Making a solar panel?

[zmoz]

I'm thinking of buying some of these solar cells:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=3240&item=5917782726&rd=1&ssP



ageName=WDVW

How do you guys recommend I make them into a panel? Should I just glue them to a peice of plywood or something? Should I cover them with glass/plastic? I plan on using this panel to take with me camping, so it needs to be pretty durable.

Also, if I get a pound of cells, that's about 50 cells. Since I only need 36 to make a 12v panel, is there any way to add them to my 12v panel to increase the output? (assuming I even get 36 good ones after the post office is done with them)

[DanB]

Interesting auction... that's one of the better such deals I've seen!  Almost makes building your own panels tempting..

[bill541]

For camping use, you could make a two piece sandwich affair with a piano type hinge on one side. When it is folded closed, it protects the cells on the inside during transit. When opened up, it would make its own stand angled towards the sun.

Look around for a material that is not likely to warp too much and you could use clear RTV silicone to hold the cells to the backing and the RTV can also cover your inter connects.

You may not need a glass cover over the cells if it is not going to be outside all of the time. Maybe they already have some glazing over the cells and additional weather proofing may not be required.

Sounds like a fun project. -Bill-

[nwcpro]

I purchased 10 pounds of these cells, and while they are very nice, they are VERY fragile!  I probably broke 10% of them during assembly.  Have a tube of super glue handy!  I still haven't figurd out how to cover them, though, since I'm planning on mounting them to the top of my Motorhome.

[ghurd]

The factories use "Low Lead Glass". Regular glass has lead in it. A lot of the power the cells makes comes from frequencys we can't see, and the lead stops much of this potential power from getting to the cells.

Where do you get it?  I have no idea!

I also thought about getting them for a long time. I kind of figured on front of cell to low lead glass with a tiny dab of silicone, then 1/4 or 5/16" marine plywood or plexiglass with a good layer of silicone, carefully placed on the back.

Will it work?  I have no idea!

If I get time and money, that's what I'm going to try.

If you go up to say 40 cells you could improve low light output, a little.  Otherwise, you have to step up to 2 strings of 36.

If all goes well, you'll have a 50w 'rated' panel, output about 38w.

[Ungrounded Lightning Rod]

Saw something similar being used by a camper a few years back.

About the size of a briefcase.  Contained a panel and wooden

box to protect it.  When opened up the panel could be set at

various angles.  Track the sun manually by moving it every

couple hours for extra juice.  Cute.

(Don't recall whether it had a jell-cell and in inverter, just

a jell-cell, charge controller, and chgarette ligher outlet,

cable clamps for charging a car battery, or what...)

[veewee77]

I got 2 pound of these and ended up with 54 pieces that were usable.  The rest were a jigsaw puzzle.  Seems like they were handled harshly in transit.

That was nearly 1/2 lost to broken cells.  Trhe fragments can be used but in smaller projects or experimenting.

There Are VERY FRAGILE!!!!!  I am still trying to get up the nerve to stary assembling my panel with mine.

DS