Make Your Own Solar Panels - What You'll Need

Running your home on solar power seems simple enough, but transforming the sun's rays into usable electricity requires four distinct pieces of equipment. Although these parts are neither expensive nor difficult to configure, it's important to remember that a solar panel system doesn't generate electricity simply by plugging a power cord into a panel.

A solar panel system is made up of four primary components:

• Solar Panels
• Charge Controller
• Battery
• Power Inverter

Each of these components play a critical role in creating usable electricity from the sun.

Solar Panels

Solar panels are the easily identifiable panels that harness the sun's energy and convert it into electrical power.

Battery

Once the solar panels create electricity, it is stored in a single or multiple battery system. It's a common misconception that appliances can plug directly into a solar panel, as a well-designed system captures the sun's power even if you're not using as much as it's creating. There's not point in wasting all of that energy!

Charger Controller

Sometimes called a "regulator," the controller makes sure the battery is charged in a steady and consistent manner. In the simplest terms, it smooths out the electricity coming from the solar panel into a manageable form that the batteries will handle.

Power Inverter

Solar Panel systems and batteries operate with DC (direct current) electricity, but homes and appliances run on AC (alternating current). A power inverter changes the DC electricity into AC electricity, and therefore acts as the bridge between your solar system and your appliances and/or electrical grid.

Putting It All Together

A well-designed solar panel system can help keep the planet clean and lower your power bills, but only if all of its components are working properly. Fortunately, it's easier than ever to convert your home to solar power (either a partial conversion or a full conversion). And it's incredibly cheap, too! In fact, you can make your own solar panels for less than $200 by following inexpensive guides like the one I used (read about it here).