PV Gap

Shelly Said:

how to make solar panels and the things needed to create it?

We Answered:

If you think money is tight right now, try installing a solar replacement system!

There are alternatives. Newer light bulbs, the mercury kind, last longer, throw off more light, and use far less wattage.

They are a good analogy for anything in the arena, just now. You CAN do it cheaper (over say, twenty years) if you invest heavily -- like about ten years worth of staying the same --up front.

Solar panels can't efficiently be made at home. You'll need to buy them. Unless you learn how to wire them up, you'll need to hire someone to install them.

Where are you going to put them? Odds are, your roof's surface area is insufficient to generate enough power to run things at 120 volts. You will only be able to put them on the 'sunny' side, in any event. (There went half your surface area!)
In the Northern hemisphere, that's the south-facing sides.

To bolster the panels on the roof (assuming your roof can hold the weight load, plus a load of winter snow), you'll need some land with a clear view of the sun, to mount more panels.

The panels produce DC, so you'll need a load of deep discharge batteries, an inverter to switch the current to AC,, and switching equipment to keep things from frying. (and to 'sell' excess current back to the power company's grid). The power companies negotiated a contract with the government to allow that --, at buy prices set by the power companies. (A great deal -- for them!)

There is an alternative for most things -- look at building a 12 volt DC system, instead. The RV and camping world is bristling with 'away from home' devices that work on a 12v DC supply. Such a setup would put the average roof within range of the requirements. Again, the initial cost is a bear - you'll now have to re-wire your house for 12volts!

Still, for a small house -- or, even for circuit areas isolated to one portion of the roof...

You will need to calculate your daily electrical usage and then fudge it up for any expected increases over the life of the project -- say, twenty years.

Alice Said:

solar power energy - how to make the panels work!?

We Answered:

Facade: First, the panels must obviously face south to gain the most energy at mid day (meridian, when the sun is at it's highest point).
Declination angle: The panels should be angled at an ideal 52 degrees above the horizon so that the maximum flat part of the panel is exposed to the sun at meridian.
For heat: The top part of the panel will be hot and that is where you would have a vent (connect a tube or duct at this point to direct the heat to a place where it will be used or stored).
For cooling: The panel needs to be up high so that the air duct at the bottom of the panel comes from the room where there is cooler air. The hot panel with the top vent open, will draw the cooler air up out of the room (remember, hot air rises) If the room is connected to an earth tube, it will really start to get cool. You can simulate an earth tube for your project by using a metal tube in the shape of a 'U' and placing it in a deep tray filled with ice. Connect with air tube feeding into the room.

Buy (or borrow) a number of thermometers to show the temperature at every important point in the system (panel air out, panel air in, room air, earth tube air, etc. - just run it and experiment).

I hope this gives you an idea of how to start.

Robin Said:

how do i make solar panels?

We Answered:

Check out the page below, it was posted by someone that built a solar panel himself (and describing the whole process).

Hope that helps and Good Luck!

Harold

Fred Said:

How do I make solar panels.?

We Answered:

I hope you mean "self-sufficient" as "suffusion" would imply being infused with some liquid, most likely alcoholic beverages.

Unfortunately, most people think of photo-voltaic panels when they think of solar. This technology is only just becoming practical with payback times of about 15 to 25 years. There is some opportunity for DIY photo-voltaics in that damaged panels and cells are often thrown away for cosmestic reasons but still could be used. Therefore it's just a matter of acquiring some scrap solar cells and piecing them together.

You should look into solar thermal, both solar air and solar water. Solar thermal is literally just pipes painted black, perhaps in an insulated frame with plate glass to trap the heat or high tech evacuated tubes. Most home energy uses are for hot water, heating and air-conditioning, all of which can be provided by solar thermal, yes even air-conditioning through absorption chillers which are actually the oldest form of air-conditioning.

The payback time for solar thermal is typically 5 years.

The true key to self-sufficiency is property. Land that is far away from neighbours that may object to the noise of a wind turbine or the appearance of a scrap solar panel. Land with water resources and topology for ponds at different elevations for microhydro and land for food production. After that, it's all labour and ingenuity.

Dennis Said:

how to make your own solar panels?

We Answered:

if you want to make a photovoltaic panel from scratch, its extremely difficult, comparable probably to making integrated circuits. just buy a factory built panel

solar-thermal is much easier

Luis Said:

HOW TO MAKE SOLAR PANELS FOR SCIENCE MODEL?

We Answered:

Solar cells convert the energy of the sun into electricity. By using items commonly found in the home or your local hardware store, you can make a solar panel to demonstrate this photoelectric effect. You can also save energy by converting some of your traditional electrical supply over to solar power.
Things You'll Need:
• One electric stove or hotplate (at least 1100 watts)
• Sheet metal shears
• One micro-ammeter (able to read currents between 10 and 50 microamperes)
• Tap water
• One 2 liter plastic bottle or glass
• Safety goggles
• Two to three tbsps. of table salt
• 1/2 -foot square sheet of copper flashing
• Electric drill with sand paper
• Two alligator clip leads
Harness the Power of the Sun. Here are the procedures:
1. Use sheet metal shears to cut the copper flashing in a square or rectangle to fit the size of the electric burner. Be sure to use a piece of copper flashing that is thoroughly cleaned. You may use sandpaper to thoroughly remove any sign of corrosion before proceeding.
2. Place the copper flashing on the electric burner and turn the burner on. You will need to "cook" the flashing for as long as 30 minutes or more to develop a thick layer of black cupric oxide.
3. Allow the copper to cool slowly once the layer of cupric oxide has formed. It will begin to flake off and may do so with some force as the oxide and the copper cool at different rates.
4. Scrub the completely cooled copper under running water to remove any last remaining bits of oxide. Be gentle, as you do not want to remove any of the red cuprous oxide that has been created in heating the flashing.
5. Cut another piece of copper to the same size. Attach both panels using the alligator clips to the inside of the wide-mouth glass jar or plastic bottle with the top cut off. The panels should not touch and should bend to match the curves of the jar or bottle.
6. Connect the lead of the alligator clip which fastens the clean copper plate to the positive terminal of the meter. The negative terminal should then be connected to the cuprous oxide plate.
7. Make a solution of salt and water by dissolving the salt in hot tap water. You should make enough solution to barely cover the bottom of the plates, leaving the clips high and dry.
8. Place your solar panel in the sun to see the gauge jump to reflect the current your project has created.

Natalie Said:

Were solar panels made by copying how plants collect sunlight?

We Answered:

Solar panels were not made to copy leaves. Leaves have molecules that become excited when they are hit by light. They store this energy in ADP molecules and ATP molecules. This works great for biological processes, but until we learn how to use Adenosine Di/Triphosphate to transport energy, we are better off sticking with our solar panels. They produce electricity, which we know how to use.