It is possible to make a solar battery and a description yourself. Do-it-yourself solar battery: an expensive toy or a real opportunity to save money? Components of a solar battery

Ecology of consumption. Science and technology: Everyone knows that the solar battery converts the energy of the sun into electrical energy. And there is a whole industry for the production of such elements in huge factories. I suggest that you make your own solar panel from readily available materials.

Everyone knows that the solar battery converts the energy of the sun into electrical energy. And there is a whole industry for the production of such elements in huge factories. I suggest that you make your own solar panel from readily available materials.

Components of a solar battery

The main element of our solar battery will be two copper plates. After all, as you know, copper oxide was the first element in which scientists discovered the photoelectric effect.

So, for the successful implementation of our modest project, you will need:

1. Copper sheet. In fact, we don’t need a whole sheet, but small square (or rectangular) pieces of 5 cm are enough.

2. A pair of crocodile clips.

3. Microammeter (to understand the magnitude of the generated current).

4. Electric stove. It is necessary in order to oxidize one of our plates.

5. Transparent container. An ordinary plastic bottle from under mineral water is quite suitable.

6. Table salt.

7. Ordinary hot water.

8. A small piece of sandpaper to clean our copper plates from oxide film.

Once everything you need is prepared, you can proceed to the most important stage.

Cooking plates

So, first of all, we take one plate and wash it to remove all fats from its surface. After that, using sandpaper, we clean off the oxide film and put the already cleaned bar on the switched on electric burner.

After that, turn it on and watch how it heats up and changes our plate with you.

As soon as the copper plate is completely black, hold it for at least another forty minutes on a hot stove. After that, turn off the stove and wait until your "roasted" copper has completely cooled down.

Due to the fact that the cooling rate of the copper plate and the oxide film will be different, most of the black coating will go away on its own.

After the plate has cooled, take it and carefully wash off the black film under water.

Important. In this case, the remaining black areas should not be torn off or bent in any way. This is to ensure that the copper layer remains intact.

After that, we take our plates and carefully place them in the prepared container, and attach our crocodiles with soldered wires to the edges. Moreover, we connect an untouched piece of copper with a minus, and a processed one with a plus.

Then we prepare a saline solution, namely, we dissolve a few tablespoons of salt in water and pour this liquid into a container.

Now we check the performance of our design with you by connecting to a microammeter.

As you can see the setup is quite working. In the shade, the microammeter showed approximately 20 μA. But in the sun, the device went off scale. Therefore, I can only say that in the sun such an installation clearly produces more than 100 μA.

Of course, you won’t even be able to light a light bulb from such an installation, but by making such an installation with your child, you can stir up his interest in studying, for example, physics. published

If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to specialists and readers of our project.

A homemade solar battery is a complete replacement for the produced solar panels, because it is in no way inferior in terms of power.

The main stages of manufacture

1. Frame assembly.
2. Substrate manufacturing.
3. Preparation of photosensitive elements and their soldering.
4. Attaching the plates to the substrate.
5. Connecting diodes and all wires.
6. Sealing.

Choice of photosensitive plates

They are the main element of the future installed on. It is from their features that the power of the entire installation made at home will depend. Can be installed:

1. monocrystalline plates.
2. polycrystalline plates.
3. Amorphous crystal.

The first are able to create the greatest amount of electric current. This performance is evident in excellent lighting conditions. If the light intensity becomes less, their efficiency drops. A panel with polycrystalline plates becomes more productive in such conditions. In poor lighting conditions, it retains its usual small efficiency of 7-9%. Monocrystalline please with an efficiency of 13%.

Amorphous silicon lags behind in performance, but due to the fact that it is flexible and invulnerable to shock, it is the most expensive.

The best photosensitive elements are expensive. This applies to those plates in which there is not a single defect. Defective products have slightly less power and are much cheaper.. It is these photocells that should be used for your home-made current source.

In the world's most popular online stores (it is there that there are the largest number of offers for) they sell photographic plates of different sizes. For your battery, you need to buy photosensitive elements with the same dimensions. When buying, and even better, when developing a project, it is worth considering the following nuances:

1. Photocells of different sizes generate current with different strengths. The larger the size, the greater the current. In this case, it will be limited by the current strength of the smallest element. It does not matter that a plate with twice the dimensions is placed on the panel. The panel will give out an electric current with the force that the current created by the smallest element has. Therefore, large elements will “rest” a little.
2. Stress does not depend on size.. It depends on the element type. It can be increased by connecting the plates in series.
3. The power of the entire installation for a private house or cottage is the product of voltage and current.

Calculation of panel characteristics

The solar panel must generate such an electric current that can easily charge 12-volt batteries. To recharge them, a current with a high voltage is required. It is very good when the current created by the solar panels has a voltage of 18 V.

None of the small photosensitive elements produces such a voltage. It is necessary to find out the characteristics of the current that one photocell can create. Often sellers indicate these numbers.

For example, one plate gives a current with a voltage of 0.5 V. To get 18 V at the output of the solar panel, you need to connect 36 photocells in series. In such a case, the total voltage is equal to the sum of the voltages of the currents obtained on all photosensitive plates. The current will not change when connected in series. Therefore, it will be equal to the indicator that gives the smallest photocell.

Read also: How to calculate solar panels

If needed increase current, you will have to install an additional number of plates and connect them in parallel. The total current will be the sum of the currents produced by each plate connected in parallel.

The calculation of solar panels that will stand on the roof of a summer house or a private house is done as follows:

1. Calculate the power of devices that will charge the solar battery.
2. Determine the capabilities of the smallest photocell. This can be found out both from sellers and on your own by putting it on the light and measuring the voltage and current strength.
3. Determine the voltage and current of the panel itself. For example, 18 V and 3 A. These values ​​​​will make it possible to find out the power of the panels. It will be 18x3 = 54 watts. For a few hours of LED lamps, this is enough.
4. Compare the power of the light source with the power of electrical appliances. If necessary, make adjustments to the main parameters of the current. Change the power, and with it the voltage or current. Calculate the required number of panels.
5. The number of photocells required for one panel is calculated. It must be such as to give electricity with the necessary characteristics. At the same time, the number of plates in one row is determined and the method of their connection is taken into account.

