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Solar PanelInstruction Manual

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Power4Patriots Solar Panel

Solar Panel Materials

� 1 base 6mm polycarbonate

� 1 package bus wire

� 16 3mm spacers

� 36 solar cells

� 1 sheet glass

� 5 packages bus ribbon

� 1 sheet sticker

� 4 6mm aluminum profile pieces

� 1 3mm-thick sponge flooring

� 1 tube silicone

� 1 j-box

� 2 rectangular pipes

� 8 Z iron pieces

� 2 L steel pieces (four-tenths of an inch)

� 24 L stainless steel straps

� wire for the parallel connections

� 7 wire connectors

� 1 40-amp charge controller

� 6 deep cycle batteries

� 1 32-amp fuse

� 1 fuse box

� 1 power inverter

� 12 battery lead connectors

� 2 terminal connectors for inverter

� 1 car relay

� 1 power meter



Introduction

Welcome to the Power4Patriots Solar Panel Instruction Manual! By using this manual, you will

learn how to build a solar panel system.

All solar panels basically consist of individual photovoltaic cells – which convert sunlight into

electric energy – sandwiched between a sheet of polycarbonate backing and a sheet of plate glass

framed in aluminum profile framing material.

The cells are connected to each other in strings and the strings are connected to each other so that

all the cells in a panel are connected in series – like a string of holiday lights. In a series circuit,

the voltages across each of the components are added together, while the current through all of the

components stays the same.



A solar panel array consists of a number of solar panels connected together in parallel – like the

electrical outlets inside your house. In parallel circuits, the currents are added together and the

voltage stays the same.

The panels, in turn, are connected to a bank of 12V batteries, which are also connected in parallel,

to store all the electrical power generated by the photovoltaic cells.

There are various panel, array and battery wiring configurations from which to choose that will

vary the voltage output or the current produced by your panel array, and you can learn all about these

for free on the Internet. The one we are showing you in this manual will produce 18 volts and 32

amps of power.



We also need a way to ensure that our batteries are not overcharged – a charge controller – and a

way to convert the power stored in our 12V batteries to 110 or 120V AC current we need for our

appliances and other applications, and for this we need a power inverter. We’ll discuss this more

later on.

In this example, we’re building this panel from a kit purchased online. This is a complete kit that

includes all of the specialized materials needed to build one panel: 36 solar cells, tabbing wire, bus

ribbon and a flux pen. You can also get all of these components separately, which can be less

expensive.

You’re also going to need 3/8-inch polycarbonate sheeting,



and 3/8-inch plate glass for the back and front of each panel,

enough C-Channel aluminum profile to frame each one,

self-adhesive vinyl – it comes in rolls, which you will use to fasten your cells to the

back of the glass,

foam underlayment – the kind that is used with flooring and also comes in rolls – to

serve as a cushion and insulation for your cells inside the panel,





a tube of silicone, that you will use to fasten your frame together,

a plastic junction box for the back of each panel,

insulated copper wire to connect everything, and some solder.

Tools you’ll need are a soldering gun, a marker, a tape measure, pliers,

a hack saw to cut the aluminum profile, a file to smooth the edges, and a box cutter.

A drill will also come in handy when drillingholes into the polycarbonate backing to get

the wires out.

A miter box or angle template is used to cut

at a 45-degree angle.

Make sure that you form nice 90-degree angles

with your aluminum profile pieces when you’re

putting your frame together.

And of course, you will have some clamps to

secure the aluminum piece in place while cutting.

That’s all you need to get started.



Let’s Get Started

These solar cells measure 5 by 5 inches and there are 36 of them in the kit. You want to make four

strings of nine cells each. The individual cells produce just over 1/2 volt each, which will give you

about 20 volts for the finished panel.

You’ll start by laying out a template to help you line up the cells and connect them together.

You can make a template out of anything you have lying around – cardboard, poster board or even

paper if you fasten it down – anything so you can easily line up and position the individual solar

cells in a nice even row and solder them together without having to handle them overly much.

