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Registered Member #96
Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:37PM
Location: CI, Earth
Posts: 4062
Anyone interested in a group buy? The shipping looks like it is the same, as its done on the basis of a flat rate box. Also the clamshells can likely be recycled.
Registered Member #162
Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3140
From my work so far I STRONGLY recommend buying ready made solar panels, the ones that I am making will cost around GBP1 per Watt (In order of cost .. encapsulation, cells, glass, aluminium "L" section for frame, tabbing wire......) AND a lot of time and effort. Mine may not even be as good as commercial units because I am using eBay solar cells (I found one with low output, in a series string the output current is determined by the weakest cell) and I do not have vacuum encapsulation facilities.
'Tabbing wire' is just flat copper strip pre-soldered/tinned, as is 'bus wire' The important part is the thinness as thick wire would complicate encapsulation, and thick wire may damage the cells when you run wires from the front of one cell to the back of the next. The silicon cells are only 0.2mm thick = fragile. I bought a 'flux pen' but I'm now using liquid flux as it works better BUT I had to wash the cells to remove excess flux.
Registered Member #1403
Joined: Tue Mar 18 2008, 06:05PM
Location: Denmark, Odense C
Posts: 1968
I can only concur to what Sulaiman writes.
Building your own panels from scratch should only be done because you got all materials besides the solar cells for free, and you have lots of free time to solder some fragile pieaces together.
I only made one panel from a cheap scrap broken solar cell ebay auction, was mostly just a test to see what could be built at what price. I ended up with a 14.4V at 9W panel.
Registered Member #96
Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 05:37PM
Location: CI, Earth
Posts: 4062
Another idea, add solar cells to my e-bike as no commercial panel exists with the exact dimensions needed. The thin cells are ideal for frame mounting, with optical epoxy or casting resin in a wax frame to hold it in place while it cures.
Registered Member #3414
Joined: Sun Nov 14 2010, 05:05PM
Location: UK
Posts: 4245
Conundrum wrote ...
Another idea, add solar cells to my e-bike as no commercial panel exists with the exact dimensions needed. The thin cells are ideal for frame mounting, with optical epoxy or casting resin in a wax frame to hold it in place while it cures.
Solid wheels might help here, but would only be much use when travelling North-South at sunrise or sunset
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Found some solar cells
