Do-it-yourself solar battery: an expensive toy or a real opportunity to save money? DIY solar battery for home and garden Self-made solar panel of 20 elements

The use of solar energy is associated for the most part with spacecraft. And now with various distant countries, where "alternative energy" is rapidly developing. But almost everyone can try the same thing even with homemade devices.

Features and varieties of the device

From an exotic device designed only for special needs, the solar battery has turned into an already relatively massive source of energy. And the reason is not only in environmental considerations, but also in the continuous rise in prices for electricity from the main networks. Moreover, there are still many places where such networks are not stretched at all and it is not known when they will appear. It is hardly possible to take care of the laying of the highway on our own, to unite the efforts of a large number of people for the sake of this. Moreover, even with success, you will have to plunge into the world of rapid inflation.

It is important to understand that the panels that generate electricity can be quite different from each other.

And it's not even about the format - the appearance and geometry are just pretty close. But the chemical composition is very different. The most mass-produced products are made of silicon, which is available to almost everyone and is inexpensive. In terms of battery performance, it is at least as good as more expensive options.

There are three main types of silicon, such as:

• single crystals;
• polycrystals;
• amorphous substance.

A monocrystal, based on condensed technical explanations, is the purest type of silicon. Externally, the panel looks like a kind of honeycomb. A thoroughly purified substance in solid form is divided into especially thin plates, each of which has no more than 300 microns. In order for them to fulfill their function, electrode grids are used. The multiple complication of technology compared to alternative solutions makes such energy sources the most expensive.

The undoubted advantage of single-crystal silicon is a very high efficiency by the standards of solar energy, which is approximately 20%. The polycrystal is obtained differently, it is required to first melt the material, and then slowly lower its temperature. The relative simplicity of the technique and the minimum consumption of energy resources in production have a positive effect on the cost. The downside is reduced efficiency, even in the ideal case it is no more than 18%. Indeed, inside the polycrystals themselves there are many structures that reduce the quality of work.

Amorphous panels almost do not lose to both types just named. There are no crystals here at all, instead there is “silane” - this is a silicon-hydrogen compound placed on a substrate. The efficiency is about 5%, which is largely compensated by the greatly increased absorption.

It is also important that amorphous batteries do their job better than other options in diffused sunlight and in cloudy weather. The blocks are elastic.

Sometimes you can find a combination of single-crystal or polycrystalline elements with an amorphous variant. This helps to combine the advantages of the schemes used and extinguish almost all of their shortcomings. In order to reduce the cost of products, film technology is now increasingly used, which provides for the generation of current based on cadmium telluride. By itself, this compound is toxic, but the release of poison into the environment is vanishingly small. Copper and indium selenides and polymers can also be used.

Concentrating products increase the efficiency of using the panel area. But this is achieved only when using mechanical systems that ensure the rotation of the lenses following the sun. The use of photosensitizing dyes has the potential to improve the reception of solar energy, but so far this is more of a general concept and development by enthusiasts. If there is no desire to experiment, it is better to choose a more stable and proven design. This applies to both self-production and the purchase of a finished product.

Self-manufacturing

What are they made of?

Making a solar panel with your own hands is no longer as difficult as it seems. The principle of operation of the device is based on the use of a semiconductor junction, the illuminated device must create a current. It will not work to make a receiver on your own; this requires complex production manipulations and specialized equipment. But to make the power part of the converter from improvised means and materials is not difficult. To obtain energy in the proper sense of the word, a silicon wafer is required, the surface of which is covered with a grid of diodes.

All plates should be considered as separate generating modules. It is important to understand that optimal efficiency is achieved by constantly pointing at the sun, and that energy storage will have to be taken care of. A fragile battery must be reliably protected from any pollution, from snow. If this still happens, extraneous inclusions should be removed as quickly as possible. The first step in the work is the preparation of the frame.

It is mainly made of duralumin, which has the following features:

• not subject to corrosion;
• not damaged by excessive moisture;
• lasts the longest.

But you don't have to make that choice. If painting and special processing is carried out, good results are achieved using steel or wood. It is not recommended to install very large panels, which is inconvenient and increases windage. To charge a 12 V acid battery, you need to create an operating voltage of 15 V. Accordingly, 0.5 V modules will require 30 pieces.

You can create a design from beer cans. The cases are made of 1.5 cm plywood, and the front panel is formed from organic glass or polycarbonate. It is allowed to use standard glass with a thickness of 0.3 cm. The solar receiver is formed by staining with black pigment. The paint must be resistant to significant heat. Lids are designed to provide improved heat transfer efficiency.

Inside the cans, the air warms up much faster than in the open. Important: it is required to wash the containers as soon as a decision is made to use them.

Only aluminum cans should be taken, steel ones will not work. Checking is done in the simplest way - using a magnet. The bottom is pierced, a punch or a nail is inserted (although it is possible to drill).

The caliper is inserted and distorted according to the pattern. The top of the jar is cut to make something similar to a fin. It helps the air flow to remove the maximum heat from the heated wall. Then the jar is degreased with any detergent and the previously cut parts are glued to each other. You can eliminate misses using a template of several boards nailed with nails at right angles.

Quite often, disc designs are used. They act as good photocells. Alternatively, copper plates are placed. The electrical circuit, as already mentioned, works on the same principle as most transistors. The foil is designed to prevent overheating. As an alternative, in the summer months, a simple surface finished in light colors is used.

What tools will be needed?

To do all the work on installing a 220-volt solar battery yourself, you will need the following tools:

• soldering irons, electrified at 40 W;
• silicone-based sealants;
• adhesive tape glued on both sides;
• rosin;
• solder;
• the wire through which the current will go;
• flux;
• copper bus;
• fasteners;
• drill;
• transparent sheet material;
• plywood, organic glass or textolite;
• Schottky diodes.

How to make?

The step-by-step instruction provides for conclusions from the panels to the batteries by means of a protective diode, which helps to eliminate self-discharge. Therefore, a current of 14.3 V is applied to the output. The standard charging current is 3.6 A. This is achieved using 90 cells. Panel parts are connected in parallel-serial way.

You cannot use an unequal number of elements in chains.

With correction factors for 12 hours of sunlight, 0.28 kW / h can be obtained. The elements are arranged in 6 lanes, for a fairly free installation, a frame of 90x50 cm is required. For information - when there are prepared frames with other sizes, it is better to recalculate the need for elements. If this is not possible, then parts of a different size are used, they are placed by varying the length and width of the row.

