DIY Solar Panel Kits

what tools i need?

oh there are a lot of plans out there on how to build your own solar panels

try
http://solarpowerandcleanenergy-space.com/

they have a few resources there

So I’m in seventh grade and for the science fair want to make a homemade simple solar panel that could probaly power a light bulb or something. Can any one help me on how to make One and what matirials I need

Sorry you cannot, its simply too hard, you’d need a manufacturing company at your disposal. If your looking to use solar power, what you can do is set up a mirror cone to concentrate the sun’s rays unto a pot of water. Then run the steam through a generator to produce electricity. You’ll probably be able to power a hobby light.

Unless it is against the building code (s) are some HOA rules, then do it and enjoy the savings :]

I hear that the new solar panel systems will be affordable and aimed at the DIY crowd so I like to know if my home is properly orientated.
I am located near Napa CA, my home has no roof slant facing the south.

Depends on where you are in the country/earth, but generally electrical solar panels are located on the south side of a sloping roof or at an angle that is roughly half way between the high and low points of the sun (summer and winter). Solar heat collectors are usually aimed some what east of south to pick up heat earlier in the day and are aimed lower to get heat directly in the winter and more indirectly in the summer.

Can you please tell me how much a solar panel costs?
Please back up your info with a website.

Just in case you didn’t know, solar panels come in all sizes from big enough to run a calculator and costing a few pennies, to ones large enough to power a house and costing tens of thousands of dollars.

A very general rule of thumb: Small, single-PV-panel systems that produce about 75 watts can cost about $900 installed, or $12 per watt. A 2-kilowatt (1 kilowatt=1,000 watts) system that meets most energy needs of an extremely energy-efficient home can cost $16,000-$20,000 installed, or $8-$10 per watt. A 5-kilowatt system that completely meets the energy needs of many conventional homes can cost $30,000-$40,000 installed, or $6-$8 per watt.

first reference:
The $1 per watt price point has been a goal of the solar industry for a long time: First Solar announced that "it reduced its manufacturing cost for solar modules in the fourth quarter to 98 cents per watt". It’s a bit unfortunate that it is happening to First Solar at a time when the economy is in bad shape and fewer people and corporations can afford solar panels, but it is nonetheless a great achievement.

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i trying to make a solar panel. right now i dont have money to go and buy a copper sheet. so can i make it out of aluminum foil. if there is a way please tell me how. and what do i use for wires. i making this to charge batteries.

You can’t make a solar panel to generate any reasonable amount of electricity from that.

You need a semiconductor to start with, in order to have something that can generate free charge carriers(electrons and holes) from photons. Then you need a junction which can separate the charges.

In principle you could make a Shottky Diode solar cell from copper if you could find a doped semiconductor to bond a sheet of it to the copper. To form a decent electric field there should be a significant difference in work functions between the copper and the semiconductor, this will generally require the semiconductor to be doped.

On top of this you would need a transparent conductor (most used are things like ITO or other ‘TCOs’ - Transparent Conducting Oxides) to be the top electrode to inject replacement charges into the semiconductor to replace the effect of recombination current.

In summary, it’s difficult to DIY. You generally need complicated machinery to get decent crystal growth and/or doping.

Can you please tell me how much a solar panel costs?
Please back up your info with a website.

If you mean how much does it cost a manufacturer, First Solar is now making claims of $1/watt manufacturing cost, which obviously doesn’t include shipping. That would make a 200-watt panel $200. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/02/first-solar-inc-manufacturing-costs-solar-panels-below-1-dollar-watt.php

Low-cost crystalline panel manufacturers such as Suntech are believed to have costs in the $1.50/watt range today - making it $300 for a 200-watt panel. That doesn’t mean that one can buy a panel for that price, of course.

If you mean a DIY panel from purchased solar cells, the cost would be closer to $360 for an equivalent-powered panel, not counting the price of the frame, and the labor. A homebuilt panel would not stand up to decades of weather unless one spent even more on the frame. And since such a panel would not have safety certification, it could not legally be connected to the grid in most places.

If you meant a water heating panel, please update or post another question - I’m sure people will chime in.

Okay extra questions…

Can you really build one on your own? Or do I need a technician or someone qualified to help me install the panel?

I would love to make one myself coz I love diy stuff but so far the instructions I found online are pretty confusing…

Oh, and please don’t tell me to go to inane ‘how to’ sites like ehow for instance. Sites with detailed step by step instructions would help greatly!

Thanks!

Yes you can build one yourself mate! The simple kind mind you. I build a really simple panel, which was enough to power up a few household items! Now since you’re looking for "detailed step-by-step instructions, then I’d suggest you go get your hands on one of those video DIY guides. Don’t go for text instructions because you’re a total noob mate. It’d hard for you to understand what’s what lol

Good luck!

I want to build my own solar panels. Are homemade solar panels possible? Is there a good book on the subject with detailed instructions?

Yes, I’ve built them myself. I generate about 20% of my monthly power with homemade solar panels. I ordered a video and ebook I found online. I don’t remember the name of it but here is a review site that lists several different instructional guides for homemade solar panels.

http://www.homemadesolarpanelscheap.com