Today, of all the sources of alternative energy known to mankind, the most popular are solar panels, batteries and other generators based on solar energy. Given the current cost of energy costs, many are wondering where to get solar panels for their home, what are their prices and if there are ready-made solutions. And since the growth of the exchange rate directly affects the purchasing power of the population, more and more citizens are eager to learn more about Russian-made panels.

What are solar panels and how are they used in the home?

Despite the fact that this type of energy supply for homes has been around for more than 30 years, there are not many specialists in this field. Why is the use of solar panels for a private house so beneficial? The answer is simple: you only have to pay for the equipment and installation, then the energy carrier is free! In countries such as the PRC, the United States, France, Italy and Germany, up to 30% of the population installs batteries on the roof to enjoy billions of inexhaustible kilowatts of solar energy. If it's free, what's the secret?

The principle of operation of the battery is as follows: imagine semiconductors made of crystals (for example, silicon) that convert light quanta into electric current components. The panel contains hundreds of thousands of these crystals. Depending on the required power, the area of ​​such coverage ranges from a couple of square centimeters (remember the calculator) to hundreds of square meters - for example, for orbital stations.

Despite the apparent simplicity of the devices, their use in Russia is very limited - by climate, weather, time of year and day. Plus, in order for the system to supply current to the network, you must purchase:

• a battery that will store energy in case of power surges;
• an inverter that will convert direct current to alternating current;
• battery monitoring system.

Briefly about consumption

The average family of 4 consumes 250–300 kW per month. Solar modules for domestic use give an average of 100 watts per 1 sq. m per day (in clear weather). In order to fully power the house, you need to install at least 30, ideally 40 sections, which will cost at least 10,000 USD. e. At the same time, the roof should be oriented to the south, and the number of sunny days per month should not be less than 18–20 on average. Below is a map of sunny days.

Conclusion: solar panels are good as a backup source of electrical energy. In addition, you need to know how to choose them so that there is enough power to meet domestic needs. But, regardless of accidents, your home will always be supplied with electricity.

1. Panels from CJSC Telecom-STV

The Russian company Telecom-STV (Zelenograd) produces products on average 30% cheaper than their German counterparts: prices start at 5,600 rubles. per panel at 100 watts. Panels from this manufacturer have an efficiency of up to 20-21%. The main feature of this enterprise is the patented technology for manufacturing silicon wafers up to 15 mm in diameter and solar modules based on them.

What battery from CJSC "Telecom-STV" can be viewed? The most popular model is called TCM, followed by marking depending on the power: from 15 to 230 W (the price is approximate).

The main type of panels produced is monocrystalline, although each model can also be presented in the form of multi (poly-) crystalline. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages (see table).

The choice, of course, is limited by the budget, so we will continue to review other inexpensive and reliable devices from Russian manufacturers.

2. Hevel - plant in Chuvashia

One of the largest manufacturers of solar panels in Russia is the Hevel company. In 2017, the company upgraded production and switched from thin-film to a new heterostructure technology for manufacturing solar modules. New generation modules combine the advantages of thin-film and crystalline technologies, ensure efficient operation of the module at high and low temperatures (from -50°С to +85°С), as well as in diffused light conditions. The average efficiency of a solar module is 20%. According to this indicator, the modules of Hevel Group of Companies are among the world's top three. The service life of the module is at least 25 years.

What battery from Hevel can be seen as an example? Here is a table with the parameters of the most popular heterostructural module:

3. Ryazan ZMKP

The Ryazan plant of ceramic-metal devices has been operating since 1963, but since 2002 it has switched to the ISO 9001 international quality control system and produces panels strictly in accordance with its requirements, as well as with GOST 12.2.007-75 standards.

In the company's price list, you can find two current RZMP models with a power of 130 and 220 W. Their efficiency varies from 12 to 17.1%. Solar cells are applied to a painted aluminum base by a serial connection method. Here are their comparative characteristics:

RZMP 130-T is suitable for autonomous supply of individual premises, household appliances (eg heating boiler). A more powerful model, from 220 to 240 W, is bought more often for backup supply to the whole house. Its cost varies from 13,200 to 14,400 rubles. per module.

