The first question to be answered is “why would I want to make a solar panel”, right? The answer is because you could create energy from the sun and save money on your energy bill and you would also be helping the environment at the same time.

Many people today are looking for ways to cut their energy bill due to the economy and they are turning to solar energy for help. Years ago it would have been far too costly to think about using solar power for energy savings, however the advancement of technology has made it much more affordable and it’s caused a flurry of do-it-yourselfer’s to make solar panels themselves.

How hard is it to Make My Own Solar Panels?

Well, if you are handy at fixing things around your house then you should find it quite easy in fact and maybe even a little fun! There are lots of very good diy (do it yourself) guides available that can make it even easier. Most if not all of the items that you will need can be found at your local hardware store and you may even find complete kits for the project depending on which store you are shopping in.

What are the main components for solar panels?

The main component in a solar cell is called a photovoltaic cell. These are very light weight and easy to carry and are the primary building block of your solar panel. The remaining components are going to be some plywood, a roll of copper wire, solder, some silicone and some glass or plexiglass.

What are the tools needed for making solar panels?

You will need to have some basic tools that are most likely already in your tool box now. If you don’t already have a soldering iron then you will want to pick up a decent one.

How expensive will it be to make my own solar panels?

Depending on how big your house is and how much energy you would like to save from your power bill, you may want to build more than one panel, however It can be surprisingly inexpensive to make your own solar panels, in fact you can build several solar panels for under two hundred dollars.

What is the process for putting together the solar panels?

You will want to place a sheet of plywood onto a workbench and lay your solar cells (Photovoltic cell) in rows along the sheet, then drill some holes through the plywood so that you will be able to run the wires to connect all of the cells together in series. Solder the cells together and check to make sure all your connections are good before you do the next step. Ok, now you will cover the solar cells with either glass or plexiglass and you now have a solar panel!

The process should only take a few hours and you will now have the ability to reduce your electric bill and if you build enough possibly even eliminate your bill altogether.

Many people start out with the intention of building a solar panel as a back-up for their refridgerator or as a back up in case of a power outage and they get hooked on the feeling of being able to generate their own power and wind up building enough solar panels to cut their electric bill in half or more, some even eliminate their need for electricity from their local power company altogether!

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