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Production of the solar battery for home with their own hands. Solar battery with your own hands from the primary means and materials at home - how to collect and make a solar panel from diodes, transistors and foil? How to solder solar elements

Greetings Community! This kit was acquired exclusively in educational purposes of self-development. Under the cutting process of assembly and elementary measurements based on the results of balcony tests.
The parcel went with the track and without problems was tracked at each stage. Delivery time is quite standard - 1 month. Packed tight and on conscience - no detail of the kit was damaged. Actually, that's all I got.


1) Flux pencil. I did not use this before, but I did not feel a special delight, although I won't say a bad word. In principle, convenient. The algorithm is simple: smeared-soldered. When you shake, you can hear the liquid of unknown origin inside, the composition is not specified! From useful information from the pencil case, you can only learn the link to the Vendor website and E-mail support: and [Email Protected], respectively. From curiosity walked, it seemed not to be extended.


2) Tire (low 2 mm.) For spike of photocells among themselves. I did not measure length, but it is very, very much. After complete assembly of the kit, it was visually left. Since there was a battery in my pocket spectral device: _), then the metal from which it is made to establish failed. But the ribbon is very easy.


3) Tire (large 5 mm.) For spike of assemblies of photocells and / or solar panels. Although I know for sure that such ohmic losses, but it did not use it, the conclusions "+" and "-" made from a small tire. And let me not take 0.000018 W, but honestly it was just laziness)


4) Well, in fact, the photocells themselves (in the amount of as much as 42! PC.) Lovely shuddered by Ketaitz in a packaging film.


Geometric dimensions correspond to the declared.


But there were several elements with insignificant chips. Of course, but loss of square (read the power) is less than 1%, I think. Since the voltage generated by them remains the same as in the whole, then it can be mounted in a chain with (slightly smaller).


Since the seller stated that in the equator at noon a cloudless day, each such panel is capable of issuing 0.5 V, it was decided to consistently collect 36 elements to generate ≈ 18 V.
"They write in the Internet" that the most convenient platform for assembling such a solar panel is (photo) A4 format frame. Which was purchased in off-line store at a time price. But let's return to the installation.
"+" - OSHI of the photocells are on the back and have different lengths.


Therefore, I took a segment of a small tire (crown on the eye ≈ 1.5 width of the module). Ludil him with the help of ordinary rosin (the flux pen is somehow uncomfortable, it was unusual. I was postponed ...)


After that, put on the place along the length of the contact and moved the soldering iron.


The work is quite painstaking, and the material does not like a hurry at all; I did not even expect that these panels are so fragile - almost as an egg shell. Therefore, go beer kvass and patience.


To prevent the KZ soldering of "minus" contacts, did the opposite - it was revealed by a photocell path and flew to a tire.


Of course, before the completion of the work, I have already acquired a certain skill, but neither this nor a forah in six (42-36) elements did not save me from the collapse - I broke solar panels more than it was available. This is what I am a handsure. The keen joke also played the ripples of the photo frames, who covered the working surface of the textolite and, although they were tested by a tape, but still performed quite strongly, so much that they were damaged, probably a couple of elements; not less.




However, I was pleasantly surprised by the result. Because even in the absence of direct sunlight

the whole visible occasion was burned with a swirling, haze





My solar battery stably squeezed 19.7 V


For the use of which the converter was purchased. Which at idle does not think giving 5 with a buckle of Volt.


But when connected as a load, the voltage, though she caught up to 3.9 V


But still a current of 0.14 and walked to charging the phone.

Conclusion: This kit is ideal (all inclusive) for educational and educational purposes, and the device collected on it is completely able to feed undemanding consumers.

P.S. Schottky's diode sweat then, when it is a sealant to pour.
P.P.S. consumables (tires and flux) remain really very much
P.P.S.St test took place on July 6, 2015 at 17:15 hours in the northern hemisphere, on the latitude of approx. 60 degrees S.Sh. (Leningrad region)

All good and light)

I plan to buy +52. Add to favourites I liked the review +71 +135

Currently, alternative energy sources are very fashionable and popular, especially among country cottage owners or private houses. But often such a device is worth a lot of money and not everyone can afford to purchase solar panels for home. Therefore, the manufacture of solar panels was very relevant. So how do you make solar batteries yourself?

Characteristic of the solar panel

The solar battery is a semiconductor construction that is capable of converting solar radiation into electricity. This allows you to provide house economical, reliable and, most importantly, uninterrupted power supply. Special this is relevant for hard-to-reach areas of residence., as well as where there is often interruptions with electricity from the main source.

Such an alternative energy source is quite practical, because, unlike the traditional source of energy, it costs much less. Production of solar panels with their own hands allows not only to optimize power consumption, but also saves finance.

Benefits

Solar panels possess the following advantages:

  • simple installation due to the fact that there is no need to lay the cable to support;
  • electricity generation absolutely does not harm the environment;
  • there are no moving parts;
  • electricity comes independently of the distribution network;
  • minimum time spent on system maintenance;
  • low battery weight;
  • silent work;
  • long service life at minimum costs.

disadvantages

Despite the rather weighty advantages, there are solar batteries and its cons, such as:

  • labor-intensity of manufacturing process;
  • contamination sensitivity;
  • on the efficient operation of solar panels affect the weather conditions (solar or cloudy days);
  • for such a design, you need a lot of space;
  • at night, the battery does not work.

Requirements for solar battery

Install the solar panels in a private house for everyone. But in order for such a design created by their own hands, he benefited at the maximum, its features should be taken into account. The following requirements are presented to the solar panel:

Materials required for the manufacture of solar battery with their own hands

If there is no possibility to purchase solar panels, you can make them with your own hands. at first need to decide on the materialFrom which they will be made.

