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Build a 60 Watt Solar Panel


by mdavis19 on September 11, 2008 Table of Contents intro: Build a 60 Watt Solar Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 1: Buy some solar cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 2: Build the box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 3: Finishing the box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 4: Paint the box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 5: Prepare the solar cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 6: Solder the solar cells together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 7: Glue down the solar cells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 8: Interconnect the strings of solar cells and test the half panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 9: Install the half panels in the box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 10: Interconnect the two half panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 11: Install the blocking diode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 12: Run wires outside and put the Plexiglass covers on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 13: Add a plug . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 14: The completed panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 6 6 7 7 8 8 9 9

step 15: Testing the solar panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 step 16: Using the solar panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 step 17: Counting the cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Customized Instructable T-shirts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

intro: Build a 60 Watt Solar Panel


Several years ago I bought some remote property in Arizona. I am an astronomer and wanted a place to practice my hobby far away from the terrible light pollution found near cities of any real size. I found a great piece of property. The problem is, it's so remote that there is no electric service available. That's not really a problem. No electricity equals no light pollution. However, it would be nice to have at least a little electricity, since so much of life in the 21st century is dependent on it. I built a wind turbine to provide some power on the remote property (will be another instructable in the future). It works great, when the wind blows. However, I wanted more power, and more dependable power. The wind seems to blow all the time on my property, except when I really need it too. I do get well over 300 sunny days a year on the property though, so solar power seems like the obvious choice to supplement the wind turbine. Solar panels are very expensive though. So I decided to try my hand at building my own. I used common tools and inexpensive and easy to acquire materials to build a solar panel that rivals commercial panels in power production, but completely blows them away in price. Read on for step by step instructions on how I did it. Visit my web site for more details on this and and other projects at http://www.mdpub.com/SolarPanel/

step 1: Buy some solar cells


I bought a couple of bricks of 3 X 6 mono-crystalline solar cells. It takes a total of 36 of these type solar cells wired in series to make a panel. Each cell produces about 1/2 Volt. 36 in series would give about 18 volts which would be good for charging 12 volt batteries. (Yes, you really need that high a Voltage to effectively charge 12 Volt batteries) This type of solar cell is as thin as paper and as brittle and fragile as glass. They are very easily damaged. The seller of these solar cells dips stacks of 18 in wax to stabilize them and make it easier to ship them without damaging them. The wax is quite a pain to remove though. If you can, find cells for sale that aren't dipped in wax. Keep in mind though that they may suffer some more damage in shipping. Notice that these cells have metal tabs on them. You want cells with tabs on them. You are already going to have to do a lot of soldering to build a panel from tabbed solar cells. If you buy cells without tabs, it will at least double the amount of soldering you have to do. So pay extra for tabbed cells. I also bought a couple of lots of cells that weren't dipped in wax from another Ebay seller. These cells came packed in a plastic box. They rattled around in the box and got a little chipped up on the edges and corners. Minor chips don't really matter too much. They won't reduce the cell's output enough to worry about. These are all blemished and factory seconds anyway. The main reason solar cells get rejected is for chips. So what's another chip or two? All together I bought enough cells to make 2 panels. I knew I'd probably break or otherwise ruin at least a few during construction, so I bought extras.

Image Notes 1. Cells dipped in wax to prevent damage in shipping. The wax is a pain to remove

Image Notes 1. Solar cells in a plastic box. They rattled around and the edges got chipped in shipping.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

step 2: Build the box


So what is a solar panel anyway? It is basically a box that holds an array of solar cells. So I started out by building myself a shallow box. I made the box shallow so the sides wouldn't shade the solar cells when the sun comes at an angle from the sides. It is made of 3/8 inch thick plywood with 3/4 X 3/4 pieces of wood around the edges. The pieces are glued and screwed in place. This panel will hold 36 3 X 6 inch solar cells. I decided to make 2 sub-panels of 18 cells each just so make it easier to assemble. I knew I would be working at my kitchen table when I would be soldering the cells together, and would have limited work space. So there is a center divider across the middle of the box. Each sub-panel will fit into one well in the main panel. The second photo is my sort of back of the envelope sketch showing the overall dimensions of the solar panel. All dimensions are in inches (sorry you fans of the metric system). The side pieces are 3/4 by 3/4 and go all the way around the edges of the plywood substrate. also a piece goes across the center to divide the panel into two sub-panels. This is just the way I chose to do it. There is nothing critical about these dimensions, or even the overall design.

