| Using some basic tools and good construction | | | | Bar stock |
| technique, you can make solar panel that is similar to | | | | For the frame we need four pieces of bar stock. |
| or even better than a commercially manufactured | | | | Two should be of the width of the panel for the |
| panel. | | | | horizontals and the two verticals of the length of the |
| List of materials required to make solar panel | | | | panel |
| * Tab ribbon (narrow) | | | | Cut and apply the tab ribbon |
| * Bus ribbon (wide) | | | | For connecting the cells to each other and to the bus |
| * Aluminum bar stock | | | | strips, cut the tab ribbon. Attach each cell to 4 pieces |
| * Aluminum sheet (rigid) | | | | of tab ribbon where 2 pieces are soldered to the |
| * PV cells | | | | negative side which is blue and 2 pieces are soldered |
| * Fiberboard for layout board | | | | to the positive side which is silver. Now solder 2 |
| * Screws and nuts | | | | pieces of tab ribbon to the back of each cell. |
| * Solder | | | | Make a layout template |
| * 2-position barrier block | | | | Now it is the time to make a layout template. Cut a |
| * Electrical tape | | | | sheet of fiberboard to fit in the sidebars of the panel. |
| Tools needed to make solar panel | | | | Draw the layout using pencil and ruler, for the cells, |
| * Soldering iron | | | | tab and bus connectors. |
| * Caulking gun | | | | Solder the cells together |
| * Paint brush to spread caulk | | | | Solder the cells together on the layout template. The |
| * Hacksaw | | | | tab ribbons which are connected to the positive |
| * Screwdriver | | | | (back) of each cell are soldered to the negative |
| * Pencil | | | | (face) of the next cell in the string. Place each cell in |
| * Ruler | | | | the right position on the template and then solder it |
| * Drill | | | | to the face of the next cell. |
| Panel output | | | | On every string, one end with 2 long tab ribbons |
| To make a solar panel, you must always know the | | | | extending out from the back of the cell is the |
| final wattage, volts, or amps that you want your | | | | positive end of the string. Whereas the other end of |
| solar panel to produce. Your solar panel must always | | | | the string with no tab ribbon connected to its face is |
| use the same size and same type of solar cells. | | | | the negative end of the string. Strings of cells should |
| Watt output =volts x amps | | | | alternate in direction, so that they can easily be |
| Number of cells you will need | | | | connected in series (positive to negative). |
| Calculate the number of cells you need according to | | | | When the strings are laid out properly, solder the tab |
| the amount of voltage you want from the panel. | | | | ribbon to the cell faces on the negative end of each |
| Panel layout | | | | string. After that, solder the tab ribbon to the bus |
| Now we need to plan about the panel layout. | | | | connectors and then to the strings, and trim the tab. |
| Panel length and width | | | | Then insulate the bus connectors. |
| Considering the total length of the cells, space in | | | | Now make solar panels with these easy steps and |
| between the cells, frame allowance, top and bottom | | | | get ready to be the leader in saving environment and |
| clearance, calculate the total panel length and total | | | | your hard earned money. |
| panel width. | | | | |