4. Krasnodar "Saturn"

Panels of Kuban production have been produced since 1971, during this period the company has produced more than 20,000 square meters of products. Saturn uses two of its own mastered production technologies - based on single-crystal grown silicon or gallium arsenide with a germanium substrate. The latter show the highest possible performance and are used to supply critical facilities (gas stations, continuous cycle enterprises, etc.)

Both types of modules can be made on any frame, from mesh and film to metal (anodized aluminum) and string types. Photoelectric converters can be:

• with a polished surface;
• with built-in diodes;
• with aluminum mirror.

Here are the main energy characteristics of the solar cell "Saturn", depending on the type:

These characteristics are relevant for carriers of any size: at the Saturn enterprise, you can order both prefabricated modules for the roof of a cottage, and miniature solar panels for sensors, converters, electrical products, as well as batteries. For prices, you will be guided only by the sales department.

5 Solar Wind

This enterprise is located in Ukraine. In Russia, there is a similar enterprise, which acts more as an investor and implementer. Solar Wind produces solar modules with power from 1 to 15 kW/h. Depending on the purpose and power, the module may include from a pair to several dozen batteries. So, a 1000W battery includes 5 modules, one 30A charge controller, a 150Ah battery (2 pcs. per set) and a 1200V inverter. The battery life is up to 18 years.

Tip: if you buy Solar Wind equipment for year-round energy supply to a residential building, you should take at least 10 kW / h.

To get an idea of ​​the possibilities of solar wind photovoltaic systems (Ukraine) with power from 1,000 to 15,000 W, we offer a comparative table based on 1 day of consumption.

6. Solar panels "Quantum"

NPP Kvant was the first to propose the production of silicon solar cells with 2-sided sensitivity, as well as single crystals of gallium arsenide. The most popular model today is Kvant KSM and its modification KSM-180P. The cost of such a battery does not exceed 18,000 rubles, the service life reaches 40 years.

However, we present the characteristics of all modules. They can be ordered in both mono- and polycrystalline variations. The specific energy characteristic is higher for single-crystal panels and reaches 200 W/sq.m. Compared to foreign counterparts, Kvant is optimal due to its low price and a relatively small decrease in efficiency throughout the entire service life.

7. Sun Power - portable solar panels

Sun Power is located in Ukraine and is mostly famous for its portable solar systems. With their help, you can get electricity even in field conditions. These complexes are distinguished by their mobility, small size and portability. They have a USB output and have a power of up to 500 watts.

Other Features of Sun Power Portable Panels:

• service life - up to 30 years;
• has international CE RoHC certification;
• the new generation of panels can also be integrated into the façade or roof without losing its aesthetics.

It is convenient to use such solutions in autonomous lighting of billboards, roads and sites, powering campsites and trailers, yachts and boats.

8. Kvazar is another Ukrainian manufacturer

Kvazar produces a wide range of photovoltaic equipment, including solar panels and chargers. Kvazar solar panels are made from factory-grown silicon crystals and have a reinforced aluminum base. The quality guarantee that is issued by the manufacturer is a little alarming - only 10 years. However, electroluminescent and other laboratory tests confirm a longer service life - up to 25 years.

Our choice: panels - KV175-200/24 ​​M (single-crystal), KV220-255M (also mono), KV210-240P (poly version), in the marking, the numbers indicate the power of the device.

The price of batteries is from 13,000 rubles. (approximately) for 150 watts. In addition to solar panels, Kvazar produces photovoltaic converters with cells from 4 × 4 to 6 × 6 inches with an efficiency of up to 18.7%.

9. Vitasvet LLC

The Moscow enterprise Vitasvet LLC produces one basic model SSI-LS200 P3 in four power variations: from 225 to 240 W. Each module consists of 60 multicrystal silicon wafers and is mounted on an aluminum profile.

Here are their main parameters obtained during tests under normal conditions of 800 W/sq.m:

Cost - 12,800 rubles. per 240W panel.

10. Plant "Termotron" (Bryansk)

The Termotron enterprise produces autonomous solar-powered street lighting systems and mini-autonomous solar stations. The former are delivered on the basis of serial modules with a high pole support.

