DIY Solar Panels

How To Make Your DIY Solar Panels Work Better

The quality of your DIY solar panels can be improved by making a few tweaks. If this is what you want, this may be the most important article you'll read. Because you'll discover which parts of the solar panel to improve on and how to do it so its inevitable you end up with a top-quality solar energy system.

Of course I'm assuming resources like money, time and skills are not lacking. On the other hand you won't have to "sell your barn" in order to implement these tips.

The Solar Panel Frame

Aluminum is one of the best materials to use for your solar frame. This material is aesthetically pleasing and will not rust easily. It is also a good conductor of heat. Hence it removes additional heat that would otherwise be accumulated inside the solar panel. This is important because increasing the solar cell temperature will lead to a lower photovoltaic cell efficiency.

Diodes

There are many different types of diodes to choose from. What you should be using is the Schottky types. This kind of diode has a lower forward voltage drop than the usual p-n junction diode. This means less power is wasted. (Referencing to physics, Power is the product of Current and Voltage) When the temperature gets higher the forward voltage drops further -- which is good.

Solar Panel Cover

Instead of using ordinary glass or plastic that can get scratched easily, non-reflective glass helps to improve the solar panel's efficiency and maintainability. This is because more solar radiation eventually reach the photovoltaic cells when you use non-reflective glass. However you got to ensure that your area has no hail before using glass as cover.

Battery

If you place your battery outdoor, it enjoys the advantage of being near to your outdoor appliances without lengths of wire running in and out of the house -- this is a hazard to children and is also unsightly.

However while leaving them in the open, you must shelter them from precipitation, dew and moisture. Otherwise rust may eat into metallic parts rapidly and your battery may lose its charge. In the worst case, a short circuit might occur.

To prevent this, you can simply put the batteries into a waterproofed electronics housing. Then make a waterproof cable-penetrator for wires to run out and connect between the solar panel and your outdoor appliance. In this way rain or dew will not cause short circuit to the battery.

These few tips may seem trivial on the surface. But as you apply these ideas to your project, the effect that they have collectively will bring about a significant improvement. After learning these tips (by implementing what you've read), you will be fully-equipped to build professional-quality DIY solar panels for yourself.

John Greenspan is an expert in DIY solar panels and has built several solar power generators.