Most of the projects that relate to how, involve the manufacture of a product with an area of ​​​​1 m². Often the power of such a battery is about 120 watts. 10 panels will give more than 1 kW. If you plan to fully provide your home with free electrical energy, then you should develop a project that provides for as many panels with a total area of ​​\u200b\u200bmore than 20 square meters. m. When placed on the sunny side and in places where the intensity of lighting is very high, they are able to cover the monthly need for electricity of 300 kW. Even for an average home, this figure is large.

Making a solar panel frame

It can be assembled from any materials at hand, which may include aluminum beer cans or foil rolls. You should not throw away such cans, because you can assemble a good air solar collector from them. It will accumulate the heat of the sun and transfer it from the beer cans to the middle of the house.

Read also: Features of solar fountains

Materials for the manufacture of the frame can be:

1. Wood and plywood, as well as fiberboard.
2. Aluminum corners.
3. Glass.
4. Plexiglas.
5. Polycarbonate.
6. Plexiglass.
7. Mineral glass.

The frame is made from the materials presented in the first two paragraphs.

wooden frame

If the project involves the use of wood and chipboard, then the process of making a frame at home includes the following steps:

1. Cutting wooden slats 2 cm thick into cuts. Their length depends on what dimensions the frame will have. They are determined by looking at the length and width of the rows located at a distance of 5 mm of photographic plates.
2. Assembling rails in a frame and fastening them with screws. In the middle of the frame, you can make 1-2 crossbars. In this case, it is necessary to divide the photosensitive plates into 2-3 groups.
3. Cutting one large or several small sheets of plywood 10 mm thick.
4. Fixing cut pieces of plywood to the frame.
5. Drilling in the lower and middle side of the frame of small holes. Up to 5 holes are made on one side. They are necessary to equalize the pressure during the heating of the future solar panel, as well as to remove moisture.
6. Cutting from chipboard substrate for photographic plates. It should be placed in the middle of the frame. Therefore, its dimensions should be less than the width and length of the frame by an amount equal to the thickness of the sides, multiplied by 2. The substrate in the frame is not yet fixed.
7. Painting all elements with light paint. It must be applied in several layers. The paint must be special. It shouldn't fade in the sun. Its color should be light because it reflects rays, some of which can be captured by semiconductor wafers.

The transparent part in the form of glass or analogues is fixed at the very end.

In order to make a solar battery with your own hands, it is best to use mineral glass. It perfectly absorbs infrared rays, thus protecting the panel from heating, and is able to withstand shock. It's expensive. The worst option is polycarbonate and glass. The latter is heavy and does not withstand impact, like beer cans.

aluminum frame

If the project provides use of aluminum corners 35 mm, then the frame at home is done like this:

1. Cut the corners into segments of the desired length. In this case, the opposite edges of one side are cut at an angle of 45 °.
2. Holes are drilled near the ends of the uncut sides. Similar ones are made in the middle and near the ends of the sides with cut corners.
3. Fold the four corners so that they create a frame.
4. Apply corners 35 mm long and 50x50 mm in size to the corners of the frame, fix them with hardware.
5. Silicone sealant is applied to the inner surface of the aluminum corners.
6. Place the glass on the sealant and lightly press. Wait for the sealant to dry completely.
7. Fix the glass with hardware, which can lie near the glass jars. They must be installed at the corners of the glass and in the middle of each side.
8. Clean glass from dust.

Many people are interested in how to correctly convert solar energy into electrical energy, which ensures the high-quality operation of household items that are operated using this energy.

And besides, recently, alternative sources of electricity have become quite popular, thanks to which you can create solar panels with your own hands, if you provide an appropriate approach to this matter.

How does this system work in general?

• An alternative source of electricity is a special generator that functions due to the fact that there is a photoelectric effect. It is he who provides the ability to easily and easily convert solar energy into electricity, which provides an opportunity to ensure practical and reliable use.
• When the sun's rays fall on specialized silicon panels, which are an integral part of the entire solar battery, a large number of free electrons are formed, due to which, as a result, an electric current is provided.

Fundamentals of creating solar panels

• But before you start creating the required solar panel, pay attention to the fact that you need to choose the right solar modules, which will be used to ensure the operation of the entire system.
• Namely, it can be single-crystal, polycrystalline and amorphous parts. But among the entire range, the first and second options are considered the most affordable, since they provide the appropriate technical qualities and ease of use. And besides, it does not hurt to know the following characteristics, which will help you make a choice:

Polycrystalline panels can provide a low level of operating efficiency, as it is no more than 8-9 percent. But here they differ in that they can function perfectly even in conditions of increased cloudiness and cloudy weather, providing practicality and convenience.

As for the operation of modern single-crystal panels, in this case the efficiency is 13-14 percent, but any cloudiness, especially cloudy weather, significantly reduces the power level of the solar panel, thereby providing certain inconveniences for humans.

How to make a solar battery with your own hands

Before proceeding with the creation of the required solar panel, pay attention to the fact that you need to choose the right solar modules that and ...

DIY solar panels at home from improvised means

One way to cut down on utility bills is to use solar panels. Such a battery can be made and installed with your own hands.

What is a solar panel and what is it used for?

A solar battery is a device whose principle of operation is based on the ability of photovoltaic cells to convert solar energy into electricity. These converters are interconnected in a common system. The resulting electric current is stored in special devices - batteries.

The larger the panel area, the more electrical energy can be obtained

The power of the solar battery depends on the size of the field of photocells. But this does not mean that only large areas are able to reproduce the required amount of electricity. For example, well-known calculators can use portable solar panels that are built into their case.

Advantages and disadvantages

The benefits of a solar panel include:

• ease of installation and maintenance;
• no harm to the environment;
• small mass of panels;
• silent operation;
• supplies of electric energy independent of the distribution network;
• immobility of structural elements;
• small cash costs for production;
• long service life.

