Where to get solar panels. How to make a solar battery yourself: step by step instructions

Comfort of living in houses and apartments modern man over the years requires more and more electricity. But in modern conditions, the cost of each unit of electricity is steadily increasing, which, accordingly, affects the costs. Therefore, the question of switching to alternative sources electricity is the most relevant. One of the ways to ensure independence in obtaining electricity is the ability to use solar panels for this purpose for the home.

An effective alternative or a general misconception?

Self powered talk household appliances and lighting in homes using solar energy have been going on since the middle of the last century. The development of technology and general progress have made it possible to bring this technology closer to the ordinary consumer. The statement that using solar panels for the home will be a fairly effective way to replace traditional energy networks could be considered indisputable, if not for a couple of significant “buts”.

The main requirement for the efficiency of using helium batteries is the amount of solar energy. The device of the solar battery allows you to effectively use the energy of our luminary only in regions where most year is sunny. It is also necessary to take into account the latitude at which solar panels are mounted - the higher the latitude, the less power the sun's ray has. Ideally, an efficiency of about 40% can be achieved. But this is ideal, but in practice everything is somewhat different.

The next point worth paying attention to is the need to use sufficiently large areas to mount autonomous solar panels. If the batteries are to be placed on suburban area, a country house, a cottage, then there will be no problems here, but those living in apartment buildings will have to think about it seriously.

Solar battery - what is it?

The device of the solar battery is based on the ability of solar cells to convert solar energy into electricity. United in common system, these converters create a multi-cell field, each cell of which, under the influence of solar energy, becomes a source of electric current, which is then accumulated in special devices - batteries. Of course, the higher the given field, the higher the power of such a device. That is, the more photocells in it, the large quantity it can generate electricity.

But this does not mean that only huge areas where solar panels can be installed can provide the necessary electricity. There are many gadgets that have the ability to work not only from the usual autonomous sources power - batteries, accumulators - but also use the energy of the sun. Portable solar panels are built into the design of such devices, which make it possible to both recharge the device and work autonomously. For example, an ordinary pocket calculator: in sunny weather, putting it on the table, you can recharge the battery, which extends its life by long years. There is a mass various devices where such batteries are used: these are pen-flashlights, and flashlights-key fobs, etc.

At summer cottages and suburban areas in Lately it has become fashionable to use solar-powered lanterns for lighting. The economical and uncomplicated device provides lighting along garden paths, on terraces and in all necessary places, using electricity stored during daylight hours when the sun is shining. Economical lighting lamps are able to consume this energy for quite a long time, which ensures great interest in such devices. Solar-powered lighting is also used in houses, cottages, as well as utility rooms.

Types of autonomous solar panels

There are two types of solar energy converters, due to the design of the battery itself - film and silicon. The first type includes thin-film batteries, in which the converters are a film made using a special technology. They are also called polymers. Such batteries are installed in any available place, but have several disadvantages: they need a lot of space, low efficiency, and even with average cloud cover, their energy efficiency drops by 20 percent.

Silicon type solar cells are represented by monocrystalline and polycrystalline devices, as well as amorphous silicon panels. Monocrystalline batteries consist of many cells in which silicon transducers are integrated, connected in a common circuit and filled with silicone. Easy to operate, high efficiency (up to 22%), waterproof, light and flexible, but require direct sunlight to work effectively. Cloudy weather can cause a complete cessation of electricity generation.

Polycrystalline batteries differ from monocrystalline ones in the number of converters placed in each cell and installed in different directions, which ensures their efficient work even in diffused light. This is the most common type of batteries that are also used in urban areas, although their efficiency is somewhat lower than that of monocrystalline ones.

Amorphous silicon power supplies, despite their low energy efficiency - about 6%, are nevertheless considered more promising. They absorb solar flux twenty times more than silicon, and are much more effective on cloudy days.

All these are industrial devices that have their own - and currently not very democratic - price. Is it possible to collect solar panels with your own hands?

General principle for the selection and layout of parts for solar panels

Due to the latest production requirements electrical energy, which are aimed at moving from the traditional raw materials used in its production, the topic of solar power sources is taking on more and more practical value. Mass production elements to create their own electrical network already offers the consumer various options for providing autonomous electricity. But for the time being, the cost of an autonomous solar power source is quite high and inaccessible to the mass consumer.

But this does not mean that you cannot make solar panels with your own hands. In this case, it is simply necessary to decide on the method of assembling such a device. Or, acquiring individual elements, assemble them yourself, or make all the components with your own hands.

What, in fact, consists of a power system based on the conversion of solar energy into electric current? The main, but not the last of its elements, is a solar battery, the design of which was discussed above. The second element in the circuit is the solar battery controller, whose task is to control the charging of batteries with electric current received in solar panels. The next part of a home solar power plant is a battery of electric batteries, in which electricity is accumulated. And the last element of the "solar" electrical circuit there will be an inverter that allows the resulting low-voltage electricity to be used for household appliances rated at 220 V.

Considering each element of a home solar power plant separately, you can see that each of its elements can be purchased from a retail network, at electronic auctions, etc., or assembled by hand. And even a solar battery controller can be made with your own hands - with certain skills and theoretical knowledge.

Now with regard to the tasks that are set for our own power plant. They are simple and complex at the same time. Their simplicity lies in the fact that solar energy is used for specific purposes: lighting, heating, or the complete provision of housing needs. The difficulty lies in the correct calculation of the required power and the appropriate selection of components.

Starting to assemble the solar panel

Now you can find a lot of suggestions on how and from what you can assemble solar panels. There are many ways, and you can choose according to your preference. This material discusses the basic principles that must be used when making solar panels with your own hands.

