Business with homemade panels...

[amiklic1]

I just started a business with a friend of mine. We are producing photovoltaic panels, all by hand made. We are building a serie of Teak-framed (alu+teak wood), and a serie of alu frame. Here are the pics.

This one shows my first panel on the roof of my mountain cabin . It's snowy here these days.

I am just waiting to add two more panels. One is made with good cells, and another is made of broken cells that come from our production, shipping loss etc. Just the cells cracked in two parts are used. No pic of that one. This one's waiting for snow to go.

This is our Nautic Show paper. We got two of our products on it, and people are asking for tham.

Front side:

and back side:





Some more details (from the paper):

ALSO, WE ARE IN NEED OF GOOD PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS.We buy ours from plastecs.com, and are talking to cusdn (from e-bay) for waxed ones. Any more info about where to buy the cells??

[amiklic1]

HYPEOL is a name of the company we started. From Hyperion = god of sun, and Eol = god of wind. My idea few years old. Now, it come true. We started the business based on marine-grade panels because there is no such product in the world (at leas we don't know for one), and many owners of valuable boats are not willing to put some ugly-framed panel on their pet. So, now they got an option.

Also, see www.hypeol.com

[craig110]

A google search for "solar cell manufacturers" will turn up a lot of good pointers if you are talking about buying in bulk.  The pointer from globalsources.com, for example, lists around 4 Chinese manufacturers you can import cells from.

Good luck on your company!

Craig

[tce]

They look great. I had the same idea about a year ago, but gave up when I realized that  "commercial grade" panels required specialty equipment, specifically to cover the cells so that they provide the 15+ year life. I need low end panels, in the 6v 200ma range , for my Developing world business. If that interest you, let me know. The price for these from China, in bulk of 500, is in the 4-6 dollars each.....

tony

[laving]

Nice Job, i come from the developing world and would surely like for cheaper options currently i buy from ICP UK and Unisolar USA, i cant come to trust the chineese ones as they seem to overrate their panels, keep it up i can promise you a market in Africa.

[coldspot]

Good luck with new business!!!



Very pro looking panels!

[W4ABN]

I just got some cells from siliconsolar.com They only had 5"x5" cells when I ordered so didn't order very many. nice looking cells too.

[amiklic1]

Yes. I know for that option. But, if I order just 36 cells to Croatia, they charge me 20 US$ (!!!) for shipping!.

[amiklic1]

Hey, I mean 250 US$ for 36 panels to Croatia!!! Sorry

too much even for some richer guy.

[billr1]

Nice looking panels.  I'm not interested in getting into panel manufacturing, but would like to build a couple dozen panels capable of surviving extreme weather- high heat, salt water environment, 2 - 3 typhoons a year.  What kind of glass do use, and where do you get it?    What do you use for backing, and do you laminate your cells onto it?

I just placed a 'trial' order with  Plastec.  Are you happy with their service?  What percentage of your cells arrive broken/unuseable?  Where do you get your tabbing and junction boxes?

Sorry so many questions. I live in a remote corner of the Western Pacific with limited hardware and glass resources.  The answers may be on your website, but I only read english.  Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

[amiklic1]

Hello!

What kind of glass do use, and where do you get it?  

-I'm using tempered glass, 4mm thick, ordinary window type, not low-iron. I just couldn't find one. It costs me around 25 US$ per square meter

 What do you use for backing, and do you laminate your cells onto it?

-My cells are glued with SIKA TACKDrive silicone to the back glass, and than I glue some kind of plastic sheet (self-adhesive, for stickers building) to the back side. No laminations at all.

Are you happy with their service?  What percentage of your cells arrive broken/unuseable?  Where do you get your tabbing and junction boxes?

- I'm very satisfied with Plastecs. They are the best option I could find for now. It's strange how just a few cells came broken (to Croatia<!) It's about 95 to 97% healthy cells. Very good indeed.

I'm sure that if I could find all the resources in Croatia, it should be even easier in USA. For the frame, I use ordinary U-alu profile, 20x20x2mm. Just be sure that the glass is entering some 10mm into the frame, and use the rest 8mm to place the screws for the mounting.

Between the glasses I use aluminium spacing used in windows building to keep the silica gel inside (also from the windows), to prevent condensation. So fr, no condensation at all.

Happy to help!