Features of autonomous street lighting systems from "Thermotron":

• operating temperature range – -40…+50 °C;
• beam opening angle - 135 by 90 degrees;
• guaranteed period of work - 12 years in urban conditions;
• support height - from 6 to 11 m;
• power - from 30 to 160 watts.

Autonomous station "Ecoterm", produced by the plant, will be of interest to owners of country houses and plots. It is also used on farms, telephone exchanges, to equip rural schools, hospitals, shops. The station is powered by a 14.5 kW diesel generator. The price of the generated energy with the number of 18 photoprocessing elements is 5.12 rubles / kW, the payback period is up to 5 years (check the price of the station with the manufacturer).

Conclusion

We conducted a review of several leading enterprises of the so-called photo-energy industry in Russia and Ukraine, which, we hope, will give an initial idea of ​​the feasibility of using solar panels and allow you to make the right decision. These are not all brands, but the most popular and commercially available are as follows.

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The benefits of solar energy are obvious, a lot has already been said about this and there is no doubt about it. It is for this reason that many people have already installed panels on their homes today, while others only dream about it. Solar panels are certainly profitable, but such devices are quite expensive, which is why not everyone can afford such a luxury. Thanks to this, many are wondering - how to make a solar battery with your own hands, is it possible, and what is needed for this?

The answer is, of course, it is quite real. And today there are several ways that will help you make solar panels with your own hands. The choice of method depends on what kind of performance you need.

1. Preparation of starting materials

• Elements made of polycrystalline silicon;
• Monocrystalline solar cells.

The first option has a lower level of efficiency (COP), which is about 7-9%. However, panels consisting of such elements do not lose their effectiveness, even in cloudy weather. They are almost equally productive both on sunny days and in rainy weather.

Monocrystalline panels, in turn, have a higher level of efficiency, which is about 13%. However, they are more effective only in sunny weather, and in the case of cloudiness or darkening, their productivity is significantly reduced. Thanks to such features, most often, in order to get a sufficiently powerful home-made solar battery that will be equally effective in all weather conditions, it is polycrystalline photovoltaic cells that are used.

It is highly recommended to purchase solar cells from one manufacturer. This is because devices from different brands may well have differences in efficiency, which in turn creates additional difficulties at the time of determining the total battery power. In addition, the estimated period of operation of the elements may also differ.

The simplest and most common method of acquiring the necessary items today is eBay auctions. Here you can buy ready-made sets of photocells, while they will have a very reasonable cost. In order to assemble solar panels for the home with your own hands from the materials at hand, you will need special conductors that connect the photocells to each other. In addition, you will need a soldering iron and soldering tools.

It is quite possible to purchase slightly damaged photocells, as they do not lose any performance at all, but at the same time they have a much lower cost. Of course, such elements have a less aesthetic appearance.

For the manufacture of the battery case, the most suitable material is aluminum corners, which have a small height. Of course, it is quite possible to make solar panels with your own hands from improvised means, without buying corners, but using, for example, wooden bars. However, it should be understood that homemade solar panels will be constantly used, which means they will be subjected to various weather conditions. In this case, the tree can deteriorate extremely quickly, due to which the case will have to be redone.

The dimensions of the solar array depend on the number of solar cells to be used. The outer protective coating of the panel must be transparent and at the same time sufficiently strong and durable. As such a coating, it is best to use plexiglass or polycarbonate. You can, of course, use durable tempered glass, but you should be more careful with such panels. Also, it will be better if this protection does not transmit infrared rays, since due to such protection, the heating of the panel during use is reduced.

2. Soldering conductors

After you have purchased all the necessary materials, you can proceed to the assembly of a homemade solar battery. First of all, you need to solder the conductors to the photocells. This process is very time consuming and will require some patience and accuracy from you. During the soldering process, some difficulties may arise due to the fragility of the photocell structure. It will be much easier to buy elements that already have soldered conductors, however, even with self-soldering, you will soon “stuff” your hand and easily cope with this task. In addition, already soldered photocells may have a higher cost.

In the event that you plan to solder the conductors yourself, you need to know the following procedure:

• The first step is to cut the existing conductors to the required length (it is more convenient to do this using a cardboard template);
• Next, you need to carefully place the cut conductor on the photocell;
• After that, soldering acid should be applied, as well as solder to the place where the soldering will be performed;
• Carefully and carefully solder the conductor. In this case, in no case should you press the crystal. Soldering is easy and fast. This will come with experience.

