Have a look at the top of them when they are warmest, and again when they're cool. I'm just curious as to how much flexing the front glass pane experiences. On my little markII prototype panel :) I used polycarbonate on the front, and aluminum on the back. The polycarbonate bows out quite a bit when it gets hot. I kept getting condensation inside, so I resorted to using about a half tube of Goop, combined with some GE brand Silicone II chaulk. They are both pretty flexible, and both claim to stick well to both metal and polycarbonate.
The panel is back home, I'm at college, so I've just e-mailed a request home to find out how my panel is doing.
The challenge with these homemade panels is considerable - they will need to experience changes in temperature which will go from shrinking everything, to expanding everything again. This will also bring immense changes in pressure within the sealed panel. It'll be trying to suck the seals in during winter, and blow them out in summer. Some day, probably after 2009 when I hope to graduate, :) I hope to buy a professional solar panel. Maybe then I can get an idea of how they go about sealing them up.
I hear what you're saying about pressure differences. We often have a daily temperature swing on the order of 40F. None of the other three have moisture in them yet but I sealed up where the wires go in with silicone after the first one failed. In this climate, it might be OK just to leave them vented.
Commecial panels have no air between the front and back. I got one for free that was shot with a bullet and the glass shattered but stayed glued to the cells and the backing piece. I don't know what the magic glue is but it seems rather flexible, like silicone.
Volvo Farmer
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