It is desirable to work on a completely flat place, where it is convenient to approach from any direction. It is recommended to put the prepared plates a little to the side, where they will be insured against falls and bumps. Even taking the panel is not easy, they are taken only one at a time and very carefully. It is extremely important when installing electric solar panels for a house or for summer cottages at home to install a reliable RCD. These units make the system safer to use by reducing the risk of electric shock and fire.

Most experts recommend gluing soldered elements in the form of a single chain. The substrate must be flat as this ensures reliability. Alternatively, you can insert into the frame and thoroughly strengthen a sheet of glass or plexiglass. This product requires mandatory sealing. The elements are laid out on the substrate in a predetermined order and glued with double-sided tape.

The working side should be turned towards the transparent material, and the solder leads should be wrapped in the other direction. It is most convenient to solder the leads if the frame is laid out as a working plane on the table.

When the plates are glued, a softening lining is placed, the following materials are used for it:

• rubber in sheets;
• fibreboard;
• cardboard boxes.

Now you can insert the reverse wall into the frame and seal it. Replacing the stern wall with a compound, including epoxy resin, is quite possible. But such a step should be taken only on the condition that the panel does not have to be disassembled and repaired. The standard segment delivers approximately 50 watts of current under favorable conditions. And this is already enough to feed LED lamps in small houses.

To ensure a comfortable life, you will have to spend from 4 kW / h of electricity per day. For the life support of a family of three, it will be necessary to supply already 12 kW / h. Taking into account the inevitable additions (when, for example, a standard set of equipment and a puncher work at the same time), it is required to increase this figure by another 2–3 kW. These parameters can be taken as a basis for calculating the required parameters. In order for the work to proceed normally, it is necessary to add a device that controls the charge to the circuit.

12 V DC, because it is this power that a typical and home-made battery produces, an inverter is capable of converting it to 220 V AC. If you don’t want to buy it, you will have to complete the house with electrical equipment designed for 12 or 24 V. Since low-voltage lines are saturated with strong current, you will have to choose wires of a significant cross section and do not skimp on insulation. To accumulate the generated electricity, lead batteries containing acid are mainly used. Despite all the technological improvements, the best option has not yet been proposed. To increase the generated voltage, put 2 or 4 batteries.

The greatest expenses will entail the purchase of the panels themselves, which capture the sun's rays. You can save money if you order Chinese goods in electronic stores. In general, such offers are of high quality, but it is necessary to carefully get acquainted with the reputation of sellers, with reviews received about their activities. It is possible to select operable systems with minor defects. Manufacturers reject them and put them up for sale so as not to spend money on expensive disposal.

Important: you should not mount elements of different dimensions or current generated in the same assembly. The highest generation in this case will still be limited by the bottleneck.

Self-assembly of the inverter is justified only in case of limited current consumption. And charge controllers cost a meager amount at all, so their own production is not justified. When designing a battery, it should be remembered that its elements must be separated by a gap of 0.3–0.5 cm.

Often choose structures made of aluminum profiles and organic glass. Then a rectangular frame is prepared on the basis of a metal corner. The corners of the frame are drilled to make it easier to fasten the structure later. From the inside, the perimeter is lubricated with a silicone reagent. Now you can put a sheet of transparent material, which is pressed as tightly as possible to the frame.

The corners of the box are pierced with screws holding special corners. These corners will not allow plexiglass to arbitrarily change its location inside the product. Immediately after this, leave the workpiece alone and wait for the sealant to dry. This completes the preliminary stage. Before the introduction of solar collectors into the body, it is thoroughly wiped so that there are no signs of contamination. The plates themselves are also cleaned, but they do it with extreme caution.

Before assembling structures with factory-soldered conductors, it is desirable to evaluate the quality of the connections and eliminate all detected deformations. When the tires are not yet connected, they are initially soldered to the contacts on the plates, and only after that they are mutually connected.

The connection sequence is as follows:

• measurement of the required section of the tire;
• cutting strips according to the measurement result;
• lubricate the processed contact with flux throughout from the desired side;
• apply the tire carefully and accurately, with a heated soldering iron lead over the entire surface to be connected;
• turn the plate over and repeat the same manipulations from the beginning.

Important: excessively strong pressure when soldering is unacceptable, which can destroy fragile elements. It is necessary to exclude the heating with a soldering iron of those parts that do not connect.

When finished, carefully inspect the entire surface of the battery and each connection. It is impossible that there were even the slightest defects. The remaining recesses and depressions are eliminated with another pass of the soldering iron, already as gentle as possible and with even less pressing. The soldering iron itself should not be powerful, rather, on the contrary - strong heating is contraindicated. In the absence of experience in such fine work, it is advisable to prepare a marked plywood sheet. It will avoid many serious mistakes. During the soldering of contacts, their polarity must not be overlooked, otherwise the system will not work.

The glued parts are also connected in the most gentle mode. An excess of glue is undesirable, it is required to apply the smallest drops that can only be formed in the central parts of the plates.

It is advisable to do the shifting of the plates into the body together, since it is not very convenient alone. Next, you should connect each wire from the edge of the plate with common lines for current. Having taken the prepared panel to a sunlit area, the voltage in the common tires is measured, which should be within the design values.

There is another way to seal the solar panel. Small amounts of silicone sealants are applied to the gaps of the plates and to the inner edges of the case. Further, with hands, the outer sides of the photocells are pressed against the plexiglass, while achieving the ideal density. Place a light weight on each edge while the sealant dries. After that, each joint of the plate and the inner side of the frame is lubricated.

In this case, the sealant can touch the edges of the turn of the plates, but not any other part of them. The side of the case will serve to install a connecting connector that communicates with the Schottky diodes. The outer side is closed with a screen made of transparent materials. The design being created is thought out so that even a small amount of moisture does not get inside. The front side of organic glass is varnished.

A solar battery can last a very long time and stably, supplying current to home wiring. But much depends not only on the quality of its assembly and subsequent connection. It is very important to operate such a gentle generator as it should be. It is advisable to direct the batteries, if they are not equipped with a sun-tuning system, clearly to the south, which will help to capture the maximum energy and reduce overhead. To eliminate the error, it is enough to place the generator at that angle to the horizon, which is equal to the number of degrees of latitude in a particular place. But since the solar disk changes its location in the sky during the year, it is recommended to lower the angle in the spring months, and raise it when autumn comes.