This process is not fast, which is why making homemade solar panels for the home, you will need some amount of time, as well as patience.

3. Assembly of the body and installation of photocells

As already mentioned, for the manufacture of a frame that has the required size, aluminum corners are needed, as well as fastening materials (hardware). It is best to take corners with a low height, otherwise they will cover the Sun and create a shadow on the photocells. In addition, using corners that are too high will result in an unnecessarily wide body for the panel.

Silicone sealant must be applied to the inner edges of the bonded profiles. This is necessary in order for the homemade solar battery to be airtight. A sheet of plexiglass cut to size should be laid on the applied sealant, pressing it tightly and fixing it. After the sealant dries, the plexiglass can be additionally fixed with hardware.

After performing the above steps, it is necessary to place photocells with soldered conductors on the inner plane of the transparent sheet. In this case, a small distance (about 5 mm) must be maintained between the cells. This is due to the fact that the elements in the process of use can expand under the influence of temperature. In addition, thanks to these indents, the possibility of breaking contacts is excluded. In order for the solar battery for the house to be assembled correctly with your own hands, this process must be approached with all care. In addition, to facilitate the work, you can pre-mark the substrate.

4. Combining photocells into a single system

It is necessary to solder all photocells into one system following the electrical circuit. To date, several schemes are known:

• serial connection;
• Connection to a common bus;
• A connection with an inferred midpoint.

There are also other schemes, therefore, it is best to pre-select the most suitable option. In this case, the main thing is that shunt diodes are present in the circuit, which must be installed on a common “+” conductor. These diodes are required in order to prevent the device from discharging at night or with partial blackout. For these purposes, it is best to use Schottky diodes. As current-carrying wires, you can use ordinary cables with silicone insulation. Of course, they must be securely and firmly fixed.

After combining the photocells according to the selected scheme, the resulting solar battery must be tested for current and voltage. To do this, you need a conventional ammeter and voltmeter, or a multimeter that has both of these functions. If the check is successful, it means that the elements are connected correctly and all contacts are intact.

After checking, fix all photocells and seal the panel. The easiest way is to apply mounting silicone to each element, after which the device must be closed with a panel, which can be made of durable plastic. Moreover, if you use transparent plastic, then you will have the opportunity to monitor the possible appearance of defects or cracks in the elements. After the silicone has dried, the back panel needs to be fixed into the prefabricated aluminum frame. All seams of the structure must also be sealed with silicone. You can also use double-sided adhesive tape to fix the photocells. The main rule is that the thickness of this tape (or layer of silicone) exceeds the soldering height. This will help prevent damage to the contacts.

5. Do-it-yourself solar battery from transistors

Today, it is possible to make a solar battery with your own hands, without using purchased solar cells. For example, it can be made from transistors or diodes. Of course, it is impossible to make a solar battery from these materials that can power an entire house, but such a device is quite capable of powering small and compact electrical appliances.

So, how to make a homemade solar panel? Quite simply. To make a homemade panel, you will need old transistors, it is best to take devices of the “P” or “KT” types. First of all, it is necessary to cut down the upper part of the body very carefully so that sunlight can reach the p-n transitions. In the case of using “P” transistors, it will additionally be necessary to pour powder out of it and blow through the inside.

Further, the resulting photocells must be combined into blocks. The connection is carried out in series - to increase the voltage, and in parallel - to increase the current. By connecting transistors in this way, it is quite possible to create a solar battery with your own hands, which will have the necessary parameters. It is convenient to fix such elements on a textolite substrate by hanging installation.

In addition, it is possible to assemble a solar battery from diodes, for example, D223B. At the same time, they do not even need to be disassembled, it is quite enough to simply wipe off the paint with acetone. Under the paint, you will find a glass case. Due to the small size of such diodes, a high density of elements is achieved. It is necessary to solder the diodes into the substrate vertically, as this will allow achieving the maximum illumination of the crystal, and, consequently, the maximum performance.