First of all, you need to decide on the power that you need to get, and decide at what voltage the network will operate. There are two options for solar networks - with direct current and alternating current. Alternating current is more preferable because of the possibility of distributing electricity consumers over a considerable distance - more than 15 meters. It's just for small house. Without going deep into calculations and starting from the experience of those who already use solar energy in their dachas, we can say with confidence that at the latitudes of Moscow - and going south, these figures will naturally be higher - one square meter of solar panels can produce up to 120 watts per hour. This is if polycrystalline elements are used during assembly. They are more attractive in price. And it is quite realistic to determine the total power by adding up the entire power consumption of each individual electrical appliance. It can be said very approximately that for a family of 3-4 people, about 300 kilowatts per month are required, which can be obtained from solar panels of 20 square meters. meters.

You can also find a description of solar networks using panels of 36 elements. Each of the panels has a power of about 65 watts. Solar battery for a dacha or a small private house, it can consist of 15 such panels that are capable of generating up to 5 kW per hour of total electrical power, having an own power of 1 kW.

DIY solar panels

And now about how to make a solar battery. The first thing you will have to purchase will be a set of converting plates, the number of which depends on the power of a home-made solar power plant. For one battery, you will need 36 pieces. You can use the Solar Cells kit, as well as purchase damaged or defective elements - this will only affect appearance batteries. If they are working, then the output will be almost 19 volts. You need to solder them taking into account the expansion - leaving a gap of up to five millimeters between them. Do-it-yourself solar battery installation requires utmost care when soldering photographic plates. If the plates were purchased without conductors, then they must be soldered manually. The process is complex and responsible. If the work is done with a 60W soldering iron, it is best to connect a simple 100-watt light bulb in series with it.

The solar battery circuit is very simple - each plate is soldered to the others in series. It should be noted that the plates are very fragile, and it is desirable to solder them using some kind of frame. When unsoldering photographic plates, it is also necessary to remember that safety diodes must be inserted into the circuit to prevent the discharge of photocells during dimming or low light. To do this, the busbars of the panel halves are brought to the terminal block, creating a midpoint. These diodes also prevent the batteries from discharging at night.

The quality of soldering is the main requirement for the perfect operation of solar panels. Before installing the substrate, all soldering points must be tested. It is recommended to output current using wires of small cross section. For example, an acoustic cable with silicone insulation. All conductors must be secured with sealant.

Then it is worth deciding on the surface on which these plates will be attached. Rather, with the material for its manufacture. The most suitable and readily available glass is the one that has the maximum throughput luminous flux compared to plexiglass or carbonate.

The next step is to make the box. To do this, use an aluminum corner or wooden beam. Glass is planted in the frame on the sealant - it is desirable to carefully fill all the irregularities. It should be noted that the sealant must dry completely to avoid contamination of the photographic plates. Then a finished sheet of soldered photocells is attached to the glass. The mounting method may be different, but solar panels for the home, reviews of which are common, were fixed mainly with a transparent epoxy resin or sealant. If epoxy is applied evenly over the entire surface of the glass, after which transducers are placed on it, then the sealant is fixed mainly on a drop in the middle of each element.

Used for underlay various material, which is also attached to the sealant. This may also be particle boards small thickness or fiberboard sheet. Although you can, again, fill it with epoxy. The battery case must be sealed. A do-it-yourself solar battery made in this way, the assembly scheme of which was discussed above, will give 18-19 Volts, charging a 12-volt battery.

Is it possible to make a solar energy converter with your own hands?

Craftsmen with extensive knowledge of electronics can make photovoltaic cells for converting solar energy into electrical energy and independently. For this, silicon diodes are used, or rather their crystals, released from the cases. This process is laborious, and to start it or not, everyone decides for himself. You can take diodes used in bridge circuits of voltage rectifiers and stabilizers - D226, KD202, D7, etc. The semiconductor crystal located in these diodes, when sunlight hits it, becomes exactly like a photographic plate. But getting to it and not damaging it is a rather complicated and painstaking process.

Anyone who decides to start creating elements for the converter on their own should remember the following - if you managed to carefully disassemble and solder a battery consisting of only twenty diodes of the KD202 brand according to a scheme of 5 groups connected in parallel, then you can get a voltage of about 2 V with a current of up to 0, 8 amps. This power is only enough to power a small radio receiver, which has only one or two transistors in its circuit. But in order to make a full-fledged solar battery for giving, you need to try very hard. Huge work, large areas, bulky design makes this occupation unpromising. But for small appliances and gadgets, this is quite a suitable design that anyone who loves to do electrical engineering can do.

Can LEDs be used for solar panels?

The LED solar panel is pure fiction. It is almost impossible to assemble even a small solar micropanel from LEDs. Or rather, you can create, but is it worth it? With the help of sunlight, it is quite possible to get about 1.5 volts of voltage on the LED, but the strength of the generated current is very small, and only a very strong sun is required to generate it. And yet - when a voltage is applied to it, the LED itself emits radiant energy, that is, it glows. This means that those of his brothers, who received sunlight of greater strength, will generate electricity, which this LED itself will consume. Everything is correct and simple. And it is simply impossible to figure out which LEDs produce and which consume energy. Even if you use tens of thousands of LEDs - and this is impractical and uneconomical - there will be no sense.

We heat the house with solar energy

If the real opportunity to provide household electrical appliances with "solar" current has already been mentioned above, then there are two options for heating housing with solar energy. And in order to use solar panels for home heating, you need to know some of the requirements that are required to complete this task.

