Solar powered toy cars can also be great tools for teaching children about solar energy and its usefulness.

In order to build one, you have to prepare the following items:

1. Plywood
2. Suitably-sized solar panel
3. DC motor and gears
4. Wheels and axle
5. A set of bearings
6. Wood glue and epoxy
7. Wires and soldering iron
8. Radio control kit (optional)

You can make a really simple toy car or you can endeavor to build one that has every feature including radio control. The choice is up to you. What I’m going to describe here is brief (more like guidelines), so you have to fill in the gaps according to your own DIY experience.

Let’s begin with the body.

First, you have to cut out the base using plywood. The plywood must be thick enough to support the weight of other components you’re going to put on it. This includes your motors, solar panel and the cover.

Next, we’ll have to attach the wheels to the base. The support will be on the bearings. So you have to find a location to fix your bearings. My preference is to simply drill a hole through the plywood and fix the bearings using some epoxy.

If you want steering for your toy car, you cannot simply use wheels and axle. Yet things don’t have to be complicated. You can simply buy a steering set for your front wheels from an RC shop. They are pretty easy to use and will fit well on any toy car.

At the axle of the rear wheels, remember to attach the gears.

After the wheels are attached, you can place the DC motor firmly on the base using an aluminum bracket. Then turn the rear wheels and check to see if the gears are interlocked properly. If they are too tight or too loose, adjust the aluminum bracket till you find a good fit.

Finally, solder the wires from the solar panel to the motor and cover up the toy car using the solar panel. You can also design a separate cover for the car to improve on its aesthetics. With a little imagination, you can make your solar powered toy car look really beautiful.

Continue Reading:

1. How To Build A Sun Tracking Mechanism to Increase Your Solar Panel Efficiency by 40%
2. How To Make A Solar Powered Water Fountain
3. How to Make a Solar Powered Tricycle

Image via Wikipedia

Why do people want to buy a used solar panel? The answer is obvious. Consumers choose to use solar energy for two main reasons – to cut down on energy bills and to preserve the environment. Therefore they want to spend the least money on the panel that gives them the most power output. The best candidates for this criteria are pre-owned photovoltaic panels. It is also environmentally friendly to reuse (or recycle) photovoltaic panels as much as possible.

Pre-owned solar power generators maintain up to 90% of their efficiency as when they were new. This is true even though the panels may be more than 10 years old. This often means you’ll get more wattage output for a lower price tag.

The only disadvantage is that new panels have better aesthetics, are lighter and take up less space. This is due to improved product design and better materials used. Also, the lifespan of used solar panels will obviously not be as long as brand new ones.

Pre-owned panels can be bought on eBay or from an agent. The source of these panels comes mainly from corporations that want to replace their panels with newer, more efficient ones. Others come from residential buildings. Whatever the source is, you’ll have to perform simple checks to make sure you’re not buying a lemon.

Most importantly, you need to be convinced that the used panel you buy is worth the price you pay for. Having this in mind, the cost per watt (for a used panel) has to be at least 20 to 30 per cent cheaper than brand new panels. Otherwise you’ve paid too much. This is a helpful guideline that can help you differentiate between the good buys and the bad ones.

You’ll also need to visually inspect them to see if there are any loose connections or rusted parts that need to be replaced. Remember to check the bypass diode as they are frequently burnt. This is often the reason photovoltaic panels are discarded. Simple faults like this can be immediately rectified with new components and a simple soldering iron.

While shopping, you may also have observed that some used solar cells have turned brown. This is because older cells contain a plastic substrate that becomes tinted after years of exposure to sunlight. However, electricity output is in no way reduced because of this.

If you want to buy used solar panels, the tips above can help you save a lot of money by buying the right panel that can serve you for years.

Continue Reading:

1. Used Solar Panels – How To Use Them To Build Cheap DIY Solar Panels
2. How To Find Used Solar Panels
3. Sizing Your Solar Energy Panels – Part 2

Trying to build a photovoltaic panel without basic skills is akin to a man who tries to be a painter without knowing the basic techniques of handling a brush…or toddler trying to cycle without developing a sense of balance. It is bound to be difficult — at least initially.

There are 3 essential skills necessary to build your own DIY solar panels. They are (1) handling of tools, (2) soldering & (3) a practical knowledge of electrical circuits.

Knowing how to handle materials is important. Whether you build solar panels using wood or metal, you have to understand how to manipulate the materials to shape them into the design you want.

This implies you have to know how to handle simple hand (or power) tools. Then you can cut the material or bend them. You’ll also need to finish (polish) the surface and edges so the burrs and jagged edges can be removed.

Inside solar panels are row after rows of electrical connections that have to be made by soldering. Therefore you also need to learn how to use a soldering iron to bond metallic joints. Bad solder joints can cause unnecessary resistance in the electrical circuit, lowering the effectiveness of your energy production. Fortunately this is a skill that can be acquired easily – often within 15 minutes or less.