6. DIY solar battery: Video

The ever-increasing demand for solar energy is fueling an increase in demand for equipment that can store this energy and use it for later needs. The most popular way to generate electricity is solar photovoltaics. This is primarily due to the fact that the production of solar cells is based on the use of silicon, a chemical element that occupies the second place in terms of content in the earth's crust.

The solar battery market today is represented by the world's largest companies with multimillion-dollar turnover and many years of experience. The production of solar panels is based on various technologies that are constantly being improved. Depending on your needs, you can find solar panels that are small enough to fit into a calculator, or panels that can easily fit on the roof of a building or car. As a rule, single photovoltaic cells produce very little power, so technologies are being used to connect them into so-called solar modules. About who and how does it and will be discussed further.

Technological process of manufacturing solar panels

Stage 1

The first thing with which any production begins, including the production of solar panels, is the preparation of raw materials. As we mentioned above, the main raw material in this case is silicon, or rather quartz sand of certain rocks. The raw material preparation technology consists of 2 processes:

1. Stage of high temperature melting.
2. Synthesis stage, accompanied by the addition of various chemicals.

Through these processes, a maximum degree of silicon purification of up to 99.99% is achieved. For the manufacture of solar cells, monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon are most often used. The technologies for their production are different, but the process of obtaining polycrystalline silicon is less expensive. Therefore, solar cells made from this type of silicon are cheaper for consumers.

After the silicon has been purified, it is cut into thin wafers, which are in turn carefully tested by measuring electrical parameters using flashes of high power xenon lamps. After the tests, the plates are sorted and sent to the next stage of production.

Stage 2

The second stage of the technology is the process of soldering the plates in sections, with the subsequent formation of blocks on glass from these sections. Vacuum holders are used to transfer finished sections to the glass surface. This is necessary in order to exclude the possibility of mechanical impact on the finished solar cells. Sections are usually formed from 9 or 10 solar cells, and blocks - from 4 or 6 sections.

Stage 3

Stage 3 is the lamination stage. Soldered blocks of photovoltaic plates are laminated with ethylene vinyl acetate film and a special protective coating. The use of computer control allows you to monitor the level of temperature, vacuum and pressure. And also to program the required lamination conditions in case of using different materials.

Stage 4

At the last stage of manufacturing solar panels, an aluminum frame and a junction box are mounted. For reliable connection of the box and the module, a special sealant-glue is used. After that, the solar panels are tested, where they measure the short-circuit current, current and voltage of the maximum power point and open-circuit voltage. To obtain the required values ​​of current and voltage, it is possible to combine not only solar cells, but also ready-made solar blocks with each other.

What equipment is needed?

In the production of solar panels, it is necessary to use only high-quality equipment. This ensures minimal errors when measuring various indicators in the process of testing solar cells and blocks consisting of them. The reliability of the equipment implies a longer service life, therefore, the cost of replacing failed equipment is minimized. With low quality, violations of manufacturing technology are possible.

The main equipment used in the solar panel production process:

Who supplies us with solar panels?

Solar panels are a very promising business, and most importantly profitable. The number of purchased solar panels is increasing every year. This provides a constant increase in sales, which is the interest of any plant for the production of solar panels, and there are many of them around the world.

In the first place are, of course, Chinese companies. The low cost of solar panels that the Chinese export around the world has led to many problems for other major companies. Over the past 2-3 years, at least 4 German brands have announced the closure of the production of solar panels. It all started with the bankruptcy of Solon, after which Solarhybrid, Q-Cells and Solar Millennium closed. The American company First Solar also announced the closure of its plant in Frankfurt an der Oder. Such giants as Siemens and Bosch also curtailed their production of panels. Although, given that Chinese solar panels are, for example, almost 2 times cheaper than their German counterparts, there is nothing to be surprised here.

The first places in the top companies producing solar panels are occupied by:

• Yingli Green Energy (YGE) is a leading manufacturer of solar panels. In 2012, its profit amounted to more than $120 million. In total, it has installed more than 2 GW of solar modules. Its products include 245-265W monocrystalline silicon panels and 175-290W polycrystalline silicon batteries.
• First Solar. Although this company closed its plant in Germany, it still remained among the largest. Its profile is thin-film panels, whose capacity in 2012 was about 3.8 GW.
• Suntech Power Co. The production capacity of this Chinese giant is approximately 1800 MW per year. About 13 million solar panels in 80 countries are the result of the work of this company.