Image Notes 1. Tools required to build the box were a power miter box saw, hand drill and screw gun.

step 3: Finishing the box


Here is a close-up showing one half of the main panel. This well will hold one 18 cell sub-panel. Notice the little holes drilled in the edges of the well. This will be the bottom of the panel (it is upside down in the photo, sorry). These are vent holes to keep the air pressure inside the panel equalized with the outside, and to let moisture escape. These holes must be on the bottom of the panel or rain and dew will run inside. There must also be vent holes in the center divider between the two sub panels. Next I cut two pieces of masonite peg-board to fit inside the wells. These pieces of peg-board will be the substrates that each sub-panel will be built on. They were cut to be a loose fit in the wells. You don't have to use peg-board for this. I just happened to have some on hand. Just about any thin, rigid and non-conducting material should work. To protect the solar cells from the weather, the panel will have a plexiglass front. In the third picture, two pieces of scrap plexiglass have been cut to fit the front of the panel. I didn't have one piece big enough to do the whole thing. Glass could also be used for this, but glass is fragile. Hail stones and flying debris that would shatter glass will just bounce off the plexi. Now you can start to see what the finished panel will look like.

Image Notes 1. Vent/drainage holes in bottom of panel. 2. More vent/drainage holes in the center divider.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

step 4: Paint the box


Next I gave all the wooden parts of the panel several coats of paint to protect them from moisture and the weather. The box was painted inside and out. The type of paint and color was scientifically chosen by shaking all the paint cans I had laying around in my garage and choosing the one that felt like it had enough left in it to do the whole job. The peg-board pieces were also painted. They got several coats on both sides. Be sure to paint them on both sides or they will warp when exposed to moisture. Warping could damage the solar cells that will be glued to them.

Image Notes 1. Be sure to paint both sides or the panels will warp with changes in humidity.

step 5: Prepare the solar cells


Now that I had the structure of the panel finished, it was time to get the solar cells ready As I said above, getting the wax off the cells is a real pain. After some trial and error, I came up with a way that works fairly well. Still, I would recommend buying from someone who doesn't dip their cells in wax. This photo shows the complete setup I used. My girlfriend asked what I was cooking. Imagine her surprise when I said solar cells. The initial hot water bath for melting the wax is in the right-rear. On the left-front is a bath of hot soapy water. On the right-front is a bath of hot clean water. All the pots are at just below boiling temperature. The sequence I used was to melt the bricks apart in the hot water bath on the right-rear. I'd tease the cells apart and transfer them one at a time to the soapy water bath on the left-front to remove any wax on the cell. Then the cell would be given a rinse in the hot clean water on the right-front. The cells would then be set out to dry on a towel. You should change the water frequently in the soapy and rinse water baths. Don't pour the water down the sink though, because the wax will solidify in your drains and clog them up. Dump the water outside. This process removed almost all the wax from the cells. There is still a very light film on some of the cells, but it doesn't seem to interfere with soldering or the working of the cells. Don't let the water boil in any of the pans or the bubbles will jostle the cells against each other violently. Also, boiling water may be hot enough to loosen the electrical connections on the cells. I also recommend putting the brick of cells in the water cold, and then slowly heating it up to just below boiling temperature to avoid harsh thermal shocks to the cells. Plastic tongs and spatulas come in handy for teasing the cells apart once the wax melts. Try not to pull too hard on the metal tabs or they may rip off. I found that out the hard way while trying to separate the cells. Good thing I bought extras. More details on this step can be found on my web site at http://www.mdpub.com/SolarPanel/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

Image Notes 1. Pot of hot water to melt the wax on the cells. 2. Pot of hot soapy water to remove wax residue from the cells. 3. Pot of warm clean water to give the cells a final rinse.

