• Many people ably build simple working solar panels with readily available materials.Solar image by Thomas Leiss from Fotolia.com
  
  Fashioning a simple working solar panel is not difficult for persons with a modicum of carpentry skill and electrical knowledge. Solar panels simple enough for laymen to make typically work as little more than toys but make excellent experiments for the classroom. Whatever your purpose for building a simple solar panel--educating people about photovoltaic cells; collecting and distributing electrical energy from sun rays; or reducing electrical bills--a variety of simple methods exist.
  
  

Simple Solar Experiment Panels

• Simple solar panels appropriate for solar experimentation easily assemble in 1 to 2 hours. To build simple solar panels, you need only a small sheet of copper flashing from the local hardware store, two alligator lead clips, an inexpensive sensitive device for measuring small amounts of electricity called a micro-ammeter, an electric stove, a large clear plastic bottle with the top removed where the bottle begins to taper, two heaping tablespoons of table salt, tap water, sandpaper and sheet metal sheers, reports solar experts SolarPower.com. Once properly assembled, this solar generator produces tiny amounts of electricity, 50 microamps at .25 volts. This type of solar generator requires acres of similar devices in order to power a single home but can serve as an educational tool.
  
  

Full-Size Working Solar Panels

• Handy persons with some electrical knowledge could easily build simple full-size working solar panels with a few tools and a good guide. Full-size working solar panels require the purchase of solar cells, according to Green Earth 4 Energy, online solar power and alternative energy advocates. Eighty common solar cells typically produce 100 watts of electrical power. It takes 36 panels producing .5 volts each to charge a single 18V battery. Full-size working solar panels require tools such as a saw, soldering iron gun, acrylic plastic sheet cutter and drill, as well as several materials, like plywood sheeting, UV-ray protective varnish and silicon caulk to assemble. Building full-size working solar panels lets home and business owners design solar panes to fit exact spaces panels will mount.
  
  

Repair or Reuse Old Solar Panels

• Purchasing used, chipped, cracked or broken solar panels and reusing internal electric parts and cases may save solar panel builders significant amounts of capital. Several roadside maintenance machines or highway signage run off solar generated electrical power. These signs frequently break down for a variety of reasons, including improperly functioning solar panels. These panels along with old solar panels found at construction sites frequently end up in landfills. While taking these panels without authorization is not permitted, companies often give or sell these damaged or old solar panels to interested parties. Repairing broken panels with available resources potentially saves hundreds or thousands of dollars in solar panel costs. Damaged panels may even still output a percentage of the power originally generated.