To create panels, high-quality photocells will be needed. Manufacturers today offer the following types of devices:

  • elements made of monocrystalline silicon have an efficiency to 13%, but in cloudy weather is not effective enough;
  • photo cells made of polycrystalline silicon have an efficiency of up to 9%, it can work in both sun and cloudy days.

For energy supply at home it is best to use polycrystals that are available in sets.

It is important to know that all necessary for the assembly cells are best acquired by one manufacturerSince the products of different brands have significant differences in the efficiency of products. This can create additional difficulties in assembling, entail the costs as a result of operation, while the solar battery will have low power.

To make a solar panel from undergraduates, there will be special conductors designed to connect photocells.

The body of the future design is best made from aluminum corners with a small weight. You can also use such a material like a tree. But due to the fact that the design will be susceptible to atmospheric influence, its operation will decrease.

The sizes of the housing of the panel depend on the number of photographs.

The external coating of photo cells can be made of plexiglas or transparent polycarbonate. Also used tempered glass, not transmitting infrared rays.

Thus, for the manufacture of solar battery, the following materials will be required:

  • photocells in the set;
  • mounting hardware;
  • high power copper electric pipes;
  • silicone vacuum coasters;
  • soldering equipment;
  • aluminum corners;
  • skotke diodes;
  • transparent sheet of polycarbonate or plexiglass;
  • set of screws for fasteners.

Such materials are purchased at the building store or online store.

How to make solar panels with your own hands?

In order to make the panel with their own hands, you need to assemble the required materials. The solar battery is going to the house in such a sequence.

To properly make the solar panels with your own hands, you need to follow the following recommendations:

Get free electricity in your house dreams every person and this dream is feasible. By making solar panels with your own hands, you can enjoy an additional source of power supply. Wherein this design does not cause any harm to the environment., In addition, it is very reliable and inexpensive.

Humanity in order to care about ecology and cash savings began using alternative energy sources to which, in particular, belongs solar panels. Buying such pleasure will cost quite expensive, but it is not difficult to make this device with your own hands. Therefore, you will not hurt to learn how to make a solar battery itself. This will be discussed in our article.

Solar panels - Electricity generating devices using photocells.

Before talking about how to make a sunny battery with your own hands, it is necessary to understand the device and the principles of its work. Solar battery includes photocells connected sequentially and parallel, battery, accumulating electricity, an inverter that converts permanent current to an alternating and controller, which follows the charge and battery discharge.

As a rule, photo cells are made of silicon, but its cleaning costs expensive, so recently began to use such elements like India, copper, selenium.

Each photocell is a separate cell generating electricity. The cells are enclosed with each other and form a single field, the battery power depends on the area. That is, the more photocells, the more electricity is generated.

In order to make a sunbath with your own hands at home, it is necessary to understand the essence of such a phenomenon as a photoeff. The photocell is a silicon plate, when the light is hit on which the electron atoms are knocked out from the last energy level of silicon. The movement of the flow of such electrons produces a permanent current, which is subsequently converted into variable. This is the phenomenon of the photo effect.

Benefits

Solar panels have the following advantages:

  • harmlessness for ecology;
  • durability;
  • silent work;
  • ease of manufacture and editing;
  • independence of the supply of electricity from the distribution network;
  • immobility of the parts of the device;
  • minor financial costs;
  • low weight;
  • work without mechanical transducers.

Varieties

Solar panels are divided into the following types.

Silicon

Silicon is the most popular material for batteries.

Silicon batteries are also divided into:

  1. Monocrystalline: Very pure silicon is used to produce such batteries.
  2. Polycrystalline (cheaper monocrystalline): polycrystals are obtained by gradual cooling of silicon.

Film

Such batteries are divided into the following types:

  1. Based on Cadmium Telluride (efficiency 10%): Cadmium has a high speed absorption ratio, which allows it to be used in the production of batteries.
  2. Based on the selenide of copper - India: the efficiency is higher than that of the previous ones.
  3. Polymer.

The solar panels from polymers began to produce relatively recently, usually use the beells, polyphenylene, etc. Polymer films are very thin, about 100 nm. Despite the efficiency of 5%, the batteries made of polymers have their advantages: the cheapness of the material, environmental friendliness, elasticity.

Amorphous

The efficiency of amorphous batteries is 5%. Such panels are made of silane (silhineodorod) on the principle of film batteries, so they can be attributed to both silicon and film. Amorphous batteries are elastic, electricity is generated even in bad weather, absorb the light better than other panels.

Materials

For the manufacture of solar battery, the following materials will be required:

  • photoisechairs;
  • aluminum corners;
  • schottky diodes;
  • silicone sealants;
  • conductors;
  • fastening screws and hardware;
  • polycarbonate sheet / plexiglass;
  • soldering equipment.

These materials are required to make the solar battery with their own hands.

Selection of photoebles

To make a sunny battery for home with your own hands, you should choose the correct photocells. The latter are divided into single-crystal, polycrystalline and amorphous.

The efficiency of the first is 13%, but such photocelers are ineffective in bad weather, externally represent bright blue squares. Polycrystalline photocells are capable of generating electricity even in bad weather, although their efficiency is only 9%, externally darker monocrystalline and cut across the edges. Amorphous photocharts are made of flexible silicon, their efficiency is 10%, the performance does not depend on weather conditions, but the manufacture of such cells is too expensive, so they are rarely used.

