Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

solar panels - The sun's rays is the primary source of energy on the planet and sunlight can be converted into electricity using solar panel systems. Electricity has become indispensable in everyday life. It powers the machines that a lot of us use daily.

So, precisely what are solar power panels? Suppose you may earn your own?

In this article, we will teach you an easy approach to building your personal functional solar power.

THE COMPONENTS

A cell is often manufactured from six (6) components namely the PV (photovoltaic) cell or solar panel which generates the facility, the glass which provides coverage for and protects the solar cells, the frame which offers rigidity, the backsheet the place that the solar cells are laid, the junction box where the wirings are enclosed and connected, and the encapsulant which can serve as adhesives.

As most people won't have use of equipment in manufacturing solar panels, you will need to note and understand those six components to ensure that one to be capable of plan the types of materials required to build a do-it-yourself or home-made solar power.

The types of materials needed on how to come up with a cell should be for sale locally or online and shouldn't exceed the cost of a new solar panel or doesn't take a long time to build.

1.) PV Cell

One thing to consider when building your personal solar power will be the solar panel.

Photovoltaic (PV) cell or solar cell converts visible light into electricity. One (1) solar panel however isn't enough to produce a usable amount of electricity just like the microbot in Baymax (Hero 6) which only becomes useful when combined being a group. This basic unit generates a DC (dc) voltage of 0.5 to 1 volt even though this really is reasonable, the voltage remains too small for many applications. To make a useful DC voltage, the cells are connected in series and after that encapsulated in modules making the solar power. If one cell generates 0.5 volt and is attached to another cell in series, those two cells should then be able to produce 1 volt and they also may then be known as a module. An average module usually contains 28 to 36 cells in series. A 28-cell module can produce roughly 14 volts (28 x 0.5 = 14VDC) that's enough to charge a 12V battery or power 12V devices.

Connecting a couple of solar panels require that you've a basic idea of series and parallel connection which has similarities to connecting batteries to produce up an electric battery storage system.

There's two most typical cells that can be bought available in the market; a monocrystalline cell and a polycrystalline cell. Those two can have the identical size, 156mm x 156mm, however the main difference can be efficiency. It is important to purchase additional cells to provide as backup in case you fail on a number of the cells i.e. bad solder, broken cell, scratched, etc.

Monocrystalline cells are often black and octagonal in form. This type of solar panel is made from the greatest and purest grade silicon causing them to be expensive. However they are the best of all sorts of solar cells and are typically selecting solar contractors when space is a crucial factor to consider in experienceing this power they would like to attain depending on their solar system design.

Polycrystalline Solar cells are seen as their bluish color and quadratique. These cells are produced inside a more simple process which lowers the purity from the silicon content plus lowers the efficiency in the product.

Generally, monocrystalline cells will be more efficient than polycrystalline cells however this does not necessarily mean that monocrystalline cells perform and outputs more power than polycrystalline cells. Solar panel efficiency has something connected to the size of cells and every screen or cells provide an efficiency rating based on standard tests when they were manufactured. This rating is often in percentage along with the common values cover anything from 15% to 20%.

2.) Glass

The glass protects the Solar cells while allowing optimal sunlight to secure. Usually created from anti-reflective materials. Tempered glass is the range of material nowadays for unknown and new manufacturers though there remain those that utilize flat plate glass on their solar power panels. Tempered glass are created by chemical or thermal means and is often stronger than plate glass so that it is costlier to make but the cost of manufacturing them today is affordable and cost-effective. Flat plate glass creates sharp and long shards when broken instead of tempered glass which shatters safely in small pieces upon impact, this is why in addition they refer to it as safety glass. It must be noted here that a majority of amorphous solar panel systems uses flat plate glass due to the way the panel is made.

Tempered glass is exactly what manufacturers use in mass producing their solar panel systems. Within our DIY project, we propose to work with Plexiglas otherwise known as acrylic glass that is safer compared to the regular normal glass from the local hardware store. It's kind of expensive than regular glass but is safe from nature's elements and does not break easily. The Plexiglas can even be screwed or glued easily towards the frame.

3.) Frame

A frame is usually manufactured from anodized aluminum which provides structure and rigidity towards the solar module. These aluminum frames are also built to be works with most solar mounting systems and grounding equipment for easy and safe installation on the roof or on the ground.

The frame in the factory-built solar panel is truly the aluminum part where all four sides in the solar panel sheet are inserted. Consider it a skeletal rectangular frame. The cell sheet incidentally consists of another 4 components and therefore are layered and laminated from the following order from top to bottom; the tempered glass, top encapsulant, the cells, bottom encapsulant, then this backsheet. In your DIY screen, we will be by using a wooden frame and also the end-result could be something analogous with a picture frame in which the picture will be the cells glued to a non-conductive board, the glass for that Plexiglas top cover, along with the wooden part because the frame and backsheet.

4.) Backsheet

The backsheet will be the layer of plastic film about the back top of the module. This is actually the only layer protecting the module from unsafe DC voltage. The principle objective of the backsheet would be to insulate and protect the handler from shock and provide the safest, efficient, and dependable electrical conductivity possible.

The backsheet will be a wooden plywood the place that the frame is going to be screwed at the top and on the sides. It must be noted here that a perforated hardboard (Pegboard) will be utilized to place and align the PV Cells which Pegboard will lay on the surface of the wooden backsheet and fitted in the wooden frame.

5.) Junction Box

The junction box is where the terminal wires and bypass diodes are placed and concealed. The terminal wires are simply the bad and the good wires using the series connections in the Electricity cells and can be linked to another solar power, electrical controller, an electric battery system, in order to an inverter, with respect to the system design. The bypass diode is often a protective mechanism that prevent power from okay the cell if it is not producing electricity like the case if it's night time.

You'll find junction boxes designed for factory-built solar power panels which are now available to acquire online especially from China. Discover low on time, you can purchase web wait for delivery or maybe you can easily buy a regular electrical junction box from the local home improvement center. The intention of the junction box is usually to protect the terminals (positive and negative terminals) from water, dust, as well as other elements. This can be in which the two wires (red for positive and black for negative) will be via. The opposite end of the wires may also be paid by by using a PV accessory called MC4 which can also be purchased online with the PV junction box.

6.) Encapsulant

Encapsulant sheets prevent water and dirt from infiltrating the solar modules and serve as shock-absorbers that protect the Solar cells. They have got this adhesive bonding capacity to the glass, the Solar cells, as well as the backsheet similar to a glue but stronger. Encapsulants are usually manufactured from Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate or EVA and so are applied using lamination machines and operations. Cell manufacturers use a vacuum along with a large oven to correctly seal and cure the EVA sheet onto the solar power panels. Many of us would not have the capability to do this but some still need tried and failed while some had varying numbers of success.

Encapsulants are thin plastic sheets that are usually laminated on the top and bottom parts of the solar cell sheet. Underneath encapsulant may be the layer in the backsheet the location where the cells are in fact placed and supported. Within our project, we're going to instead make use of a latex acrylic paint. This paint will not be placed on the pv cells because when attempted, will not likely cause an identical distribution or application of the liquid on the surface of the cells which may degrade performance. The paint will probably be applied to the wooden frame, wooden backsheet, and the Pegboard. This Latex Acrylic paint will be able to protect the wooden parts from Ultra violet rays which enable it to better resist blistering and cracking overtime. This paint, although water-soluble, can dry quickly and becomes water-resistant.