Solar Panel Building Options

There are only a couple of ways to go about building a solar panel for home use. IF you are strapped for money or if you are well to do, if you are frugal with your money or if you are building a solar panel system from one pay check to your next pay check. We will discuss how you can get the most done with the budget that you are currently working with. Putting together a solar panel for a solar powered system does not take an expert. It takes a really inquisitive person that dedicated to learning the proper information to get the job done. If you are here by mistake do not worry there is something here that is interesting and fun to learn about solar panels. When it comes to building a solar panel for home use, you can start from scratch with a very small amount of money spent by going to a simple trip to your local hardware store. Now if that seems like a little bit too much work then you can spend a little bit more money to get a solar panel building kit that will come with all of the parts and tools that you will need to make your project fun and quick.

Why should I build a solar panel?

Well you may ask yourself, "Why in the world would I waste my time and money in building my own solar panel for my home?"Even though you can purchase a solar panel that is complete when it arrives to your door from the shipping company. Well if you are ordering a solar panel thru the mail you are most likely not going to order just one. Not unless you are using the solar panel for a science project. You are most likely going to order more than just one so that you can link the panels together to create a solar panel array system that is capable of running your house, business, or your cabin. The real point in building your own solar panel is to equip yourself with the knowledge of what it takes to become independent of social energy usage. What I mean by social energy usage, it is the consumption of commercial energy in a mindless vegetable like state of living and dependence on a failing energy system. Commercial energy is not only wasteful it is also depleting the earth’s recourses but that’s another page and another article. Building your own solar panel is not only informational and fun; it can also do wonders for your pockets and your bank account. Your endeavors can save you money because building a solar energy collector will allow you to collect solar energy which is free, oh yes did I mention that solar energy is free, for live, forever. Building your own solar panel can also make you money because after you put your solar array system together and it has paid for itself, you can now sell the extra energy that your system collects to the power company. Now how is that for a great twist?

What supplies and tools will I need to build my own solar panel?

To get you off to a great start I am going to give you a rundown of what supplies you will need and about how much of each supply you will need in order to make your very own first and successful solar panel. First you will need to run to the local hardware store and pick up a half of square foot to a square foot of a sheet of copper flashing. You will also need two medium to large alligator clip leads to be able to hold your copper in place. While you are at the hardware store you will need to get a good sized piece of sand paper or better yet you could even get one of those wire bushes or a sand paper bit tip that goes on the front end of an electric or battery powered drill. Now that you are finished with getting your supplies from the local hardware store it is now time to go to place like Best Buy, Radio Shack, of Wal Mart to pick up micro-ammeter that is sensitive enough to read currents that register between five to fifty five microamperes. Now in all of your looking if you happen to run across a small LCD multi-meter or even a small surplus meter with a needle pick it up and let’s go with that. You will also need a one-burner hotplate that is 1100 watts or greater now unless you can find one at the pawn shop you are looking at around twenty-five dollars for one. Next to last on the list you will need to get a can of table salt because we will need a couple of tablespoons of salt. Last on the list I hope that you are a big water or pop drinker because we will need to get either a large plastic bottle or a 2 liter water bottle so that you can cut the top off. Now if you cannot get your hands on the plastic bottle you can always use a large mouth glass jar.