The disadvantages of solar panels include:

• the complexity of the manufacturing process;
• uselessness in the dark;
• the need for a large area for installation;
• susceptibility to pollution.

Although the manufacture of a solar panel is a laborious process, it can be assembled by hand.

Tools and materials

If it is not possible to purchase a ready-made solar battery for the home, you can make it yourself.

To make a solar battery you will need:

• photocells (to create a solar panel);
• a set of special conductors (for connecting photocells);
• aluminum corners (for the body);
• Schottke diodes;
• fastening hardware;
• screws for fasteners;
• polycarbonate sheet (transparent);
• silicone sealant;
• soldering iron.

Choice of photocells

Today, manufacturers offer consumers a choice of two types of devices. Solar cells made of single-crystal silicon have an efficiency of up to 13%. They are less efficient in cloudy weather. Polycrystalline silicon photocells have an efficiency of up to 9%, but they are able to work not only on sunny, but also on cloudy days.

To provide a summer house or a small private house with electricity, it is enough to use polycrystals.

Important information: It is advisable to purchase solar cells from the same manufacturer, as cells of different brands can have significant differences, which affects the efficiency of work and the assembly process, and also leads to higher energy costs during operation.

When choosing photocells, pay attention to the following:

• the larger the cell, the more energy it produces;
• elements of the same type create the same voltage (this indicator does not depend on the size).

To determine the power of a solar battery, it is enough to multiply the generated current by the voltage.

It is quite simple to distinguish polycrystalline solar cells from monocrystalline ones. The first type is distinguished by a bright blue color and a square shape. Monocrystalline solar cells are darker, they are cut off at the edges.

Poly- and monocrystalline panels are easy to distinguish even at first glance

You should not give preference to products with a reduced price, as they may refuse rejection - these are parts that have not passed the test at the factory. It is better to use the services of trusted suppliers who, although they offer goods at a high price, are responsible for their quality. If there is no experience in assembling solar cells, it is recommended to purchase several test samples to practice, and only then buy products for the manufacture of the battery itself.

Some manufacturers seal the photocells in wax to prevent damage during shipping. However, it is quite difficult to get rid of it due to the high risk of damage to the plates, so it is recommended to buy photovoltaic cells without wax.

Manufacturing instructions

The process of manufacturing a solar battery consists of several stages:

1. Preparation of photocells and soldering of conductors.
2. Corpus creation.
3. Assembly of elements and sealing.

Preparing photocells and soldering conductors

A set of photocells is assembled on the table. Let's say the manufacturer indicates a power of 4 W and a voltage of 0.5 volts. In this case, you need to use 36 photovoltaic cells to create an 18 watt solar panel.

With the help of a soldering iron, the power of which is 25 W, contours are applied, forming soldered tin wires.

The quality of soldering is the main requirement for the efficient operation of a solar battery.

Important information: It is advisable to carry out the soldering process on a flat, hard surface.

Then all cells are interconnected in accordance with the electrical circuit. When connecting a solar panel, you can use one of two methods: parallel or serial connection. In the first case, the positive terminals are connected to the positive, negative to negative. Then the terminals with different charges are connected to the battery. Serial connection involves the connection of opposite charges by alternately fastening the cells together. After that, the remaining ends are led to the battery.

Important information: Regardless of which type of connection you choose, you must provide shunt diodes that are installed on the plus terminal. Schorke diodes are ideal. They prevent the device from discharging at night.

When the soldering is complete, you need to take the cells to the sun to check their performance. If the functionality is normal, you can start assembling the case.

The device is tested on the sunny side

How to assemble the case

• Prepare aluminum corners with low sides.
• Holes are pre-drilled for hardware.
• Then silicone sealant is applied to the inside of the aluminum corner (it is desirable to make two layers). The tightness, as well as the service life of the solar battery, depends on how well it is applied. It is important to pay attention to the absence of unfilled places.
• After that, a transparent sheet of polycarbonate is placed in the frame and tightly fixed.
• When the sealant dries, hardware with screws is attached, which will provide a more reliable fastening.

Given the fragility of the structure, it is recommended to first create a frame, and then only install photocells

Important information: In addition to polycarbonate, plexiglass or anti-reflective glass can be used.

Assembly of elements and sealing

• Clean the transparent material from contamination.
• Place the photocells on the inside of the polycarbonate sheet at a distance of 5 mm between the cells. In order not to be mistaken, first make the markup.
• Apply mounting silicone to each photocell.

To extend the life of the solar battery, it is recommended to apply mounting silicone to its elements and close it with the back panel

• After that, the back panel is attached. After the silicone hardens, the entire structure must be sealed.

Sealing the structure will ensure a snug fit of the panels to each other

Installation rules

To be able to use the solar battery to the maximum, it is recommended to follow certain rules when installing the device:

1. You need to choose the right place. If you place the solar panel where there is always a shadow, the device will be ineffective. Based on this, it is not recommended to install the device near trees, it is advisable to choose an open place. Many people install solar panels on the roof of the house.
2. When installing, you must point the device towards the sun. It is necessary to achieve the maximum hit of its rays on the photocells. For example, being in the north, you should orient the front side of the solar battery to the south.
3. An important role is played by the determination of the slope of the device. It also depends on the geographical location. It is believed that the slope angle should be the latitude in which the battery is installed. When placed in the equator zone, you will have to adjust the angle of inclination according to the time of year. The correction will be 12 degrees, taking into account the increase and decrease in summer and winter, respectively.
4. It is recommended to install a solar panel in an accessible place. As the device is used, the front side accumulates dirt, and in winter it is covered with snow, and as a result, energy production is reduced. Therefore, it is necessary to periodically clean the battery, removing plaque from its front panel.

Making a device from improvised means

To date, craftsmen have developed ways to create solar panels from improvised materials, but is such savings justified?

