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You are here: Home / Self Sufficiency / Energy & Power / 12 Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader

12 Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader

Reading Time: 3 minutes

February 18, 2025 By Joanna Medalla 24 Comments

Have you finally decided to build your home a DIY solar panel? These DIY solar panel tutorials might finally help you get on with this project!

DIY Solar Panel Ideas That Will Get You To Go Green

This summer’s extreme heat will definitely have you finally building a DIY Solar Panel. Well, you might as well put that sweltering heat to good use. Whether you completely power your home with solar energy or are just interested in using a few solar panels here and there, you can use these DIY solar panel tutorials to help you out. These solar panel tutorials are made with an array of materials and for a variety of purposes, ensuring that anyone can find the solar panel tutorial they’re looking for.

 

1. How To Make Solar Panels For Small Electronics

How To Make Solar Panels For Small Electronics | Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader
Image via Homesteading

A few bucks less from your electric bill is more than enough motivation for you to get building this DIY solar panel. Learn how to generate power by building a single panel or a complete array of panels to power your home and small electronics.

2. Apartment Solar System

Apartment Solar System | Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader
Image via Instructables

By and by, people are looking at ways to generate energy from a sustainable source like the sun and wind. A self-sufficient homesteader like you should be the first to go off grid and sustainable. Even your small space home or apartment could use solar energy.

3. How To Make A 35 Watt Solar Panel Out Of Broken Solar Cells

How To Make A 35 Watt Solar Panel Out Of Broken Solar Cells | Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader
Image via Instructables

Sometimes it’s inevitable to damage a few solar cells especially if it’s your first time to make a DIY solar cell panel. Don’t throw out the damaged ones, you can use them in making this 35-watt solar panel.

4. DIY Solar Panels That Follows The Sun

DIY Solar Panels That Follows The Sun | Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader
Image via Instructables

Making your own solar panel has never been this creative! Maximize your solar panel’s potential with this mechanism allowing the solar panel to receive as much energy as possible.

5. How To Build DIY Solar Panels Out Of Pop-Cans

How To Build DIY Solar Panels Out Of Pop-Cans | Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader
Image via Free On Plate

Save the earth twice over by making a DIY solar panel out of pop cans. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and use alternative energy!

6. Glass Frame DIY Solar Panel

Glass Frame DIY Solar Panel | Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader
Image via Instructables

Say goodbye to water damage by using a glass panel instead of the conventional wood frame. This type of frame seals the best.

7. Home-Built Solar Power System

Home-Built Solar Power System | Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader
Image via Instructables

Keep your electronics up and running no matter the weather and grid status with this simple home-built solar power system. No need for monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar cells (which always pose a challenge to solder), this unique setup uses tougher CIGS.

8. DIY Solar Panel

DIY Solar Panel | Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader
Image via Instructables

Get creative with your DIY solar panel by creating a solar panel out of broken re-used solar cell pieces.  Fashion it into a shape that fits easily in a small space home with this circular copper mesh design.

9. Folding 15 Watt Solar Panel

Folding 15 Watt Solar Panel | Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader
Image via Instructables

Charge your little gadgets with this super portable foldable solar panel. Solar panels have never been this compact before!

10. Homemade 63 Watt Solar Panel

Homemade 63 Watt Solar Panel | Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader
Image via Instructables

Get 63 watts of free energy that is good for camping or for small household items at a minimal cost. You can do that with this DIY solar panel tutorial using low-cost plywood as a frame.

11. Simple DIY Home Solar Power System

Simple DIY Home Solar Power System | Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader
Image via Eartheasy

Bring some of the benefits of electrical power to your off-grid home with this basic solar powered energy system. It’s very reliable and maintenance-free, and it is almost entirely hidden from view. This solar panel system provides enough energy to charge several small power tools, charge gadgets and, amazingly, power a full-size chest refrigerator.

12. Do-It-Yourself Solar Swimming Pool Heater

Do-It-Yourself Solar Swimming Pool Heater | Best DIY Solar Panel Tutorials For The Frugal Homesteader
Image via Instructables

Swim and relax in warm pool water all year round with the help of this Do-It-Yourself Solar Swimming Pool Heater. This solar panel is made out of common materials anyone can get, using ordinary tools most average homeowners have.

 

Follow this video for a step-by-step guide on how to make a small solar panel:

While solar energy is indeed a free and sustainable source of energy, putting it up and maintenance can be expensive. I hope the DIY solar tutorials have you a great idea on how to get away from those expenses. Now you can get free energy from the sun without breaking the bank with these DIY solar panel tutorials!

Did you find these DIY solar panel tutorials helpful in your own project? Let us know your thoughts about them in the comments below!

Want more energy alternative solutions? Check out this article on DIY wind turbine design ideas!

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This post was originally published in November 2014 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

Filed Under: Energy & Power, Solar Power

Comments

  1. John says

    February 29, 2016 at 1:00 AM

    Great article, Joanna. I certainly would advocate for professionally-installed solar panels, but there are some solid alternatives here. I especially love the solar swimming pool heater — now THAT”S creativity!

    Reply
  2. Campion Pry says

    July 3, 2017 at 4:12 PM

    Best tutorials plans and guides are on INPLIX webpage

    Reply
  3. Sam Roberts says

    March 11, 2021 at 8:28 AM

    I can’t help but marvel at the amount of energy you infused in delivering such a creative and resourceful content. However, I’m always gonna favour letting professionals do their thing, because only they know how best to do it. I understand that the need to save a few bucks can be compelling but then I strongly believe in letting people do what they are trained for since that means they can do it far much better. That said, I’ll definitely share these useful tips with any of my friends that may want to pull off DIY solar panel installations. Kudos for a great write up.

    Reply
  4. Kol says

    June 30, 2023 at 5:21 AM

    These diy are so cool. Making own solar panel is fun and it also opens your creative side and expand the knowledge and understanding of panels working.

    Reply

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