Build Your Own Solar Panels Cheap

Solar energy is getting a lot of attention these days. Its time to answer the question: how do they actually work? It is not obvious how a panel can convert the sun’s rays into electricity without moving parts. This article will help explain the process in terms that hopefully anyone can understand.

The most basic definition of how solar panels work is that the sun strikes a certain material, it excites electrons and creates a current and voltage that can be used to power devices. Now let’s delve a little deeper.

Silicon: Not Just for Computer Chips

First, silicon is taken from the earth. Silicon is one of the earth’s most abundant elements. It’s found in sand and rocks of all types. You’ve probably heard of ‘Silicon Valley’, the hotbed of technology research and investment in California. It is so called because silicon is used in computer chips.

Silicon is a semi-conductor. Think of copper, a conductor, as in copper wires. Now think of rubber, an insulator, such as the coating on a copper wire. Silicon falls somewhere in between and is therefore called a semi-conductor. This property is exploited in computer chips and solar panels to handle tiny reactions that generate electrical currents. An electrical current is basically a “flow”. Picture a wire as a tiny pipe and the current as the rate at which the “water” (in this case electricity) flows through the pipe.

Just Add Boron and Phosphorous

But silicon by itself is not enough to create power from the sun. The silicon is grown into a very thin crystal-like wafer using pressure and heat. It is then coated with two different materials: boron and phosphorous. Boron is coated on one side, phosphorous on the other, with a gap in between the two layers. Boron, when combined with silicon, is a positive material, but it wants to be neutral. The only way it can get neutral is to gain an electron, which has a negative charge.

Now enter phosphorous. Phosphorous and silicon is a negatively charged material, meaning it has extra electrons. But it wants to be neutral too! And how can it do that? By getting rid of electrons of course! And how will it get rid of them? That’s where the good old sun comes in.

Here Comes The Sun

When sunlight strikes the cell, it gets those electrons all excited. Just think of the electron as a kid in his mom’s arms as they approach the park. He just can’t wait to get away from mom and onto the swing set. The electrons leave the phosphorous and go toward the positive boron, creating an electrical pressure as they enter the gap. This pressure must be released, and is through the wiring in the cell. This creates the flow, or current, we talked about earlier.

The cells are coated with materials to ensure the sunlight is absorbed and not reflected. The silicon wafers are wired together and encased in tempered glass and aluminum to prevent weather damage. These are called panels, and are then wired together to form an array. And that is the basic building block reaction of a solar panel!

About The Author

Kriss Bergethon is a writer and solar expert from Colorado.

Are Homemade Solar Panels For Your Home Effective?

By building homemade solar panels for your home, you can lower your electricity bills immensely. Solar panels give you the opportunity to capture the energy that is released from the sun. This energy is then converted, and can be used to power your home.

A lot of homeowners are using this new solar energy concept to help them save money on their energy bills, during this difficult economic time. Installing these panels is not a difficult thing to do either. In fact, you possibly already have all of the materials for this project in your home already.

In order to make homemade solar panels for your home, you will need plywood, photovoltaic cells and glass sheets. The photovoltaic cells are the main component of these panels. These cells will capture the suns energy, and give you the opportunity to power your home with this energy that was released from the sun.

These panels are generally installed on the rooftop of your home. The reason why, is because the rooftop of a dwelling is an area of the home that receives the most direct sunlight. If for some odd reason, you cannot install these panels to your homes roof, you can always place them somewhere outside of your home where the sun will be able to hit them directly.

Homemade solar panels for your home, will not only help you save money on electricity, they are also inexpensive to obtain. Every day, individuals are reaping the benefits of these panels. Energy costs are presently on the rise, and with the economic recession still in full force, many people are having a difficult time affording their energy costs.

After your panels have been installed onto your dwelling, you will not need to mess with them ever again. This project is simply a do it yourself project, that has an immense amount of benefits.

By: Jake Brydon

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

It is easy and quick to build your own solar panel if you can follow instructions. Economical and efficient
1000
homemade solar panels reduce your dependence on the utility company.

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