Using old transistors

For the manufacture of a solar battery, you can use old transistors. To do this, cut off their covers, fixing the devices in a vice by the rim. Then the voltage is measured under the influence of light. It is necessary to determine it on all instrument outputs in order to detect maximum values. The voltage depends on the power of the transistor, as well as on the dimensions of the crystal.

You need to carefully cut off the transistor cover, otherwise you can damage the thin wires that are connected to the semiconductor crystal

After that, you can begin to manufacture a solar battery. Using five transistors and connecting them in series, you can get a device sufficient to power the power calculator. The frame is assembled from sheet plastic. It is necessary to drill holes in it that are needed to output the transistor. A calculator based on such a solar battery works stably, but it needs to be no further than 30 cm from the light source. For better results, it is advisable to use a second chain of transistors.

Application of diodes

To collect a solar battery, you will need a lot of diodes. In addition, a substrate board is used. A soldering iron is used in the manufacturing process.

First you need to open the inner crystal so that the rays of the sun fall on it. To do this, the top of the diode is cut off and removed. The lower part, where the crystal is located, must be heated over a gas stove for about 20 seconds. When the solder of the crystal melts, it can be easily removed with tweezers. A similar manipulation is carried out with each diode. Then the crystals are soldered to the board.

Elements of a solar battery made of diodes are interconnected using thin copper wires.

To obtain 2–4 V, 5 blocks are sufficient, consisting of five crystals soldered in series. Blocks are placed parallel to each other.

Device made of copper sheets

To make a solar panel from copper sheets, you will need:

• the copper sheets themselves;
• two crocodile clips;
• high sensitivity microammeter;
• electric stove (at least 1000 W);
• plastic bottle with cut off top;
• two tablespoons of table salt;
• water;
• sandpaper;
• sheet metal shears.

1. First, cut off a piece of copper that is the same size as the heating element on the stove. Clean the surface of the sheet from grease and clean it with sandpaper, then place it on the stove and heat it at maximum temperature.
2. During the formation of the oxide, multi-colored patterns can be seen. It is necessary to wait for the black color, and then leave the copper sheet to heat up for about half an hour. After this period of time, the stove switches off. The sheet remains on it for slow cooling.
3. When the black oxide disappears, it is necessary to rinse the copper under running water.
4. Then cut a piece of the same size from the whole sheet. Place both parts in a plastic bottle. It is important that they do not touch each other.
5. Attach the copper plates to the walls of the bottle with clamps. Connect the wire from a blank sheet to the positive terminal of the measuring device, and from copper with oxide to the negative terminal.
6. Dissolve the salt in a small amount of water. Pour the salt water into the bottle carefully, being careful not to wet the contacts. There should be enough solution so that it does not completely cover the plates. The solar battery is ready, you can conduct experiments.

When placing the copper plates in the container, you need to carefully bend them so that they fit, but do not break.

Is there a benefit?

The efficiency of a device made of transistors is very low. The reason for this is the large area of ​​the device itself and the small size of the solar cell (semiconductor). Thus, the transistor-based solar battery has not gained popularity, such devices are suitable only for entertainment.

Diodes tend to consume current and glow spontaneously. Therefore, when they are used to make a solar battery, some of the diodes will generate electricity, while the rest of the devices, on the contrary, will consume it. From this we can conclude that the efficiency of such a device is low.

To light a light bulb from a solar panel based on copper sheets, you will need to use a large amount of material. For example, to operate a 1000 W stove, 1,600,000 m² of copper is needed. To equip such a device on the roof of the house, it will be required that its area is 282 m². And all efforts would go to ensuring the operation of one furnace. In practice, it makes no sense to use such a solar battery.

Despite the relative high cost, solar panels pay off pretty quickly. Try this eco-friendly way to generate energy by building your own solar panel.

Do-it-yourself solar panels at home from improvised means, Do-it-yourself solar battery from improvised means and materials in

Do-it-yourself solar panels at home from improvised means One way to reduce utility bills is to use solar panels. Such a battery

DIY solar battery at home from improvised means

Much has been said about the benefits of solar energy. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people would like to install such panels on the roof of their house or in the country. But the price of such devices is often quite high. In this regard, the question arises, is it possible to make solar panels with your own hands? Can! Moreover, there are several different manufacturing methods, depending on the required performance.

Choose "originals"

Before proceeding with the assembly of the battery, you need to decide what materials will be used. The basis of the solar panels, of course, are photocells. The most common are two of their types: from polycrystalline silicon and from single-crystal. The former have a lower efficiency (about 7-9%), but they are almost equally effective in sunny and cloudy weather. Single crystals are more productive (efficiency - about 13%), but work worse in cloudy conditions. Therefore, home-made solar panels for the home are most often made from polycrystals.

It is also worth buying all the necessary photocells from one manufacturer. The fact is that products from different companies can differ significantly in efficiency, and this will create additional difficulties in determining the total power of the panel. In addition, the estimated life of the cells can also be different. The easiest way to purchase the necessary sets is at auctions such as eBay, where ready-made sets of elements are often sold at a reasonable cost. To assemble solar panels from improvised means with your own hands, you will also need special conductors for connecting photocells, and soldering devices. Moreover, you can buy slightly damaged elements, since they do not lose their functionality, but are much cheaper. True, they do not have a very aesthetic appearance.

For the manufacture of the panel body, it is better to use light aluminum corners of small height. Of course, you can also make a wooden case, but since a homemade solar panel will be constantly exposed to the weather, the tree can become unusable very quickly. By the way, ready-made battery cases are often sold at the same online auctions. Panel dimensions are determined by the number of solar cells used. Plexiglas or polycarbonate is suitable as an external transparent coating. You can take and durable tempered glass. It is better if the transparent material does not transmit IR rays, as this will reduce the heating of the finished battery.

Soldering conductors

When all the materials are available, you can start assembling a solar battery for your home. First of all, it is necessary to solder the conductors to the photocells. This is a rather laborious process, associated with many difficulties due to the fragile structure of the photocells. Therefore, it is easier to purchase cells with already soldered conductors.

