I've run out of things to keep me entertained recently and as part of a larger project, I was curious if its possible to 'McGuyver' up a solar panel out of common materials?
Building your own panels can be an interesting experiment, but if you are looking for solar panels to provide significant, consistent output, you should buy factory made ones. I get lots of calls from people who built their own panels and get a fraction of the advertised output from them. Plus, factory built panels will last 40 - 50 years, with a 25 year warranty, how sure are you that you can build something that can withstand the outdoors for that long? The price of panels has dropped a lot this year, plus with rebates and tax credits, it's getting more affordable.
