A Solar Pathfinder

The Solar Pathfinder is a standard shade analysis tool. You can use it to find out exactly where the shadows will be at particular times of the day or year. The data is in graphical form, so you can make sense of it at one glance.

Another popular tool is the Solmetric Suneye. This instrument is rather user friendly, but is much more expensive than the Solar Pathfinder. This will set you back by at least $1,500…yet there is a cheaper option.

Why Do We Need To Use A Solar Pathfinder?

A proper instrument like a Solar Pathfinder can save you lots of time and guesswork. Moreover it is reasonably easy to use and is affordable.

If we do not have any instrument to predict shadow positions, we’ll have to sit up from dawn to dusk to observe how they move. This is a waste of time! Moreover, these positions shift (slightly) through different seasons because of how the earth rotates around the sun.

But why do we care so much about the extent of shading? You may not realize this, but the effect of shading is devastating to solar energy production. Even if your solar panel is slightly covered under a shadow, the power output can drop drastically.

Consider this…if you shade only one solar cell out of the entire solar panel, your energy production is likely to drop by a third. If you shade a row of photovoltaic cells, your electricity output reduces by about 90%. This means your solar panels have virtually stopped working!

Therefore when installing your solar panels, shading is your first and most important concern.

But is it worthwhile to use a solar pathfinder? Perhaps we should ask ourselves if we could determine shadow positions without the use of a scientific instrument… In fact, the additional electricity you’ll be able to generate quickly covers the cost of the Solar Pathfinder. This is especially true for larger systems.

After all, you’ve invested money and effort on your solar cells, batteries and inverters… Are you going to sacrifice a potentially significant part of its energy output just to save a few bucks? I hope not!

In case you are thinking of installing solar panels without a Solar Pathfinder, drop the idea as soon as possible. Because guesswork will eventually cost you dearly! You may be concerned about the cost…or you may be worried about the complexity of the instrument. The fact is this instrument only costs $249 and you’ll probably take only 15 minutes to learn how to use it.

Whatever it is, if you’re without a Solar Pathfinder, I’m confident of this — you cannot even begin your installation… Without this instrument, you’ll be lost!

To use a Solar Pathfinder, you simply have to bring it to the spot you feel is most suitable for installation. Then you’ll need to level the instrument and point it to the right direction with the help of an in-built compass. The plastic dome will show you a paranomic view of the entire area together with the regions affected by shading over different times of the day or year.

To record your readings, you can use a wax pencil (or grease pen) to outline the shadow or simply use your digital camera to take a snap shot. (I prefer the second approach – it’s instantaneous!)

The effects of shading are exceedingly damaging to solar energy production. Therefore you need to eliminate the guesswork — which can end up costing you a lot — and adopt a scientific approach to install your solar panels. Among all known techniques, the easiest and cheapest way is to use a Solar Pathfinder.

Continue Reading:

1. Solar Panel Installation
2. Do-It-Yourself Solar Panels – Electricity Conversion From Sunlight
3. Used Solar Panels – How To Use Them To Build Cheap DIY Solar Panels

Home Solar Power Systems

This article will paint a thirty thousand foot view of this plan and then discuss how we can implement it. Then I’ll let you in on further resources that will help you with solar energy calculations, construction and installation.

Building a home solar power system involves a few major steps:

(1) Determining the household energy requirement. This influences the number of solar cells needed to produce the required electrical energy.

Most households will not want to take their homes completely off-grid. After calculations, the majority of families seem to prefer their solar panels to bear roughly 75% of their total energy consumption.

Why do they not want their house to be totally off-grid and be 100% powered by green, renewable energy? Because there will be periods when the light intensity is insufficient. It’s during these times when we’ll need to tap into the grid again.

(2) Constructing the solar panel. The photovoltaic cells are responsible for converting solar energy into electrical energy. It is also a major cost driver. Therefore the solar panel is the most important piece of the puzzle.

If you’re on a budget, you’re able to construct a solar panel by joining broken solar cells together. If you have money to burn, buying ready-made, commercial solar panels can also be an option. These come with long warranty periods (like 25 years and beyond) and are framed in high quality aluminum.

(3) The inverter. This component converts direct current (DC) generated by the solar panels into alternating current (AC) that’s usable by your household appliances. After that, this is channeled to the power distribution box via a synchronizer so that electricity from the grid and electricity from the solar panels can be combined before each appliance in your home uses them.