Among the Russian factories it is worth highlighting:

• "Sunny wind"
• Hevel LLC in Novocheboksarsk
• Telecom-STV in Zelenograd
• JSC "Ryazan Plant of Metal-ceramic Devices"
• CJSC "Termotron-zavod" and others.

You can find a more complete list of companies manufacturing and supplying equipment and products for solar energy in ours.

The CIS countries are not far behind. For example, last year a plant for the production of solar batteries was launched in Astana. This is the first enterprise of its kind in Kazakhstan. It is planned to use 100% Kazakh silicon as raw materials, and the equipment installed at the plant meets all the latest requirements and is fully automated. The launch of a similar plant is also in the plans of Uzbekistan. The construction was initiated by the largest Chinese company Suntech Power Holdings Co, the same proposal was received from the Russian oil giant LUKOIL.

At this pace of construction, we should expect widespread use of solar modules. But this is not bad. An environmentally friendly energy source that provides free energy can solve many problems associated with environmental pollution and the depletion of fossil fuels.

The article was prepared by Abdullina Regina

Video about the manufacturing process of solar panels:

Solar panels are a source of energy that can be used to generate electricity or heat for a low-rise building. That's just solar panels have a high cost and are inaccessible to most residents of our country. Do you agree?

Another thing is when a solar battery is made by one's own hands - the costs are significantly reduced, and such a design works no worse than an industrial production panel. Therefore, if you are seriously thinking about purchasing an alternative source of electricity, try to make it yourself - it's not very difficult.

The article will focus on the manufacture of solar panels. We will tell you what materials and tools will be required for this. And a little lower you will find step-by-step instructions with illustrations that clearly demonstrate the progress of work.

The energy of the sun can be converted into thermal energy, when the energy carrier is a heat-transfer fluid, or into electrical energy collected in batteries. The battery is a generator operating on the principle of the photoelectric effect.

The conversion of solar energy into electricity occurs after the sun's rays hit the photocell plates, which are the main part of the battery.

At the same time, light quanta “release” their electrons from extreme orbits. These free electrons give an electric current that passes through the controller and accumulates in the battery, and from there it goes to energy consumers.

Image Gallery

Silicon elements act as photocell plates. A silicon wafer on one side is covered with a very thin layer of phosphorus or boron - a passive chemical element.

In this place, under the action of sunlight, a large number of electrons are released, which are held by a phosphor film and do not scatter.

There are metal “tracks” on the surface of the plate, on which free electrons line up, forming an ordered motion, i.e. electricity.

The more such silicon wafers-photocells, the more electric current can be obtained. Read more about the principle of operation of a solar battery.

Materials for creating a solar plate

When starting to build a solar battery, you need to stock up on the following materials:

• silicate plates-photocells;
• chipboard sheets, aluminum corners and slats;
• hard foam rubber 1.5-2.5 cm thick;
• a transparent element that acts as a base for silicon wafers;
• screws, self-tapping screws;
• silicone sealant for outdoor use;
• electrical wires, diodes, terminals.

The amount of materials required depends on the size of your battery, which is most often limited by the number of solar cells available. Of the tools you will need: a screwdriver or a set of screwdrivers, a hacksaw for metal and wood, a soldering iron. To test the finished battery, you need an ammeter tester.

Now consider the most important materials in more detail.

Silicon wafers or solar cells

Photocells for batteries are of three types:

• polycrystalline;
• monocrystalline;
• amorphous.

Polycrystalline plates are characterized by low efficiency. The size of the useful action is about 10 - 12%, but this figure does not decrease over time. The life of polycrystals is 10 years.

Frame and transparent element

The frame for the future panel can be made of wooden slats or aluminum corners.

The second option is preferable for a number of reasons:

• Aluminum is a light metal that does not give a serious load on the supporting structure on which the battery is planned to be installed.
• When carrying out anti-corrosion treatment, aluminum is not affected by rust.
• Does not absorb moisture from the environment, does not rot.

