Do it Yourself (DIY) Solar Panels

Solar panels are basically tools for capturing the solar energy for running appliances, instead of electricity or any other non-renewable source of energy. Do It Yourself solar panels are an extremely innovative way to get to know how this infinite solar energy works and how beneficial it is for the environment.
Do it Yourself (DIY) Solar Panels
Each passing day of our lives contributes to some kind of pollution of our environment and the planet earth we live in. There is all the more a dire need of conserving and preserving non renewable forms of energy for the future generations. Using non-conventional or renewable energy like solar energy, which is almost infinite is one way to make our planet a better place to live.

For harnessing solar energy and using it for various purposes, a solar panel is the most common alternative. What a solar panel does is, it absorbs the sunlight and converts it into energy, the kind of energy we obtain from batteries. Solar panel is a common name for a photovoltaic module. It uses the light energy, that is photons from the sun for generating electricity by the photovoltaic effect. It is primarily an assembly of interconnected solar cells. Most of such modules, employ water-based crystalline silicon cells or a cadmium telluride or silicon based thin film cell.

We all know that its not possible for everyone, everywhere in this world to have a solar panel. But those who have resources to prepare or install, do it yourself solar panel at home will surely be for the good of the environment, even if it is at the micro level. In addition to that, it is a great project to make the children understand the significance of solar power in the future. But then how does this activity exactly progress? Read on for getting the hang of, do it yourself solar panels at home. But hey let me tell you, one does not have to be a top of the tops electrical engineer to pull this off!

Build Your Own Solar Panel
The things you would need to build your own solar panel are primarily a 16 volt solar panel, a rechargeable 12 volt lead or acid battery, battery box, DC meter, hand held drill and inverter. After you procure these things, you can get started on constructing a solar panel for your home. A convenience factor about Do it yourself solar panels is that they can be fitted in your courtyard, so the placement would not be a problem at all for most of the people! So here goes. Begin with getting hold of a small renewable battery and a 16 volt solar panel. Next thing you do is, attach the DC meter matching your battery and the DC input to the top end of the battery box with the help of the hand held drill. Use some insulated wire for connecting the battery and the meter. Go slow, one wire at a time. Start with connecting the first wire to the negative input. Carry out the same for connecting the solar panel and the DC inlet to the battery itself.

Now, you are all set to convert the solar power into easily usable energy. The last thing you do is close the lid tightly with a cord and keep the whole apparatus in the sun. You would have to wait for at least 8 hours before the solar panel gets properly operational for harnessing the solar energy.

This was the most convenient and direct way when it comes to do it yourself solar panels for home. There are quite a few complicated and indirect methods as well for building solar panels.

Kits of Do It Yourself solar panels can be helpful for building an accurate and energy efficient solar panel at home, with its instruction manual and other things. So build your own solar panel and get ready to bask in the glory of our home made energy.

By Medha Godbole
Published: 8/8/2009
 
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