(4) Installation. Obviously, we need to choose a location where there is as little shade as possible throughout the day. This is usually the roof. With proper guidance from more experienced hobbyists or a guidebook, you can fix the solar panels to your roof (or anywhere else) exactly like the professionals do.

To put all these together, you’ll need a proven plan that tells you exactly what to do — from the broad structure down to the last bolt and nut.

Continue Reading:

1. How To Build A Personal DIY Solar Power System With Less Than $99
2. Do-It-Yourself Solar Panels – Electricity Conversion From Sunlight
3. Homemade Solar Panels

How To Build Solar Panel

In this final part of the “How To Build Solar Panel” series, we’ll impart the finishing touches that make your solar panel project a winner. You’ll discover how to push your solar panel system up one notch so you’ll have a world-class DIY solar panel.

Here, I’m assuming that resources like money, time and skills are not lacking. What we’re trying to push for is a solar panel that will make you proud.

The Solar Panel Frame

The best material to use for the solar panel frame is aluminum. This is a material that will not rust easily and it’s able to carry away additional heat that may be trapped inside the solar panel. This is particularly important since heat can diminish the efficiency of the photovoltaic cells.

Diodes

The diodes you should be using are the Schottky types. These diodes have a much lower forward voltage drop so less power is wasted. And when the temperature gets higher the forward voltage drops further.

Solar Panel Cover

If budget allows and there is no hail at your area, the best cover that your solar panel can have is made of non-reflective glass. Solar panels covered with non-reflective glass can enjoy significantly higher efficiency because greater proportions of sunlight reach the solar cells.

Battery

If you intend to power outdoor equipment like sprinklers and gate openers, your battery will need to be sheltered from the rain and dew. Unfortunately it may be impractical to house these indoors as we’ll then need very long wires that may also be a safety hazard if it’s left lying around.

You can put the battery (or batteries) into a waterproofed electronics housing and seal up the opening (for the wires). In this way rain or dew will not cause short circuit to the battery.

By implementing all of the above tips to your solar panel project, you can surely make for yourself a world-class DIY solar panel project.

Continue Reading:

1. About
2. How To Build Solar Panel (Part 1 of 3)
3. How To Build Solar Panel (Part 2 of 3)

Solar Panel Installation

Solar panel installation may be a daunting task for most people — it requires you to know where and how to site your solar panels. Moreover installation on roofs exposes you to the danger of falling. You are also at risk of electrocution while wiring your inverters.

But we do not have to be discouraged. Knowing what to do can help us tremendously and keep us away from danger. Some important installation know-how can make your job much safer and easier. Here are some points to consider before you install your solar panel…

In the northern hemisphere, we’d like our solar panels to tilt towards to south so that it can receive the most sunlight throughout the year. If we have a south-facing roof, all we need to do is line the solar panels along the surface of the roof. Otherwise we’ll need additional brackets to tilt the photovoltaic panels toward the south.

The roof is usually the best place to site your solar panels, but there are exceptions. Therefore you have to do a thorough survey to know where is the best place to locate your panels.

During the survey, you’ll have to take into consideration shading from plants and nearby structures. Shading has an adverse effect on solar energy production. The amount of electricity generated by photovoltaic cells reduces by a significant percentage with slight shading.

Through different seasons of the year, the position of the sun changes. So you’ll have to take this into consideration. An easy way to find the location that receives the most sunlight throughout the year is to use a Solar Pathfinder. This instrument shows you at a glance where shadows will be at different times of the day and different seasons of the year.

If the ideal location is on your rooftop, you’ll have to find out the maximum loading your roof can withstand. If the solar panels are too heavy, you will need to provide additional reinforcement to the roof structure before installation.

After the location is finalized, actual work can begin. You’ll have to get the correct solar panel mount to fix them at the ideal place — there are pole mounts, roof-ground mounts and flush mounts.

When installing on roofs, we frequently use flush mounts. This is the cheapest and easiest way to mount small solar panels. These are metal brackets that support both ends of a solar panel. It elevates the solar panels a few inches away from the roof to form a gap in between. This allows air to flow through, cooling the solar panels. It is vital to moderate the solar panel temperature so as to maintain the efficiency of photovoltaic cells.

Roof-ground mounts are grid-like structures that are used primarily for large solar panels. They can be installed on the ground or on roofs. A pole mount is used mainly for supporting a small, single solar panel.