Because, as we’lI emphasize more than once, they are very fragile. Basically, you simply want to

draw out nine 5-inch squares in a straight line 1/4 inch apart. In this example, we’re using a sheet

of plasticized cardboard we had lying around because our solder is not likely to stick to it.



Now, open the package of solar cells. It’s a good idea to wear gloves so you don’t leave fingerprints

or get any of the natural oils from your skin on the coating, which can stain them and reduce their

power output.

The cells are very fragile, so be sure to handle them carefully as you work. As you can see, the top

cell in this package is cracked; try to avoid using broken or cracked cells if you can. Some suppliers

will include a few extra cells in their kits.

The cells will be connected to each other using 10-inch strips of tabbing wire. To save time, cut

all the strips at once.



Now, apply flux to the contacts on the first solar cell so that the wire will stick easily when the heat

is applied. Make sure you don’t use too much flux.

You then press a strip of tabbing wire into place, and heat it with the soldering gun. A powerful

soldering gun will help make this process as easy as possible. We recommend a 75-watt or 100-

watt soldering gun.



Once all 36 of the cells have been tabbed, the next step is to start stringing them together.

These cells are very fragile, so be very careful handling them. First, line up the first two cells on

your template. Apply flux to the contacts on the back side of the first cell, and then connect the

wires from the second cell.

If you want, you can use tile spacers between the cells to make sure they’re spaced evenly. This

isn’t important for the functioning of the panel, but the finished product will look much neater.



The first string is the hardest one, but then you’ll get the hang of it and it will come more naturally.

If there’s any excess tabbing wire on the backs of any cells, be sure to trim it off so it can’t

accidentally touch any other wire. This could cause a short circuit and reduce the power output.

Keep going until you have four strings of nine cells each.



Once you’ve attached the last cell in the string, add lengths of tabbing wire to the contacts on the

back, which will give you two leads at each end of the string.

If you discover a crack in one of your cells and need to remove it from one of your strings, just

reheat the wire with the soldering gun and gently pull the wire away.

Now, you need to clean the glass that will serve as the top layer of your finished panel. Carefully

remove the cells from the glass sheet and use window cleaning solution.



Next, lay out the strings on the glass, where you will connect them using bus ribbon. This bus

ribbon is a lot wider and thicker than the tabbing wire.



The strings need to be connected in series, just like the individual cells. Leave about a quarter of

an inch between the strings. This doesn’t need to be exact – just make sure the cells aren’t touching.

Also, leave about three-quarters of an inch around the outside edges since that area will be covered

by your trim pieces.

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You should turn every other string around so the last cell in the first string is right next to the first

cell of the next string. You should end up with an S-shaped pattern.



Next, join the first two strings using a strip of bus ribbon. Position the tabbing wire on the bus

ribbon and fasten it in place with a drop of solder.



When the solder is cool, trim off the excess tabbing wire. Do the same for the other two strings.

At the opposite end of the panel, connect the middle rows together to close the circuit.

You’ll be left with two cells that still have their pigtails of tabbing wire. These are the first and last

cells in your circuit. Attach a piece of bus ribbon to the tabbing wires on each of these cells, a little

longer than the distance between the tabs.



Now, bend the outside ends of these two ribbons up at a right angle. You’ll use these a little bit later

to make the electrical connections to the wire that will run outside of the finished panel.

Now, you’re going to cover the cells with a sheet of self-adhesive vinyl. This will hold the solar

cells in place against the glass. Cut it so it’s a little longer and wider than the glass to make sure

you have good coverage. Use firm but gentle pressure to make sure the cells stay in place.

Remember they are very fragile.



Cut out slots for the bus ribbon at the end of the panel and then smooth out all the air pockets very

carefully.



Trim the material at the corners as necessary to make a nice, neat edge.