If you plan to apply electricity generated by photocells at the cottage, we advise you to collect a solar battery with your own hands from polycrystalline cells, as their efficiency is enough for your purposes.

You should buy photocels of one brand, since the photocells of multiple stamps can be very different - this can cause problems with the assembly of the battery and its functioning. It should be remembered that the number of energy produced by the cell is directly in proportion to its size, that is, the larger the photochard, the more electricity it produces; The cell voltage depends on its type, and not from size.

The amount of current is determined by the dimensions of the smallest photocell itself, so you should buy photonomics of the same size. Of course, it is not necessary to purchase cheap products, because it means that it has not passed the check. Also, you should not buy photo cells covered with wax (Many manufacturers cover the photonomacials wax for the safety of products during transportation): when it can be deleted, you can spoil a photocell.

Calculations and project

The device of the solar panel with your own hands is a simple task, the main thing, approach it is responsible. To make a sunbar with your own hands, you should count the day consumption of electricity, then learn the average daily sunny time in your area and calculate the necessary power. Thus, it will become clear how many cells and what size should be purchased. After all, as mentioned above, the current generated current depends on its dimensions.

Knowing the necessary cell size and their quantity, you need to calculate the dimensions and weight of the panel, after which it is necessary to find out whether the roofing will be withstanding or another place where the installation of the solar battery is planned.

By installing the panel, it should not only choose the solar place, but also try to fix it at a right angle to the sun rays.

Stages of work

Housing

Before you start making a sunbath with your own hands, you need to build a frame for it. It protects the battery from damage, moisture and dust.

The housing is assembled from moisture-proof material: plywood coated with a moisture-repellent means, or aluminum corners, to which plexiglas or polycarbonate are glued with silicone sealant.

At the same time, it is necessary to observe indents between the elements (3-4 mm), since it is necessary to take into account the expansion of the material when the temperature is raised.

Soldering elements

Photo cells are laid out on the front of the transparent surface, so that the distance between them was 5 mm from all sides: thus the possible expansion of photographs is taken into account when temperatures increase.

The converters having two poles are recorded: positive and negative. If you want to increase the voltage, connect the items sequentially if the current is in parallel.

To avoid the discharge of the battery at night, in a single chain consisting of all the necessary parts, includes a Schottky diode, connecting it to the positive conductor. Then all the elements are soldered among themselves.

Assembly

Silicone is applied to the finished frame, silicone is applied on the photonomicks - all this is covered with a layer of fiberboard, closed with a lid, and the parts of the parts are processed by sealant.

Even a urban resident can make and place a solar panel on the balcony with their own hands. It is desirable that the balcony is glazed and insulated.
So we disassembled how to make a solar battery at home, it turned out that it is quite simple.

Ideas from girlfriend

You can make a sunny battery with your own hands from girlfriend. Consider the most popular options.

Many will be surprised by learning that foil can be used to manufacture solar batteries with their own hands. In fact, there is nothing surprising in this, because the foil increases the reflective abilities of the materials. For example, to reduce overheating of panels, they are put on foil.

How to make a foil solar battery?

We need:

  • 2 "crocodile";
  • copper foil;
  • multimeter;
  • salt;
  • empty plastic bottle without a neck;
  • electric oven;
  • drill.

Cleaning the copper sheet and washing his hands, cut off a piece of foil, put it on the hot electric stove, heated half an hour, watching the blackened, then remove the foil from the stove, let me cool and see how slices are peeled from the sheet. After heating, the oxide film disappears, so the black oxide can be safely removed by water.

Then the second piece of foil is cut out of the same size as the first, two parts are bend, fall into the bottle so that they have no opportunity to get in touch.

Also, foil can be used for heating. To do this, it must be pulled on the frame, to which then you need to connect the hoses, subordinated, for example, to watering can.

So we learned how to make a solar battery for a foil house.

Many at home was lit up old transistors, but not everyone knows that they are quite suitable for the manufacture of the solar battery for giving with their own hands. This photocell is the semiconductor plate inside the transistor. How to make a solar battery from transistors with your own hands? First, you need to open the transistor, for which it is enough to cut the cover, so we can see the plate: it is small than the lowest efficiency of solar batteries from transistors.

Next you need to check the transistor. To do this, use a multimeter: connect the device to a transistor with a well-lit P-N transition and measure the current, the multimeter must fix the current from several milliamperes to 1 or a little more; Next, we switch the device to the voltage measurement mode, the multimeter should issue the tenth lolts of the volt.

The transistors were tested inside the case, for example, leaf plastic and solder. You can make such a solar battery with your own hands at home and use it to charge batteries and low-power radio.

Also suitable for assembling batteries Old diodes. Make a sunny battery with your own hands from diodes is completely simple. It is necessary to open the diode, the crystal is a crystal, which is a photocell, then heated the diode for 20 seconds on the gas stove, and when the solder melts, remove the crystal. It remains to solder the pulled crystals to the case.

The power of such batteries is small, but it is enough for the power supply of small LEDs.

This option is made by the solar battery with their own hands from the primary means to the majority will seem very strange, but make a sunny battery with their own hands from beer cans is simply cheap.

The case will make out of plywood to which polycarbonate or plexiglass, on the rear surface of the plywood, will fix the foam or glass gamble for isolation. Photocells will serve us aluminum banks. It is important to choose exactly aluminum cans, as aluminum is less corrosion than, for example, iron and has better heat exchange.

