That it just stupid not to use sun light as an energy source taking into account that Nigeria is a very sunny country. But not everyone can afford to buy a solar battery!
Using our step-by-step manual, you can do it with your own hands. According to our estimates, such solar battery will cost you just $ 105!
Buy quality & cheap solar batteries on JiJi – keep up with the times!
Let`s start from the basis – Go to the next page!
What will you need?
The first thing you need to do is to buy cheap solar cells (you can buy them on JiJi, for example). We used the 3 x 6 inches models, and each of them generates about 0.5 W. Solar cells are pretty fragile, so be careful.
Preparing battery base
In fact, solar battery base is a simple shallow box. It is necessary to make it shallow so that its edges did not create shadows. To simplify the subsequent rations items, you should divide the battery into two parts. The panel in the center of the box will be a separator.
Small holes that you see on the sides are made for ventilation – moisture removal and maintenance of pressure equivalent to atmospheric inside the battery. It is necessary to make holes on central panel as well.
Two pieces of hardboard will serve as substrates, i.e. you will install solar cells on them.
To protect solar battery from aggressive environmental influences, you should use Plexiglas, closing the front side with it.
When solar base is ready – prepare the solar cells.
Time to prepare and mount solar elements – Go to the next page and watch how we do this!
Preparing and mounting solar elements
To simplify the process of mounting elements, it is best to start with drawing a grid on a base. After that the elements are laid out on a grid up with the downside for soldering. All eighteen elements situated in each half should be connected. Than consequently connect two parts to obtain the required voltage.
You should place the conductors of one element in such a manner that they crossed the soldering point of another one. Also, you should make sure that the elements are installed according to the markup.
Repeat the soldering until the formation of a chain of six elements. There should be three chains – 18 items in the first half of the battery should be connected together. Because all three chains should be connected consistently, an average chain will be rotated at 180 degrees to the others.
The next step is gluing the elements.
The installation of solar cells may require a certain skill. Apply a small drop of silicone-based sealer to the center of each element of a chain. Then, turn the chain face up and place solar cells according to printed markup. After that gently press on the elements to glue them.
This is a half of the solar battery. To connect the first and the second chains of elements you can use a copper from a cable or a wire. Make a similar connection at the reverse side as well.
The final step – let’s check the results! Go to the next page!
Testing
Testing one part of the battery in the sun. When the solar activity is poor, this part generates 9.31 W. That is a pretty good result. Now it’s time to start making the second part of the battery.
When both solar bases are ready, you can install them into the prepared in advance box and connect them.
Use small screws for fixing bases inside the battery. The wire for connecting the parts of solar battery should be passed through the vent in the central deck and fixed with the sealer.
You should provide each solar panel with blocking diode system which must be consequently connected to a battery. It`s function is to exclude discharge of the accumulator through the battery.
Basing on the technical characteristics of the diodes, the best place for their placement is the inner part of the battery. The diode voltage depends on temperature: inside the battery it is higher and therefore the effectiveness of the diode will be higher. To mount the diode we used a sealant.
To output the wires, make a hole in the bottom of the solar battery.
This is the final version of the solar battery with installed screen. Do not hurry up with sealing the joints of Plexiglas before you test the efficiency of the battery.
Preliminary calculations materialized: the finished solar battery on a bright autumn sun provides 18.88 W.
This test was made in similar conditions and shows excellent operability of the battery – 3, 05A.
To save the orientation to the sun, you should move the battery several times a day. This is not difficult. In the long term, it is possible to install automatic tracking of the position of the Sun in the sky.
Buy quality & cheap solar batteries on JiJi – keep up with the times!
