You could also connect the cells in parallel where the current or amperage add together and the voltage stays the same. This method is not recommended as the voltage is to low to work with and the current becomes large and you loose power at the rate of current squared times resistance.They are very simple and fun to make. You solder a tin coated flat wire onto tinned strips on each side of the solar cells and connect them to the next cell. The method you connect them determines the voltage and amperage. You can make a 12 volt 9 watt solar panel for $18.60 plus taxes, backboard and flex glass or you can make a 12 volt 90 watt solar panel for $373.50 plus taxes, backboard and flex glass.
Before soldering any leads to the solar cells, I would recommend that you set up a work table outside in full sun and let the cells heat up to at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. The cells are quite fragile and may crack if they are cold and you touch them with a hot soldering iron. A good rosin core solder melts at about 374 degree Fahrenheit.
Check each connection with a voltmeter to make sure you have a good connection between each cell and the next before you glue the cells to the back board. Do not let a tinned wire hang over the edge of the solar cell such that it can touch the tinned wire on the other side of the same cell as this will short out that cell and it will not contribute to power of you solar panel.
If this happens cut the tinned wire back so that it can not touch the other tinned wire or if solder flows over onto the terminal below get some solder wick which is many fine strands of copper wire in a spool. Pull out a short section, place it on the solder and put your soldering iron on the wick and it will pull up any excess solder.
Make two terminals at the edge of the back board to attach the first and last solar cell to and use these terminals to connect to your device that you want to power. Check the voltage and polarity of the solar panel with a volt meter and mark these terminals + plus and - minus as the voltmeter indicates.
The number of solar cells you solder together in series will give you the output voltage you want. You then connect the output leads to what ever device you want to power. You can make any output voltage you want in increments of 0.5 volts Direct Current (DC) and any output current by selecting different sizes of solar cells.
You can also connect the cells in parallel where the current or amperage add together and the voltage stays the same. This method is not recommended as the voltage is too low to work with and the current becomes large and you loose power at the rate of current squared times resistance.
You can make a 12 volt DC solar panel with 28 solar cells. All of these solar cells generate an out put voltage of 0.5 to 0.55 volts. 28 cells connected in series will generate between 14 to 15.4 volts DC. You need at least 2 extra volts to fully charge a 12 volt battery.
You can get more detailed information at our web site
http://www.ourhomeimprovement.net/Solar-Home.html or
http://www.ourhomeimprovement.net/P-V-Panels.html
Hi, I am Bruce Contryman a retired electrical engineer and I love to design and build stuff. I have upgraded our bathrooms, and bedrooms with carpet, tile sinks and a tub. I have refinished all of the kitchen cabinets and redid the kitchen and family room flooring.
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