Next, you’ll use a miter box and a hack saw to cut the C-channel aluminum profile you’re using to

frame your panel. Make sure you start with pieces that are a few inches longer than the glass so

that you have enough extra length to make nice 45-degree corners. File the cut edges until they’re

smooth.



Before you close everything up, you need to finish making your electrical connections. You strip

the connecting wire and solder the positive contact from the panel to the positive wire, and then you

do the same for the negative lead.



The back of your finished panel will be a sheet of 1/4-inch multiwall polycarbonate. Before you

can put everything together, you need to drill a hole to get your wire through.

A thin layer of foam underlayment will go between the polycarbonate and the solar cells. This is

the same kind of material that’s used for laminate floors. Cut it to fit, make a hole for the wire and

then pull the wire through.



Now, attach a junction box to the polycarbonate. In this example, we’re using a box that’s designed

for outdoor use because it’s important to make sure no water gets inside the panel.

Run the wire through the box, attach the bolts and then seal all of the holes with silicone.

Tighten the nuts to secure the junction box to the polycarbonate.



And then peel the backing off the polycarbonate.

Coil the wire inside the box and close it up for now.



Apply a thick bead of silicone inside each piece of the C-channel, and then press it into place. The

panel will be ready to mount once the silicone cures.



Now, you’re ready to mount the finished panel. The mounting rack consists of two lengths of

square tube with 1/2-inch L-channel attached. It’s attached to the roof with homemade brackets,

which are just pieces of steel that were bent into shape and drilled. Everything is put together and

attached to the roof with self-drilling stainless steel screws.

Insert two stainless steel straps between the tube and the L-channel at the top, and two more at the

bottom. Then set the panel in place and bend the straps over.



Notice that the mounting rack is just a little bit bigger than the finished panels. The fit should be

snug – not too tight, not too loose. If it isn’t perfect, you can use a few more self-drilling screws

to secure the straps to the panel.



Now, you can wire all of your panels together. Make each parallel connection inside the junction

box on the back of the panel. You can use a multimeter to check each panel before you connect it.

If you check one of your panels and you find that your positive and negative wires are reversed, you

can still use it – just invert the wires.



If you haven’t already done it, trim away the excess vinyl from the outside edges of the panel.

Now that all of the panels are connected, check the power output with the multimeter. In this

example, we’re getting just over 20 volts and 3 amps.



The next step is to connect your solar panel to a battery bank so that you can store your power.

Take the wire from the last panel and connect it through a circuit breaker to the charge controller,

which you’ll mount inside the battery enclosure. The charge controller prevents overcharging,

which can reduce battery performance and life span, and can pose a safety risk.



Now, it’s time to connect the batteries. Remember that the batteries need to be connected in parallel.

Wire all of the positive terminals together and then do the same with all of the negative battery

terminals.

It’s important to use the right type of batteries in your solar power setup. Deep cycle or marine

batteries work best because they can withstand being completely drained and recharged many times.

Regular car batteries won’t last very long when used in this way. Also, make sure the controller

you choose is capable of charging absorbent glass mat or gel type batteries.



Connect the wires to the charge controller first. Then attach the negative lead to the batteries.



The charge controller should now have power and be charging the batteries.

Make sure the battery terminals are clean and the connections are nice and tight.

Next, add anAC inverter to convert the direct current coming from the batteries into the alternating

current you need for household appliances or tools.



Now, connect the inverter to the batteries. You can fabricate your own terminals, like we’re doing

in this example, or you can buy some.

The negative lead from the batteries goes onto the negative stud on the back of the inverter. Then

the positive battery lead goes onto the positive stud. Make sure both connections are nice and tight.

You should be able to see that the inverter is now getting power.



Now, everything is wired up, and you’re ready to test your system using a vacuum cleaner. Using

a plug-in power meter, you can see how many watts the vacuum cleaner is consuming.

Now, try a drill.

You should be in good shape.

We hope you enjoyed this manual,

and we wish you the best of luck with your solar power project.



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