Image Notes 1. Wax-free cells drying on a towel.

step 6: Solder the solar cells together


I started out by drawing a grid pattern on each of the two pieces of pegboard, lightly in pencil, so I would know where each of the 18 cells on them would be located. Then I laid out the cells on that grid pattern upside-down so I could solder them together. All 18 cells on each half panel need to be soldered together in series, then both half panels need to be connected in series to get the desired voltage. Soldering the cells together was tricky at first, but I got the hang of it fairly quickly. Start out with just two cells upside-down. Lay the solder tabs from the front of one cell across the solder points on the back of the other cell. I made sure the spacing between the cells matched the grid pattern. I continued this until I had a line of 6 cells soldered together. I then soldered tabs from scrapped solar cells to the solder points on the last cell in the string. Then I made two more lines of 6 cells. I used a low-Wattage soldering iron and fine rosin-core solder. I also used a rosin pen on the solder points on the back of the cells before soldering. Use a real light touch with the soldering iron. The cells are thin and delicate. If you push too hard, you will break the cells. I got careless a couple of times and scrapped a couple of cells. More details on this step can be found on my web at http://www.mdpub.com/SolarPanel/

Image Notes 1. Solder the tabs from the front of one cell onto the pads on the back of the next cell.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

step 7: Glue down the solar cells


Gluing the cells in place proved to be a little tricky. I placed a small blob of clear silicone caulk in the center of each cell in a six cell string. Then I flipped the string over and set in place on the pencil line grid I had laid out earlier. I pressed lightly in the center of each cell to get it to stick to the pegboard panel. Flipping the floppy string of cells is tricky. Another set of hands may be useful in during this step. Don't use too much glue, and don't glue the cells anywhere but at their centers. The cells and the panel they are mounted on will expand, contract, flex and warp with changes in temperature and humidity. If you glue the cells too tightly to the substrate, they will crack in time. gluing them at only one point in the center allows the cells to float freely on top of the substrate. Both can expand and flex more or less independently, and the delicate solar cells won't crack. Next time I will do it differently. I will solder tabs onto the backs of all the solar cells. Then I will glue all the cells down in their proper places. Then I will solder the tabs together. It seems like the obvious way to go to me now, but I had to do it the hard way once to figure it out. Here is one half panel, finally finished.

step 8: Interconnect the strings of solar cells and test the half panel
Here I used copper braid to interconnect first and second strings of cells. You could use solar cell tabbing material or even regular wire. I just happened to have the braid on hand. There is another similar interconnection between the second and third strings at the opposite end of the board. I used blobs of silicone caulk to anchor the braid and prevent it from flopping around. The second photo shows a test of the first half panel outside in the sun. In weak sun through clouds the half panel is producing 9.31 Volts. YAHOO! It works! Now all I had to do is build another one just like it. Once I had two half panels complete, I could install them in their places in the main panel frame and wire them together.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

Image Notes 1. Copper braid interconnecting two strings of cells.

Image Notes 1. 9.31 Volts in weak sunlight. Wooo Hooo, it works!

step 9: Install the half panels in the box


Each of the half panels dropped right into their places in the main panel frame. I used four small screws (like the silver one in the photo) to anchor each of the half panels in place.

Image Notes 1. Screw (1 of 4) holding one of the half panels in place in the box. 2. Screw holding plexiglass cover in place

step 10: Interconnect the two half panels


Wires to connect the two half panels together were run through the vent holes in the central divider. Again, blobs of silicone caulk were used to anchor the wire in place and prevent it from flopping around.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

Image Notes 1. blobs of silicone to secure wires and prevent them from flopping around. 2. wires passed through the vent holes in the center divider to connect the two half panels together.

step 11: Install the blocking diode


Each solar panel in a solar power system needs a blocking diode in series with it to prevent the panel from discharging your batteries at night or during cloudy weather. I used a Schottky diode with a 3.3 Amp current rating. Schottky diodes have a much lower forward voltage drop than ordinary rectifier diodes, so less power is wasted. Every Watt counts when you are off-grid. I got a package of 25 3DQ03 Schottky diodes on Ebay for only a few bucks. So I have enough left-overs for lots more solar panels My original plan was to mount the diode inline with the positive wire outside the panel. After looking at the spec-sheet for the diode though, I decided to mount it inside since the forward voltage drop gets lower as the temperature rises. It will be warmer inside the panel and the diode will work more efficiently. More silicone caulk was used to anchor the diode and wires.

