solar panel diode

solar panel diode

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If you are having problems while building your own solar panels then maybe I can help. I have been building solar panels now for over 2 years. I have learned many new ideas that I hope will save you some money. Building your own panels is a process that must be done in steps.

I prefer the 3 x 6 grade A- solar cells, which work out great for building a 60 to 75 watt solar panel. These cells are only about the thickness of a credit card so handle with care. When you order these cells they come neatly shipped in a special foam container to protect them from damage.

I always purchase the kit which includes, tab wire, bus wire, and a flux pen for soldering them together. To get started you will need a 30 watt soldering iron. I have tried many types of different soldering guns and irons, but it comes down to a good professional style iron rated between 30 to 40 watts. Use a good low temperature electronics solder which will melt easy for attaching the tab wires.

You will need a table or desk that you can sit down at to start your building process. What I use is a four feet long piece of wood which I attached a yard stick too, so that I can align my cells during soldering. The inch marks on the yard stick allow me to space each cell perfectly in line.

A few tricks that I learned are; not to much heat when soldering, use flux on the solder points, and be careful because the solar cells will warp if applying to much heat for long periods of time.

I have two ways that I attached the completed stringers. When I first started I used clear silicone by placing a dab to the backside of each unit then gently pressing into place on a UV painted board. Today I like encapsulating the whole configuration of 36 by placing them face down on ¼ inch tempered glass, and then pouring the liquid over them thus creating a weatherproof seal. This way turns out to be better than my original way but more expensive, so if you're on tight budget, stick to my first method.

You can either attach your diode in the panel or wire it in your junction box. The diode is a must to prevent your solar system from draining your batteries at night. My placing your panels side by side you can mount easily using pieces of unistrut channel which will keep your panels about 1-7/8 inch above your roof shingles.

As you can see not very complicated, but yet time-consuming if you do not plan your build. Have everything ready before you even start to think of soldering. To me this is a very enjoyable winter project. I like to build them in my basement and have them ready to install the first nice weather day that comes along. I still suggest that you purchase a guide to learn the step by step process. Guides are available at my website; in fact I review the top 3 guide books available for your selection. I hope this shows you how to avoid problems when building solar panels.

Jerry Standefer is a energy consultant with backgrounds in electrical and physics. He owns a successful renewable energy business. Earth Power Energy Systems Jerry offers a free energy report at his website. Sign up today for your free copy. Follow Jerry on Facebook

Electricity FROM Light Emitting Diodes