If the elements and conductors are nevertheless purchased separately, then the procedure is as follows:

• cut the conductors to the desired length (most conveniently - on a cardboard blank);
• carefully place the conductor on the cell;
• apply soldering acid and solder to the place of soldering;
• carefully solder the conductor, in no case pressing on the crystal.

This process is not fast, so the manufacture of such solar panels will require some time and patience.

Assembly of the body and placement of photocells

To make the frame of the desired size, you will need aluminum corners and mounting hardware. You should not take high corners, as they will obscure the photocells and unnecessarily increase the thickness of the battery made. Silicone sealant is applied to the inner edges of the bonded profiles, which is necessary to seal the panel from improvised means. A sheet of transparent material is laid on this layer, pressed and fixed. After the silicone has dried, the glass is additionally fixed with hardware.

Next, elements with conductors are placed on the inner plane of the glass surface, and there should be a distance of about 5 mm between them. This is necessary so that the cells can expand freely when exposed to temperature without breaking contacts. Such an assembly of a homemade solar panel is a very painstaking process, so you can use a pre-marked substrate.

Combining photocells into one system

All elements are soldered into a single structure according to the electrical diagram. There are several options for circuits (“in series”, with a “common bus”, with a “midpoint” displayed, etc.), so it’s better to choose the right one in advance. The main thing is that shunt diodes must be present in the circuit, which are installed on a common "positive" conductor. They are necessary in order to avoid discharging the device at night or as a result of partial blackout. Schottke diodes are best suited for these purposes. For current-carrying wires, you can take ordinary cables in insulation domestic from silicone. Naturally, they must be securely fixed.

After that, the assembled homemade solar panel must be tested for current and voltage. Next, the photocells are fixed and the panel is sealed. The easiest way is to apply mounting silicone to each cell and close the device with the back panel (it can be made of durable plastic). Moreover, if the plastic is transparent, this will allow you to visually control the appearance of possible defects or cracks in the cells. When the silicone hardens, the panel must be fixed in an aluminum frame, and the seams of the structure must be sealed. Double-sided mounting tape can also be used to attach photocells. The main thing is that the thickness of the tape (or silicone layer) must exceed the soldering height in order to avoid damaging the contacts.

Solar panel from transistors

You can assemble a solar panel with your own hands and without using purchased photocells. For example, from transistors or diodes. The resulting device, of course, is not suitable for power supply at home or summer cottage, but it will be able to “feed” compact electronics. So, how to make a solar panel from transistors? Very simple.

You will need old transistors, better - types "P" or "CT". First of all, you need to carefully cut (or “bite off” with pliers) the upper part of the case so that sunlight can reach the p-n junction. From transistors "P" you need to additionally pour out the powder and "blow out" the insides. The resulting photocells are combined into blocks, a serial connection is used to increase the output voltage, and a parallel connection is used to increase the current. Thus, you can easily make a solar panel from improvised means with the desired parameters. It is convenient to fix the elements on a textolite substrate using the hinged mounting method.

You can assemble a solar battery for the home and from diodes, for example D223B. They do not need to be disassembled, it is enough to remove the paint from the glass case with acetone. And since the dimensions of such diodes are small, the mounting density will be quite high. Moreover, they must be soldered into the substrate vertically, this will achieve maximum illumination of the crystal, and hence maximum performance.

All these solar panels can be used at home for various purposes, depending on their size and power. Of course, it will take some time to make them, but the price of the finished device will be much lower than the industrial counterpart.

DIY solar battery at home from improvised means

DIY solar battery at home - DIY furniture

DIY solar battery from improvised means at home

Hello Dear readers of the prosamostroi.ru blog! In our 21st century, things are constantly changing. They are especially sharply seen in the technological aspect. Cheaper sources of energy are being invented, various devices are spreading everywhere, which should make life easier for people. Today we will talk about such a thing as a solar battery - a device that is not a breakthrough, but, nevertheless, which every year more and more enters people's lives. We will talk about what this device is, what advantages and disadvantages it has. We will also pay attention to how the solar battery is assembled with our own hands.

Solar battery: what is it and how does it work?

A solar battery is a device that consists of a certain set of solar cells (photocells) that convert solar energy into electricity. The panels of most solar cells are made of silicon, as this material has a good efficiency in "processing" the incoming sunlight.

Solar panels work like this:

Photovoltaic silicon cells, which are packed in a common frame (framework), receive sunlight. They heat up and partially absorb the incoming energy. This energy immediately releases electrons inside silicon, which through specialized channels enter a special capacitor, in which electricity is accumulated and processed from DC to AC goes to devices in an apartment / residential building.

Advantages and disadvantages of this type of energy

Among the advantages are the following:

• Our Sun is an environmentally friendly source of energy that does not contribute to environmental pollution. Solar batteries do not emit various harmful wastes into the environment.

• Solar energy is inexhaustible (naturally, while the Sun is alive, but this is still billions of years ahead). It follows from this that solar energy would definitely be enough for you for a lifetime.

• After you carry out a competent installation of solar panels in the future, you will not need to service them often. All you need to do is to carry out a preventive examination once or twice a year.

• Impressive lifetime of solar panels. This period starts at 25 years of age. It is also worth noting that even after this time they will not lose in performance.

• The installation of solar panels can be subsidized by the state. For example, this is actively happening in Australia, France, Israel. In France, 60% of the cost of solar panels is returned at all.

Among the shortcomings, the following can be distinguished:

• So far, solar panels cannot compete, for example, if you need to generate a large amount of electricity. This is more successful in the oil and nuclear industries.

• Electricity production is directly dependent on weather conditions. Naturally, when it's sunny outside, your solar panels will work at 100% power. When there is a cloudy day, this figure will drop significantly.

• To produce a large amount of energy, solar panels require a large area.

As you can see, this energy source still has more pluses than minuses, and the minuses are not as terrible as it would seem.