Image Notes 1. Blocking diode soldered in line with the positive output wire.

step 12: Run wires outside and put the Plexiglass covers on
I drilled a hole in the back of the panel near the top for the wires to exit. I put a knot in the wires for strain relief, and anchored them in place with yet more of the silicone caulk. It is important to let all the silicone caulk cure well before screwing the plexiglass covers in place. I have found through past experience that the fumes from the caulk may leave a film on the inside of the plexiglass and on the cells if it isn't allowed to thoroughly cure in the open air before screwing on the covers. And still more silicone caulk was used to seal the outside of the panel where the wires exit.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

Image Notes 1. Knot in the output wires for strain relief.

Image Notes 1. Seal the hole where the wires exit with silicone caulk.

step 13: Add a plug


I added a polarized two-pin Jones plug to the end of the panel wires. A mating female plug will be wired into the charge controller I use with my home-built wind turbine so the solar panel can supplement it's power production and battery charging capacity.

Image Notes 1. Polarized 2-prong Jones plug on output wires.

step 14: The completed panel


Here is the completed panel with the plexiglass covers screwed into place. It isn't sealed shut yet at this point. I wanted to wait until after testing it because was worried that I might have to get back inside it if there were problems. Sure enough, a tab popped off one of the cells. Maybe it was due to thermal stresses or shock from handling. Who knows? I opened up the panel and replaced that one cell. I haven't had any more trouble since. I will probably seal the panel with either a bead of silicone caulk, or aluminum AC duct tape wrapped around the edges.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

Image Notes 1. Finally finished. Ready for Testing.

step 15: Testing the solar panel


The first photo shows the Voltage output of the completed panel in bright winter sunlight. My meter says 18.88 Volts with no load. That's exactly what I was aiming for. In the second photo I am testing the current capacity of the panel, again in bright winter sunlight. My meter says 3.05 Amps short circuit current. That is right about what the cells are rated for. So the panel is working very well.

Image Notes 1. 18.88 Volts in bright Sunlight (no load).

Image Notes 1. 3.05 Amps short circuit current in bright Sunlight.

step 16: Using the solar panel


Here is a photo of the solar panel in action, providing much needed power on my remote Arizona property. I used an old extension cord to bring the power from the panel located in a sunny clearing over to my campsite under the trees. I cut the original ends off the cord and installed Jones plugs. You could stick with the original 120V connectors, but I wanted to make sure there was absolutely no chance of accidentally plugging the low-Voltage DC equipment into 120V AC. I have to move the panel several times each day to keep it pointed at the sun, but that isn't really a big hardship. Maybe someday I will build a tracking system to automatically keep it aimed at the sun. More details on the electrical system can be found on my web site at http://www.mdpub.com

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

step 17: Counting the cost


So how much did all this cost to build? Well, I saved all the receipts for everything I bought related to this project. Also, my workshop is well stocked with all sorts of building supplies and hardware. I also have a lot of useful scrap pieces of wood, wire and all sorts of miscellaneous stuff (some would say junk) laying around the shop. So I had a lot of stuff on hand already. Your mileage may vary.
Part Solar Cells Misc. Lumber Plexiglass Screws & Misc. Hardware Silicone Caulk Wire Diode Jones Plug Paint Total Origin Ebay Homecenter Store Scrap Pile Already on hand Homecenter Store Already on hand Ebay Newark Electronics Already on hand Cost $74.00* $20.62 $0.00 $0.00 $3.95 $0.00 $0.20+ $6.08 $0.00 $104.85

Not too bad. That's a fraction of what a commercially made solar panel with a comparable power output would cost, and it was easy. I already have plans to build more panels to add to the capacity of my system. Visit my web site for more details on this and my other projects at http://www.mdpub.com * I actually bought 4 lots of 18 solar cells. This price represents only the two lots that went into building this panel. Also, the price of factory second solar cells on Ebay has gone up quite a lot recently as oil prices have skyrocketed. + This price represents 1 out of a lot of 25 diodes I bought on Ebay for $5.00.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