Supplementation with a tracking system in domestic conditions is impractical. It justifies the investment exclusively at the industrial level. It is much more profitable to put several batteries at once, focused on the most probable lighting angles. When placing solar generators on top of a flat roof, for example, from roofing felt or sheet iron, it is worth raising them above the plane. Then blowing the air flow from below will increase the efficiency of work. On undulating roofs, this is not necessary, although there will be no harm from lifting.

The best roofs are those that are oriented to the south and are designed in the form of flat slopes. In such a situation, the slope serves to attach several corners, the size of which matches the value of the module. The exit above the ridge is approximately 0.7 m, and the module is attached to the corners with a gap of 150–200 mm. Alternatively, you can hang the battery using the same corners below the roof slope. On a wavy surface, the corners are often replaced by pipes of a carefully selected diameter.

The installation of generators on the pediment is best combined with painting this element and overhangs in light colors.

Solar units should be placed horizontally, which will reduce the temperature spread between their lower and upper parts by 50% when compared with vertical mounting. This means that not only will the actual resource increase, but it will also be possible to increase the effectiveness of the system.

The mounting location must have the following features:

• as light as possible;
• having a minimum shadow;
• well ventilated.

A homemade solar battery can even be used to heat a private house. Such equipment can be installed without requiring permission from government agencies. But even with active use, it will not be possible to evaluate the effectiveness earlier than after 36 months. In addition, this option is very expensive. Since the temperature is regularly negative almost everywhere in Russia, it will be necessary to supplement the solar system with thermal insulation.

Stable operation of the batteries is ensured in the temperature range from -40 to +90 degrees. Correct operation is guaranteed for an average of 20 years, after which the efficiency drops sharply. When choosing a controller, you need to consider the difference between powerful and weak electrical systems. If there is no controller or it is out of order, you will have to continuously monitor the battery charges. Carelessness can shorten the battery life.

In the modern world it is difficult to imagine existence without electrical energy. Lighting, heating, communications and other joys of a comfortable life directly depend on it. This forces us to look for alternative and independent sources, one of which is the sun. This area of ​​energy is not yet too developed, and industrial installations are not cheap. The output will be the manufacture of solar panels with their own hands.

What is a solar battery

The solar battery is a panel consisting of interconnected photocells. It directly converts solar energy into electrical current. Depending on the design of the system, electrical energy is accumulated or immediately goes to the energy supply of buildings, mechanisms and devices.

A solar battery is made up of interconnected photovoltaic cells.

Almost everyone used the simplest photocells. They are built into calculators, flashlights, batteries for recharging electronic gadgets, garden lanterns. But the use is not limited to this. There are solar-powered electric vehicles; in space, this is one of the main sources of energy.

In countries with a lot of sunny days, batteries are installed on rooftops and used for heating and hot water. This type is called collectors, they convert the energy of the sun into heat.

Often, the power supply of entire cities and towns occurs only due to this type of energy. Solar power plants are being built. They are especially popular in the USA, Japan and Germany.

Device

The device of the solar battery is based on the phenomenon of the photoelectric effect, discovered in the twentieth century by A. Einstein. It turned out that in some substances, under the action of sunlight or other substances, charged particles are detached. This discovery led in 1953 to the creation of the first solar module.

The material for the manufacture of elements are semiconductors - combined plates of two materials with different conductivity. Most often, polycrystalline or monocrystalline silicon with various additives is used for their manufacture.

Under the action of sunlight, an excess of electrons appears in one layer, and their deficiency in the other. "Extra" electrons go into the area with their lack, this process is called p-n transition.

The solar cell consists of two semiconductor layers with different conductivity

Between the materials that form an excess and a shortage of electrons, a barrier layer is placed that prevents the transition. This is necessary so that the current occurs only when there is a source of energy consumption.

Light photons hitting the surface knock out electrons and supply them with the necessary energy to overcome the barrier layer. Negative electrons pass from the p-conductor to the n-conductor, and positive electrons make the opposite path.

Due to the different conductivity of semiconductor materials, it is possible to create a directed movement of electrons. Thus, an electric current is generated.

The elements are connected in series with each other, forming a panel of a larger or smaller area, which is called a battery. Such batteries can be directly connected to the source of consumption. But since solar activity changes during the day, and stops altogether at night, batteries are used that accumulate energy during the absence of sunlight.

A necessary component in this case is the controller. It serves to control the charging of the battery and turns off the battery when fully charged.

The current generated by the solar battery is constant, to use it must be converted to alternating current. This is what an inverter is for.

Since all electrical devices that consume energy are designed for a certain voltage, a stabilizer is needed in the system to provide the desired values.

Additional devices are installed between the solar module and the consumer

Only if all these components are present, it is possible to obtain a functional system that supplies energy to consumers and does not threaten to disable them.

Types of elements for modules

There are three main types of solar panels: polycrystalline, monocrystalline and thin film. Most often, all three types are made from silicon with various additives. Cadmium telluride and copper-cadmium selenide are also used, especially for the production of film panels. These additives contribute to an increase in cell efficiency by 5-10%.

crystalline

The most popular are monocrystalline. They are made of single crystals, have a uniform structure. Such plates have the shape of a polygon or a rectangle with cut corners.

The single-crystal cell has the shape of a rectangle with beveled corners.

The battery, assembled from single-crystal elements, has a higher productivity compared to other types, its efficiency is 13%. It is light and compact, not afraid of slight bending, can be installed on uneven ground, service life of 30 years.

The disadvantages include a significant decrease in power during cloudiness, up to a complete cessation of energy generation. The same happens when it gets dark, the battery will not work at night.

The polycrystalline cell has a rectangular shape, which allows you to assemble the panel without gaps

Polycrystalline are produced by casting, have a rectangular or square shape and a heterogeneous structure. Their efficiency is lower than single-crystal ones, the efficiency is only 7-9%, but the drop in output in cloudy, dusty or at dusk is not significant.

Therefore, they are used in the construction of street lighting, but they are more often used by homemade ones. The cost of such plates is lower than single crystals, the service life is 20 years.

Film

Thin-film or flexible elements are made from an amorphous form of silicon. The flexibility of the panels makes them mobile, rolled up, you can take them with you on trips and have an independent power source anywhere. The same property allows you to mount them on curved surfaces.

The film battery is made of amorphous silicon

In terms of efficiency, film panels are twice as inferior to crystalline ones; to produce the same amount, a double battery area is required. And the film does not differ in durability - in the first 2 years, their efficiency drops by 20-40%.

But when cloudy or dark, energy production is reduced by only 10-15%. Their relative cheapness can be considered an undoubted advantage.

