliances.

So, how to make a homemade solar panel? Very simple. To make a homemade panel, you will need old transistors; it is best to take “P” or “KT” type devices. First of all, you need to cut down very carefully top part housing so that sunlight can reach р-n junctions. If you use “P” transistors, you will additionally need to pour powder out of it and blow out the inside.

Next, the resulting photocells must be combined into blocks. The connection is made in series to increase the voltage, and in parallel to increase the current. By connecting transistors in this way, it is quite possible to create a solar battery with your own hands, which will have the necessary parameters. It is convenient to fix such elements on a textolite substrate by hanging installation.

In addition, it is possible to assemble a solar battery from diodes, for example D223B. At the same time, you don’t even need to disassemble them; it’s quite enough to simply wipe off the paint with acetone. Under the paint you will find a glass body. Due to the small size of such diodes, high density installation of elements. It is necessary to solder the diodes into the substrate vertically, as this will allow achieving maximum illumination of the crystal, and, consequently, maximum performance.

6. DIY solar battery: Video

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

Characteristics of solar panel

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

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

Advantages

Solar batteries have the following advantages:

  • simple installation due to the fact that there is no need to lay a cable to the supports;
  • generating electricity is absolutely harmless environment;
  • there are no moving parts;
  • electricity is supplied independently of the distribution network;
  • minimal time spent on system maintenance;
  • light weight of batteries;
  • silent operation;
  • long service life at minimal costs.

Flaws

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

  • the complexity of the manufacturing process;
  • sensitivity to pollution;
  • on effective work solar panels are influenced by weather conditions (sunny or cloudy days);
  • such a design requires a lot of space;
  • The batteries don't work at night.

Requirements for a solar battery

Anyone can install solar panels in a private home. But in order for such a DIY design to bring maximum benefits, its features should be taken into account. The following requirements apply to the solar battery:

Materials needed to make 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 devices:

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

To power your home, it is best to use polycrystals, which are available in kits.

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 the products. This may create additional difficulties during assembly, entail costs as a result of operation, and the solar battery will have low power.

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

The body of the future design is best made from aluminum corners that are light in weight. You can also use a material such as wood. But due to the fact that the structure will always be exposed to atmospheric influences, its service life will decrease.

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

The outer covering of photocells can be made of plexiglass or transparent polycarbonate. Tempered glass is also used, which 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;
  • fastening hardware;
  • high power copper electrical wires;
  • silicone vacuum stands;
  • soldering equipment;
  • aluminum corners;
  • Schottke diodes;
  • transparent sheet of polycarbonate or plexiglass;
  • set of screws for fastening.

Such materials can be purchased at 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 a home is assembled in the following sequence.

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

Get free electricity Every person dreams of having their own home and this dream can be realized. By making solar panels with your own hands, you can enjoy an additional source of electricity. Wherein This design does not cause any harm to the environment Moreover, it is very reliable and inexpensive.