Solar Power

System Design

How to use solar panels

to supplement your

home or workshop

electricity needs.

By Parker Jardine

In the first part of my solar power Primer,

I showed how to make inexpensive photovoltaic (PV) panels (see MAKE, Volume 12, page 158, “20-Watt Solar Panel”).

Here, I’ll explain how I incorporated them into a complete solar PV power system. While this article provides installation tips and general how-to information, it’s not a step-by-step guide to building the complete system. Rather, it’s an introduction to a complex project that could easily fill a book. »

Photography by Gunnar Conrad

WARNING: I’m not a certified solar PV installer or certified electrician, _{nor do I know every detail pertaining to electrical codes. If you decide} to make your own PV system, take the proper safety precautions and adhere to the electrical codes for your area. Failure to do so could result in serious injury or death by electrocution.

Make: 161