Distributed, or decentralised energy systems can be built with Open Source Renewable Energy Hardware. Within the Hamburg Open Online University project Collective Open Source Hardware, short cos( h ), step-by-step instructions were created to build your own open source solar system. The tutorial is based on Libre Solar components and offers a modular system that can be set up, depending on power and storage capacity requirements. Basic understanding of electrical engineering and programming is required for a successful construction.

Manufacturing of a Solar Charge Controller

A charge controller feeds electrical power from solar panels (or wind turbines or bicycle generators) in the battery storage system. If electricity should be stored in batteries, a charge controller is always required, as it prevents the battery from overloading or overcurrent. Cos( h ) created a manual that shows how to manufacture a MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker) charge controller. It is a PCB (printed circuit board) for running an electrical solar power system.

Click here to open the cos( h ) tutorial and build your own MPPT.

Photos from the MPPT manufacturing:

Assembly of a Solarbox

This tutorial shows you how to connect the previously constructed charge controller with solar panels, batteries and loads directly. However, a solarbox can be created individually.

Another cos( h ) tutorial shows how to assemble a solarbox, which is a small scale mobile energy system (consisting of batteries, electric components like a charge controller and connectors for connecting power generation units like solarpanels).

Click here to open the cos( h ) tutorial and assemble your own small scale solar system.