How To Make Your DIY Solar Panels Work Better
You can easily improve the standard of your DIY solar panels if you know how. And today you’ll walk away with valuable tips. Because this article will show you the important components to focus on and what to do to make for yourself a most enviable solar energy system.
Of course I’m assuming resources like money, time and skills are not lacking. On the other hand you won’t have to “sell your barn” in order to implement these tips.
The Solar Panel Frame
Aluminum is one of the best materials to use for your solar frame. This material is aesthetically pleasing and will not rust easily. It is also a good conductor of heat. Therefore it removes excess heat that would otherwise be trapped in the interior of the solar panel. This is particularly important since excess heat lowers the efficiency of the solar cells.
Diodes
There are many different types of diodes to choose from. What you should be using is the Schottky types. This kind of diode has a lower forward voltage drop than the usual p-n junction diode. This means less power is wasted. (Referencing to physics, Power is the product of Current and Voltage) When the temperature gets higher the forward voltage drops further — which is good.
Solar Panel Cover
Instead of using ordinary glass or plastic that can get scratched easily, non-reflective glass helps to improve the solar panel’s efficiency and maintainability. This is because larger proportions of sunlight eventually reach the solar cells when non-reflective glass is used. However you got to ensure that your area has no hail before using glass as cover.
Battery
If you place your battery outdoor, it enjoys the advantage of being near to your outdoor appliances without lengths of wire running in and out of the house — this is a hazard to children and is also unsightly.
However while leaving them in the open, you must shelter them from precipitation, dew and moisture. Otherwise rust may eat into metallic parts rapidly and your battery may lose its charge. In the worst case, a short circuit might occur.
To prevent this, you can simply put the batteries into a waterproofed electronics housing. Then make a waterproof cable-penetrator for wires to run out and connect between the solar panel and your outdoor appliance. In this way rain or dew will not cause short circuit to the battery.
These few tips may seem trivial on the surface. But as you apply these ideas to your project, the effect that they have collectively will bring about a significant improvement. After learning these tips (by implementing what you’ve read), you will be fully-equipped to build professional-quality DIY solar panels for yourself.