After taking a Spanish pause, commonly known as a ciesta, I have become reinvigorated about/with the DIY solar project that I started last year.
The project was interupted a couple times by other solar projects that actually paid very well. The cash was good but the stress from organizing,developing,and fabricating deadlines took a toll. Lets face it, soldering several thousand cells can become a mindnumbing task.
The last panel that I made for myself was over Christmas break. I had a lamination problem that left air bubbles in the panel. A mixture of poor climate control, poor vacuum pressure and perhaps a tiny bit of shoddy workmanship left me feeling that maybe it was time for a break.
Meanwhile Ive been concentrating on acquiring the balance of the system that I want to start with. Ive mounted my Xantrex 5548 SW Plus w/ACCB & DCCB that charges my beasty forklift battery. Ive also purchased an MPPT 60 amp charge controller, 120 ft. of 4/0 AWG cu cable, a gross of 4mm Multi Contact jboxes, a 1500 ft spool of 4mm MC PV cable, 3 Red Rock trackers, etc. I still need tracking equipment.
Ive been able to produce true 80 watt panels using 17.5% efficient monos w/3mm thick "green" tempered glass. I know the popular opinion is, "their aint no way", or maybe 3mm is too thin for a panel. All I can say is that I can show you better than I can tell you.
Many here have a soured opinion of DIY solar that stems from the "Evergreen Days".
I suspect that the quality of those cells were substandard. There wasnt a whole lot of solid fabricating info available either, just look through the archives.
There were however a few people that did sink a bunch of time, money, and hard work into developing durable and efficient panels. Some of those people are successful panel manufacturers today.
If you want to produce your own good panels, be prepared to spend a lot of time, money, and hard work developing your own process and technique. Just know that success is doubtful without lamination.