DIY solar battery from improvised means and materials at home

Despite the fact that we live in a modern and rapidly developing world, the purchase and installation of solar panels remains the lot of wealthy people. The cost of one panel, which will produce only 100 watts, varies from 6 to 8 thousand rubles. This is not counting the fact that it will be necessary to buy capacitors, batteries, a charge controller, a network inverter, a converter and other things separately. But if you do not have a lot of funds, but want to switch to an environmentally friendly source of energy, then we have good news for you - a solar battery can be assembled at home. And if you follow all the recommendations, its efficiency will be no worse than that of the commercially assembled version. In this part, we will consider a step-by-step assembly. We will also pay attention to the materials from which solar panels can be assembled.

This is one of the most budgetary materials. If you are going to make a solar battery for your home from diodes, then remember that with the help of these components only small solar panels are assembled that can power any minor gadgets. Diodes D223B are best suited. These are Soviet-style diodes, which are good because they have a glass case, due to their size they have a high mounting density and have a nice price.

After buying the diodes, clean them of paint - for this it is enough to place them in acetone for a couple of hours. After this time, it can be easily removed from them.

Then we prepare the surface for the future placement of the diodes. It can be a wooden plank or any other surface. It is required to make holes in it throughout its entire area. Between the holes it will be necessary to observe a distance of 2 to 4 mm.

After we take our diodes and insert them with aluminum tails into these holes. After that, the tails need to be bent in relation to each other and soldered so that when they receive solar energy, they distribute electricity into one “system”.

Our primitive solar battery is ready. At the output, it can provide energy of a couple of volts, which is a good indicator for a handicraft assembly.

This option will already be more serious than the diode one, but it is still an example of a harsh manual assembly.

In order to make a solar battery from transistors, you will first need the transistors themselves. Fortunately, they can be bought in almost any market or in electronics stores.

After purchase, you will need to cut off the cover of the transistor. Under the lid hides the most important and necessary element for us - a semiconductor crystal.

Then we insert them into the frame and solder them between each other, observing the norms of “input-output”.

At the output, such a battery can provide enough power to carry out work, for example, a calculator or a small diode light bulb. Again, such a solar panel is assembled purely for fun and does not represent a serious “power supply” element.

From aluminum cans

This option is already more serious than the first two. This is also an incredibly cheap and efficient way to get energy. The only thing is that at the output it will be much more than in the variants of diodes and transistors, and it will not be electrical, but thermal. All you need is a large number of aluminum cans and a case. Wood body works well. In the case, the front part must be covered with plexiglass. Without it, the battery will not work effectively.

Before starting the assembly, it is necessary to paint the aluminum cans with black paint. This will allow them to attract sunlight well.

Then, using tools, three holes are punched in the bottom of each jar. At the top, in turn, a star-shaped cut is made. The free ends are bent outward, which is necessary in order for improved turbulence of the heated air to occur.

After these manipulations, the banks are folded into longitudinal lines (pipes) into the body of our battery.

Then a layer of insulation (mineral wool) is laid between the pipes and the walls/rear wall. Then the collector is closed with transparent cellular polycarbonate.

This completes the build process. The last step is to install an air fan as a motor for the energy carrier. Such a battery, although it does not generate electricity, can effectively warm up a living space. Of course, this will not be a full-fledged radiator, but such a battery can warm up a small room - for example, it is an excellent option for giving. We talked about full-fledged bimetallic heating radiators in the article - which bimetallic heating radiators are better and stronger, in which we examined in detail the structure of such radiators, their technical characteristics and compared manufacturers. I advise you to take a look.

DIY solar battery - how to make, assemble and manufacture?

Moving away from home-made options, we will pay attention to more serious things. Now we will talk about how to properly assemble and make a real solar battery with your own hands. Yes - this is also possible. And I want to assure you - it will be no worse than purchased analogues.

For starters, it's worth saying that you probably won't be able to find real silicon panels on the free market, which are used in full-fledged solar cells. And yes, they will be expensive. We will assemble our solar battery from monocrystalline panels - a cheaper option, but excellent in terms of generating electrical energy. Moreover, monocrystalline panels are easy to find and they are quite inexpensive. They come in different sizes. The most popular and running option is 3x6 inches, which produces 0.5V equivalent. These will be enough for us. Depending on your finances, you can buy at least 100-200 of them, but today we will collect an option that is enough to power small batteries, light bulbs and other small electronic components.

As we stated above, we chose a single-crystal base. You can find it anywhere. The most popular place where it is sold in gigantic quantities is the Amazon or Ebay marketplaces.

The main thing to remember is that it is very easy to run into unscrupulous sellers there, so buy only from those people who have a fairly high rating. If the seller has a good rating, then you will be sure that your panels will reach you well packed, not broken, and in the quantity you ordered.

Site selection (orientation system), design and materials

After you have received your package with the main solar cells, you should choose a good place to install your solar array. After all, you will need it to work at 100% power, right? Professionals in this business advise to carry out the installation in the place where the solar battery will be directed just below the celestial zenith and look towards the West-East. This will allow you to “catch” sunlight almost all day.

Making a solar battery frame

• First you need to make the base of the solar battery. It can be wood, plastic or aluminum. Wood and plastic show themselves best. It should be large enough to fit all your photocells in a row, but at the same time they should not hang around inside the whole structure.

• After you have assembled the base of the solar battery, you will need to drill a lot of holes on its surface in order to bring the conductors into a single system in the future.

• By the way, do not forget that the entire base must be covered with plexiglass on top to protect your elements from the weather.

Soldering elements and connection

After your base is ready, you can place your elements on its surface. You place the photocells along the entire structure with the conductors down (put them into our drilled holes).

Then they need to be soldered together. There are many schemes on the Internet according to which solar cells are soldered. The main thing is to connect them into a kind of single system so that they can all collect the received energy and send it to the capacitor.

The last step is to solder the “output” wire, which will be connected to the capacitor and output the received energy into it.

This is the final step. After you make sure that all the elements are assembled correctly, they sit tightly and do not hang out, they are well covered with plexiglass - you can proceed with the installation. In terms of installation, it is better to mount the solar panel on a solid foundation. A metal frame reinforced with construction screws is perfect. On it, the solar panels will sit firmly, not stagger and not succumb to any weather conditions.

