Earth Power Energy Systems

I have discovered the best way to build a solar panel using an aluminum frame. Constructing an aluminum frame can be confusing if you are not familiar with cutting angles. Below is a list of what you will need to construct a frame using 3 x 6 inch solar cells for a 70 watt solar panel. Our frame size will measure 27″ x 32 3/4″. Aluminum angle- You will need a 10 foot piece of 1-1/2 angle, it should be 1/8″ thick. We will be making this frame to last at least 30 years, so that is why we are using 1/8″ thick angle. This aluminum angle can be purchased at your local home supply store.Nuts, machine screws, and washers- To assemble our frame we will use 1/4″ hardware. We are using stainless steel machine screws and nuts because again we want this to last at least 30 years. The length of the screws should be 1/2″.Carpenters square- You will need a carpenters square for keeping your frame straight.Miter box for cutting angles- For cutting your frame corners you will need a miter box. You can purchase a cheap plastic one that will work fine for what we are doing.Hack saw- We will cut all our aluminum with a hack saw using metal cutting blades.We will need right angle pieces for joining are corners- After we cut are aluminum we will need to join it together using right angle corners. They can either be purchased or they can be made out of the scrap aluminum.A flat file- This will be used for filing off any burrs of metal left from cutting.An electric or battery drill with a 1/4″ drill bit- This is used to drill holes in your brackets and corners of the frame.The first thing you need to do is place the miter box on a flat surface or bench top for easy cutting. I mounted mine to a bench using the holes provided. You need to measure your first piece of the solar frame at 27 inches. This is the tricky part of cutting any angle, is getting the angle direction in the right direction. Next, we need to lay the angle in the miter box near one end. Laying the aluminum angle in the miter box closest to you, we will make our first cut, a 45 degree angle; this will be a cut to the right. Make the cut using your hack saw, cutting down at all times. What makes this easier is to clamp your aluminum in the miter box using either a c-clamp or a squeeze clamp, this makes cutting much easier. After you have made your first cut, measure 27′ from the corner of the cut and mark the aluminum using either a pencil or marker. The easiest way to make this cut is to slide the aluminum in the same position as before but all the way to the 45 degree angle facing left. Carefully, place the mark on the cut in… Continue reading →

If you are building “solar panels for your home”, one of the most important things to learn is proper soldering of the solar cells. Building your own solar power system can be a very fun project, but if you are having trouble soldering your solar cells then stop right now! When I first started by first attempt to solder, I failed. I thought to my self, “what am I doing wrong”, then I discovered the secret to soldering solar cells. Follow the instructions below for perfectly acceptable soldering techniques. Cells I use – To start this mini-training series, you need to determine what type of solar cells to use. My own personal preference is the 3 x 6 inch cells that are rated at.5 volts each. I found that these are easier to solder and work with. Soldering iron – This is one of the trade secrets of the pros, a proper soldering iron. I have found experimenting with different soldering irons and different wattage of heat the best solutions is to use a 40 watt iron. Buy a good heavy-duty iron, I suggest a soldering station with a wipe sponge to keep your tip clean at all times. The tip I prefer has a slight angle to it and can be easily replaced. To not use any tip wider than 1/8th inch. Solder to use – This is a very important step in soldering solar cells, the proper solder. There are so many different solders on the market that your head will start to spin wondering which one to use. My rule here, KIS (keep it simple). Any electronics supply will carry solder made for electronics projects that will have a low melting point. This is crucial when soldering our cells. Soldering flux – It is important that when doing a DIY solar project that you use proper flux. The purpose of soldering flux is to condition the metal that we are attaching to, so that the solder will draw or easily attach. Use liquid flux available in pens designed for electronics. Heat sink – Here is one of the best steps to follow if you want perfect solder connections. If you want to have consistent soldered connections, then I would recommend using a piece of tempered glass. When I build all my solar cells I use ¼ inch tempered glass. I build all my cells by encapsulating them on the glass, so this works great for soldering them also.First thing you must do is plug your soldering iron in and let it come to the proper heat temperature. Next, prepare your tip for use by applying solder to it and see if it melts easily. The first time you use your iron you must clean your tip by applying solder then pulling it through your wet sponge, this will coat your tip with a glaze of solder. Now you are ready to get started. I start by making sure my glass is perfectly clean by using some type… Continue reading →

Did you know that your swimming pool can be heated using the power of the

 

sun? Yes, you can heat your pool with solar energy. The cost can be minimal

 

if you do the work yourself. By using the proper material and instruction you

 

can build your own solar collector. Building your own solar collector can

 

increase length of your pool season by 1 to 2 months, depending on what

 

part of the country you live in. Below I have listed different ways of how to

 

heat your pool with solar energy.

 

Direct flow solar heater-The first type we will discuss uses your pool pump to

 

circulate the hot water. This type of system will raise the temperature of

 

your pool by 10 degrees or more. A series of tubes or piping is placed on your

 

roof. It is all sized according to the volume of your pool. This is a do-it-

 

yourself installation with included instructions. Can be installed on roof,

 

ground, or a rack system. The system must be easy to drain for winter. There

 

are no added electric cost or fuel bills to pay, strictly runs on solar energy

 

with the use of your existing pool pump.

 

Solar pool heater with existing system-If you already have an existing pool

 

heater, gas or heat pump type, then you can save money by installing a

 

direct flow system. Incorporating the same system as mentioned above with

 

a system of valves, you can save money on your energy cost to heat your

 

pool.

 

Indirect flow solar heater-Some bigger systems or commercial pools may

 

need to use added pump motors to help circulate the heater pool water.

 

These systems use what are called auxiliary pumps to aid pumping the water

 

into the collectors.

So how do all these systems work? Using solar collectors; which are made of

 

special polypropylene, water is circulated through a series of tubes in these

 

collectors. These collectors are made to withstand ultra violet rays of the sun

 

and usually have a warranty of ten plus years. The sun’s energy is used to

 

heat the water in these tubes, and then is circulated back to the pool. Some

 

systems can be made totally automated by controlling the water

 

temperature using a special controller. Unlike solar hot water heating

 

systems which are mounted inside of a collector box, and operate at higher

 

temperatures, these pool heater systems operate between 85 to 100

 

degrees F. if you want to extend your swimming pool season then you may

 

want to heat your pool with solar energy.

 

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