Next, at the bottom of the cans are done holes, the cover is cut, and unnecessary elements are bend to ensure better air circulation. Then it is necessary to clean the cans from fat and dirt using special agents that are not containing acids. Next, it is necessary to hermetically bore the cans among themselves: silicone gel, withstanding high temperatures, or soldering iron. Be sure to dry out the glued banks in a fixed position.

Attaching the cans to the case, stain them in black and close the design by plexiglass or polycarbonate. Such a battery is able to heat the water or air with the subsequent supply to the room.

We looked at the options for how to make a sun panel with your own hands. We hope that now you will have a question how to make a sunny battery.

Video

How to make solar batteries with your own hands - video lesson.

Why pay a bunch of money (or at all about some money) for a program that shows how to make a solar battery if you can get the same for free?

I will tell you how to make a sunbath, the cost of which will be twice as smaller than the purchase of analogue. Such systems are made of materials sold in local building stores and electronics stores. You can also buy materials online. Time to collect sunlight and make electricity free!

Step 1: why it all started


I watched how my electricity bills grow year after year, simply because modern household appliances are constantly included in standby mode. And this is not only harm to the environment, but the harm to my account in the bank, because I actually pay for "nothing." I could not constantly turn off the devices from the network, as it complicated their use and took over time for permanent settings. Gradually, I began to look for renewable energy sources to compensate for my unnecessary spending. It was not an option, I live in a very quiet area without winds. Hydroelectric Energy is also not suitable, since I live on the plain almost without rivers. Therefore, solar energy seemed to me the most successful choice.

The cost of ready-made solar systems is simply huge, such an installation will not pay for itself and for 20 years of continuous operation. I tried to conquer one of government grants for such a system, but there are very few of them, and I did not get my own. But it did not make me abandon the goal, even though I did not want to pay so much money for the system. A logical solution was to make it alone. Yes, you all rightly understood, I wanted to make my own solar system. Now I can say for sure that it is quite possible, all materials are available in local stores or on the Internet. I am not a technical genius and I have a lot of experience in working with electricity, I just learned the design of solar panels, from which they are made, how can you collect a solar system with your own hands. As a result, this master class turned out.

Step 2: Beginning

For one panel you will need:

28 solar cells with peak power 3.1 W
- 2 sheets of glass
- blocking diode on 6a
- 24 m tape wire width 2 mm
- 2 m belt wire 5 mm width
- Flux
- Distribution box
- terminal block
- Solder
- 1 m shrink tube
- 100% silicone sealant
- crosses for tiles
- 2 aluminum corners

In addition, they will need assembly materials. The total cost of one panel was 211.36 euros. I brought a list of the necessary materials for the ONDE panel, and in the design there are two, one inverter and device for measuring production. In sum, the costs of materials are 441.72 euros or 20778 rubles.

Shortly after planning the necessary materials, I found solar batteries online. Collecting information from different sources, I made a wiring scheme and purchased ordinary glass at a local store. The tools were also bought in place.

Mounting materials, such as wires, mounting box, screws, fastening brackets, I did not buy, because all this was already dust in the shed.

Step 3: Production Process


I soldered solar cells according to the mounting electrical circuit groups. This summed the voltage of all cells to achieve the desired exit (maximum possible). I made a panel of 28 cells (4 rows of 7 elements). In this location and size, the panel was perfectly placed in place in my garden. As a result, I received 28x0.5V \u003d 14B (in theory). Current strength I still did not know because I bought inexpensive elements of the class in for this experiment (just saved).

When I finished soldering the cells, they were all the top of the legs (as I soldered from the back side). I drone silicone on each panel and glued them to a 4-millimeter glass sheet (this sheet is the back of the panel).

I left it all dry so that silicone evaporated enough (it really is important to have all the extra couples, as they react with the battery shift).

Then I turned the glass sheet and inserted small crossbars for the tile between the sections (usually used when the tile laying on the walls to observe the same gap from all sides). I did it in order to along with the second sheet of glass, the whole design was more dense and durable. After the alignment of the cross, I contacted the silicone layer along the edges of the glass sheet at a distance of about 3 cm from the edge (this edge is needed for sealing in the following steps).

Then I posted a different sheet of glass over the elements, so that the solar cells are now enclosed between two glass sheets with a thickness of 4 mm (can be said, I glazed items, it was my simple plan).

Step 4: Evaluation

I left all this design to dry at least a day. The longer, the better. Between the two sheets of glass remained an empty place around the edges. I poured this space sealant. I sealed the elements with two layers of silicone, and if one of them is depicted, the second will securely protect the batteries inside. After applying the second layer, I left the design to dry for another 3 days. When silicone is completely drying, I made a frame from an aluminum profile to protect the glass housing of the panel.

Step 5: Installation Box


On the back of the panel, I made a mounting box with a terminal block. On one side of the block goes +, and on the other hand there will be a wire to the inverter. Also in the mounting box there is a diode between + from the panel to +, which goes to the inverter, it prevents the flow of electricity to the panel when the panel does not produce any electricity (for example, in the dark).

Step 6: Inverter


I contacted the seller of solar panels to order a suitable inverter. I need a small inverter (I'm going to produce a small amount of electricity with my system). I took the OK-4 inverter, designed for 24 - 50 V, the maximum possible 100 W. It was the smallest inverter. It turns out that one panel will be little, because it gives out the maximum 14V. I needed the second panel, and in the amount I will succeed in 28V, which will be enough for the inverter. Considering that this is not a strong current, then two panels could be enough. And I made a third panel than reached a consistently high productivity.

