10 Steps for Easy DIY Solar Panel Installation
While solar energy is a new, big thing with many benefits to getting electricity this way, everyone knows how much it costs to rent or buy panels from local solar companies, and it’s hard to decide whether solar energy is worth itBut what you may not have known is that you can easily make solar panels yourself at home.
This guide will show you how to make a solar panel and create your own solar system. The process of making solar panels is surprisingly simple. The supplies are readily available and cheap, and no professional skills are required other than a little soldering.
“It’s amazing that we have devices with no moving parts that generate electricity, just by putting them outside,” he said Joshua Pearceprofessor at Western University in Ontario and co-author of To catch the suna free e-book on DIY solar systems. “But while converting sunlight directly into electricity may seem like magic, anyone with even modest engineering skills can get involved, whether they build their own modules from individual cells or build their own photovoltaic systems from commercially available modules.”
If you have some technical skills and the patience to learn, then (solar) energy is in your hands. Here’s what you need to know to build your own solar panels.
Can you make solar panels yourself?
“People can absolutely make their own panels,” said Pearce, whose e-book describes the steps for creating solar systems and shares stories of people around the world who are powering their communities with energy from the sun.
The basic components of a solar panel are the photovoltaic cells, tab wires, and a material to encapsulate them, usually glass. All of these materials can be ordered online or purchased at hardware stores, and they come in a variety of sizes.
It’s best to start small, not only because it’s easier, but also because buying larger panels is actually cheaper than making them yourself. Pearce recommends using a smaller panel as a good starter project, enough to power a water pump for your garden, for example. This way, you can practice your soldering skills and get familiar with the materials.
“It’s very simple. We’ve taught fifth-graders how to solder the cells together, put them on a piece of glass and make electricity,” said John Burke, president of the photovoltaics division of the American Solar Energy Society, who has led a number of workshops on assembling solar panels around the world.
But be careful when undertaking a project like this, since you’ll be working with electrical components and tools that can burn. “There’s a small risk of wiring it wrong, shorting something out, or burning yourself with the soldering iron, but it’s not terribly dangerous either way,” Pearce said.
Can you build a solar panel system yourself?
If you’re ready to tackle a larger project, it’s entirely possible to put together a solar panel system to meet most of your home’s energy needs. And good news, do-it-yourselfers: The economics are in your favor, Pearce said. It costs about half as much to install solar panel systems if you do most of the work yourself and just have an electrician connect them to the grid than it does to call a solar installer to power your home.
First, buy pre-built solar panels — they’re more expensive to assemble yourself — then place them in racks (which you can build yourself) and point them at the sun. This type of system can power devices using direct current, or DC. Or, if you’re more handy, you can connect it to an inverter to convert the electricity to alternating current, or AC, the standard for American electrical appliances.
Make sure to test the system with a multimeter. However, it is advisable to hire a licensed electrician to make sure the system is functioning properly. In either case, hiring a licensed electrician is required to connect your system to the electrical grid.
In many parts of the world, a solar energy system is an essential part of life, especially when natural disasters strike. In poorer regions, tracking down a certified electrician to install solar panels after a hurricane knocks out the power grid simply isn’t an option, Burke pointed out.
Are there solar panel sets for sale?
There are a variety of kits available online and in stores, ranging from DIY solar toys to more elaborate multi-panel kits that cost thousands of dollars. Pearce recommends starting with an educational kit, like this one $20 Solar Powered Robot Kit that we found on Amazon.
How to make your own solar panels?
If you want to learn how to make your own solar panel and you’re confident enough in your soldering skills, here’s a comprehensive step-by-step guide to assembling a solar panel, based in part on this guide made by DIY solar panel project Biosphere Solar and Burke’s instructions. Be careful when working with a soldering iron and avoid contact with live wires.
1Purchase solar panel components such as solar cells, tab wires, and encapsulation material (such as glass).
2. Put on gloves and safety glasses.
3Measure, stretch and cut the tab wires.
4Solder the wires to the front and back of the solar cells to make wires.
5. Test the connections with a multimeter.
6Pull the wires away from the cells so they are not stuck to the inside.
7. Encapsulates the strings in two layers of liquid silicon.
8. Laminate the cells for a short-term panel or encase them in glass. Clean the glass, place the cells on the bottom sheet and carefully place the other piece of glass on top.
9. Seal the panel with sealant or glue.
10Connect your homemade panel to a DC powered device and give yourself a high five for running a solar powered device.
Maintenance of DIY solar panel systems
According to Burke, maintaining a DIY solar installation should theoretically require no more than maintaining your regular panel.
Personal experience has taught me that it can be worthwhile to double check all your connections and seals on your own work and to do this more often. Performing certain processes by hand rather than with industrial machinery can sometimes mean a looser connection or seal.
When it comes to solar panel maintenance, you don’t have to worry much.
Pros and cons of DIY solar panels and solar panel kits
In most cases, making your own solar panels is a rewarding learning experience. Should a disaster or other unforeseen circumstance strike and both electricity and manufactured solar panels are hard to come by, you may be able to get the lights back on with the right supplies and skills, or perhaps by repairing older panels.
The reality is that DIY panels cannot compete with the cost and efficiency of mass-produced solar panels, especially when purchased in bulk. While it is possible to find the materials to build your own panels relatively easily and cheaply online, it is almost certain that the cost will be higher than the cost of simply purchasing a mass-produced panel, especially when you factor in your time and labor.
Advantages
- Increase your emergency preparedness and technical skills.
- Ability to repair broken panels in case of emergency.
- Relatively cheap and simple process.
- A fun learning experience.
Cons
- Homemade panels are still more expensive than mass produced panels.
- No guarantee.
- Working with electricity is still dangerous. Some caution and basic knowledge required.
Frequently Asked Questions About DIY Solar Panels
Are DIY Solar Panels Worth It?
Only if your primary interest is to become more familiar with how solar panels work. They can be a fun learning experience, but are no cheaper than buying mass produced panels from a manufacturer.
Do you have to be an electrician to install solar panels?
Not necessarily, but it is certainly recommended, especially if you do not have complete confidence in your own skills and ability to complete the job safely.
How much do DIY solar panels cost?
It depends on where you get the components. Buying in bulk can reduce the cost. Expect to pay more for the supplies than you would for a mass produced panel, plus you supply your own labor for free.
Is it cheaper to build solar panels yourself?
Almost certainly not. It is difficult to compete with the economies of scale that come with mass-produced panels.
