We also have a "handout" style page PDF version of this DIY Solar panel we made. It's got bigger pictures and better instructions on building your own solar panel. Please contact us here and we'll send you a free copy. Please also see this fantastic quide on how to make a DIY solar power panel.

We've also a great selection of ready made DIY Solar panel kits to get you started.

Learn how to design you own DIY solar power or lighting kit

Wooden frame/box for the DIY solar panel

The wooden box we made to hose the heat exchanger and piping before painting/treating it with wood preserve

Painting the box

It's important to protect the box well because it's got to last a long time so make sure you really slap on may coats of paint!

Securing and painting the centre supports

Here you can see the centre supports that help hold the weight of the Aluminium sheet

Securing and painting the Corner supports

Secure small triangles of wood into each corner to support the corners of the aluminium plate.

Fitting the insulation

30mm Rockwool type insulation was placed behind the aluminium plate to insulate it. This makes sure we don't loose too much heat out the back of our DIY Solar panel.

Absorber plate

Here we are checking the aluminium absorber plate for our DIY panel fits with 4mm gap for heat expansion

Lining the inside of the solar panel box with tin foil

The aluinium foil sits on top of the insulation and reflects heat back to the aluminium absorber plate which sits on top of the foil.

Scratching the aluminium absorber

We scratched the aluminium absorber plate with a wire brush so the paint ad-hears better to it

Marking and drilling

Holes were drilled into the panel's absorber plate to fix the copper heat exchanger. This heat exchanger transfers the solar energy/heat to the water that flows through it.

Heat Exchanger Components

Laying out and checking the copper snake parts ready for cleaning and soldering. You can also make this part by bending malleable copper pipe. Use a small tin to help form the corners.

More Heat Exchanger Components

All the corners and short pipe sections. Either methods make good heat exchangers for our DIY Solar panel.

DIY Solar power or lighting kit design

Learn how to design a solar panel power or solar panel lighting kit with our step by step guide. Like to know how big your batteries should be? Which charge controller should you use? How do you calculate solar panel size and power? Find the answers on these pages. 

Cleaning the snake bits

Make sure you clean the pipe ends thoroughly with wire wool and use flux when soldering the joints. The cleaner they are the better the joint will be and less likely it is to fail

All soldered up

Our finished heat exchanger after all the soldering. Now ready for a clean with a wire brush and pressure testing.

Seal one end ready for testing the solar panel

Just to makes sure it's water tight under pressure especially before fitting the glass and painting it

Testing the snake

Attach mains water pressure and test for leaks for a couple of hours. Give it a bit of a bash and bend occasionally to stress it. If there are any weak joints it's better to find them now than later.

Fitting the glazing strips to our DIY solar panel

Fitting the glazing strips around the inside of the wooden box to support the glass or perspex sheet.

Fitting the snake in the box

Cutting the sealed end so it will fit through the hole in the box

Securing the snake to the plate with the brackets

Securing the snake to the plate with the brackets

Pipe clips

After all the brackets/pipe clips have been put in place

Glazing

Testing the fit of the glass before painting the absorber plate

Painting

Painted with mat black metal paint before the glass was fitted

The finished DIY solar panel

We've a great selection of all the bits you'll need after you've constructed your panel. Have a look at the solar hot water accessories pages here.

A "handout" style page PDF version of this project is available with bigger pictures. Please contact us here and we'll send you a free copy.