I know that this inverter is maximum designed for 100 W, and my three panels will give more (135 watts), but this maximum of the panels will be embarrassed by an inverter. All that goes over permissible power will be released in the form of heat. Yes, I know what you think: I spend electricity wasted. It is true, but such a bust will be only in the brightest hours, just a few hours a day. Most of the day of the panel do not get light so much to produce over 100 W. But with such a design, I constantly mined electricity in sufficient quantities - from the very sunrise and to sunset, simply because the inverter is capable of working at low voltage. I get much more electricity, feeding the panels all day than losing the maximum power on the zenith watches.

Step 7: Numbers and Facts


In my OK-4 inverter, there was no built-in display to show the development, so I needed a separate meter.

Well, again, I did not want to upload a bunch of money for this device. At the local store, I bought this model - Elro M12 Power Calculator, which is designed to calculate electricity consumption by household appliances, but it works well and for calculating the production of solar electricity (this calculator works in both ways, can both take and give electricity to the network) .

And this calculator is turned on directly into the socket without superswit wiring (just what is needed).

Each solar cell gives 0.5V x 6A \u003d 3W, but this is the maximum power, under ideal conditions. For the entire panel, this maximum power is 28 cells x 3W \u003d 84W.

But by experience I know that these are very optimistic figures, which in fact is usually 20% less. So in real life I expect productivity about 67W.

My panel is not exactly located perfect to the sun, but now it is not so important. The panels are located at an angle of 10 degrees (instead of 35) and not exactly south.

But this is a temporary installation, I just want to see how they behave in real conditions at the cold air temperature, a pile of rains and a blurred sun.

In the near future I will correct the installation.

Considering all the factors, the panels are produced 15V x 3A \u003d 45W each, provided that the cell voltage is used to the maximum.
The strength of the current may increase by changing the angle of tilt panels more to the Sun, but now it is impossible in the place where I put them.

Step 8: Working Performance

Probably there is no such person who would not want to become more independent. The ability to fully dispose of our own time, travel, not knowing the boundaries and distances, not to think about housing and financial problems - this is what the sense of real freedom gives. Today we will tell about how, using solar radiation, remove the burden of energy dependence. As you guessed, it will be about solar panels. And to be more accurate, then whether it is possible to build a real solar power plant with your own hands.

History of creation and prospects for use

The idea of \u200b\u200bturning the energy of the Sun in electricity, humanity has hatched for a long time. Heliotermal plants appeared the first to appear, in which the steam-concentrated solar rays rotated the generator turbine. Direct transformation has become possible only in the middle of the XIX century, after the Frenchman Alexander Edmond Baccalell opened a photoelectric effect. Attempts to create on the basis of this phenomenon the existing solar cell was crowned with success only half a century later, in the laboratory of an outstanding Russian scientist Alexander Zoltisov. To fully describe the photovoltaic effect mechanism, it was possible even later - humanity is obliged to Albertin Einstein. By the way, it was for this work that he received the Nobel Prize.

Backel, Counters and Einstein - these scientists who laid the foundation of modern solar energy

The world of BELL LABORATORIES was announced on the creation of the first solar cell on the basis of crystalline silicon in the distant April 1954. This date is essentially a starting point of technology, which will soon be able to become a full-fledged substitute for hydrocarbon fuel.

Since the current of one photoelectric cell is milliamps, then to obtain electricity sufficient power, they have to be connected to modular structures. Protected from the external influence of the arrays of solar cells and are solar panels (due to flat shape, the device is often called the solar panel).

The transformation of solar radiation into electricity has huge prospects, because each square meter of the Ground surface accounts for an average of 4.2 kW / hour of energy per day, and this is saving almost one barrel of oil per year. Initially used only for the space industry, the technology already in the 80s of the last century became so ordinary that the photo-elements began to use in domestic purposes - as a source of powering calculators, cameras, lamps, etc., and "serious" helioelectric installations were created in parallel. Mounted on the roofs of houses, they allowed to completely abandon wired electricity. Today, you can observe the birth of power plants representing multi-kilometer fields from silicon panels. The power generated by them allows you to feed entire cities, so you can confidently say that the future is behind the solar energy.

Modern solar power plants are multi-kilometer fields of photo cells capable of supplying tens of thousands of houses with electricity

Solar Battery: How it works

After Einstein described the photovoltaic effect, the world was opened with all the simplicity of such, it would seem a complex physical phenomenon. It is based on a substance, the individual atoms of which are in an unstable state. With the "bombardment" photons of light from their orbits, electrons are knocked out - here they are the sources of current.

Almost half a century photo effect did not have practical application for one simple reason - there was no technology for producing materials with an unstable atomic structure. Prospects for further research appeared only with the opening of semiconductors. The atoms of these materials have either excess electrons (N-conductivity), or they are tested in them a shortage (p-conductivity). When using a two-layer structure with a layer of N-type (cathode) and p-type (anode), "shelling" photons of light knocks electrons from the N-layer atoms. Leaving its places, they rush to the free orbits of the p-layer atoms and then through the connected load are returned to the original positions. Probably, each of you knows that the movement of electrons in a closed circuit is an electric current. But it is just to force the electrons to move, not due to the magnetic field, as in electrical generators, and by the flow of particles of solar radiation.

Solar panel works with a photoelectric effect that was discovered in the early XIX century

Since the power of one photoelectric module is insufficient to power the electronic devices, the sequential connection of the sets of cells is used to obtain the desired voltage. As for the strength of the current, it is increasing by parallel compounds of a certain number of such assemblies.

Electricity generation in semiconductors directly depends on the amount of solar energy, so the photocells are not only installed in the open air, but also try to orient their surface perpendicular to the incident rays. And in order to protect the cells from mechanical damage and atmospheric effects, they are mounted on a rigid base and protect with glass on top.

