| It is becoming more common knowledge now that | | | | increase your power, then to a battery. |
| broken, chipped or otherwise damaged solar cells can | | | | You can also add a charge switch or charge controller |
| potentially be used to make a homemade solar cell | | | | which avoids letting the battery become overcharged, |
| capable of producing electricity. Basic electrical wiring | | | | a diode which prevents power from flowing to the |
| of several of these panels together has the potential | | | | panels at night, a power inverter so the battery power |
| to boost voltage so it can charge a few batteries in a | | | | can be converted to A/C, etc. |
| bank, and at least partially power an appliance or two | | | | Building a panel out of new or slightly used solar cells |
| (when connected to a power inverter, of course.) | | | | that are whole involves the same basic process, |
| To many homeowners and do it yourselfers, this is a | | | | except there is less soldering and electrical |
| dream - a really cool project that isn't too expensive | | | | construction. The cells are already whole and probably |
| and can reduce electric bills. The more electricity you | | | | wired. Plus, if you buy or obtain several cells that are |
| can produce, after all, the less demand there is for it | | | | rated the same, you can be confident connecting them |
| from the power grid. This lowers your bill. Or, if you are | | | | in series without a serious drop in power. |
| really adventurous, you can even get an electrician to | | | | The process of enclosing them, sealing it, and |
| connect your system to your house, and thus produce | | | | connecting it is the same. So, which is better? Which |
| power that is fed into the grid. In theory, if you | | | | gives you more power? And which is more cost |
| produced enough excess power, your meter will | | | | effective? |
| actually reverse and you will see credits on your | | | | Well, you can generally get broken solar cells relatively |
| energy bill! | | | | cheap or even free if you know where to look. (Call |
| Whoa! Hold on. Nothing we talked about here is illegal, | | | | your local highway department, hint-hint). Whole solar |
| but its time for a reality check. First of all, depending on | | | | cells you will almost always have to pay for, and they |
| your energy usage and demands, you would need to | | | | can get pricey. However, you may find that more than |
| produce a lot of power to have an excess in the first | | | | a few cells in your bargain bag of solar cells do not |
| place. And based on the solar panels available today, it | | | | produce any power at all and are worthless. And each |
| is highly unlikely you will produce enough power to | | | | one will produce sometimes wildly different power |
| become a part time energy supplier. | | | | amounts. |
| But, it is entirely possible to produce just enough power | | | | Whole solar panels will almost always give you more |
| to reduce your energy bills by $10 or $20 bucks per | | | | power than broken or chipped ones, piece by piece. |
| month. | | | | Five whole solar panels even at 9x9 inches will give |
| You can go about this a couple ways, in regards to | | | | you more power generation capability than five |
| solar power. You can either build the solar panel array | | | | chipped pieces. |
| yourself using old broken solar cells and wiring them | | | | If you don't mind doing quite a bit of work yourself, |
| together yourself, or buying relatively cheap larger | | | | discarding cells that don't work, and soldering cells |
| solar cells from a wholesaler and wiring them together. | | | | together, then the DIY method of building a solar panel |
| I am currently writing another more detailed article on | | | | out of chipped cells may be for you. You can build the |
| how to wire together broken solar cells to make a | | | | panel as big as you want and get the most bang for |
| working panel, but the basic concept is this. Gather | | | | your buck. |
| broken chips or cells of approximately the same size. | | | | The whole panel method is easier, requires less work, |
| I'd also recommend taking a multimeter or voltmeter | | | | but still lets you make your own enclosure. However, it |
| and measure the approximate power output. The | | | | is definitely more expensive. Let's talk costs. Whole |
| reason you want to do this is because when you wire | | | | panels around 9x9 inches may run you $6-$10 each. |
| solar panels in series, the power produced will only be | | | | By contrast you may be able to score 20 or 30 2"x2" |
| as large as the lowest power cell. In other words it | | | | or 3"x3" chipped panels for around $25, which is a little |
| makes no sense to group a cell that gives off 200mv | | | | over a buck each. |
| with one that produces 65mv, because the 200mv will | | | | The power each produces will vary on how many |
| fall to the 65mv level. | | | | cells you connect, and what each cell can produce. |
| Once you wire and solder the cells together, you | | | | (Also, don't forget the brighter the light source is, the |
| connect the cells to a bus, or larger gauge wire that | | | | more power is produced.) |
| collects the power. Now you just seal the cells (which | | | | Look for future articles on building practical solar panels, |
| are placed on wood, or another material), place | | | | experiments, and how much raw power can be |
| plexiglass over the cells, seal the unit that that's it. | | | | generated from each soon. |
| Connect the two bus leads to another array for | | | | |