That's all! What do we end up with? If you made a solar battery consisting of 30-50 photocells, then this will be quite enough to quickly charge your mobile phone or light a small household light bulb, i.e. you ended up with a full-fledged home-made charger for charging the battery of a phone, a street lamp, or a small garden lantern. If you made a solar panel, for example, with 100-200 photocells, then we can already talk about “powering” some household appliances, for example, a boiler for heating water. In any case, such a panel will be cheaper than purchased counterparts and save you money.

What is better - to buy or make a solar battery?

Let's summarize everything we learned in this article in this part. First, we figured out how to assemble a solar panel at home. As you can see, a do-it-yourself solar battery, following the instructions, is assembled very quickly. If you follow the various manuals step by step, then you can put together great options for providing you with clean electricity (well, or options designed to power small elements).

But still, what is better - to buy or make a solar battery? Naturally, it is better to buy it. The fact is that those options that are manufactured on an industrial scale are designed to work the way they should work. When manually assembling solar panels, it is often possible to make various mistakes that will lead to the fact that they simply will not work properly. Naturally, industrial options cost a lot of money, but you get quality and durability.

But if you are confident in your abilities, then with the right approach, you will assemble a solar panel that will be no worse than industrial counterparts. In any case, the future is near and soon solar panels will be able to afford all the layers. And there, perhaps, there will be a complete transition to the use of solar energy. Good luck!

DIY solar battery from improvised means at home

Do-it-yourself solar battery from improvised means at home Do-it-yourself solar battery from improvised means at home Hello Dear blog readers

The use of solar energy to meet the needs of life in the 21st century is a topical issue not only for corporations, but also for the population. Now the use of solar panels to produce ecological electricity attracts many people with its affordability, autonomy, inexhaustibility and minimal investment. Now these phenomena are so familiar and ordinary that they have long been firmly established in our everyday life.

This source of electricity is used for lighting, the operation of household electrical appliances and heating. Solar-powered street lamps are used throughout the city, in summer cottages and country cottages.

The principle of operation of the solar battery

The device is designed to directly convert the sun's rays into electricity. This action is called the photoelectric effect. Semiconductors (silicon wafers), which are used to make elements, have positive and negative charged electrons and consist of two layers, the n-layer (-) and the p-layer (+). Excess electrons under the influence of sunlight are knocked out of the layers and occupy empty places in another layer. This causes free electrons to constantly move, moving from one plate to another, generating electricity that is stored in the battery.

How a solar battery works depends largely on its design. Solar cells were originally made from silicon. They are still very popular, but since the process of silicon purification is rather laborious and costly, models with alternative photocells from cadmium, copper, gallium and indium compounds are being developed, but they are less productive.

The efficiency of solar panels has increased with the development of technology. Today, this figure has increased from one percent, which was recorded at the beginning of the century, to more than twenty percent. This allows us today to use panels not only for domestic needs, but also for production.

Specifications

The solar battery device is quite simple, and consists of several components:

• Directly solar cells / solar panel;

• An inverter that converts direct current to alternating current;

• Battery level controller.

Buy batteries for solar panels should be based on the required functions. They store and distribute electricity. Storage and consumption occurs throughout the day, and at night the accumulated charge is only consumed. Thus, there is a constant and continuous supply of energy.

Excessive charging and discharging of the battery will shorten its useful life. The solar battery charge controller automatically suspends the accumulation of energy in the battery when it has reached its maximum parameters, and turns off the load of the device when it is heavily discharged.

(Tesla Powerwall - battery for solar panels at 7 kW - and)

The grid inverter for solar panels is the most important design element. It converts the energy received from the sun's rays into alternating current of various capacities. Being a synchronous converter, it combines the output voltage of electric current in frequency and phase with a stationary network.

Photocells can be connected both in series and in parallel. The latter option increases the power, voltage and current parameters and allows the device to work even if one element loses functionality. Combined models are made using both schemes. The service life of the plates is about 25 years.

Installation of solar panels

If the structures will be used for electrical supply of residential spaces, then the installation site should be chosen carefully. If the panels are obstructed by tall buildings or trees, it will be difficult to get the required energy. They must be placed where the flow of sunlight is maximum, that is, on the south side. It is better to install the structure at an angle, the angle of which is equal to the geographical latitude of the system location.

Solar panels must be placed in such a way that the owner has the opportunity to periodically clean the surface of dust and dirt or snow, as this leads to a lower power generation capacity.

DIY solar battery

Those who want to save money are thinking about how to make a solar battery at home on their own, so that it has the necessary operational parameters and fully meets energy needs. This is especially true for places remote from the main arteries of civilization.

Do-it-yourself solar panels at home are made from the appropriate elements that can be bought in the public domain in specialized companies or through online stores. If silicon wafers must be purchased from manufacturers, then other elements, such as tape, frame, film, glass, solder, etc., can be found at home on the farm.

A do-it-yourself solar battery from improvised means is made by some craftsmen from copper sheets, clamps, powerful electric stoves, salt and other materials. Such artisanal devices will not be able to fully provide the necessary electricity and can only be used on a small scale.

It is best to buy solar panels from the manufacturer, since they have a guarantee and the necessary functional and operational parameters, and therefore they will not let you down. The production of solar panels is based on the use of the latest technologies, which are constantly evolving, offering more advanced models. Depending on the size of the devices, they can be used for various purposes in places where there is no electricity supply. They are found on calculators, watches, various mobile devices.

So, for example, a backpack with a solar battery will be an indispensable assistant for those who like to travel in comfort. It will accumulate enough energy to charge a flashlight to light a camping tent or to charge necessary gadgets during a hike. Judging by the reviews, solar panels are used often and with pleasure to meet a variety of needs not only in nature, but also in everyday life.