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Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 96 comments
Sep 23, 2008. 2:13 PM REPLY

guitarman63mm says:
I would like to mention, folks, something I read off an eBay auction. There's a seller who sellers 60 chipped cells, and claims that each cell puts out about .55 volts. Round that off to .5 He said that each cell gets about .25 to .5 amps each. Round that off to .3, because I think that's a liberal estimate. Now then, that leaves you with 30 volts, and 18 amps. Plug that into that great little formula james joule cooked up. P=V(I) P being watts, V being volts, I being amps. P = 30(18) = 540 watts

Meaning that one large panel could be split and put into parallel, yielding 15 volts and 36 amps, no? Is it not possible to hook that up to a strong 12v power inverter and run strong appliances off of it? I feel that I must have missed something rather obvious, as no one else has brought this up before me. Did I miscalculate? Please advise guys! (pardon the rhyme...)

mdavis19 says:

Sep 27, 2008. 6:07 AM REPLY If the cells are wired in series. The voltage adds but the current is limited to the output of the smallest cell in the array. So it would be 30 Volts at .3 Amps If instead they are wired in parallel it would be .5 Volts at about 18 Amps. Either way, you get a total of 9 Watts out of those 60 cells. The best application would probably be to make two banks of 30 cells producing about 15 Volts at about .6 Amps to charge a 12 Volt battery. The total is still 9 Watts though.

guitarman63mm says:

Sep 27, 2008. 7:42 AM REPLY I live in Florida, and when your car heats up to 95? daily, you look for some sort of way out. My idea was to get a small air conditioner->A/C Timer>Inverter->Separate car battery. Then, it would be set to kick on about 30 minutes before I got out of class, so my car would be like an icebox for me. Plausible? Is there a way to increase wattage without increasing voltage/decreasing current? I have rack mounts on top of my microbus, I was simply going to place the panels up top, secure them, and have at it.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

killrsheep says:

Oct 2, 2008. 12:08 PM REPLY some guys at college did that to get their degree... they placed a big cell on the roof of a 4 door sedan and secured it in place with fiberglass, but they placed 2 fans in the car, one pushing air inside the car from the front (engine compartment i suppose), and another fan pushing air out to the trunk space.... but thay made a big mistake IMO they used an inverter! (bcuz they used a 24V AC fan i have no idea where theyd get such a thing).... there is such a thing as a DC FAN (and they are more common than AC's) and using an inverter is wasting energy , its entirely possible in a microbus, and using a charge control for the batteries. I dont know if an air conditioner would need too much power but fans are an easy solution Good luck!

killrsheep says:

Oct 2, 2008. 12:11 PM REPLY by the way... one way to increase your available power would be getting either more modules or more batteries i guess, the only thing is that more batteries will require more charging time

conundrum1222 says:

Sep 28, 2008. 2:15 PM REPLY Okay just a quick question, have you ever tested to see what the temperature gets up to in the box during the day? I assume in Arizona it could get to be rather warm, just wondering if this additional thermal energy could be captured and harnessed for something?

tuckwood123 says:
i've seen that the hotter it is, the worse it works- you can check out the info at youtube, its in conjunction with google.

Sep 30, 2008. 2:34 PM REPLY

ReCreate says:
you could put some sort of fan in the back A few 12 volt ones under a voltage regulator?

Sep 30, 2008. 8:31 PM REPLY

tuckwood123 says:

Oct 1, 2008. 1:23 AM REPLY i guess you could, but surley using energy to cool down the panel will make the task useless. plus you would need more circuit wizardry to stop the fans blowing on a cool day... On the google video the guy throws a bucket of water over the panel and booyah- job done. Just to be honest, the power loss for hot weather is about 10%. also, every year the panel becomes less efficient by 0.25% (if we are to believe everything endorsed by google)

Lego man says:


where in Arizona? I live in Kingman and there is alot of open space here.

Sep 14, 2008. 4:04 PM REPLY

BRJones says:

Sep 29, 2008. 9:44 PM REPLY Have you built one of these Lego? I too live in Kingman and want to build solar panels for my place. And if you have made them then I know who I can ask that is just around the corner.

mdavis19 says:

Sep 27, 2008. 6:11 AM REPLY My property is in rural Apache county. About midway between St. Johns and Snowflake, and maybe 30 miles South of the Petrified Forest National Park (as the crow flies).

