We are building a solar panel array.

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DISCLAIMER

I will show how I am building this solar array and we all can learn from the good and the bad on the project.


My first step is to use pegboard as part of this solar panel.
I cut the pegboard into 21 by 48 inch strips.
I an able to get 4 strips out of a 4 by 8 foot pegboard.

Our second step is to paint the pegboad white with exterior paint.
We need serveal coats of paint to protect our solar panel wood from the weather.
To make a 48 volt solar array we will need four solar panels

Our Third step is to lay out our grid of 36 cells.
One solar panel need 36 cells.
We are using three cells wide and twelve cells deep.
If you want to know more on solar cells go to our home page and click on the photo of me working with solar cells


We measured the voltage across each string of 12 cells.
Each solar cell will produce 0.5 to 0.6 volts.
These twelve solar cells in series with give us over 6 volts.


We measured the voltage across the two strings of 12 cells.
These two strings of solar cells in series with give us over 12 volts.


We measured the voltage across the three strings of 12 cells.
These three strings of solar cells in series with give us over 18 volts.

24 by 48 inch 3/8 board will be the support frame for our solar panels.

This is our support frame with the support board and solar cells.
Our solar panel is almost completed.
This solar panel tested at 20.32 volts open circuit and 3.2 amps short circuit for a max wattage of 65 watts
We will need to paint the support frame with serveal coats of exterior white paint.

This is my homemade jig for attaching the solar cells together.

Our four solar panels are almost done.
We need to paint the support frame, and put the plexiglass over the cells to protect them.
I will build a combiner box for wiring the panels in a forty eight volt configuration.
I will use this 48 volt array with my electric motorcycle Electra Green to sparks the minds of our young and old alike.

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This is my portable solar array support system.
I built this system to quickly set up and display my solar panels.

This sysem is not strong and is only used on clear days.

Up to four sixty watts solar panel can be displayed on this system..
I use two forty pound weights to hold the support unit to the ground.

Side view of the 41 degrees latitude solar array stand.
Omaha,Nebraska latitude is about 41 degrees

Our four solar panels in series have an output voltage of 77vdc.
If our panels put out 3.2 amps at 77 volts our power would be 246 watts

This is our solar display at Elmwood Park on Earth Day April 17th 2010.
Electra Green was displayed and we had a wind generator and a solar panel array.