Many companies on the Internet sell ready-made panels that are directly connected to the consumer. But, such devices are much more expensive than individual elements. Due to the peculiarity of the climate zone, you are unlikely to be able to completely switch to solar electricity, therefore, ready-made solar panels can only pay off in 10-40 years. To save on expensive factory panels, it is much more profitable to purchase photovoltaic modules and accessories for them and assemble the cells into a single solar battery yourself.

Which option to choose?

The first thing you need is to purchase a photovoltaic converter. Various models are offered by both domestic and foreign manufacturers. The cheapest options are Chinese silicon solar cells. They have a number of drawbacks, but, in comparison with American and domestic ones, they are much cheaper. All models, depending on the type, are divided into three types:

• monocrystalline modules- consist of artificially grown crystals of sufficiently large sizes. They have the highest efficiency of 13 - 26% and the longest service life of 25 years. The disadvantage of solar panels based on them is the decrease in maximum efficiency during the period of operation.
• polycrystalline solar cells- in comparison with the previous ones, they have a much shorter service life, as the manufacturer claims - 10 years. Also, they can give out only 10 - 12% efficiency, in comparison with the previous ones, but this parameter remains constant for them throughout the entire period of operation.
• amorphous batteries- These are film batteries in which amorphous silicon is deposited on a flexible base. Such photocells appeared relatively recently and can be glued to any surface - windows, walls, etc. They are characterized by the lowest efficiency - 5 - 6%.

The choice of a particular type depends on your wishes and tasks. For example, if the amount of solar radiation is relatively low in your area, it is better to install single-crystal converters, as they have the highest efficiency.

Preparation of tools and selection of materials

In addition to the converters, to assemble a full-fledged solar panel, you will need the following materials:

• Solder- low-melting tin alloys are needed for a solar battery.
• Connecting wires- single-wire copper grades are selected. Bare conductors are used to connect single-crystal and polycrystalline plates, and isolated ones are used to drain electricity.
• Frame- creates the main frame in which the entire solar battery is located. It consists of a base - chipboard, USB, plywood and others, metal or wooden planks, corners and self-tapping screws for their connection.
• Glass or resin plate- create a protective layer over single-crystal plates, also, in combination with the frame, serve to hide the elements from the effects of precipitation and mechanical stress.
• sealant- the best material for sealing is epoxy, but this is quite an expensive pleasure, so it can be replaced with silicone sealant.
• Accumulator battery- designed to accumulate electrical energy during daylight hours for the purpose of further use. It is not worth saving when choosing a battery, as a high-quality model will last much longer.
• inverter- used to convert direct voltage to alternating voltage. A voltage converter is required to connect any household appliances to the solar battery.

Of the tools, you will need a hacksaw, a drill, or a regular screwdriver for tightening self-tapping screws, a multimeter or an ammeter to determine the health of the solar battery, and a soldering iron.

Drafting a project

At the stage of project preparation, it is necessary to determine the most suitable place for installing a solar battery. Determine from which side of the site there is the most sunlight, the shadow from trees and other buildings does not fall. The installation location can be on the ground, roof slopes, walls or free-standing structures. For example, if you want to install a solar panel on the roof, you should make sure that the structure can support its weight.

Due to the fact that the maximum performance of mono- and polycrystalline cells is ensured only when sunlight hits them perpendicularly, it is desirable to assemble an adjustable design for them. Which will allow you to change the angle of inclination of the solar battery, depending on the season or even the time of day. Since the position of the light source in different periods of the year and day is significantly different (Figure 1).

Rice. 1: the dependence of the position of the sun on the time of year

Also note that a permanently installed battery, for example, producing 7 kWh under ideal conditions, will only produce 3 kWh in the morning and evening. Accordingly, when installed in only one position, the battery will only deliver rated power for a few months of the year. If you decide to mount it in a stationary position, the panels should be placed at an angle of 50 to 60º, two limits are set for adjustable ones - winter at 70º and summer at 30º, and in the intermediate period, they are tilted as stationary.

To determine the number of plates, it is necessary to calculate what electric current or power one of them or 1 m 2 generates. As a rule, 1 m 2 produces about 125 W, so to get about 2.5 kW for domestic needs, you need to install 20 m 2 of panels.

The procedure for manufacturing a solar battery

Elements on poly- or single-crystal silicon must be combined into a single panel. To do this, solder the contacts to the conductors. The soldering procedure is as follows:

If the solar cells you purchased are already equipped with connecting conductors, you can skip this step and proceed directly to the manufacture of the frame.

Frame making

The frame of the solar battery is a box with low sides, which is covered with transparent glass. To make a frame:

Rice. 7. assemble the solar panel

Try to choose a material for a transparent cover without glare, otherwise some of the sun's energy will be reflected, which will significantly reduce efficiency. After you make the frame, assemble the solar panel.

Manufacturing of modules

This stage requires special care and attention, since it is where you form the electrical circuit of the solar battery. If you allow burns or cracks, you can ruin not only any particular element, but the entire module, which will eventually have to be redone.

All elements are connected in series from top to bottom, so as not to crush the lower ones when soldering. Solder the vertical rows to a common bus.

After you have assembled the battery, check its performance. Take it out into the sun and measure the current at the terminals.

Rice. 12: take it outside and check with a multimeter

Compare this value with the previously measured value for one solar cell. To check the correctness, multiply the number of cells by the current from one, if the device showed such a value or close to it, the solar battery is assembled correctly and it can be sealed.

For sealing, compounds or silicone sealants are used, which are suitable for temperatures below zero. To do this, the solar battery can be either filled in completely or applied sealant only between the modules.

Rice. 13: fill with sealant

The second option is more economical, but the first will provide you with much more reliability and better sealing. After sealing, a moderate press is installed on top until it solidifies completely.

Rice. 14: set moderate press

Before pouring, you can install a dense foam rubber damper between the photovoltaic cells of the solar panel and the chipboard. The width of the foam rubber is chosen less than the height of the side, in this case the height is 2 cm, respectively, you can take foam rubber 1.5 cm in thickness. Install ready-made and tested batteries according to the drafted design and connect to the electrical network of the house through a battery and an inverter.

Other video instructions