solar glass

[wundre]

I have come into possession of 7 "solar panels." These are just plates of glass that are etched with lines on the back. They have no leads, no frames, etc., basically just a piece of glass. I cannot find any info on these things. I was told that they are 50 watt 12 volt panels but I am baffled as to how to utilize them. Please help.

[TomW]

wundre;

I have a couple of these things.

You tap off the voltage with some little clips that slip over the glass. Mine came with the clips. I think you could substitute alligator clips or something similar.

If you look close there should be some area along one edge where these clips make contact with the "printed" part. The ones I have they are on opposite sides and opposite corners and the side they are on is the side parallel to the long "printed" part. If you look at them from the glass side the strips of printed cells run up and down and one clip is lower right and one is upper left.

Check with a voltmeter in sunlight to see where you get the highest voltage.

Hope that helps.

Cheers.

TomW

[bob golding]

if these are amorphous silicon panels, which they sound like, i have had good results using silver loaded epoxy to fix the leads to. clips will work but i found the epoxy  makes a stonger connection. i have also used stips of copper flashing as well.

bob golding

[wooferhound]

I have a 12 watt system that uses a single panel of the type that you describe.

Here's the story . . .

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2004/6/10/20567/9536

I had a hard time figuring out how to connect to the metal mylar type backing on my solar panel. I ended up using the edge connectors off of an old computer motherboard. Those long connectors that the cards plug into. I took a blowtorch to the back of an old motherboard and unsoldered 6 connectors. Then cut the ends of the connectors off with a hacksaw which allowed it to open up enough to slide onto the edge of the glass solar panel.

I clipped three connectors to the positive side and the other three onto the negative side of the solar panel. it's been working for 10 years. I currently have my panel disassembled for cleaning and changing to better glass. Expect a story about that soon.

[jimjjnn]

Woof, If you have some of the earlier connectors that were produced for computers, you were smart in modifying and using them since they were gold plated contacts that don't build up oxides on them. Later connectors were of sintered material and tho they had higher pressure contacts, a lot of them would rust or have a buildup of silver oxide.

Good thinking and use of what is on hand

[Aelric]

looks like an ISA slot or maybe even a VISA hehehehe great idea though, how many of those celss did you set up that way?  BTW that is a neat setup send more pictures hehehehe.