NetReaper says:

Sep 29, 2008. 8:11 AM REPLY What if you set them up in a 3d ring pattern, put it up on a poll, and put lots of mirrors around it? would that give you more power?

cowgomoo says:
helllllll yes and i say do it and make an instructable

Sep 29, 2008. 8:20 PM REPLY

Sunkicked says:

Sep 22, 2008. 1:16 PM REPLY Great Instructable! My only question is about purchasing the cells. Is there a commercial vendor that sells these cells (sorry for that choice of words)? I've found that when people post that they gathered their supplies from eBay it can be maddeningly hard to find another auction for the same material. Thanks!

static says:
I'm not a skilled ebayer, but can't you configure it to send email alerts, when desired items are posted for sale?

Sep 23, 2008. 8:10 PM REPLY

xenor says:

Sep 27, 2008. 1:36 AM REPLY You can create a custom search that will email you when a matching listing appears, but it's only as good as the search you create.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

Sunkicked says:
I love this site. Ask a question and have an answer within a day or two. Thanks guys!

Sep 27, 2008. 11:00 PM REPLY

DavyBaby says:
Well Done!! Maybe swop the connectors and have the female one connected to the "live" side ... ie the cells. I am inspired to build.

Sep 18, 2008. 11:36 PM REPLY

mdavis19 says:

Sep 27, 2008. 5:52 AM REPLY I put the male end on the solar panel and the female end on the cable to the batteries and charge controller because if the cable to the batteries shorted, it could potentially have several hundred amps flowing through the short circuit. That would be bad.

The Bottomless Paddling Pool says:

Sep 17, 2008. 5:34 AM REPLY This Instructable is great and very inspiring and I understand that you need electricity for your astronomy gear, but I don't understand why everyone else is going on about using electricity while camping. I also don't believe that camping is camping if you are with your car. Maybe it's just the culture of the outdoors in my country, but it seems a little weird. I thought the purpose of camping was to get away from things like electricity, cars, TV's, etc.. Can someone explain these cultural differences to me, or is it just some people who do this?

mdavis19 says:

Sep 27, 2008. 5:38 AM REPLY Photography is one of my hobbies. Digital cameras eat through batteries like crazy. So I use rechargable batteries, but then I need a power source for the charger. I also need power for my laptop computer so I can dump images from the camera when the memory card gets full, and then edit the images. I like to have a radio and MP3 player with me while camping (I don't need television, and specifically go on vacation sometimes just to get away from the idiot box). My electric razor is a must have or I start looking like Grizzly Adams after a couple of days (beards are itchy), but of course it requires power too. My cell phone needs charging after a while, etc. But the camping power requirements really go up when I take my girlfriend along. She likes to watch TV and DVDs. She also has her own slew of power hungry devices. and she won't be happy on our camping trips until I can make enough power for her to use her blow dryer. That aint gonna happen any time soon.

static says:

Sep 23, 2008. 3:07 PM REPLY As they say different stokes for different folks. For some "camping" means getting away from the routine grind A dead end trying to explain cultural differences. They are always going to be there, as long as they don't intrude into your space, why sweat them?

wupme says:

Sep 18, 2008. 11:59 PM REPLY I don't take things like TV's or stuff with me when i go Camping. But its nice to have at least a battery powered light for the night. Flashlights and the campingfire sometimes are just not enough. And maybee i need to recharge the flashlight. Because if would go camping, then a whole week at least (don't wanna waste to much batteries...) But beside that, yeah you don't need an power source. I don't understand why people take TVs, Radios and other electrical sh** with them. I just need my food, something to sleep, maybee a small gas cooker, and my handy utility knife.

jgullo29 says:
Hello Bottomless,

Sep 18, 2008. 11:03 AM REPLY

This is just the preference of some people. I would have to agree with you. When I go camping, I make sure I am as far from civilization as possible. To be honest, our society as a whole has become very dependent so it is actually quite rare to find people really "roughing" it in the outdoors. I only have one friend that will go to those lengths with me. Where do you live? Joey

craz meanman says:

Sep 23, 2008. 3:21 PM REPLY like you just walk around with only some tools? i was thinking of doing that this summer, but didn't find the time, or a person to with (you would really need one for your first time).