What can you make a solar panel at home

Despite all the advantages of commercially produced batteries, their main disadvantage is their high price. This trouble can be avoided by making the simplest panel with your own hands from improvised materials.

From diodes

A diode is a crystal in a plastic case that acts as a lens. It concentrates the sun's rays on the conductor, resulting in an electric current. By connecting a large number of diodes together, we get a solar battery. Cardboard can be used as a board.

The problem is that the power of the received energy is small, to generate a sufficient amount, a huge number of diodes will be needed. In terms of financial and labor costs, such a battery is much superior to the factory one, and in terms of power it is much inferior to it.

In addition, production drops sharply with a decrease in illumination. Yes, and the diodes themselves behave incorrectly - spontaneous glow often occurs. That is, the diodes themselves consume the generated energy. The conclusion suggests itself: inefficient.

From transistors

As in diodes, the main element of the transistor is a crystal. But it is enclosed in a metal case that does not let in sunlight. To make a battery, the case cover is sawn off with a hacksaw.

A low power battery can be assembled from transistors

Then the elements are attached to a plate of textolite or other material suitable for the role of the board, and connected to each other. In this way, you can assemble a battery, the energy of which is enough to operate a flashlight or radio, but you should not expect much power from such a device.

But as a camping source of energy of small power it is quite suitable. Especially if you are fascinated by the process of creation itself and the practical benefits of the result are not very important.

Craftsmen suggest using CDs and even copper plates as photocells. Portable phone charger is easy to make from photocells from garden lanterns.

The best solution would be to buy ready-made plates. Some online sites sell modules with a small manufacturing defect at an affordable price, they are quite suitable for use.

Rational placement of batteries

The placement of the modules largely determines how much power the system will produce. The more rays hit the photocells, the more energy they will produce. For an optimal location, the following conditions must be met:

Important! The current strength of a battery is determined by the performance of the weakest cell. Even a small shadow on one module can reduce system performance by 10 to 50%.

How to calculate the required power

Before proceeding with the assembly of the battery, it is necessary to determine the required power. The number of purchased cells and the total area of ​​​​finished batteries depend on this.

The system can be either autonomous (providing electricity to the house on its own) or combined, combining the energy of the sun and a traditional source.

The calculation consists of three steps:

1. Find out the total power consumption.
2. Determine the sufficient battery capacity and inverter capacity.
3. Calculate the required number of cells based on the insolation data in your area.

Power consumption

For an autonomous system, you can determine it by your electric meter. Divide the total amount of energy consumed per month by the number of days to get the average daily consumption.

If only a part of the devices will be powered from the battery, find out their power according to the passport or marking on the device. Multiply the resulting values ​​by the number of hours of work per day. Adding the obtained values ​​​​for all devices, get the average consumption per day.

AB (battery) capacity and inverter power

AB for solar systems must withstand a large number of discharge and discharge cycles, have low self-discharge, withstand high charging current, operate at high and low temperatures, while requiring minimal maintenance. These parameters are optimal for lead-acid batteries.

Another important indicator is capacity, the maximum charge that a battery can accept and store. Insufficient capacity is increased by connecting batteries in parallel, in series, or by combining both connections.

Calculation will help to find out the required number of ABs. Consider it for the concentration of energy reserves for 1 day in a battery with a capacity of 200 Ah and a voltage of 12 V.

Assume daily demand is 4800Vh, system output voltage is 24V. Assuming inverter loss is 20%, enter a correction factor of 1.2.

4800:24х1.2=240 Ah

The depth of discharge of AB should not exceed 30-40%, we will take this into account.

240х0.4= 600 Ah

The resulting value is three times the capacity of the battery, so 3 batteries connected in parallel will be required to supply the required amount. But at the same time, the battery voltage is 12 V, in order to double it, you will need 3 more batteries connected in series.

To obtain a voltage of 48 V, connect in parallel two parallel chains of 4 ABs

The inverter is used to convert direct current into alternating current. Choose it by peak, maximum load. On some consumer devices, the starting current is much higher than the nominal one. It is this indicator that is taken into account. In other cases, nominal values ​​are taken into account.

The form of tension also matters. The best option is a pure sine wave. For devices that are insensitive to voltage drops, a square shape is suitable. You should also consider the possibility of switching the device from AB directly to solar panels.

Required number of cells

Insolation indicators in different areas are very different. For a correct calculation, you need to know these numbers for your area, the data is easy to find on the Internet or at a weather station.

Monthly insolation table for different regions

Insolation depends not only on the time of year, but also on the angle of the battery

When calculating, be guided by the indicators of the least insolation during the year, otherwise the battery will not produce enough energy during this period.

Let's assume that the minimum indicators - in January, 0.69, the maximum - in July, 5.09.

Correction coefficient for winter time - 0.7, for summer time - 0.5.

Required amount of energy - 4800 Wh.

One panel has a power of 260 W and a voltage of 24 V.

Losses on AB and inverter are 20%.

We calculate consumption taking into account losses: 4800 × 1.2 = 5760 Wh = 5.76 kWh.

We determine the performance of one panel.

Summer: 0.5×260×5.09= 661.7 Wh.

Winter: 0.7×260×0.69=125.5 Wh.

We calculate the required number of batteries by dividing the energy consumed by the performance of the panels.

Summer: 5760/661.7=8.7 pcs.

In winter: 5760/125.5=45.8 pcs.

It turns out that for full provision, five times more modules will be needed in winter than in summer. Therefore, it is worth immediately installing more batteries or providing for a hybrid power supply system for the winter period.

How to assemble a solar battery with your own hands

The assembly consists of several stages: the manufacture of the case, the soldering of the elements, the assembly of the system and its installation. Before you get started, stock up on everything you need.

The battery is made up of several layers.

Materials and tools

• photocells;
• flat conductors;
• alcohol-rosin flux;
• soldering iron;
• aluminum profile;
• aluminum corners;
• hardware;
• silicone sealant;
• hacksaw for metal;
• screwdriver;
• glass, plexiglass or plexiglass;
• diodes;
• measuring devices.

It is better to order photocells complete with conductors, they are specially designed for this purpose. Other conductors are more brittle, which can be a problem when soldering and assembling. There are cells with already soldered conductors. They cost more, but save a lot of time and labor.

Purchase plates with conductors, this will reduce the operating time

The body frame is usually made of an aluminum angle, but it is possible to use wooden slats or 2x2 square bars. This option is less preferred as it does not provide sufficient weather protection.

For a transparent panel, choose a material with a minimum refractive index of light. Any obstacle in the path of the rays increases the energy loss. It is desirable that the material transmits as little infrared radiation as possible.