After the solar panels are fixed, you’ll have to run and connect the electrical cables. The actual connections depend on whether you want a grid-tied or off-grid system.

With proper solar panel installation, each panel will be able to withstand strong winds and work efficiently for decades. You can also expect your property to increase in value with a solar energy system installed.

Continue Reading:

1. Solar Pathfinder – What Does It Do For You?
2. Installing Solar Water Heaters
3. Solar Panel Efficiency

It takes a little skill and practice to harvest components from pre-owned or broken solar panels. Yet it is not so difficult that you cannot manage it with basic DIY skills.

You have to free the photovoltaic cells from the base it’s mounted on. After you have done this, check the solar cells for loose connections, broken panels, condensation and damaged diodes. Common problems such as these can potentially cause your solar panels to break down shortly after installation.

If the joints between solar cells are broken or loose, you have to re-solder them. Malfunctioned diodes can be replaced with new ones from your local component store. And if you see broken photovoltaic cells, you will have to source for a similar component to replace it — this can be challenging. Yet you can still make do with the broken cell in case your efforts to replace the broken solar cell fail. There will be reduced power output as a result, but this is not a grave concern.

The array of solar cells is usually mounted on a piece of masonite or acrylic (substrate) board before it is placed into a new solar panel frame. You can discard this substrate after a few years if you intend to replace the solar cells with fresh, new ones.

Using pre-owned solar panels to build DIY solar panels has its pros and cons. The most obvious advantage is the price. Used solar panels can be very cheap and some kind contractors may even give them to you without asking for a single cent. You are also less worried about breaking expensive photovoltaic panels while building your project.

On the other hand, a used solar panel’s lifespan may be significantly shorter. Their power output will also be a little lower compared to when it was new. A loose connection or a fault may hide itself somewhere that escapes your attention. As you build your DIY solar panel, trouble may spring up from these areas. However this can be managed if you’re careful in checking for potential failures.

Overall, harvesting parts from a used solar panels proof to be the best money saving method to build DIY solar panels. The only downside is the additional effort you have to put in. Yet as DIY hobbyists, we tend to take joy in such labor.

Continue Reading:

1. How To Build A Personal DIY Solar Power System With Less Than $99
2. Step-By-Step Guide To Build A 12V Solar Panel
3. How To Find Used Solar Panels

…it’s difficult, isn’t it?

I have a small list over here that you may find useful. It reveals the top few solar panel and inverter manufacturers you can choose from.

The reason these brands make the best buy is because of the awards they receive and good feedback from many users.

For solar panels, you can choose from SunPower (USA), Schott Solar (Germany) or SolarWorld (Germany).

If you are the type who insists on excellent product quality, you should be looking at Sanyo (Japan) solar panels.

However if what you are looking for is the best value for money, you can consider buying from Suntech (China).

Having said this, it is also important to be assured that the photovoltaic cells within the solar panels are of good quality. If you have an eye for details, check out Sharp, Q-Cells and BP Solar.

Solar panels need to be mounted on a supporting structure such as the roof. As such, you’ll need good solar mounting systems. The recommended brands are Direct Power and Water (USA), UniRac (USA) and Schletter (Germany).

Certainly, you’ll also require inverters for your solar panels array. You have a choice to buy from either Kaco (Germany), OutBack (USA) or Mastervolt (USA).

Among these options, Outback is touted to have the best product quality while Kaco has the best price. This may change from time to time, so it’s worth checking all 3 of them out.

If you have the budget, you can maximize your solar power output by orientating it towards to sun through the day. Solar trackers are great devices for doing this. The best company to approach is Zomeworks (USA).

Hope this helps…

Continue Reading:

1. Sizing Your Solar Energy Panels – Part 3
2. Solor Panel Inverters – Stand-Alone Solar Panel Inverters
3. Solor Panel Inverters – Synchronous Solar Panel Inverters

Do-It-Yourself Solar Panels Electricity

As you may have realized by now, the (semiconductor) material used is largely responsible for the efficiency of energy conversion — from sunlight to electricity. As scientists discover better semiconductors and better production techniques, photovoltaic cells become cheaper to produce. And as the demand for solar panels increase, economies of scale drives the price of solar cells to the value we know today.

