Does it take much time to build your own solar panels?

Before you get started learning how to build solar panels, you should realize just how much work is required and what exactly you're in for.

Let's cut to the chase: Making a solar panel is hardly a simple and fast project, certainly not the first time around. If you happen to have practical experience with do-it-yourself projects and how electrical energy works, and assuming you have all the essential equipment and materials ready to go, you can probably assemble your first panel in a little more than a dozen hours. Having said that, if you're new to all this, or you're just not the DIY type, it will probably take longer than that.

Bear in mind, creating your own solar panels from scratch will be well worth the time invested. Not only will you learn some new skills and a tremendous amount of satisfaction, you can easily also save thirty percent or more compared to the expense of buying pre-made panels.

The most time-consuming step when constructing your own solar panels is the soldering. You will have a lot of solar cells, divided up into rows (often known as stringers). A standard panel has between eighteen (three rows of six), and thirty-six (four rows of nine) cells. You will want to solder the tin coated tabbing wire to each cell, solder the cells together, and subsequently link them up to the primary positive and negative nodes. When you're finished with that, everything else is pretty straight foward and can be done swiftly, but take time as you build to hook up a multimeter occasionally and confirm that you’re receiving the expected charge from your cells.

As regards the installation of your panels, be aware that it could take some time depending on where you're placing them, and how you’re connecting them to your main power supply. The majority of the time spent in this stage of your solar panel project may actually be in planning for everything, checking regulations, acquiring the correct permits, and so on. It's advisable to hire a professional electrician to help with this, as it can be quite complex. If you are installing your panels on a roof top, safety may be a concern. Take a little time to ensure that you have ladders, scaffolding, or whatever else is necessary to do the job safely.

More information on how to build solar panels.