Important! The more the panel heats up, the less power it generates.

Frame calculation

The dimensions of the frame are calculated based on the size of the cells. It is important to provide a small distance of 3-5 mm between adjacent elements and take into account the width of the frame so that it does not overlap the edges of the elements.

The cells are produced in various sizes, consider the option of 36 plates, 81x150 mm in size. We arrange the elements in 4 rows, 9 pieces in one. Based on these data, the dimensions of the frame are 835x690 mm.

Box manufacturing

Soldering elements and assembling modules

If the elements are purchased without contacts, they must first be soldered to each plate. To do this, cut the conductor into equal segments.

1. Cut out a rectangle of the desired size from cardboard and wind the conductor around it, then cut it on both sides.
2. Apply flux to each conductor, attach a strip to the element.
3. Carefully solder the conductor along the entire length of the cell.

   Solder the conductors to each plate

4. Lay the cells in a row one after another with a gap of 3-5 mm and sequentially solder together.

   During installation, periodically check the functionality of the modules

5. Transfer the finished rows of 9 cells into the body and align with each other and the outline of the frame.
6. Solder in parallel, using wider tires and observing the polarity.

   Lay rows of elements on a transparent substrate and solder together

7. Bring out the contacts "+" and "-".
8. Apply 4 drops of sealant to each element and lay the second glass on top.
9. Let the glue dry.
10. Fill around the perimeter with sealant so that moisture does not get inside.
11. Fasten the panel to the housing using the corners, screwing them into the sides of the aluminum profile.
12. Install a Schottke blocking diode with sealant to prevent battery discharge through the module.
13. Provide the output wire with a two-pin connector, then connect the controller to it.
14. Screw the corners to the frame to secure the battery to the support.

Video: soldering and assembling the solar module

The battery is ready, it remains to install it. For more efficient work, you can make a tracker.

Production of a rotary mechanism

The simplest rotary mechanism is easy to make yourself. The principle of its operation is based on a system of counterweights.

1. From wooden blocks or an aluminum profile, assemble a support for the battery in the form of a stepladder.
2. Using two bearings and a metal rod or pipe, mount the battery on top so that it is fixed in the center of the larger side.
3. Orient the structure from east to west and wait until the sun is at its zenith.
4. Rotate the panel so that the rays hit it vertically.
5. Fix a container of water at one end, balance it at the other end with a weight.
6. Make a hole in the container so that the water flows out little by little.

As the water flows out, the weight of the vessel will decrease and the edge of the panel will rise up, turning the battery towards the sun. The size of the hole will have to be determined empirically.

The simplest solar tracker is made on the principle of a water clock

All you need is to pour water into a container in the morning. You can’t install such a structure on the roof, but for a garden plot or lawn in front of the house, it is quite suitable. There are other, more complex tracker designs, but they will cost more.

Video: how to make your own electronic solar tracker

Battery Installation

Now you can test and enjoy free electricity.

Module maintenance

Solar panels do not require special maintenance, because they have no moving parts. For their normal functioning, it is enough from time to time to clean the surface from dirt, dust and bird droppings.

Wash the batteries with a garden hose, with good water pressure, you don’t even need to climb onto the roof for this. Check the condition of the additional equipment.

How soon will the costs pay off

You should not expect momentary benefits from the solar power supply system. Its average payback is approximately 10 years for an autonomous system at home.

The more energy you consume, the faster your costs will pay off. After all, for both small and large consumption, the purchase of additional equipment is required: a battery, an inverter, a controller, and they leave a small part of the costs.

Consider also the life of the equipment, and the life of the panels themselves, so that you do not have to change them before they pay off.

Despite all the costs and disadvantages, solar energy is the future. The sun is a renewable energy source and will last at least another 5,000 years. Yes, and science does not stand still, new materials for photocells appear, with a much higher efficiency. So, soon they will be more affordable. But you can use the energy of the sun already now.

Soldering solar panels from individual photovoltaic cells and wiring a home solar power plant is the experience of portal users.

We continue our topic on the construction of a home solar power plant. You can find general information about, about the principles for calculating solar panels, as well as about for autonomous power supply systems, by reading our previous articles. Today we will talk about the features of self-manufacturing solar panels, the sequence of connecting electrical converters and the protective devices that should be included in the solar power plant.

Manufacturing of photovoltaic modules

A standard photovoltaic module (panel) consists of three main elements.

1. Panel body.
2. Frame.
3. Photovoltaic cells.

The simplest element of the solar module design is its body. As a rule, its front side is an ordinary sheet of glass, the dimensions of which correspond to the number of solar cells.

adoronkin FORUMHOUSE user

I used ordinary window glass - 3 mm (the most inexpensive). Conducted a test: the performance of the module worsens the glass slightly, so I don’t see much point in taking tempered or anti-reflective glass.

Window glass is often used in the manufacture of a protective housing for solar panels. If you doubt the strength of this material, then you can use tempered or ordinary glass, but thicker (5 ... 6 mm). In this case, there is no doubt that the photovoltaic cells will be reliably protected from manifestations of destructive natural disasters (from hail, for example).

The back side of the housing can be made of a moisture-resistant material that will protect it from dust and moisture on the solar cells. This can be metal sheet, hermetically attached to the frame with rivets and silicone, or, again, ordinary glass.

At the same time, some craftsmen do not welcome the presence of a back wall on the body of a home-made solar panel.

adoronkin

The back side of the battery is open (for better cooling), but covered with acrylic varnish mixed with a transparent sealant.

Given that when the panels are heated, their power drops significantly, such a decision looks justified. After all, it provides effective cooling of semiconductor elements and, at the same time, high-quality sealing of solar cells. All together guaranteed to extend the life of solar panels.

Frame

Frames for homemade solar panels are most often made from standard aluminum corners. It is better to use coated aluminum - anodized or painted. If there is a temptation to make a frame out of wood or plastic, be prepared for the fact that after a couple of years the product may dry out or even fall apart under the influence of climatic factors (the exception is window plastic).

BOB691774 FORUMHOUSE user

I buy where windows are made. Price - 80 rubles. per metre. The profile is completely ready for work, it is only necessary to cut it down at 45 ° and under heat, glue the corners.

Consider the simplest version of the panel: a panel with an aluminum frame.

Details of the aluminum frame are easily fastened together with bolts or self-tapping screws.