Recently, many hobbyists are getting interested in building for themselves homemade solar panels. This further reduces the cost of introducing a solar power generator into their house. In fact, most of them are able to gather materials from used and broken solar panels to construct fully working (restored) panels at a tenth of the original cost.

However, before you commit to a do-it-yourself solar panel project, you need to consider what you’ll be using it for. Beginners tend to build smaller panels to power their garage lights or garden sprinklers. More experienced enthusiasts often challenge themselves to generate all their household energy needs with several pieces of homemade solar panels installed on rooftops.

If your aspiration is to build a grid-tied or off-grid system for your home, you’ll need to determine the size of your solar energy system needed. Then you’ll know the type and quantity of batteries to buy and what inverters to use. You’ll also need to cater sufficient space in your home to house these electrical items safely.

As many of the DIY solar panels are built from used solar generators, their efficiency may not be as good as off-the-shelf panels fitted with new photovoltaic cells. Therefore it is important to keep the efficiency as high as possible.

This can be achieved by keeping the solar panels as cool as possible. Because efficiency drops as the temperature of photovoltaic cell rises. If your solar panels are installed on the rooftop, you need to ensure sufficient gap between the roof and panels so cool air can pass through to bring away excess heat from the solar panels.

Another way to ensure maximum electricity production is to locate your solar panels at a place with the most sunshine throughout the year. This means the panels should be tilted toward the south (if you’re living in the northern hemisphere) and there should be as little shading as possible.

If your location allows you to generate sufficient energy for your household needs, you’re in luck. With your own set of do-it-yourself solar panels, electricity cost will no longer be a concern as long as the sun is shining for you. You’ll also enjoy shorter payback periods than similar commercial models because DIY solar panels are cheaper.

Continue Reading:

1. About
2. Homemade Solar Panels
3. Solar Panel Efficiency — How Does Dirt on Your Solar Panels Affect The Amount Of Electricity Produced?

12V Solar Panel

It is easy to build a 12V solar panel if you know how. This step-by-step guide is designed to teach you if you want to build one but are clueless on how to start.

This article also illustrates the sequence to building a 12V solar panel so you’ll have the least trouble.

After reading the 5 steps, I’m confident no matter how confused you are, you’ll be able to move along to begin designing your first photovoltaic panel:

Step 1 – Source for solar cells.

There are a total of 3 ways you can get a solar (photovoltaic) cell — you can buy them, you can salvage used or broken solar cells or you can even make them.

If you intend to use your solar panels for long, I recommend you buy them. Although they’re more expensive, they yield more power and can last longer. Thus you won’t need to make another solar panel a few years down the road.

If you intend to make a solar panel just for fun, you can join pieces of used or broken solar cells to make up a complete solar panel. They won’t be the most professional looking photovoltaic panels around, but who cares, they’re just for fun!

And if you feel more adventurous, you can even make your own solar panel by heating up copper plates to form cuprous oxide, which is a form of semiconductor by itself. These homemade solar cells are inefficient at best and only produce microwatts of power per cell. But if you’re just having some fun are feeling adventurous, why not?

Step 2 – Soldering the solar cells

To form a 12V supply, we have to solder the photovoltaic cells in series so they add up to 12V collectively. While many solar cells are rated at 0.5V each, you’ll have to check its specification before buying and using them. Some may not rated at 0.5V.

With 24 solar cells connected in series, we can easily make an array of solar cells that produce 12V supply.

However voltage is only part of the equation. We also have to consider the current output of the solar cells. With the correct voltage and sufficient current, we’ll have enough power to drive the application of your choice.

Step 3 – Pasting solar cells onto a substrate

After soldering the solar cells, you can prepare to paste them onto a substrate. Many hobbyists prefer to use silicone caulk to do this. However you’ll need to employ the correct technique to paste the solar cells using silicone caulk. Otherwise the cells may crack just after a short period of use.

Step 4 – Put the array of solar cells with a protective box

After the substrate is done, you’ll have to make a box to contain the substrate. This can be made of wood, plastic or metal. Each has its unique advantages and disadvantages.

The protective box is done last. This is because you can then be flexible to alter your solar panel design if you need to add more solar cells to the setup. This will free you from some worrying.

After the box is completed, you can hold down the substrate in the protective box using blobs of silicone caulk.