In the first option, the use of solar energy for heating occurs using a different system than the usual one. electrical network. A device for heating a house using solar energy is called a solar system and consists of several devices. The main working device is a vacuum collector, which converts sunlight into heat. It consists of many glass tubes of small diameter, in which a liquid with a very low heating threshold is placed. When heated, this liquid further transfers its heat to water in a storage tank with a volume of at least 300 liters of water. This heated water is then fed to heating panels made of thin copper pipes, which, in turn, give off the received heat, warming the air in the room. Instead of panels, you can, of course, use traditional radiators, but their efficiency is much lower.

Of course, solar panels can also be used for heating, but in this case it will be necessary to agree that heating the water in the boiler with the help of heating elements will require the lion's share of the energy generated by the batteries. simple calculations show that it takes about 4 hours to heat 100 liters of water to 70-80 ⁰С with a boiler. During this time, a water boiler with 2 kW heaters will consume about 8 kW. If solar panels in total capacity can generate up to 5 kW per hour, then there will be no problems with energy supply in the house. But if the solar panels have an area of ​​​​less than 10 square meters. meters, then such capacities will not be suitable for the full provision of electrical energy.

The use of a vacuum manifold for heating a house is justified when it is a full-fledged residential building. The scheme of operation of such a solar system provides heat to the entire dwelling throughout the year.

And yet it works!

In the end, solar panels, assembled by enthusiasts with their own hands, are very real power sources. And if you use 12-volt batteries with a current of at least 800 A / h in the circuit, equipment for converting voltage from low to high - inverters, as well as voltage controllers for 24 V with a working current of up to 50 Amperes and a simple "uninterruptible" with a current of up to 150 Amperes, then you get a very decent solar power plant, which is able to provide the electricity needs of the residents of a private house. Naturally, under certain weather conditions.

Is it possible to make solar panels with your own hands? This question is of interest to many people who decide to use alternative energy sources. Yes, it is quite possible. Moreover, this process, in fact, is far from being as technologically complex as it might seem at first glance. The main difficulty will be soldering the conductors to the photocells, but this problem can be solved at minimal cost.

However, before assembling a solar battery at home, you need to purchase all the necessary elements. That is, the actual photocells and materials for the manufacture of the case (the case itself and the front protective glass). You will also need a soldering iron and solder.

Photocell selection

Photocells can be used both poly- and single-crystal, it all depends on what operating parameters the battery will have to “produce”. Of course, they need to be calculated in advance. You can buy photocells on major Internet portals (Ebay, Amazon, etc.) or in specialized stores. And recently, there are increasingly sold ready-made kits for solar panels, which include photocells selected according to the parameters with conductors already soldered to them. Moreover, to protect against mechanical damage, such cells are covered with a protective laminating composition.

It is best to use just such a set, since soldering conductors to cells is a very laborious process and hardly feasible without proper experience. And besides, cells purchased “separately” during transportation often turn out to be damaged.

Another important aspect is the classification of photocells. According to their quality, all cells for solar panels are divided into 5 classes:

  • A. Selected elements without the slightest defect that could reduce their performance.
  • B. "Second grade" photocells with minor scratches or other small defects.
  • C. Elements of the "third grade" with pronounced defects, chips and cracks.
  • D. Scrap cells. Cracked, broken products, suitable only for recycling.

Of course, you need to choose photocells marked "Grade A". It is they who will have the maximum efficiency and will allow you to assemble the most efficient solar battery for your home or for giving.

The cell connection scheme is a serial connection. The number of cells in the circuit will depend, again, on the required output voltage. The more cells, the higher the output voltage will be. As a rule, for a summer residence or for a house, it is enough to make a solar battery of 36 cells. Their output voltage is 12-18 V (depending on the initial parameters of the cells), which just allows you to power a household energy-saving load. The only condition is the presence of a blocking diode in the circuit (usually a Schottke diode). It is necessary to prevent the occurrence of reverse currents in the absence of sunlight.

It is best to solder the cells by placing them in the right order on the future front surface of the solar battery. The distance between the cells must be maintained at about 5 mm.

Frame

The solar cell housing performs several important functions. First of all, it protects cells from mechanical damage, and electrical contacts from moisture and dust. Therefore, the body material must be moisture resistant. Plywood is perfect wooden slats, treated with a moisture-repellent composition. You can also use aluminum corners (for side faces).

To protect the front side of the case, it is better to use a special tempered glass. By the way, some companies sell special glasses for solar panels. They are strong enough to withstand the effects of weather and atmospheric factors and at the same time have good optical characteristics. You can also use plain plexiglass.

Assembly

When the battery frame is ready, and the elements are soldered, the direct assembly of the product begins. Photocells should be located on the front surface of the solar battery (if this was not done before soldering, then already connected cells will have to be shifted).

The next step is sealing the system. For these purposes, special compounds are used in industry, but making it yourself allows you to use silicone sealant. First, the system is fixed at the edges, then in the middle, and only after that the gaps between the cells are filled with sealant. Before sealing, it is better to check the quality of the soldering and the reliability of the connections again.

The last stage is the connection of the front part of the case with the frame and their reliable fastening. It is also necessary to install a special junction box, to which the output working contacts of the photocells will be connected. In addition, the box has separate connectors for further connection of the solar battery to the system. It is mounted on back side corps. Often, connecting cables for switching the panel are also sold complete with such a box. The box is sealed and reliably protects all electrical contacts from weather and atmospheric factors.

