Solar Panels In Satellite Tv Dish

For the proper functioning of a dish TV connection, a satellite dish is required. The dish is designed with a parabolic curve to its surface, so that it can reflect energy back to a focal point. This enables to increases the signal strength. This same method can practically be used to reflect solar power back to a solar panel and generate more current with the equal number of solar cells. Scientifically speaking, if one uses a satellite dish of nine feet diameter or one with an area of 6362 square inches with an 81 square inch or 9” X 9” solar panel, then it yields us a concentration factor of 77.5 times the energy.

To store the increased and heightened amount of energy one needs photovoltaic cells. But such cells require both thermal control and heavy duty conductors to reduce the panel temperature and the power losses. Solar cells are only 15% efficient. So there need to control a lot of heat. It can be clearly calculated that if a cell produces 0.5 amps nominally, then at 77.5 times, they will generate close to 40 amps per cell. So if such a cell is attached to a battery of 14 volt, it will generate 560 Watt current. This amount of current can be well used by connection it to either a heat sink or a water cooled radiator at the back of the panel.

There are quite a few ways on how to make photovoltaic panels by soldering heavy duty conductors on to the cells, then connecting them together into a string of either 27 or 28 cells to generate a voltage of 13.5 to 15.4 volts DC. It is expected that the cost of this Solar Power Concentrator should be much less than a conventional solar collector to generate the equivalent amount of electricity. You could start with an old dish of a satellite TV with the above mentioned specifications. It needs to be modified to reflect the sun’s power back to the focal point. You may use a controller that allows the dish to track the sun from morning to night. The solar panel will always be directed to receive maximum power from the sun.

This innovative engineering can be of great help. In a world of rapidly vanishing fuel and energy sources, one could be intelligent enough to use solar energy. It is exciting to learn that even the left over of a dish network can work towards the conservation of energy. Where all the scientists are touting that in the next two decades, petrol will be difficult to get and will become priceless, there such an innovative genius can be admired and accepted with open arms. It is time that we start using our regular kits to start finding out ways that will make our lives worth living in the years to come. So if dish TV and its equipment can come of use to create energy and store it, there is reason to rejoice.