How To Build Solar Panels

June 2, 2008 - PRLog -- Learning how to build solar panels was quick and easy and didn’t require any special tools. A simple guide, ‘How to Build Solar Panels’ was all that it took for us to get started.
Our family had looked at the possibility of moving off the grid for a couple years before we actually got up the nerve to go through with it. We sold our city house and moved off the grid, building our own house and installing our own renewable energy system- with a little helpful advice that is.
We installed an array of solar panels first, but we couldn’t afford very many. The price of manufactured ones is quite high so we really couldn’t get as many as we wanted.
ow to solve the problem of not enough power for our home was rather difficult, but once we had the answers (there were two) we were a lot happier.
You will need this to build them-
•   How to build solar panels guide book
•   Soldering iron and solder
•   Silicone caulking
•   Plywood and glass
•   Copper wire

The first solution was to build a wind generator actually, but we soon learned that was not enough, we would learn how to build solar panels too.
The latter project occupied one winter and we were sure glad we found the information as it didn’t take that long. Read the entire article here. http://www.ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Make-Solar-Panels&id...
We figure that for every dollar we spend per watt if bought new it only costs about 30 cents if we build our own.
That’s 30% of the cost of buying new. The solar panels turn out real nice too and are virtually indistinguishable from store bought models.
But aren’t solar cells and the rest of the materials hard to find? Actually everything you will need, except the cells is available right at your lumber yard and perhaps the hardware store.
You start with a backer board of plywood or similar material and align the cells which you obtain from the source listed in the guide.
The detailed information guide is actually called, How to Install Solar Panels, but included is a section on building your own. Keep that in mind when you look for the guide.
The cells are connected together to form a panel and covered with a weatherproof coating. We usually trim the edges and seal the whole unit with silicone caulking to make it weatherproof too.
With decreased cost we have been able to quickly and easily increase our renewable energy output with the 3 wind generators we built and learning how to build solar panels.
A soldering gun was all we had to learn how to use. It was the only tool listed that we didn’t have- not too difficult to master either. Just remember to heat the wire, not the solder and you will be fine.
For complete details you can check out the following website.
How To Build Solar Panels  website  http://www.living-off-the-grid.com/gpage5.html will help you in all of your design problems. We made it a family project and have completed 11 panels now. Learning how to build solar panels really is not difficult, give it a try.

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Learning how to build solar panels has become a real passion for our family and we have taken on many people in our shop to teach them how to do it.