Classification and features of modern photocells

The first solar cell was made on the basis of selenium (SE), however, low efficiency (less than 1%), rapid aging and high chemical activity of selenium photocells forced to look for other, cheaper and efficient materials. And they were found in the face of crystalline silicon (Si). Since this element of the periodic table is a dielectric, its conductivity was provided by inclusions from various rare earth metals. Depending on the manufacturing technology, there are several types of silicon photocells:

  • monocrystalline;
  • polycrystalline;
  • from amorphous Si.

The first is made by cutting the finest layers of silicon ingots of the highest degree of cleaning. Externally, single-crystal type photoers look like a single dark blue glass plates with a pronounced electrode grid. Their CPD reaches 19%, and the service life is up to 50 years. And at least the performance of panels made on the basis of single crystals gradually falls, there is evidence that more than 40 years ago batteries and today retain performance, issuing up to 80% of its initial power.

Monocrystalline solar cells have homogeneous dark color and cut corners - these signs do not allow them to confuse them with other photocells

In the production of polycrystalline photocells, not so clean, but but cheaper silicon. Simplification of technology affects the appearance of the plates - they have a non-homogeneous shade, but a lighter pattern that form the boundaries of the set of crystals. The efficiency of such solar cells is slightly lower than that of single-crystal - no more than 15%, and the service life is up to 25 years. It must be said that the decline in the main performance indicators was absolutely not affected by the popularity of polycrystalline photocells. They won at the expense of a lower price and not such a strong dependence on external pollution, low cloudiness and orientation in the sun.

Polycrystalline photocells have a lighter blue tint and inhomogeneous drawing - a consequence of the fact that their structure consists of a variety of crystals

For solar batteries from amorphous Si, a non-crystal structure is used, but the finest silicon layer, which is sprayed on the glass or polymer. Although a similar production method is the cheapest, such panels have the shortest life due to which the burnout and degradation of the amorphous layer in the sun is. It does not please this type of photocells and productivity - their efficiency is no more than 9% and during operation is significantly reduced. The use of amorphous silicon solar panels is justified in the deserts - high solar activity levels the drop in performance, and endless expanses allow you to place helioelectrics of any area.

The ability to spray a silicon structure on any surface allows you to create flexible solar panels.

Further development of technology for the production of photovoltaic elements is caused by the need to reduce the price and improvement of operational characteristics. Maximum performance and durability today, filmcells are possessed:

  • based on cadmium telluride;
  • from thin polymers;
  • using India and Copper Selenide.

On the possibility of applying in homemade devices of thin-film photocells, it is still early. Today, their release is engaged only by several of the most "advanced" in the technological plan of companies, so most often flexible photo cells can be seen as part of ready-made solar panels.

What photocelers are best suited for solar battery and where they can be found

The solar panels made by handicraft will always be on the step behind their factory fellows, and there are several reasons. First, well-known manufacturers carefully select photocells, sifting cells with unstable or reduced parameters. Secondly, in the manufacture of helioelectric batteries, a special glass with increased light light and a reduced reflective ability is to find such on sale almost impossible. And thirdly, before proceeding to serial release, all parameters of industrial samples run through mathematical models. As a result, the effect of heating of cells on the efficiency of the battery is minimized, the heat removal system is improved, the optimal cross section of connecting tires is being improved, it is examined to reduce the speed of the degradation of photocells, etc., and so on. To solve such tasks, without having an equipped laboratory and appropriate qualifications, it is impossible.

The low cost of homemade solar panels allows you to build a setup that allows you to completely abandon the services of the power companies

Nevertheless, the solar batteries made with their own hands show good performance results and not so much behind industrial analogues. As for the price, here we have a winnings more than twice, that is, with the same costs, homemakes will give twice the electricity.

Given all the above, a picture of what photocelers are suitable for our conditions. The film disappears due to the lack of sale, and amorphous - due to the short life and low efficiency. Crystalline silicon cells remain. It must be said that in the first self-made device it is better to use cheaper "polycrystals". And only running the technology and "squeezing a hand", you should switch to single-crystal cells.

Cheap-acting photocells are suitable for running technologies - as well as high-quality devices, you can buy them on foreign trading platforms.

As for the question where to take inexpensive solar cells, they can be found on the overseas trading platforms like Taobao, Ebay, Aliexpress, Amazon, etc. There they are sold both in the form of individual photocells of various sizes and performance and ready-made sets for solar panel assemblies. Any power.

Sellers often offer photocells of the so-called class "B", which are damaged solar batteries of mono- or polycrystalline type. Small chips, cracks or absence of corners practically does not affect the performance of cells, but allows them to purchase them in much lower cost. It is for this reason that they are most advantageous to be used in homemade helicheeenergetic devices.

Is it possible to replace the photoelectric plates with something else

Rarely from which home master does not exist a cherished box with old radio components. But diodes and transistors from old receivers and televisions are all the same semiconductors with P-N transitions, which, when illuminated by sunlight, produce a current. Taking advantage of these properties and connecting several semiconductor devices, you can make the most real solar battery.

For the manufacture of a low-power solar battery, you can use the old element base of semiconductor devices.

The attentive reader will immediately ask what the trick. Why pay for factory mono- or polycrystalline cells, if you can use what literally under your feet. As always, the devil is hiding in detail. The fact is that the most powerful Germany transistors make it possible to obtain a voltage in a brightly no more than 0.2 in with a current measured by microamers. In order to achieve the parameters that gives a flat silicon photocell, you will need several dozen, and even hundreds of semiconductors. Made of old radio components The battery is except for charging a camping LED flashlight or a small mobile phone battery. To implement larger projects, without buying solar cells can not do.

