First DIY solar PV attempt

[Turfdr]

I got these 5"x5" 2.5 watt cells for about $1 each and strung 35 together.I found a storm
door glass in the garage that didn't fit any of my doors so I don't were it came from.

I used 3M 2 sided tape around the frame and stuck a piece of Mono-Kote film to it.This stuff

is used on R/C airplanes to cover wings and fuse,very tough stuff.I put a ball inflater

needle in between the tape and the film and using a A/C compressor vacuumed the air out and

heated with heat gun to activate the adhesive on the film thinking it might stick to the

glass in between the cells.when I pulled the needle and sealed it air snuck in threw the

tabbing wires.So I applied more heat and just shrunk it tight.There is a fine line between

shrinking and burning, had to patch this hole.


The frame is made of aluminum channel and the backing is aluminum sheet I will be sealing it

all with windshield glue if I can find it.


But until I find some I couldn't help but set it outside!

At 10AM OC was about 19.5v and SC 4 amps.
At 10:30 it's putting out 68 watts with some HF panels,these put out around 16 or so watts at this time so I figure around 50 watts.

When I get it all together I'll do more testing with just the one.
Any way I'm very pleased with it and pretty confident it will seal up nicely with windshield glue and I'm guesstimating around $70-$75 depending on the cost of glue.

I'll post more when it's done.

[ghurd]

Looks good.

What do you mean by "windshield glue"?
I used some Permatex 'windshield glue' to seal up a windshield (go figure), and it is just watered down silicone in a small toothpaste tube.  VERY runny stuff.  It certainly gets down in the nooks and crannies.  I don't believe it cost much more than regular silicone in that type of package.
I think it would be difficult to keep it where you want it for your application.

G-

[Volvo farmer]

Sort of a poor-mans laminator. Nice job!  If you can melt the stuff with a heat gun, I wonder how it will hold up in the mid day heat with all your solar cells shorted out by a charge controller. Keep us posted on how this thing holds up. It's the first amateur laminated panel I have ever seen displayed here.

P.S. Before they used Monokote on RC aircraft, they used it on control line and free flight airplanes 

[Turfdr]

Looks good.

What do you mean by "windshield glue"?
I used some Permatex 'windshield glue' to seal up a windshield (go figure), and it is just watered down silicone in a small toothpaste tube.  VERY runny stuff.  It certainly gets down in the nooks and crannies.  I don't believe it cost much more than regular silicone in that type of package.
I think it would be difficult to keep it where you want it for your application.

G-

Ghurd,

I'm thinking about the stuff the glass guys use?
I planed on using silicone at first than I thought what gets more abuse more than a windshield,extream/sudden temp changes,shock,high winds,ice,rain and so on.I found this stuff in town today at a body shop supply store, it was a little pricey but at this point I'd better not skimp on something I want to last.

Here is the frame with mounting brackets and "glass pads".And 1 power terminal.
I stuck the glue in there too.3m windo-weld (3M makes good sticky stuff!!), 10.5 oz for $15

[Turfdr]

Volvo farmer.
it's not really laminated as I though it would be the film didn't stick to the glass, maybe if I'd left more space in between the cells?
I think I was inspired by you're post a while ago ,did you ever find the the source of you're leak? these are the specs I found on Monokote

Temperature Ranges:
            Attaching to Wood:  215 - 240°F (activating the glue)
            Partial Shrinkage:  230 - 270°F
            Maximum Shrinkage:  270 - 350°F
                                         
I don't know the temp in a panel?
I was never any good with Monokote anyway!!

[Volvo farmer]

Turfdr,

I doubt that a solar panel even gets to that 215 temp, so I reckon the stuff will survive.

Nah, I never found my leak. They dry out a day or two after the rain stops. I have heard several times in here that moisture will ruin these panels, but I have not experienced any ruination of mine yet.

Are you old school enough to prefer tissue paper and dope over Monokote? 

[ruddycrazy]

I've got a few 20 year old BP 60 watt pv panels out back of my shed with moisture damage and I really should take some pic's and show what water can do to a pv panel over long term. I'm betting the water got in from the connection point after the sealing goo had failed after so many years. Still got 5 out of the 8 panels that were on the farm when we bought the place and 4 of them are still kickin current into my shed bank.

Cheers Bryan

[Turfdr]

Here's the finished panel,I applied glue to the glass and set it in the frame.Then a bead

around the back edge of glass then a bead around the front and when it cured I trimmed the

front with a razor blade at an angle to make a beveled seal.I glued and riveted the back and

used aluminum tape for extra seal.It's been out for a about 2 weeks now and no moisture yet

that I can see.



My next project(s) are these storm windows that are about 24"x24" inside the frame.I got 9

of these for free from Craigslist.I'll be using the same method but using the frames as they

are and using white Monokote.They should make some lite, thin 45 watt'rs.


I calculated I can fit 36 cells if I could cut these 5x5s so I rigged this Dremel tool

holder to a CNC hot wire foam cutter I made years back.I made a quick vacuum box to hold the

cell down and using water it cut pretty good.


After I get evey thing secured down and dialed

in I will drill more holes in the foam box so it will cut 2 cells with one pass.Anyway I

will post the results.

[Bruce S]

The first one is looking good! Do you have any sunlight data?
To be honest the cut of those 5x5's is the first time I've seen someone post them being cut.
If you have any of those 5x5's try this just for grins. Take 1 out measure Open circuit voltage, grab one already cut do the same. Measure short circuit current on both and see what if any difference there is.

Thanks
Bruce S

[Turfdr]

Good point, I just assumed cutting in half would half the wattage.those 3x6 are 1.8 watts and 6x6 are 4 so you would think cutting the 6x6 would give you 2 watts each.I will try that once I solder the tabs.that panel peaked at about 60 watts into a battery.I think heat is killing the output at noon the glass was 52c air temp was 66f.

[dnix71]

That's nice looking work. How much flexing do you get when handling the panel? That's what worries me when moving my larger panels. The solder ribbons won't stretch much. Even tempered glass flexs a bit. The stiffer the frame, the better.