When choosing a transparent element, it is necessary to pay attention to parameters such as the refractive index of sunlight and the ability to absorb infrared radiation.

The efficiency of photocells will directly depend on the first indicator: the lower the refractive index, the higher the efficiency of silicon wafers.

The minimum light reflection coefficient for plexiglass or its cheaper version - plexiglass. The refractive index of polycarbonate is slightly lower.

It depends on the value of the second indicator whether the silicon photocells themselves will heat up or not. The less the plates are exposed to heat, the longer they will last. IR radiation is best absorbed by special heat-absorbing plexiglass and glass with IR absorption. A little worse - ordinary glass.

If possible, the best option would be to use anti-reflective transparent glass as a transparent element.

In terms of the ratio of cost to the refractive indices of light and absorption of infrared radiation, plexiglass is the best option for the manufacture of a solar battery

System design and site selection

The design of the solar system includes calculations of the required size of the solar plate. As mentioned above, battery size is usually limited by expensive photovoltaic cells.

The solar cell must be installed at a certain angle, which would ensure maximum exposure of the silicon wafers to sunlight. The best option is batteries that can change the angle of inclination.

The place of installation of solar plates can be very diverse: on the ground, on a pitched or flat roof of a house, on the roofs of utility rooms.

The only condition is that the battery must be placed on the sunny side of the plot or house, not shaded by the high crown of trees. In this case, the optimal angle of inclination must be calculated by the formula or using a specialized calculator.

The angle of inclination will depend on the location of the house, season and climate. It is desirable that the battery has the ability to change the angle of inclination following the seasonal changes in the height of the sun, because. they work most effectively when the sun's rays fall strictly perpendicular to the surface.

The solar battery can be used as a backup energy source in case of frequent shutdown of the centralized power supply. For automatic switching, it is necessary to provide an uninterruptible power supply system.

Such a system is convenient in that when using a traditional source of electricity, charging is carried out simultaneously. The equipment serving the solar battery is located inside the house, so it is necessary to provide a special room for it.

At the bottom of the box-case, ventilation holes are made from chipboard. The distance between the holes is approximately 10 cm. A transparent element (plexiglass, anti-reflective glass, plexiglass) is installed in the aluminum frame.

The transparent element is pressed and fixed, its fastening is carried out with the help of hardware: 4 in the corners, as well as 2 from the long and 1 from the short side of the frame. Hardware is fastened with screws.

The frame for the solar battery is ready and you can proceed to the most important part - the installation of photocells. Before installation, it is necessary to clean the plexiglass from dust and degrease it with an alcohol-containing liquid.

Step # 3 - mounting silicon wafers-photocells

Mounting and soldering silicon wafers is the most time-consuming part of creating a solar panel with your own hands. First, we lay out the photocells on the plexiglass with the blue plates down.

If this is your first time assembling a battery, you can use a marking pad to place the plates evenly at a small (3-5 mm) distance from each other.

1. We solder photocells according to the following wiring diagram: “+” tracks are located on the front side of the plate, “-” - on the back. Before soldering, gently apply flux and solder to connect the pins.
2. We solder all photocells sequentially in rows from top to bottom. The rows should then also be connected to each other.
3. Let's start gluing photocells. To do this, apply a small amount of sealant to the center of each silicon wafer.
4. We turn the resulting chains with photocells face up (where the blue plates are) up and place the plates according to the markings that were applied earlier. Gently press down on each plate to lock it in place.
5. We output the contacts of the extreme photocells to the bus, respectively “+” and “-“. It is recommended to use a wider silver conductor for the busbar.
6. The solar cell must be equipped with a blocking diode, which is connected to the contacts and prevents the batteries from discharging through the structure at night.
7. We drill holes in the bottom of the frame to bring the wires out.

The wires must be attached to the frame so that they do not hang out, this can be done using silicone sealant.

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Step #4 - Battery Testing Before Sealing

Testing of the solar panel should be done before it is sealed in order to be able to eliminate the problems that often occur during soldering. It is best to test after soldering each row of elements - it is much easier to find where the contacts are connected badly.

For testing, you need a regular household ammeter. Measurements must be carried out on a sunny day at 13-14 hours, the sun should not be hidden by clouds.

