PVgeek

Make Your Own Solar Power Generator


This fun how to guide will show you how to make your own solar power generator for around $300 bucks. This generator will score you 100 watt-hours of energy if the 20 watt solar panel receives 5 hours per day of full sun. (4 hours of sun if you use 25 watt solar panels)

This project involves a battery so you’ll have the ability to store over 400 watts of energy. What can you do with 400 watts of energy you ask?


* Ceiling Fan: 125 watts per hour

* Stereo: 400 watts per hour

* Television: 130 watts per hour

* VCR/DVD Player: 20 watts per hour

* Printer: 400 watts per hour while printing, 30 watts per hour on standby

* Photocopier: 400 watts per hour on standby

Overhead Projector: 400 watts per hour


1. Pick up a solar panel rated at 12V. I recommend a durable solar panel like the DURAlite 20 Watt solar panel for $177.95.

2. Next, get yourself a SunGuard 4.5 amp charge controller for about $30 bucks.

3. Then get a 32 amp-hour sealed battery. They run you about $60.

4. You will need a simple DC to AC power inverter. I recommend a 175W power inverter from Go Power that will run you under $25 bucks.

5. Grab an inexpensive voltage meter to monitor the load on your generator.

Now for the fun stuff! Where are you planning on using your solar power generator? You will need to house the pieces apart from the solar panel so you will need a plan, right?

6. I recommend either a wooden box or better yet a plastic cooler simply because of the waterproofing that it would provide. Get yourself a drill, some insulated wiring (THHN/THWN Jacketed, UV Resistant Two-conductor Installation Wire), now drill out a spot on the box or cooler.

7. Place the voltage meter in this spot and connect the insulated wiring from the meter to the wing nut terminals on the battery. Remember, always connect the positive (+) pole first, then the negative (-) pole.

8. Now ensure that the solar panel is properly wired to match the nominal operating voltage of the solar charge controller and battery system. Proper wiring diagrams for PV module/array can be obtained from the manufacturer or system designer. Identify the posititve and negative leads of the PV array prior to connecting the charge regulator. The charge controller will automatically prevent the battery from overcharging.

9. Connect the battery leads to the terminal blocks on the charge controller labeled “Battery”, also ensuring that the polarity of the battery leads are matched to the polarity of the terminal blocks.

10. Be very careful now! Due to the controller’s very high efficiency, it will be destroyed if hooked up improperly. Connect the PV array input leads to the terminal blocks on the controller labeled “PV Array”, ensuring that the polarity of the input leads are matched to the polarity of the terminal blocks. (positive to positive, negative to negative)

11. Connect the negative and positive leads of the load to the terminal block labeled “Load”, ensuring that the polarity of the load leads are matched to the polarity of the terminal blocks. (positive to positive, negative to negative)

12. So far so good, right? Now connect the power inverter to the battery, and get ready to mount your solar panel. You will want to mount your solar panel in an area where the most sunlight is throughout the day.Thats it. You know have your very own solar power generator!