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DIY Solar Power : How to make your own solar panels of diodes

Introduction

Solar panels are gaining lots of attention as they trap the energy of sun even before entering the food chain of Earth. The Photovoltaics are great and acts as nuclear power plant. The sunlight can be transformed into electricity by the help of silicon present in solar panels. The silicon is also present in diodes and collection of these diodes generates solar power like photovoltaic panel.

DIY Solar Power: Make Your Own Diode-Based Solar Panels and Capture the Sun's Energy!

Thing needed to make diode based solar panel

1. Multimeter

2. Switching diodes

3. Halogen lamp

4. Breadboard

Steps to make diode

1. Knowing Diodes

Diodes are the small components essentially present in each section of electronic equipment. They allow the flow of electricity only in one direction just like valve in a circuit. Diodes have both positive and negative ends and polarity.

2. Connecting the circuit

In order to generate the solar power the diodes can be arranged in two ways.

a) In series connection: Maximum voltage can be obtained if connected in series while amperage is less. The diodes needs to be arranged from positive end to negative end to increase the voltage.

b) In parallel connection: We get maximum amperage and less voltage.

3. Adjusting the Multimeter

Diodes generate little energy so the multimeter is set to lowest range of voltage. The voltage of 200 millivolts is adjusted in a meter. Prepare the light source and put multimeter probes at both the ends. In case of auto ranging meter this step is not required.

4. Source of light

Direct Sunlight help diodes in producing maximum electricity. If direct sunlight is missing then halogen lamps can be used. The halogen lamps are adjusted very close to diodes without touching.

5. Analysis

Make all the settings by adjusting the multimeter to right voltage level and set the probes contact with the circuit and then switch on the light. An instant rise is seen from zero-few hundred millivolts. The maximum it can produce is 300 millivolts.

Conclusion

The inefficient diodes sometimes fails to generate enough electricity to run a motor or lights. Sometimes the energy lost is more than energy gained from source of light. So, many diodes fails to produce electricity. Zener diodes are believed to produce up to three volts.

Via: Madscience

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