We take the battery out into the street and install it in accordance with the previously calculated angle of inclination. We connect the ammeter to the battery contacts and measure the short circuit current.

The meaning of testing is that the working strength of the electric current should be 0.5-1.0 A lower than the short circuit current. The readings of the device should be higher than 4.5 A, which indicates the efficiency of the solar battery.

If the tester gives lower readings, then somewhere the sequence of connecting the photocells is probably broken.

Step # 5 - sealing the photocells laid in the housing

Sealing can be done only after making sure that the battery is working. For sealing, it is best to use an epoxy compound, but considering that the material consumption will be large, and its cost is about $ 40-45. If it's a little expensive, then the same silicone sealant can be used instead.

When using a silicone sealant, choose one that says on the packaging that it is suitable for use in sub-zero temperatures.

There are two ways to seal:

• full fill, when the panels are filled with sealant;
• applying sealant to the space between the photocells and to the outermost elements.

In the first case, sealing will be more reliable. After pouring, the sealant should seize. Then plexiglass is installed on top and pressed tightly against the plates coated with silicone.

To provide shock absorption and additional protection between the back surface of the photocells and the chipboard frame, many craftsmen advise installing a hard foam gasket 1.5-2.5 cm wide.

This is optional, but desirable, given that silicon wafers are quite fragile and easily damaged.

After installing the plexiglass, a load is placed on the structure, under the action of which air bubbles are squeezed out. The solar battery is ready and after repeated testing it can be installed in a pre-selected place and connected to the solar system of your home.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Overview of solar cells ordered from a Chinese online store:

Video instruction for making a solar battery:

Making a solar panel with your own hands is not an easy task. The efficiency of most of these batteries is lower than that of industrial panels by 10-20%. The most important thing when designing a solar battery is to choose and install the photocells correctly.

Don't try to create a huge panel right away. Try to build a small device first to understand all the nuances of this process.

Do you have practical skills in building solar panels? Please share your experience with the visitors of our site - write comments in the block below. There you can also ask questions about the topic of the article.

What does solar cell technology look like?

The world is experiencing a constant increase in electricity consumption, and the stocks of traditional energy sources are declining. Therefore, the demand for equipment that generates electricity using non-traditional sources of raw materials is gradually growing. One of the most common ways to generate electricity is solar panels powered by solar energy. They are composed of photovoltaic cells, the properties of which make it possible to convert solar radiation into electric current. For their manufacture, one of the most common chemical elements on Earth is used - silicon. In this article, we will talk about how silicon is converted into photovoltaic cells. Simply put, we will look at what solar cell production is and what equipment is required for this.

In the field of solar panels production, a fairly large market has already formed, in which large companies are present. Millions of dollars are already spinning here and there are brands that have earned a reputation for producing quality products. This refers to both the world market and the Russian one. The technologies underlying the production of solar panels are being improved as scientific research in this direction develops. Now solar panels are produced in various sizes and purposes. There are very small ones used in calculators and. And there are large panels used in solar systems and. One photocell has a small power and produces a very small current. Therefore, they are combined into . Now let's look at how photovoltaic cells are made.

The production of solar panels can be divided into the following main stages:

• Testing. At this stage, the electrical characteristics are measured. For this, flashes of powerful xenon lamps are used. Based on the test results, the photocells are sorted and sent to the next stage of production;
• At the second stage of production, the soldering of the elements in the section is performed. Sections are formed from them on a glass substrate. The assembled sections are transferred to the glass using vacuum grippers. This is a mandatory requirement to exclude mechanical or other effects on the surface of the plates. Blocks usually include 4─6 sections. Sections, in turn, consist of 9-10 photovoltaic panels;
• The next stage of production is lamination. The blocks of photocells connected by soldering are laminated with an ethylene vinyl acetate film. A special protective coating is also applied. All this is done on CNC equipment. The computer monitors such characteristics as pressure, temperature, etc. Depending on the material used, the lamination parameters can be changed;
• And the final stage is the manufacture of an aluminum profile frame and a special junction box. To ensure the reliability of the connection, glue-sealant is used. At the same stage of production, testing of solar panels is carried out. In this case, short-circuit currents, output voltage (working and no-load), current strength are measured.