Step 5 — Cover the solar panel box

Finally, you’ll have to cover the box with a transparent plastic or glass. This will keep precipitation and dew from destroying your solar cells and metallic joints. Many hobbyists choose plexiglass because it’s not as fragile as glass. The choice is entirely up to you.

After completing these 5 steps, your solar panel is ready to produce electricity for you.

Continue Reading:

1. How To Build Solar Panel (Part 1 of 3)
2. How To Build Solar Panel (Part 2 of 3)
3. Used Solar Panels – How To Use Them To Build Cheap DIY Solar Panels

Used solar panels can be found in many places and from different sources. You can approach homeowners who have solar panels that look old. You can also try your luck at recycling centers where broken solar panels can occasionally be found.

Yet the most effective way is to contact contractors or agents who specialize in solar panel installation. Many of them discard used solar panels before fitting new ones for their customers. Another source to get used solar panels are building contractors. They often renovate houses installed with photovoltaic panels and are glad to have someone dispose such items for them.

Most of these people may give you their used solar panels provided you offer to transport them away from the site. If they are unwilling to hand those pre-owned solar panels to you, try offering them a small fee that includes transporting the solar panels to your residence.

As you hunt for used solar panels, remember to look out for fatal flaws that may render your photovoltaic cells unusable. Here are some tips on what to look out for:

1. Cracked glass, condensation under glass and broken connections are common problems that cause owners to discard their solar panels. Fortunately there is a remedy for these failures.

2. Loose connections between solar cells may go unnoticed as you inspect them visually. Such faults can be picked up using a resistance meter, and joints with high resistance can be re-soldered together.

Although pre-owned solar panels are cheap, there are downsides to using them. One of the most obvious is the decrease in power output. After they are exposed to the sun for one or two decades, photovoltaic cells become less effective. Although marginal, you have to take this degradation into consideration, as you’ll need more solar panels as a result. Used solar panels also have a shorter lifespan, thus they can only serve you for their remaining years.

Needless to say, the low price of used solar panels allure many people to buy them. If the cost per watt can justify the purchase and they still have many more years to go, they can be excellent investments.

Therefore if you intend to install a used solar panel for your home, the payback period can be shorter than when you buy new ones. A trusted contractor is able to help you look out for used solar panels that are relatively and without damage. Therefore keep in contact with them, learn from them and build a relationship, and you’ll have a good-as-new solar panel at your home soon.

Continue Reading:

1. 3 Secrets You Didn’t Know About Building Solar Panels
2. Build Amazing Home Solar Power Systems Used by Families Who Don’t Want to Pay For Their Utilities
3. Do-It-Yourself Solar Panels – Electricity Conversion From Sunlight

In many people’s mind, homemade solar panels are often perceived as cheap, fragile or makeshift. This is understandable. Without big brand names behind our handicraft, do-it-yourself solar panels are often misunderstood as temporary setups that may break before the week is over.

What people fail to notice is that photovoltaic cells found inside our solar panels are actually reliable units of solar generators manufactured by corporations that adopt world-class production processes.

The DIY hobbyist simply puts different components together so they form a system that generates enough electrical power to run electrical appliances. The reliability of the system lies largely on the photovoltaic cells.

Although it requires a little knowledge on how to use simple tools and constructing simple electrical circuits, building a homemade solar panel is really one of the simplest DIY projects around.

To build a DIY solar panel, the hobbyist builds a shallow, wooden box that provides structural support to house all the necessary components. He then place the solar cells onto a substrate made of masonite or acrylic before attaching it to the base of the shallow box. After that, he prepares a piece of glass or plexiglass to cover up the box. This provides protection from outdoor elements that can harm the components. If necessary, an inverter is used to convert direct current into alternating current so household appliances can use the electricity.

Those of us who aspire to build a simple homemade solar panel can do so within a weekend even if we have no prior experience making one. This is provided we have basic DIY skills to fabricate simple parts as described above to house the components in.

There are, however, a few pitfalls that can cause our homemade solar panel project to come to a screeching halt. Therefore it is useful to get advice and supervision from other hobbyists who are more experienced. Alternatively, you can also get a reliable guide to show you the steps and pitfalls to building homemade solar panels.

Continue Reading:

1. About
2. Insider Solar Power Generator Review: 3 Most Common Mistakes Hobbyists Make on Their First DIY Solar Panel Project
3. Build Amazing Home Solar Power Systems Used by Families Who Don’t Want to Pay For Their Utilities