Subsequently, a glass case can be glued to the aluminum corner without much effort. All you need is a regular silicone sealant.

adoronkin

I took silicone sealant - universal. Enough 1 tube. Sealant is better to take transparent. The chemical safety of the sealant in relation to photovoltaic cells was confirmed by the annual operation of the battery.

The result will be a shallow box with a glass bottom, to which photovoltaic cells will subsequently be glued.

When determining the size of the body and frame, one should take into account the need for a gap between adjacent photovoltaic cells, which is equal to - 2 ... 5 mm.

Soldering solar cells

The most critical stage in the assembly of solar modules is the soldering of photovoltaic cells. Solar cells are made of a very fragile material, so they require appropriate handling. Those people who have already dealt with them, henceforth, when buying solar cells, order cells for themselves with a certain margin in quantity (10 - 15%). For example, for the manufacture of a panel designed for 36 elements, they purchase 39 - 42 cells.

Thin bars for soldering solar cells, thicker bars (with which adjacent rows of the panel are connected to each other) and solar cells are best purchased from the same seller. This saves time looking for suitable elements and gives certain guarantees of their compatibility.

The soldering of elements in the case of their serial connection is carried out according to the following scheme.

The negative (front) contact of the solar cell is soldered to the positive (rear) contact of the next cell, and so on.

This is what the finished panel looks like.

To work, you will need the following tools and materials:

• Powerful soldering iron 40-60 W (at least).
• Flux (flux marker) - must be neutral (otherwise the soldered contacts will quickly oxidize).
• Tires of different widths.
• Rubber gloves - so as not to smear the solar cells (especially their front part).

We also need tin. This is in case the tavern is badly soldered to the contacts. Cells with which work is carried out are located on a hard and even surface. It can be a board or glass. In order to prevent the cells from sliding on the working surface of the table, they can be fixed with pieces of electrical tape glued around the perimeter of the element. Do not glue tape on the cell itself (especially on its front part). The free end of the shank should be attached to the table with double-sided tape.

Soldering elements and assembling panels are carried out in the following order: first of all, the contact groove of the plate along the entire length is smeared with flux. Then the flat bar is placed in the groove and soldered to the contact of the plate along its entire width (on the negative pole of the element).

Or at three points (usually on the positive pole of the element).

The number of soldering points depends on the design of the element.

Alternately, the contacts are soldered to all solar cells. Additional solder is used only in those cases when the shank cannot be reliably soldered to the plate the first time.

First of all, the contacts are soldered to the front (negative) side of each cell, which will lie on the glass body of the panel.

A shank of the required size is prepared in advance. Its length should correspond to the width of 2 adjacent plates.

Plates with soldered contacts are laid out on the glass body of the panel face down. After that, they can be soldered to each other according to the polarity (“-” of each cell is soldered to the “+” of the adjacent cell, and so on).

In order to make it more convenient to place the elements on the glass body of the panel, its surface can be pre-marked.

Sliderrr FORUMHOUSE user

On the glass, I marked the points of location of the cells with a black felt-tip pen. I arranged the cells and fixed them with heads, nuts and bolts.

Nuts, wrenches and other metal objects were used as weights in this case. Cells can also be fixed using transparent silicone, which is applied to the glass at the corners of each element.

When connecting adjacent rows of photovoltaic cells, additional solder should be used. This will increase the reliability of soldering at the junction of conductors of different widths.

When all the cells are soldered together, and the conductors are brought out through the aluminum frame of the panel, you can start pouring the solar cells.

To do this, the seams between adjacent elements are filled with silicone sealant.

Sliderrr

I filled the gaps between the panels with silicone (flattened a little and cut off the nozzle of the syringe to ensure the aesthetics of the seam and good contact between the silicone and the glass). When it dried up, I missed each panel around the perimeter again. After the sealant had dried, I covered the cells with yacht varnish twice. In the future I will try insulating varnish.

User Mirosh instead of varnish, it uses white silicone to fill the cells, which is applied to the surface with a thin layer with a spatula. The result is quite satisfactory.

Before final assembly, it is advisable to test each element for the power it generates. You can do this with a multimeter. If there are no significant differences between the current strength and voltage that each individual cell generates, then you can safely include them in the photovoltaic module.

Installation of Schottky diodes

The construction of solar panels often uses elements that we have not mentioned before. These are shunt Schottky diodes.

They are used for two reasons.

Firstly, shunt diodes are installed so that at night or in cloudy weather the solar panels do not discharge the battery included in the solar power station.

Alex MAP FORUMHOUSE user

In the case of direct connection of solar panels to the battery, voltage drops on the panels at night, and they heat up. Therefore, a Schottky diode (protection against night discharge of the battery) was introduced into the circuit of a primitive solar controller, developed 10 years ago.

If a modern controller is connected to the solar panels, then there is no special need for protection against night discharge. A working controller, without the help of additional devices, will disconnect the SB from the battery in time.

Secondly, if the solar module is covered by a shadow from a nearby building (or other massive object), then the power of this element is reduced. The consequences of power reduction are as follows: in relation to the other panels connected to the shaded element in series, the shaded element from the current source turns into a resistive load. The resistance of the shaded module increases greatly, and its temperature increases significantly.

A significant reduction in power is the most innocuous of what partial shading of a series-connected solar array can lead to. After all, in the end, the shaded module will overheat and fail. This phenomenon is called the "hot spot effect".

To avoid this effect, a Schottky diode is installed in parallel with each module (or series row of solar cells) connected in series. The diode allows electricity to bypass the shaded panel. In this case, the generated voltage will decrease, but a large current drawdown can be avoided.

Alex MAP

The high current from the remaining panels of the circuit, which are lit, will not be interrupted, but will bypass the shaded parts of the panels through diodes. The resulting voltage will be slightly less, but the controller does not care. If diodes were not built into the panels, then at the slightest shading of at least a piece of 1 panel, the entire chain would completely cease to give current.

In other words, the power loss will be commensurate with the shading area.

Diodes can be installed in parallel to the entire module, or parallel to its individual rows.

Here is a diagram in which each row of cells installed in one module has its own diode. In practice, the module is most often divided into 2 equal parts.

Houzer FORUMHOUSE user

Typically, for a four-row panel, the midpoint is displayed, that is, the cells are shunted in half. Diodes are placed in the terminal box.

In any case, all solar panel modules should be positioned so that the light hits them evenly. Then you do not have to solve the problem of shunting individual modules or even cells.

Terminal boxes for convenience are located on the back side of the solar panels.