The Bottomless Paddling Pool says:

Sep 18, 2008. 6:08 PM REPLY I live in New Zealand. Here you're either roughing it or it's not camping, I have barely ever seen another Kiwi with more gadgets other than a gas cooker, a torch and navigation equipment (cellphones don't work in unpopulated areas, so there's no point in taking one). It's a little different if you're on a rock climbing camp or something like that, then you understandably need extra gear. We also go on outdoor trips with cars and other items of comfort such as showers, stereo, etc... but I have never heard of it as camping, more of a holiday from routine. It is usually a family/friends affair where a small community of tents, outdoor kitchens, camper-vans, utes and so on are set up on some remote idyllic beach and everyone spends several weeks away from what they would normally do just enjoying the freedom. I've done it quite a lot, never considered it camping, though.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

Sam Grove says:


I thought the purpose of camping was to get closer to nature, not to escape comfort. If I go two days without a shower, I get oily and my scalp gets itchy, so I like to shower when camping...if possible. Perhaps you have dry skin, so don't experience this discomfort.

Sep 18, 2008. 11:02 AM REPLY

wupme says:

Sep 19, 2008. 12:02 AM REPLY Thats the only problem i would have. My hair gets oily and itchy really fast, i have to at least wash my hair with my special shampoo every 2nd day (wich the doctor orderd me to do). But there are also some soaps wich are enviroment friendly, and don't polute the water to at least wash your hands and some sensitive areas.

Crucio says:

Sep 21, 2008. 8:33 PM REPLY You can use little apple cider vinegar and baking soda as a green way to wash oily hair and skin on camping trips--or even at home, everyday. E.g., http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Go-No-Poo/

wupme says:
For Skin i could use that, but not for my hair. I got special really expensive shampoo by prescription (is that the english word for it?) from a dermatologyst. If i stop using it for a week (already tested it) i start getting problems with the skin under my hair. Tryed different stuff over all these years, and only this one special shampoo helped.

Sep 21, 2008. 11:44 PM REPLY

The Bottomless Paddling Pool says:


Well, it's understandable in your case. For me, if I feel dirty, I just take a dip in a river of the sea.

Sep 18, 2008. 6:09 PM REPLY

1800yolk says:

Sep 18, 2008. 10:35 AM REPLY Well, even if you don't bring your car, you're still taking a part of society with you. Wearing shoes? Clothes? Any other man made materials? I think that it's a matter of what you're the most comfortable with. I understand your point: where's the sense of personal accomplishment/independence of technology? Some people just don't go for that.

craz meanman says:

Sep 23, 2008. 3:24 PM REPLY i think the sense of accomplishment comes from the fact that you have LESS technology than normal ;) and it seems that this man camps because he is an astronomer, and not because he wants to really rough it...

The Bottomless Paddling Pool says:

Sep 18, 2008. 6:17 PM REPLY Oh, yes we do take technology with us. There is no doubting that. Gas cookers, torches, watches, tents, nice shoes and packs, etc... One thing I wouldn't be comfortable without is my sketch book and a good set of pens and pencils(when I get inspiration I don't want to lose it because I'm out tramping), but that doesn't really help with making it easier to live in the wild, except maybe mentally.

jerriel says:

Sep 23, 2008. 8:18 PM REPLY I really like your instructable. It is very informative and useful. I wish I could make like this at home, but unfortunately we are poor here in the Philippines. It is very nice to have a source of energy which is environment friendly and free.

wupme says:
Thats a nice Project. A fresnel lens probably would enhance the panel, you can get those from broken back projection TVs. A tracking system wouldn't be that hart. Just a photo sensor that stars an motor when it gets light. I still wonder about those 18volts, my 12 Volt charger only gots 13,5 volts, but maybe its because it gots more ampere.

