Homemade Solar Panels

Are you thinking about building your own solar panel? I’ve done it and I can tell you, it is a really fun and satisfying experience. For me it was especially gratifying because even though I love to tinker around and make things, I don’t really know anything about electricity. So when I finally hooked my first panel up, turned the switch and watched the light bulb turn on – I was really stoked!

I first got interested in making a solar panel because I had a little shed on my property that was far removed from my house and it didn’t have any power running to it. I wasn’t confident enough to tap into my existing panel and run wire out to it. When I contacted an electrician, I was appalled at how much it was going to cost. So I decided to look into a solar panel. I see them all over the place near where I live, powering landscaping lights, commercial signs and even emergency phones out on the Interstate. So I figured I’d just buy one.

Unfortunately, the pre-made photovoltaic (PV) solar panels were also too expensive for my blood. So I searched on how hard it would be to make a simple PV solar panel. Doing a search for “how to make your own solar panel” brought me to a number of sites. I learned a lot just by reading and probably could have figured out how to do it on my own, but I didn’t want to waste my time and money doing something wrong. So I was especially attracted to the solar panel blueprints where everything was already figured out and tested. I was especially intrigued by the do-it-yourself plans offered by www.Earth4Energy.com. They seemed to have exactly what I was looking for and all the people who had tried it seemed satisfied. So I ordered their solar panel  plans, figuring if it didn’t work out, I could always return the plans for a refund within 60 days.

I’m happy to say, I didn’t have to return the plans. The instructions I received on how to make my own home solar panel were detailed, yet concise. I was able to clearly understand each step and didn’t need to be an electrical engineer to figure it all out. They also had many helpful videos which clearly showed things that would have been hard to understand without seeing. One of the most helpful features to me was how they explained how to get many of the components needed to construct the solar panel at very reasonable rates. I was able to make my homemade solar panel for under $100. It may cost more for you, but it shouldn’t be a whole lot more than that.

One thing you do need to be aware of. The output of the solar panel you initially build isn’t going to get you off the grid. The first solar panel I built for my storage shed produces enough electricity to run a 100 watt light bulb. That’s really all I needed for that situation. If you are looking for a soulution to take you off the grid, you will have to build larger units which will cost more than the $100 I was talking about. You will also need to build multiple solar panels and link them together. The good thing is that it is very easy to add to your solar array little by little as you have the time and resources to make new solar panels. Each time you add a new solar panel to your existing array, you will further reduce your dependence on the public power grid and may eventually be able to get off the grid forever (especially if you have the opportunity to add in some other alternative power sources like a wind turbine.)

I had a great time building my solar panel, and since them I have built 4 more for my cabin. Now I can actually have electricity there during my hunting trips even though it is in a very remote spot.

If you are looking for do-it-yourself solar panel plans, I can vouch for the solar plans from www.Earth4Energy.com. The instructional manual and videos are easy enough to understand for even a beginner. If I can do it, you can too.