"Chemical" solar battery

A home photopanel can be made not only from silicon wafers, but also from ordinary sheet copper. True, the battery obtained in this way will have a much lower performance - it will only be enough to obtain a very small current. However, the cost of its manufacture and the time spent are several times lower.

So, we will need:

  • Two sheets of copper (about 15x15 cm in size). You can also find them at the hardware store.
  • Two crocodile clips.
  • A small multimeter or highly sensitive ammeter (for recording currents of 10-50 µA).
  • Plain electric hob(power more than 1000 W to obtain the desired heating).
  • A glass jar (2 liters is enough) or a plastic bottle with a cut-off neck.
  • Ordinary water.
  • Table salt (2 tablespoons).

You will also need scissors for cutting copper and sandpaper or a metal brush (for stripping copper).

Manufacturing

The process itself is very simple. First of all, it is necessary to cut off two pieces of copper of the required size (so that they are completely obsessed with the heating element or the burner of the tile). Then thoroughly wash one sheet with detergent to remove all grease. sandpaper or by brushing the sheet free of possible micro-corrosion or surface sulphides.

Then the sheet must be placed on the tile and turned on at full power. Copper will begin to warm up and gradually change color from shades of red to black. This means that copper oxide has begun to form. When the entire sheet becomes evenly black, you can start counting the time. Copper should be calcined for another half an hour. This is necessary in order to form a thicker layer of oxide. Subsequently, the black layer will easily "move away", revealing a multi-color bottom layer. It is he who will be required to generate energy.

After 30 minutes, the tile must be turned off, leaving the sheet on the burner. Copper must cool, and very slowly, otherwise the black oxide will not exfoliate. As the black layer cools, it will begin to “peel off”, and since the oxide and copper cool down from different speeds, then the upper flakes will begin to bounce off the sheet on their own.

After about 20 minutes, the plate will cool down to room temperature. The remaining small areas black oxide must be carefully removed under running water. Never use a sponge detergents etc., as they will damage the layer of red-violet copper necessary for the photoreaction.

Assembly

The actual assembly is no less simple. The second sheet of copper (it should be the same size) is carefully bent in an arc and placed in a jar. Also come with a calcined sheet. The copper plates must not touch each other! Moreover, since a better quality coating is formed on the upper side of the sheet during calcination, it is this side that should “look out of the can”.

Next, "crocodiles" are connected to the plates. The wire from the blank sheet is connected to the "plus" measuring device, from calcined - to "minus". Then the salt is dissolved in a small amount of ordinary water. The solution is poured into the jar, and it should recede from the edge of the plates by about 2 cm (so that the contacts do not get wet when moving the jar).

Everything, the copper solar battery is ready! True, its performance is minimal, about 50 μA per 0.25 V. Therefore, it is of little use for domestic practical purposes.

For a long time, the lot of solar panels was either bulky panels of satellites and space stations, or low-power photocells of pocket calculators. This was due to the primitiveness of the first single-crystal silicon photocells: they not only had a low efficiency (no more than 25% in theory, in practice - about 7%), but also noticeably lost efficiency when the angle of incidence of light deviated from 90˚. Taking into account that in Europe in cloudy weather the specific power of solar radiation can fall below 100 W/m 2 , too large areas of solar panels were required to obtain any significant power. Therefore, the first solar power plants were built only in conditions maximum power light flux and clear weather, that is, in deserts near the equator.

A significant breakthrough in the creation of solar cells has returned interest in solar energy: for example, the cheapest and most accessible polycrystalline silicon cells, although they have a lower efficiency than monocrystalline ones, are less sensitive to operating conditions. A solar panel based on polycrystalline wafers will give out enough stable voltage under partly cloudy conditions. More modern photovoltaic cells based on gallium arsenide have an efficiency of up to 40%, but are too expensive to make a solar battery with your own hands.

The video is a story about the idea of ​​​​building a solar battery and its implementation

Is it worth doing?

In many cases solar will be very useful: for example, the owner of a private house or cottage, located far from the mains, can even support his phone charged from a compact panel, connect low-power consumers like car refrigerators.

For this purpose, ready-made compact panels are produced and sold, made in the form of quickly folded assemblies based on synthetic fabric. IN middle lane In Russia, such a panel measuring about 30x40 cm can provide power within 5 W at a voltage of 12 V.

A larger battery can provide up to 100 watts of electrical power. It would seem that this is not so much, but it is worth remembering the principle of operation of small ones: in them, the entire load is powered through a pulse converter from a battery of batteries that are charged from a low-power windmill. Thus, it becomes possible to use more powerful consumers.

Using a similar principle when building a home solar power plant makes it more profitable than a windmill: in summer, the sun shines most of the day, in contrast to the fickle and often absent wind. For this reason, the batteries will be able to gain charge during the day much faster, and the solar panel itself is much easier to install than requiring a high mast.

It also makes sense to use a solar battery solely as an emergency power source. For example, if a gas heating boiler with circulation pumps is installed in a private house, when the power is turned off, it is possible to power them through a pulse converter (inverter) from batteries that are maintained charged by a solar battery, keeping the heating system operational.

TV story on the subject

Today, many owners of country houses are looking for alternative sources of electricity. The installation of solar panels is gradually gaining its popularity. However, not everyone can afford to purchase expensive equipment. Therefore, many are wondering: how to make solar panels with your own hands? The correct answer will be revealed in this article.

A solar battery is a semiconductor device that converts solar radiation into electrical energy. The main task of such a system is a reliable, economical and uninterrupted power supply at home. It is advisable to install such devices in areas where there are interruptions in the supply from the main source of electricity.