Sep 14, 2008. 8:12 PM REPLY

If i had a property in Arizona, i definitely would have build my self a huge array of solar panels. But.... i live in Germany, directly in the city. So the only solar powered thing is gonna be my decorative light :(

stoobers says:

Sep 18, 2008. 2:52 PM REPLY a fresnel lens won't change anything. the solar flux coming through the lens it is proportional to the area of the lens. Unless you make the area bigger, no additional light will come through. the lens might trap some extra heat, and the heat will build up, but solar cells work on light, not heat.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

wupme says:

Sep 18, 2008. 8:02 PM REPLY A few months ago, leading companys for solar panels came up with the fresnel lens, directly onto the solar cell, and it gives more output. You can buy those.

stoobers says:

Sep 19, 2008. 8:40 AM REPLY I encourage you to try this experiment and make an instructable about this. If you can get it to work, it would be a boon for the solar industry. I would be VERY interested in the outcome. solar panels = expensive lenses = cheap If the output of a panel can be increased by a cheap fresnel lens, wahoo!

bluGill says:
Lots of experiments have been done with this. There are significant problems.

Sep 19, 2008. 6:09 PM REPLY

The biggest is heat - if you use a lens that puts a lot more lot more heat on the cells, and so you need a big heatsink to get rid of it. Last I heard (10 years ago) a cell that would last for 50 years normally only lasts 5 years when you use a lens to put 10 times the light on it, put 50 times the light on it and you get 1 year of life. In short over the long term you use just as many cells, plus you get to deal with a lens (slightly more complex), and maintenance. With the cost of cells, plus more production going online, it might be worth doing this for a few years, replacing the cells all the time - until production goes up enough that you can just buy cells. Maybe - for most people they want a set it and forget it system so it isn't anyway.

wupme says:
I would love to do it, but i already struggle to find a lense for the solar grille i planned. In Germany Backprojection TVs are really rare, so nothing to scavange :(

Sep 19, 2008. 9:29 AM REPLY

ac-dc says:

Sep 18, 2008. 8:40 PM REPLY I'm sure it costs a pretty penny, this project was about a DIY power source that is very cost effective. If cost were not an object there are lots of things one could do differently to improve upon it but sometimes cost really does matter - like when you could just build a second panel with the extra money because there's no specific space constraint.

wupme says:
You can salvage those lenses from old back projection TVs. Then its still DIY and cost effective :)

Sep 18, 2008. 11:49 PM REPLY

ac-dc says:

Sep 18, 2008. 11:45 AM REPLY A fresnel lens would cause too much addt'l heat, destroy the wood frame and paint. It would have to be built to handle the higher power and that includes a different type of solar cell as these would degrade too quickly.

wupme says:
There won't be any additional heat, and the frame wouldnt be affected, they're directly in front of the solar cell

Sep 18, 2008. 8:03 PM REPLY

ac-dc says:

Sep 18, 2008. 8:38 PM REPLY How would you make this work? Right in front of the solar cell you are refocusing sunlight away from the outer portions of the cell so it's the same amount of sunlight. If you mean at enough of a distance to focus more than the original light onto the cell in theory that could work but many individual little lenses and a good focal system frame for them would tend to raise price as much as buying more solar cells. Without that frame and precise aiming, if you were refocusing light from a greater area it would tend to heat up the enclosure more. Plus, as stated previously it will wear out the cells faster. The cheap cells are not meant for long term use, they're mostly meant for hobbyists. So I suppose in theory it is possible to do what you suggested but it's not likely to be practical in this particular implementation.

wupme says:

Sep 18, 2008. 11:52 PM REPLY As far as i understand it (have beend to one of those manufactures few weeks ago) in that close range, it won't refocus it away from the edges, because its really directly put onto the cell. But because of the slight breaking of the light beam, they can use the power better. So the cell doesn't take more or less light, thats correct, but somehow it still affects it. To get a good explenation, we shoudl propably consoult an profesional, maybee someday ill be back there, and ask them more about this :)

wupme says:
Geez where did all those typos came from? Shame on me, why is der no edit function ;o)

Sep 14, 2008. 8:13 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

fimjox says:

Sep 19, 2008. 11:42 AM REPLY Another way to go is to use he double sided tape they use for hanging Masonite. You can get it at any decent hardware store. It is gray and mailable and should work fine

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http://www.instructables.com/id/Build_a_60_Watt_Solar_Panel/

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