What power of solar cells can be calculated

Thinking about the construction of your own solar power plant, everyone dreams of completely abandoning wired electricity. In order to analyze the reality of this venture, we will make small calculations.

Find out the daily electricity consumption is easy. To do this, it is enough to look into the invoice sent by an energy-supplying organization and divide the number of kilowatt specified there by the number of days in the month. For example, if you are offered to pay 330 kW × hour, it means that daily consumption is 330/30 \u003d 11 kW × hour.

Schedule of the power of the solar battery depending on the illumination

In calculations it is necessary to take into account the fact that the solar panel will produce electricity only in the bright time of the day, and up to 70% of generation is carried out in the period from 9 to 16 hours. In addition, the efficiency of the device directly depends on the angle of falling the sunlight and the state of the atmosphere.

A small cloudy or haze will reduce the effectiveness of the current celamination by 2-3 times, while the sky tightened by continuous clouds will provoke a 15-20 times drop in the drop. In ideal conditions for generating 11 kW × hour of energy it would be enough solar battery with a capacity of 11/7 \u003d 1.6 kW. Considering the influence of natural factors, this parameter should be increased by about 40-50%.

In addition, there is another factor forcing the area of \u200b\u200bthe used photocells used. First, we should not forget that the battery will not work at night, and therefore, there will be powerful batteries. Secondly, for the power of household appliances, a current voltage of 220 V is needed, so you need a powerful voltage converter (inverter). Specialists argue that the loss of accumulation and transformation of electricity is taken up to 20-30% of its total quantity. Therefore, the actual power of the solar battery must be increased by 60-80% of the calculated value. Taking the value of inefficiency in 70%, we obtain the rated power of our heliopanel equal to 1.6 + (1.6 × 0.7) \u003d 2.7 kW.

The use of assemblies from high-strength lithium batteries is one of the most elegant, but not the cheapest way to store solar electricity

For storage of electricity, low-voltage batteries, designed for voltage 12, 24 or 48 V. Their capacity must be calculated for daily energy consumption plus transformation losses and conversion. In our case, it will take an array of batteries designed for storage 11 + (11 × 0.3) \u003d 14.3 kW × hour of energy. If you use conventional 12-volt car batteries, then you will need an assembly by 14300 W × h / 12 V \u003d 1200 a × h, that is, six batteries designed for 200 amps-hours each.

As you can see, even in order to provide electricity to the household needs of the middle family, you will need a serious helioelectric unit. As for the use of homemade solar cells for heating, then at this stage such an idea will not come out even on the borders of self-sufficiency, not to mention that something can be saved.

Battery calculation

The battery size depends on the required power and dimensions of the current sources. When choosing the latter, you will definitely pay attention to the proposed variety of photocells. For use in homemade devices, the most convenient to choose the solar cells of the medium size. For example, calculated on the output voltage of 0.5 B and current up to 3 A polycrystalline panels with a size of 3 × 6 inches.

In the manufacture of the solar panel, they will consecutively connect to blocks of 30 pcs, which will allow you to get the voltage desired to charge the automotive battery 13-14 V (taking into account the loss). The maximum power of one such unit is 15 V × 3 A \u003d 45 W. Based on this value, it will not be difficult to calculate how many elements will be needed to build a solar panel of a given power and determine its dimensions. For example, it will take 120 photocells with a total area of \u200b\u200b2160 square meters to build a 180-watt solar electric manifold. inches (1.4 sq.m).

Building homemade solar battery

Before making the solar panel, tasks should be solved on its placement, calculate the dimensions and prepare the necessary materials and the tool.

The right choice of installation site is important.

Since the solar panel will be manufactured with their own hands, the ratio of its parties can be any. It is very convenient because the homemade device can be easier to fit into the exterior of the roof or design of the country site. For the same reason, you should choose a place to install the battery even before the start of the design activities, not forgetting to take into account several factors:

  • openness space for sunlight during the daylight;
  • lack of shadowing buildings and high trees;
  • the minimum distance to the room in which accumulating power and converters are installed.

Of course, the battery installed on the roof looks more organically, but the placement of the device on Earth has more advantages. In this case, the possibility of damage to the roofing materials during the installation of the supporting frame is eliminated, the complexity of the installation of the device is reduced and the possibility of timely change of the "angle of sunlight attacks" appears. And most importantly - with lower placement, it will be much easier to maintain the purity of the surface of the solar panel. And this is the key to the fact that the installation will work in full force.

Installation of the solar panel on the roof is caused by the lack of place as needed or ease of operation

What will take in the process of work

Getting started to make a homemade solar panel, you should stock:

  • photocells;
  • stranded copper wire or special tires for connecting solar cells;
  • shift;
  • schottky diodes designed for the current photocell;
  • high-quality anti-glare glass or plexiglass;
  • rakes and plywood for the manufacture of a frame;
  • silicone sealant;
  • hardware;
  • paint and protective composition for processing wooden surfaces.

In the paper it will take the easiest tool, which is always at hand at the home owner - soldering iron, glass cutter, saw, dumping, painting brush, etc.

Instructions for manufacture

For the manufacture of the first solar battery, it is best to use photocells with already soldered conclusions - in this case, the risk of damage to the cells during assembly is reduced. Nevertheless, if you have a soldering iron skill, you can save a little by purchasing solar cells with non-walled contacts. To build the panel, which we considered in the examples above, you will need 120 plates. Using the aspect ratio of approximately 1: 1, it is necessary to lay a 15 series of photocells of 8 pieces in each. In this case, we can connect every two "column" sequentially, and four such blocks are connected in parallel. Thus, it is possible to avoid confusion in the wires and get smooth, beautiful installation.