The main advantages of a solar battery are:

  • simple installation of the device, which does not require laying cables to the supports;
  • the system does not require large time costs for its maintenance;
  • electricity generation does not have a detrimental effect on the environment;
  • the design has no moving parts;
  • silent mode of operation;
  • the supply of electricity does not depend on the distribution network;
  • long period of operation of the system at minimal cost.

Disadvantages of a solar battery:

  • the manufacturing process of the system is very laborious;
  • the solar panel takes up a lot of space;
  • the device is very sensitive to contamination;
  • the battery does not work at night;
  • The performance of the device is directly related to weather conditions, namely from sunny and cloudy days.

The principle of operation of the solar battery

The system works by means of photoelectric converters, which are connected in a certain sequence. Each photoconverter consists of two silicon wafers, which differ in the type of conductivity. One is covered with phosphorus, as a result of which an excess of negatively charged electrons is formed here. The other plate is coated with boron, which leads to the formation of particles that are absent in the layer of negative charges, the so-called "holes".

The principle of operation of an inexhaustible source of alternative energy is as follows: sunlight hits a negatively charged panel, which leads to the active formation of additional "holes" and electrons. On a panel coated with phosphorus, there is an electric field, due to which a potential difference appears. Positively charged particles rush into upper layer, and negatively charged ones go to the bottom. A constant voltage is created. It turns out that one converter works like a battery. A DC current is generated in a circuit when a load is connected to it. Each battery is covered with thin copper veins that drain current and direct it to its intended purpose.

The current strength depends on certain parameters:

  • photoconverter size;
  • insolation level;
  • photocell type;
  • the total resistance of the devices that are connected to the solar panel.

Varieties of solar panels

All solar panels can be silicon or film. Panels based on silicon are divided into types:

  • polycrystalline;
  • monocrystalline;
  • amorphous.

The polycrystalline solar cell is a dark blue square device. Its surface is interspersed with inhomogeneous silicon crystals. Despite the low efficiency of 18%, this device has the ability to generate current during cloudy weather, which makes them indispensable in areas dominated by scattered sunlight.

Monocrystalline solar power converters feature bevelled black panels using pure silicon. All cells of the device are directed in one direction, which allows you to get a maximum efficiency of 25%. The disadvantage of such batteries is that their front side must always be facing the sun. If it did not have time to ascend, hid behind the clouds and fell below the horizon, the solar panels will produce a low power current. This is the most expensive, but also provides maximum performance, device type.

Each amorphous battery consists of many the thinnest layers silicon, which are obtained by spraying the smallest particles of material onto glass, plastic or foil. Such layers quickly burn out, which in six months leads to a drop in the efficiency of the device by 15-20%. The efficiency of such converters is only 6%. They are the cheapest and are able to work even in cloudy weather. However, their maximum service life is 2 years.

Film batteries are based not on a solid metal or glass substrate, but on a polymer film. Therefore, they are produced in rolls, which allows you to spread the batteries over large areas. Due to their design, they can be cut into various shapes and sizes, and solar panels can be placed on the roof of the house with smooth curves. They are compact and lightweight. A rolled panel will cost significantly less than a silicon panel, which uses expensive material to manufacture. However, these models are less powerful. It is quite difficult to buy them today, since production is only developing.

All solar panels, regardless of the type of device, are equipped with controllers that monitor the degree of charge of the panel. They redistribute the received energy, directing it to the source of consumption directly or storing it in a battery.

Solar panels for a private house

This alternative to traditional power supply is very practical. In addition, the price of the device is significantly different from the cost of electricity. Having made a solar battery for the house with his own hands, the owner will be able to optimize power consumption and thereby reduce his own cash costs. Many people want to understand in advance how much it will cost to install solar panels for a private house. To do this, it is necessary to carry out preliminary calculations, which determine the required power of the equipment and the conditions for its operation.

You should start by calculating the amount of energy consumed, which is necessary to provide housing. When creating a full-fledged station, it is worth focusing on batteries of 150-250 W; panels of 50 W will be enough for a country house.

This value is the basis for the subsequent determination of the number of solar panels and the number of auxiliary equipment, which includes batteries, inverters and controllers.

Useful advice! It is worth adding another 20% to the total need for electricity, which is spent in the batteries themselves.

An important aspect is insolation, i.e. the amount of solar energy that falls on a separate unit of panel area. This value is individual for each specific region. You can get it in special literature or on specialized meteorological sites.

The energy norm is divided by the value of insolation. The resulting figure must be divided by total power solar installation. The resulting value is the number of batteries needed. Here it is important to get the maximum number of panels. After all, in different months the amount of sunlight will be different.

Useful advice! Since insolation is constantly changing, calculations should be made monthly.

For example, if you need to find out how many solar panels are needed for a house of 100 sq.m., where the station will power lighting bulbs, a laptop, a TV, a satellite dish, and an electric stove, all the above calculations should be performed. As a result, the power of the solar station will be approximately equal to 1000 W, which implies the use of 4 solar panels with a power of 250 W each.

The panel must be placed on the southern part of the roof, which must be in perfect condition and able to withstand a solid load. There should be no trees or other objects nearby that create a shadow.

Such a system can be used not only for power supply. Heating with solar panels of a private house is gaining great popularity. This allows you to get away from the expensive service associated with centralized gas supply, get rid of dependence on utilities, and receive year-round heat over the long life of a solar power plant.

The installation of such a system is advisable only for those regions where the sun shines at least 20 days a month. If the sun is not enough for the system to provide full heating of the house, it can be used as an additional free source. A properly selected system of solar panels for heating a house will pay for itself in 3-4 years.