Having a good working knowledge of how electronics work can be helpful. You do not necesssarily need to design your solar panel from scratch, but you will need to know how to implement the circuit design recorded on paper. It will also be useful to know some elementary electronics formula so you can size your solar panel system. Again, this knowledge is easily acquired if you take some time to read up.

Basic formulae that are needed for building electronic circuits can be easily found on the Internet or in your local library. Moreover there are also many books on homemade solar panels in bookstores that can help you with these basics.

Equiped with the above DIY skills, you can be assured that building DIY solar panels can become a rewarding hobby.

Continue Reading:

1. Insider Solar Power Generator Review: 3 Most Common Mistakes Hobbyists Make on Their First DIY Solar Panel Project
2. Used Solar Panels – How To Use Them To Build Cheap DIY Solar Panels
3. Homemade Solar Panels

Since the primary voltage used in an automobile is 12 volts, the solar panel you build will most likely be of this rating.

There are a few items you need to purchase in order to make this project:

1. Solar cells
2. Silicon caulk
3. Aluminum frame
4. Perspex cover
5. 2-gauge wires
6. Soldering iron
7. A piece of substrate

You can either use broken cells or new/used ones. What I recommend (if you have the budget) is to use new PV cells. This is because you’ll get the most power. Since an automobile doesn’t have a lot of surface area, you need more power per square feet for your PV panel.

First, you have to position the solar cells on the substrate to make sure you’ve got your spacing correct. Next, check that the PV cells are orientated according to the correct polarity.

Once this is done, you can flip the cells and start soldering them. Use 2-gauge wires or tabbing wires so the electrical resistance is as low as possible. After this, put the cells under the sun and test to see if you’re getting the correct voltage and current output.

Then put the PV cells back on the substrate again. Row by row, put a blob of silicon caulk at the back of the solar cell. Then paste the solar cell gently on the substrate. Do not cover the entire cell with silicon caulk. Otherwise you will leave the material with little space for expansion and contraction. When sufficient stress builds up in the material (glass), it may crack.

You’ll usually have to wait at least 24 hours for the silicon caulk to dry completely. Otherwise it will leave deposits at the Perspex surface. This will hinder sunlight from entering the solar panel.

Immediately after pasting your solar cells, you may want to take some time to waterproof the solar panel frame. This prevents moisture and rain from entering your PV panel. Thus you’re protecting metallic connections and components from corrosion.

Finally, you can also build a small charge controller into the solar panel frame if space allows. However this depends on what you want to use your solar panel for.

Continue Reading:

1. How To Build Solar Panel (Part 2 of 3)
2. Step-By-Step Guide To Build A 12V Solar Panel
3. Building a Solar Panel Frame By Using Aluminum Angles

Wiring up all the solar cells in your solar panel takes about an hour or two. But if your solar panel is small and you are skillful, you can complete the task well within an hour.

Solar Cell

You’ll get better with practice.

Here is a list of things you’ll need:

1. Solar cells
2. Soldering iron & solder
3. Rosin flux pen
4. Silicon Caulk
5. 2 gauge copper wire

There are different types of solar cells available in the market. You will either see clear metallic lines or metal squares at the back of the solar cells. Both of these will work just fine.

What You'll Need...

When choosing solar cells, you have to make sure they are consistent. Which means you must use the same type of solar cells throughout the entire solar panel. This will keep things organized and make calculations easy.

Broken solar cells work fine too. But if it’s your first time building your own solar panels or if you want to generate serious power, avoid them. Stick to new or used (undamaged) solar cells.

Before you line up your solar cells, you must know how you’re going to solder them – in series or in parallel. You will have to orientate and organize the solar cells within your solar panel frame before soldering in order to avoid mistakes.

Solar cells connected in series cause the resultant voltage to add up. Connecting them in parallel results in a higher current. You must make sure your solar cells are connected so you end up with an array with your desired peak DC voltage and current.

When soldering copper wires to your solar cells, use the flux pen to help you achieve a good joint between the solar cell and the copper wire. This is especially important if the metallic surface is slightly oxidized.

After soldering all the solar cells together, test the voltage and current output.

Next, put a blob of silicon caulk at the back of each solar cell. Then attach them to the substrate and wait for the silicon caulk to dry completely before covering up the solar panel frame.

Notes:

• Many solar cells produce 0.5 volts (open-circuit) when exposed to sunlight. A 100 cm² silicon cell reaches a maximum current intensity of approximately 2 Amperes when radiated by 1,000 W/m².

• Some solar cells come with connection ribbons already attached. Thus you will have to solder them differently and ensure the leads do not touch one another to cause a short circuit.

• Heat from the soldering iron can cause burns and possible damage to solar cells. So rest it on the solar cell for only as long as necessary to make a good joint.

Continue Reading:

1. How To Build Solar Panel (Part 2 of 3)
2. Step-By-Step Guide To Build A 12V Solar Panel
3. Used Solar Panels – How To Use Them To Build Cheap DIY Solar Panels