If several series-connected groups of panels are connected to the controller in parallel, then in this case each series circuit is connected to a common circuit through a decoupling diode. This allows you to avoid losses due to mismatch of individual serial chains and additionally protect the battery from discharge at night (if, suddenly, the controller fails).

Diodes are selected according to two main parameters: the maximum current that will pass in the forward direction (forward current), and the reverse voltage. The maximum reverse current voltage (Ureverse max.) should not lead to breakdown of the diode. In this case, the performance of the diode should slightly exceed the nominal value of the panel (approximately 1.3 - 1.5 times).

But there is one trick here.

Max94 FORUMHOUSE user

There are no normal Schottkys for high voltages. These are just poles with forward current drop. So it's better to take regular ones with Urev. Max ≈ 30...100V.

Panel installation

How to fix the panels and where to install them? The answers to these questions depend on the design of the SB and on the capabilities of their owner. The only thing everyone should take care of without exception is the observance of the angle of inclination. For each region, this angle will be different, and it depends directly on the latitude of the area.

On average, in winter, the angle of inclination should be 10° ... 15° higher than the optimal value, in summer - by the same amount - lower. can be viewed in the FORUMHOUSE section.

Cross section of conductors

In accordance with the postulates of electrical engineering, too small a conductor cross-section can lead to overheating and even fire. Too much is not bad, but it will lead to an unreasonably high rise in the cost of an autonomous system. Therefore, the task of its creator is to find the "golden mean".

To begin with, the thickest conductors should be installed in the circuit connecting the battery to the inverter (by the way, the shorter this section, the better). It is here that currents of great strength flow.

The conductors connecting the panels to the inverter, as well as connecting the panels to each other, can be selected with a small cross section. In these parts of the circuit, there may be a relatively high voltage, but there will always be a small current strength.

HeliosHouse FORUMHOUSE user

16 mm² is not needed and 10 mm² is not needed. 4 is more than enough. A "thick" wire is needed only in the inverter circuit, the cross section must be selected in accordance with the current power.

“Thick” and “thin” are loose concepts, so we will not deviate from the standards.

Considering that it is currently forbidden to use aluminum conductors in home power supply systems, the tabular data apply to copper conductors with PVC or rubber insulation.

Also, when choosing conductors, you should pay attention to the recommendations of manufacturers of inverters, controllers and other devices involved in the system.

Circuit breakers

In the circuit of a solar power plant, as in the circuit of any other powerful source of electricity, it is necessary to install protection against short circuits. First of all, automata or fusible links should protect the power cables going from the batteries to the inverter.

Leo2 FORUMHOUSE user

If it closes something in the inverter, then it’s not far from the fire. One of the requirements for battery systems is to have a DC breaker or fusible link on at least one of the wires and as close as possible to the battery terminals.

In addition, protection is placed in the battery and controller circuit. You should also not neglect the protection of individual groups of consumers (consumers of direct current, household appliances, etc.). But this is already a rule for constructing any power supply system.

The machine installed between the battery and the controller must have a large margin for misfire current. In other words, the protection should not work accidentally (when the load increases). Reason: if voltage is applied to the controller input (from the SB), then at this moment the battery cannot be disconnected from it. This may result in device failure.

Connection order

The electrical circuit is assembled in the following order:

1. Connecting the controller to the battery.
2. Connection to the solar panel controller.
3. Connection to the DC consumer group controller.
4. Connecting the inverter to batteries.
5. Load connection to inverter output.

This connection sequence will help protect the controller and inverter from damage.

You can learn from the members of our portal by visiting the relevant topic. For those who are seriously interested, we recommend visiting another useful section dedicated to the exchange of experience in this area. In conclusion, we bring to your attention a video that will tell you how to properly install and connect solar panels.

Ecology of consumption. Life hack: Independence from energy and rising prices for it, whether it is at least thermal or electric. Solar panels and homemade windmills will come to the rescue - one of the types of alternative sources of electricity

What does it mean to you to be a farmer? For me, it's independence. Independence from various kinds of sanctions imposed by different countries. Independence from rising food prices, since everything can be grown on your farm. And, of course, this is independence from energy and rising prices for it, whether it is at least thermal or electric. In one of my articles, I wrote about how to build a biogas plant with my own hands, but it suits those farmers who raise livestock, but what about those farmers who are engaged in vegetable or crop production?

Solar panels and homemade windmills will come to the rescue - one of the types of alternative sources of electricity. In my opinion, everything should be combined. The windmill will charge the batteries when there is wind but no sunlight, and the solar panel is the opposite.

Working principle of solar panels:

To understand how to assemble solar panels with your own hands, you need to understand their principle of operation. This will allow you to select the appropriate material when purchasing. I think it's important to know the following:

• Solar panels are powered by photovoltaic cells, which are monocrystalline and polycrystalline. Photovoltaic cells are often referred to as solar cells.
• It is unlikely that you will be able to assemble solar cells with your own hands, so you will have to buy them anyway. I was looking for them in Russia, but unfortunately now everything is made in China.

The video below is an excerpt from a scientific program about solar panels, it tells a little history and how photovoltaic cells work. At the end of the article there will be a detailed video on how to assemble a solar panel with your own hands.

After you learned about the principle of the solar battery from the video, we can draw some conclusions:

1. Single-crystal solar cells have an efficiency of about 13%, but it is more profitable only if the number of sunny days is high enough.
2. In Russia, I think it’s not profitable to install these panels, so there are polycrystalline photovoltaic cells, their efficiency is about 7%, but they work better with cloudiness and a small amount of sunny day.
3. Now there are technologies that allow you to make a photocell with an efficiency of more than 40%.
4. Approximately one photocell will produce 2.7 watts.
5. The price for polycrystalline and monocrystalline solar cells is basically the same, and it is also the same for solar panels.

You need to understand how much power you need and, based on this, calculate the required number of solar panels, but we'll talk about this in future articles. It is important to know that solar panels can be used directly, so if you need to boil water in a 2kW kettle, you will need 20 x 100W panels. But if you use batteries, then you can get by with 3-5 batteries that will charge the battery after the kettle boils water.

I would like to note that batteries often cost as much as the panels themselves. If you use solar panels for lighting, then you can get by with a 200 watt panel and put energy-saving light bulbs in the house.

We assemble solar panels with our own hands

Before assembling solar panels with your own hands, you will need to make a frame for the battery. Plexiglas is used as a protective layer and a transparent surface in the frame, ordinary glass can also be used, but it is not so reliable. Aluminum corners are used for the body.