Solar panels for the home: consumer reviews

Thanks to the many positive reviews about an alternative source of electricity, it is possible to dispel the myths that worry potential installers.

Many people think that such expensive equipment will not pay for itself throughout the life of the installation. However, as practice shows, with the correct installation of solar panels in compliance with all the rules, it is possible to ensure private house electricity for at least 25 years. And the cost of the equipment will pay off in 3-4 years.

The following myth implies inefficient operation of solar panels in cloudy weather or in winter period time. However, the opinions of consumers agree that solar collectors are able to show maximum activity during the stay of the sun at its zenith in cloudless weather. But when the sun hides behind the clouds, the panels will work, but not in full. The installation completely stops working at night when there is no sunlight at all.

Opponents of solar panels argue that solar collectors are quite fragile and are not able to withstand the various loads created by nature. However, consumer reviews prove the opposite: the solar panel is able to withstand even large hail.

Related article:

Presented technical requirements to install solar panels. Features of selection and installation. Manufacturers overview.

The next myth concerns snow, which can block light from reaching the system. However, here the danger is hoarfrost, for which snow will cling and create barriers. To avoid this, you can place the batteries on the house vertically, then you can avoid a lot of gliding light.

And the last myth concerns Chinese made solar batteries. Despite a very solid range of products, factories in China often produce high-quality goods. This is especially true for the manufacture of solar collectors and heat pipes, the production of which is 90% concentrated in China. This product has high technical specifications and certified not only in their own country, but also in Germany.

Numerous positive reviews on the Internet they prove that an alternative source of electricity is good not only for a private house. Many successfully use solar panels for an apartment, which are installed on a balcony. They can be fixed directly on the glass or in the glazing frame, which will play the role of tinting.

Sets of solar panels 3 kW for the cottage from 60,000 rubles

In the country, as a rule, there are electrical appliances of small power, where a limited number of batteries and a small frequency of their use are required. If there is no centralized power supply in the country house, then it is advisable to install a set of solar panels that will generate electricity for free. However, to get such free pleasure, you will initially have to spend money on a purchase. necessary materials, the cost of which will pay off only after a few years.

For the production of 1 kW of electricity, a kit with a capacity of more than 200 watts is required. According to numerous reviews, solar power plants for a country house with a capacity of 800 W are capable of providing a complete autonomous power supply to an object. The cost of such a system will cost from 80,000 rubles.

A standard kit for a solar power station for a summer residence consists of 200 W panels, a 40 A charge controller, a 3 kW inverter, two 200 A batteries and other auxiliary parts. The price of such a kit starts from 60,000 rubles, and the approximate payback period is 3-5 years. However, this is the most profitable way to generate electricity for facilities without a centralized power supply. It is less expensive than using a diesel generator.

According to the reviews of the owners, it is better to equip solar panels for a house in a summer cottage with two or four modules with a capacity of 200 V each. It depends on the number of energy consumers, the duration and frequency of their use. If the power is not enough, it can be increased by adding solar panels.

Many people purchase such a kit for the private sector, where there is a centralized power supply, as an additional source of energy. Numerous reviews of solar panels for the home indicate that in this case, you can significantly save on paying electricity bills.

How to make solar panels with your own hands

When it is not possible to purchase a ready-made solar station, you can create it yourself. There are two options here: buy ready-made modules and connect them to a battery with an inverter or solder the panel yourself. The first assembly method is fast, but more expensive. The second option requires a certain skill of the assembler, who must be extremely careful with fragile photocells.

Four solar plates generate a total of 2 V of electricity

To create a solar battery for your home with your own hands, you need to prepare certain materials.

The first main component for creating solar panels is a set of high-quality photocells. Today you can buy elements made of polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon. More popular are the latest photovoltaic cells, which are ideal for home energy supply.

Useful advice! All the elements necessary for assembly should be purchased from one manufacturer. Since the materials of different brands are significantly different, which will complicate the assembly of the entire structure.

To connect the photocells, a set of special conductors is required. For the manufacture of the housing of the future battery, aluminum corners that are resistant to atmospheric influences are suitable. The housing size depends on the number of photocells. It is better to use transparent polycarbonate or plexiglass as an external coating of photocells, which prevent the penetration of infrared rays. As additional materials, you will need mounting hardware, copper electrical wires, Schottky diodes, silicone vacuum stands and a set of screws for fastening.

In addition to the FEP, you need to buy a 12 V to 200 V inverter for the home, which converts direct current to alternating current. For the accumulation and slow consumption of electricity, a pair of gel or AGM batteries is needed. Not less than important element is the controller needed to disconnect the battery from the battery during its full charge and turn it on to receive a new portion of electricity.

You can also assemble a solar battery with your own hands from improvised means. Diodes, foil or transistors are suitable for this. The operation of a solar battery from diodes occurs as a result of the appearance of a voltage of about 2.5 V under direct sunlight. However, when the sun is not enough, this indicator begins to drop rapidly, and the diodes themselves begin to consume energy. Using such a battery is ineffective.

The foil device is more suitable for the production of thermal energy. Also, foil is ideal material for the FEP substrate. The most efficient is a solar battery assembled from transistors. The more their number, the higher the power of the device. top each transistor must be cut off, pour out the powder. The output of the device are contacts. This battery is designed to power your phone. For more serious events, its power is not enough.