Scheme of electrical compounds of home solar power plant

Housing

Solar panel assembly should always be started with the manufacture of the case. To do this, we will need aluminum corners or wooden rails with a height of no more than 25 mm - in this case they will not throw the shadow to the extreme series of photocells. Based on the size of our silicon cells with a size of 3x6 inches (7.62x15.24 cm), the size of the frame should be at least 125x 125 cm. If you decide to use another side aspect ratio (for example, 1: 2), then the framework can be additionally enhanced by the crossing from the rail of the same section.

The reverse side of the body should be sewn to the panel from plywood or OSB, and in the lower end frame drill the vent holes. The connection of the inner cavity of the panel with the atmosphere will be needed for leveling of humidity - otherwise, not to avoid fogging.

For the manufacture of the solar panel housing, the simplest materials are suitable - Wooden rails and plywood

On the external size of the frame, the panel of plexiglass or high-quality glass of high degree of transparency is cut. In the extreme case, you can use the window glass with a thickness of up to 4 mm. For its attachment, they prepare corner brackets, in which drills for fastening to the frame. When using a plexiglass, you can do holes directly in the transparent panel - it will simplify the assembly.

To protect the wooden solar body from moisture and fungus, it is impregnated with antibacterial composition and paint oil paint.

For the convenience of assembling the electrical part, the substrate on the internal size of the frame is cut out of the Fiberboard or other dielectric material. In the future, it will be carried out in the installation of photocells.

Soldering plates

Before starting the soldering, the laying of photocells should be "accounted for". In our case, it will take 4 array of cells of 30 plates in each, and they will be located in the housing they will be fifteen rows. With such a long chain, it will be inconvenient, besides, the risk of damage to fragile glass plates increases. It will be rationally to connect 5 parts, and the final assembly is performed after the photocells are mounted on the substrate.

For convenience, photocells can be mounted on a non-conductive substrate from textolite, plexiglas or fiberboard

After connecting each chain, it should be checked its performance. To do this, each assembly is placed under the table lamp. By recording the values \u200b\u200bof the current and voltage, you can not only monitor the performance of the modules, but also compare their parameters.

For soldering, we use a low-power soldering iron (maximum 40 W) and a good, light-melting solder. Its in small quantities are applied to the output parts of the plates, after which, by observing the polarity of the connection, connect the parts with each other.

When soldering photocells, maximum accuracy should be exercised, since these parts are distinguished by increased fragility.

By collecting individual chains, deploy them to the back to the substrate and with the help of silicone sealant we glue to the surface. Each 15-volt photo cell unit supply a Schottky diode. This device allows the current to flow only in one direction, so it will not allow the batteries to be discharged at a low voltage of the solar panel.

The final connection of individual chains of photo cells is performed according to the electrical circuit presented above. To this end, you can use a special tire or stranded copper wire.

Hinged elements of the solar battery should be fastened with thermoclaim or screws

Panel assembly

The substrates with the photocells located on them are placed in the housing and fasten with self-draws. If the frame is intensified by cross, then there are several drills for mounting wires. A cable that is outwarded is reliably fixed on the frame and solder to the assembly conclusions. In order not to get confused with polarity, it is best to use two-color wires, connecting a red withdrawal to the "plus" of the battery, and the blue is to her "minus". According to the upper contour, the frame is applied with a solid layer of silicone sealant, on top of which glass is placed. After final fixation, the solar battery assembly is considered complete.

After a protective glass is installed on the sealant, the panel can be transported to the installation site.

Installing and connecting solar battery to consumers

Due to a number of reasons, a self-made solar panel is a fairly fragile device, so it requires an arrangement of a reliable supporting frame. The ideal option will be a design that will allow the source of free electricity in both planes, however the complexity of such a system is most often a significant argument in favor of a simple inclined system. It is a movable frame that can be set at any angle to the luminaries. One of the options for a frame, shot from a wooden bar, is presented below. You can use metal corners, pipes, tires for its manufacture, etc. - everything that is at hand.

Drawing Frame Solar Battery

To connect the solar battery to batteries, you will need a charge controller. This device will monitor the degree of charge and discharge of the batteries, control the current and perform the switching to the power supply at a significant stress drawdown. The device of the required power and the required functional can be bought in the same outlets where photocells are sold. As for the nutrition of household consumers, it will take to transform a low-voltage voltage in 220 V. With this, another device is successfully coping with an inverter. It must be said that the domestic industry produces reliable devices with good TTX, so the converter can be bought in place - the bonus in this case will be a "real" warranty.

One solar battery for the full power supply of the house will not be enough - the batteries, the charge controller and the inverter will also be needed.

You can find inverters of the same power, differ in price at times. Such a scatter is explained by the "purity" of the output voltage, which is a necessary condition for the nutrition of individual electrical devices. Converters with a so-called pure sinusoid have a complicated design, and as a result, higher cost.

Video: Production of the solar panel do it yourself

Building a home solar power plant is a nontrivial task and requires both financial and time costs and minimal knowledge of electrical engineering. Starting to assembling the solar panel, maximum attention should be observed and accurately - only in this case you can count on a successful solution to the issue. Finally, I would like to remind you that glass pollution is one of the factors of performance drops. Do not forget to brush the surface of the solar panel in a timely manner, otherwise it will not be able to work at full power.