It is IMPORTANT to pay attention to the soldering of the photocells in the circuit, how well the solar panel will work depends on this. Photocells come with soldered wires, which will make the task easier, but you will have to solder in any case. Flux and solder are pre-applied.

How to assemble a solar panel with your own hands, see the video below.

A bit of economics about solar panels and the profitability of assembling it yourself

Having searched the Internet for photocells for assembling solar panels to buy them in Russia, I found them for 3200 rubles for 38 pieces, I think this is not profitable, since now there are panels for 4500 rubles, a difference of 1300 will reduce your time and effort.

But if you look for Chinese solar cells, you can find 4,500 rubles for 100 pieces. From 100 pieces, you can already assemble two 100 W panels. In this case, the profitability of buying photocells is obvious. I want to draw your attention to the fact that in the video below there is an assembly of photocells, the size of which is 125 * 63. On the Internet, I found Chinese solar cells with a size of 156 * 156. With their help, you can assemble 4 solar panels of 100 W each.

As promised, a video on how to assemble a solar panel with your own hands. The principle of soldering and sealing is shown in great detail.SUBSCRIBE to OUR youtube channel Econet.ru, which allows you to watch online, download from YouTube for free a video about healing, rejuvenation of a person. Love for others and for yourselfas a feeling of high vibrations - an important factor in healing - site

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet

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A solar battery is a series of photovoltaic cells assembled in one housing that supplies electricity to the consumer. The photocells themselves are becoming more accessible every day, largely due to the fact that China began to produce them in good quality.

The choice of photocells for a solar battery

1. Polycrystalline or single crystal. There is no single answer, polycrystalline modules are cheaper, but they have lower energy efficiency. Most industrial manufacturers prefer polycrystalline solar cells. In Russia, neither one nor the other is produced, therefore we make purchases on com or aliexpress.com.
2. Dimension. Available in 6x6(156x156mm), 5x5(127x127mm), 6x2(156x52mm) inches. You should take the latter. The fact is that all photocells are very thin and fragile, they break easily during installation, so it is more profitable to break a small photocell. Also, the smaller the size of one element, the easier it is to fill the area of ​​the battery.
3. Soldered contacts. Each plate will be connected in series with the others, so there will be a lot of work with the soldering iron. Soldered contacts to the panels greatly facilitate this work. Connecting such contacts to a common bus will be much easier. If there are no such contacts, you will have to solder them yourself.

Tools and materials

Materials:

• Aluminum corner 25x25;
• Bolts 5x10 mm - 8 pcs;
• Nuts 5 mm - 8 pcs;
• Glass 5-6 mm;
• Glue - sealant Sylgard 184;
• Adhesive sealant Ceresit CS 15;
• Polycrystalline photocells;
• Flux felt-tip pen (a mixture of rosin and alcohol);
• Silver tape for connection to photocells;
• Tire tape;
• Solder (you need a thin one, because excessive heating will disable the photocell);
• Polyurethane foam (foam rubber), 3 cm thick;
• Dense polyethylene film 10 microns.

Tool:

• File;
• Hacksaw with blade 18;
• Drill, 5 and 6 mm drills;
• Open-end wrenches;
• soldering iron;

Step by step photo instruction

It is described in as much detail as possible how to assemble a solar battery from photocells on an aluminum frame with your own hands.

File the corners on one edge on each side of the 45 degree aluminum corner.

Trim the corners with a hacksaw at 45 degrees. For convenience, you can use the chair:

On each side of the corner, you should get something like this:

Cut aluminum corner

We make brackets for connecting the corners:

We attach the corners with cut corners to each other
We put a corner perpendicularly and on it we outline a cutting line You should get 4 connecting corners

On the sides of each bracket received, we find the center and drill a hole with a diameter of 6 mm:

Finding the center of each side of the bracket
Hole in bracket

We make markings through the hole in each bracket on the corner. In order not to confuse later, we mark each corner and each bracket with a number:

Marking holes "in place"
We put the numbers so as not to confuse later

We drill holes in the corner with a 5 mm drill, it should turn out like this:

Holes in the corner

We assemble the frame with bolts and nuts:

We glue the glass into the assembled frame using sealant:

Silicone should be treated joints outside and inside

Degrease the glass surface from the inside and arrange the photocells face down so that the contact bars are parallel:

Connect the photocells together with adhesive tape, so they will not fall apart during further operations.

Connect the elements according to the scheme:

Connection diagram of photocells in a battery

We assemble the sealing structure:

1. Cut out a rectangle from a sheet of polyurethane foam, 1 cm less than the inside of the frame on each side;
2. We solder the resulting rectangle into a plastic film using adhesive tape or a soldering iron.

The design fits inside the frame:

Foam rubber fits inside the frame

The frame, together with the foam rubber, is turned over and removed. Only photocells stacked and fastened together with adhesive tape remain:

Remove aluminum frame
Photocells on foam rubber

Sealant Sylgard 184 is applied to the entire surface of the photocells with a brush and covered with a frame with glass on top:

Sealant on photocells
Cover the photocells with a frame with glass

We put the load on the glass for several hours, during which time air bubbles should be removed:

Bubbles go away in 2-3 hours

After 12 hours, we remove the load and tear off the foam rubber. The battery is ready to connect!

Errors when assembling a solar battery with your own hands

A few typical mistakes made during self-assembly of panels, which I would like to warn about.

• Assembly on a frame made of wood or chipboard. A do-it-yourself solar battery pays off only if it lasts for several years, so an unreliable construction made of timber is definitely not suitable for it, because. swell and lose shape in a year or two. The design turns out to be bulky and heavy, difficult to transport and transfer.
• Careless storage of Sylgard 184. If you do not use up the entire can of this glue, after use it must be moved to a smaller container so that the residue does not have contact with the air inside it. Otherwise, after six months of storage, all the glue may harden.
• The use of plexiglass. The battery is always in the sun (this is its essence), so it gets very hot. Plexiglas very poorly removes heat from photovoltaic cells. This reduces their effectiveness. Each degree above 25°C reduces efficiency by 0.45%. But this is not the main minus of plexiglass! At temperatures above 50 ° C, it deforms in all planes, breaking the contacts inside the circuit, depressurizing the battery and rendering it unusable.
• Insufficient attention to the isolation of connections. When assembling solar panels for your home with your own hands, it is better to use special connectors (MC4) that connect several panels into a single network. The fact is that in the future, they may have to be dismantled for repair, turning in the other direction, replacing elements, etc. Twisting the contacts “tightly” or using connecting terminals for this purpose, which are intended for internal work, is not the best option.

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