Do-it-yourself solar panels for the home: step-by-step instructions for making

After all the necessary elements are prepared, you can begin to assemble the structure, which consists of the following steps:

  1. Creation of a frame from aluminum corners with low sides and hardware, the size of which depends on the number of transducers and their area. Here it is necessary to take into account the distance between the solar cells of at least 5 mm.
  2. Sealant should be applied to the inner edges of the rails.
  3. Lay a sheet of transparent material on the frame, tightly engrafting it to the adhesive contour.
  4. After the sealant has completely dried, use hardware to fasten the frame and the transparent surface.
  5. Expand into flat surface all photocells of the battery with the “negative” side up.
  6. Using a soldering tool, conductors of the same length are attached to each FEP. It is most convenient to do this when the module is placed on the glass.
  7. All elements are sequentially connected to each other in the form of a "snake".
  8. The extreme contacts must be soldered to the bus (silver wide conductor).
  9. To prevent a decrease in the quality of lighting at night, it is necessary to create "midpoints" using shunt diodes that are installed on the positive terminal. Schottky diodes are suitable for this.
  10. Lay photocells with conductors on a transparent plane.
  11. Lubricate all solar cells, output and connecting wires with silicone glue.
  12. Close the structure with the back panel.
  13. To plug solar panel to the battery, solar charge controller and inverter.

Useful advice! So that between load and separate elements battery did not appear short circuit fuses must be installed.

Almost every homeowner wants to get free electricity. Installing solar panels is the most acceptable option. Using this device, you can create a main (without centralized power supply) and an additional source of electrical energy. The system is environmentally friendly and reliable to use. The main disadvantage is expensive equipment. However, its cost will pay off in 3-5 years.

Humanity in order to care for the environment and economy Money began to use alternative energy sources, which, in particular, include solar panels. Buying such a pleasure will be quite expensive, but it is not difficult to make this device with your own hands. Therefore, it does not hurt you to learn how to make a solar battery yourself. This will be discussed in our article.

Solar panels are devices that generate electricity using photovoltaic cells.

Before talking about how to make a solar battery with your own hands, you need to understand the device and the principles of its operation. The solar battery includes photocells connected in series and in parallel, a battery that stores electricity, an inverter that converts direct current into alternating current, and a controller that monitors the charging and discharging of the battery.

As a rule, photocells are made of silicon, but its purification is expensive, so elements such as indium, copper, and selenium have recently begun to be used.

Each photocell is a separate cell that generates electricity. The cells are linked to each other and form a single field, the area of ​​which determines the power of the battery. That is, the more photocells, the more electricity generated.

In order to make a solar panel with your own hands at home, you need to understand the essence of such a phenomenon as the photoelectric effect. A photocell is a silicon plate, when light hits it, an electron is knocked out from the last energy level of silicon atoms. The movement of the flow of such electrons generates a direct current, which is subsequently converted into alternating current. This is the phenomenon of the photoelectric effect.

Advantages

Solar panels have the following advantages:

  • harmlessness to the environment;
  • durability;
  • silent operation;
  • ease of manufacture and installation;
  • independence of electricity supply from the distribution network;
  • immobility of parts of the device;
  • insignificant financial costs;
  • light weight;
  • operation without mechanical transducers.

Varieties

Solar panels are divided into the following types.

Silicon

Silicon is the most popular stuff for batteries.

Silicon batteries are also divided into:

  1. Monocrystalline: These batteries use very pure silicon.
  2. Polycrystalline (cheaper than monocrystalline): Polycrystals are obtained by gradual cooling of silicon.

Film

Such batteries are divided into the following types:

  1. Based on cadmium telluride (efficiency 10%): cadmium has a high light absorption coefficient, which makes it possible to use it in the production of batteries.
  2. Based on copper selenide - indium: the efficiency is higher than that of the previous ones.
  3. Polymer.

Solar batteries from polymers have begun to be manufactured relatively recently, usually furellenes, polyphenylene, etc. are used for this. Polymer films are very thin, about 100 nm. Despite the efficiency of 5%, polymer batteries have their advantages: cheap material, environmental friendliness, elasticity.

amorphous

The efficiency of amorphous batteries is 5%. Such panels are made of silane (silicon hydrogen) on the principle of film batteries, so they can be attributed to both silicon and film batteries. Amorphous batteries are elastic, generate electricity even in bad weather, absorb light better than other panels.

materials

To make a solar battery, you will need the following materials:

  • photocells;
  • aluminum corners;
  • Schottky diodes;
  • silicone sealants;
  • conductors;
  • fixing screws and hardware;
  • polycarbonate sheet/plexiglass;
  • soldering equipment.

These materials are required in order to make a solar battery with your own hands.

Choice of photocells

To make a solar battery for your home with your own hands, you should choose the right solar cells. The latter are subdivided into monocrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous.

The efficiency of the first is 13%, but such photocells are ineffective in bad weather, outwardly they are bright blue squares. Polycrystalline solar cells are capable of generating electricity even in bad weather, although their efficiency is only 9%, they are darker in appearance than monocrystalline ones and cut off at the edges. Amorphous photocells are made of flexible silicon, their efficiency is 10%, their performance does not depend on weather conditions, but the production of such cells is too expensive, so they are rarely used.

If you plan to use the electricity generated by photovoltaic cells in the country, then we advise you to assemble a solar battery with your own hands from polycrystalline cells, since their efficiency is sufficient for your purposes.

You should buy photocells of the same brand, since photocells of several brands can vary greatly - this can cause problems with battery assembly and its functioning. It should be remembered that the amount of energy produced by a cell is directly proportional to its size, that is, the larger the photocell, the more electricity it produces; cell voltage depends on its type, and not on size.

