| If you are reading this, you have undoubtedly heard | | | | 2. Connect the solar cells from left to right using the |
| about the many benefits of solar electricity. Besides | | | | tabbing wire. Use separate copper tabbing wire to |
| being extremely beneficial for our planet, it saves you | | | | connect the positive and negative poles of the cells. Be |
| money on your monthly electricity bill. An efficient | | | | very careful with the cells as they are extremely |
| residential solar system can easily be paid off in as little | | | | fragile. Leave enough tabbing wire so that you can |
| as a couple of years through cost savings and | | | | connect the tabbing wire to your blocking diode and |
| government renewable energy incentives. | | | | electrical jack. |
| Do it yourself residential solar is another way to | | | | 3. Next, use your voltmeter to measure the output of |
| reduce the initial cost. Prefabricated systems can cost | | | | the solar cells. In this case, you should measure about |
| as much as 1,000 dollars for a single panel. By doing it | | | | 18V because each solar cell gives off 0.5V. |
| yourself, you can cut this price by nearly 3/4. | | | | 4. After that, use your flux pen to dab adhesive to the |
| In order to build your own residential solar panel, you | | | | backs of each solar cell. Place your pegboard over |
| will need; 36 monocrystalline solar cells, tabbing wire, | | | | the cells. Flip the entire setup so that all the cells are on |
| flux pen, blocking diode, electrical jack, storage battery, | | | | the pegboard. You can then work on the plywood. |
| pegboard, plywood, solder, and materials to build an | | | | 5. Cut off all the excess pegboard. |
| enclosure. | | | | Next, you will need to build the enclosure of the solar |
| Here are some easy steps to building residential solar | | | | panel so that you can keep out water and protect it |
| power panel: | | | | from extreme weather. Once you have the enclosure |
| | | | built, you can assemble the system inside of the |
| 1. Lay the solar cells out in rows of six. This will allow | | | | enclosure and move the solar panel to a place where |
| you to visualize what the finished solar setup will look | | | | it can receive the maximum amount of sunlight. |
| like. | | | | |