The amount of current produced is determined by the dimensions of the smallest photocell, so you should buy photocells of the same size. Of course, you should not buy cheap products, because this means that they have not passed the test. Also, you should not buy photocells coated with wax (many manufacturers cover photocells with wax to preserve products during transportation): removing it can damage the photocell.

Calculations and project

Building a solar panel with your own hands is a simple task, the main thing is to approach its implementation responsibly. To make a solar panel with your own hands, you should calculate the daily electricity consumption, then find out the average daily solar time in your area and calculate the required power. Thus, it will become clear how many cells and what size you need to purchase. After all, as mentioned above, the current generated by the cell depends on its dimensions.

Knowing required size cells and their number, it is necessary to calculate the dimensions and weight of the panel, after which it is necessary to find out whether the roof or another place where it is planned to install a solar battery will withstand the intended design.

When installing the panel, you should not only choose the sunniest place, but also try to fix it at a right angle to the sun's rays.

Stages of work

Frame

Before you start making a solar panel with your own hands, you need to build a frame for it. It protects the battery from damage, moisture and dust.

The body is assembled from moisture resistant material: plywood coated with a moisture-repellent agent, or aluminum corners, to which plexiglass or polycarbonate is glued with silicone sealant.

In this case, it is necessary to observe the indents between the elements (3-4 mm), since it is necessary to take into account the expansion of the material with increasing temperature.

Soldering elements

The photocells are laid out on the front side of the transparent surface, so that the distance between them on all sides is 5 mm: in this way, the possible expansion of the photocells with increasing temperature is taken into account.

Converters having two poles are fixed: positive and negative. If you want to increase the voltage, connect the elements in series, if the current - in parallel.

To avoid discharging the battery at night, in a single circuit consisting of all necessary details, turn on the Schottky diode, connecting it to the positive conductor. Then all the elements are soldered together.

Assembly

Soldered transducers are placed in the finished frame, silicone is applied to the photocells - all this is covered with a layer of fiberboard, closed with a lid, and the joints of the parts are treated with sealant.

Even a city dweller can make and place a solar battery on the balcony with their own hands. It is desirable that the balcony be glazed and insulated.
So we figured out how to make a solar battery at home, it turned out that it was not difficult at all.

Ideas from improvised materials

You can make a solar battery with your own hands from improvised materials. Consider the most popular options.

Many will be surprised to learn that foil can be used to make a solar battery with your own hands. In fact, this is not surprising, because the foil increases the reflectivity of materials. For example, to reduce overheating of the panels, they are placed on foil.

How to make a foil solar panel?

We will need:

  • 2 "crocodiles";
  • copper foil;
  • multimeter;
  • salt;
  • empty plastic bottle without neck;
  • electric oven;
  • drill.

After cleaning the copper sheet and washing our hands, we cut off a piece of foil, put it on a hot electric stove, heat it for half an hour, observing blackening, then remove the foil from the stove, let it cool and see how the pieces peel off from the sheet. After heating, the oxide film disappears, so the black oxide can be gently removed with water.

Then a second piece of foil is cut out the same size as the first, the two parts are bent, lowered into the bottle so that they do not have the opportunity to touch.

Foil can also be used for heating. To do this, it must be pulled onto the frame, to which you then need to connect hoses connected, for example, to a watering can.

So we learned how to make a solar panel for the home from foil.

Many houses have old transistors lying around, but not everyone knows that they are quite suitable for making a solar battery for a summer cottage with their own hands. In this case, the photocell is a semiconductor wafer located inside the transistor. How to make a solar battery from transistors with your own hands? First you need to open the transistor, for which it is enough to cut off the cover, so we can see the plate: it small sizes, which explains the low Solar efficiency transistor batteries.

Next, you need to check the transistor. To do this, we use a multimeter: we connect the device to a transistor with a well-lit p-n junction and measure the current, the multimeter should record the current from a few fractions of a milliamp to 1 or a little more; then we switch the device to the voltage measurement mode, the multimeter should give out tenths of a volt.

We place the tested transistors inside the case, for example, sheet plastic and solder it. You can make such a solar battery with your own hands at home and use it to charge batteries and low power radios.

Old diodes are also suitable for assembling batteries. Making a solar battery with your own hands from diodes is not difficult at all. It is necessary to open the diode, exposing the crystal, which is a photocell, then heat the diode for 20 seconds on a gas stove, and when the solder melts, remove the crystal. It remains to solder the pulled out crystals to the case.

The power of such batteries is small, but it is enough to power small LEDs.

This option of making a solar battery with your own hands from improvised means will seem very strange to most, but making a solar battery with your own hands from beer cans is simple and cheap.

We will make the case from plywood, on which we will place polycarbonate or plexiglass, on rear surface plywood fix foam or glass wool for insulation. Photocells will serve us aluminum cans. It is important to choose exactly aluminum cans, since aluminum is less susceptible to corrosion than, for example, iron and has better heat transfer.

Further, holes are made in the bottom of the cans, the lid is cut off, and unnecessary elements are bent to ensure better air circulation. Then it is necessary to clean the jars of grease and dirt with the help of special products that do not contain acids. Next, you need to hermetically fasten the jars together: with silicone gel that can withstand high temperatures, or a soldering iron. Be sure to dry the glued cans very well in a stationary position.

Having attached the cans to the body, we paint them black and close the structure with plexiglass or polycarbonate. Such a battery is capable of heating water or air with subsequent supply to the room.

We looked at options for how to make a solar panel with your own hands. We hope that now you will not have a question about how to make a solar battery.

Video

How to make solar panels with your own hands - video tutorial.

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