How To Build A Solar Panel - Part 5

[NewnotesJR]

In a previous video, it looked like you put the tabbing wires on the back of the first one and then onto the front of the next one. Is that a better way vs putting them on the front of the first one and then to the back of the next one and on down? Or does it have to be from back to front rather than front to back?

[NewnotesJR]

Does the silicon ever wear out over time, meaning would I need to open the panel back up eventually and re-glue the solar cells to the wood?

[thesubscriberizerfie]

A lot of work, effort and patience were put in these videos. Great Job.

I only have 1 inconvenient. I don<t seem do be finding the eBay link to the solar cells.

I am very anxious to start this project.

Thanks

Subscriberizerfie

[diareefee]

Hey, very good videos

I've learned a lot of it but wich solarcels did you use? and where have you bought them?

[ThePhoenicks7]

You keep calling it silcon... it's silicone... I say, it's your video, you can call it cotton candy if you want. These videos are an excellent DIY solar project... and considering that you are obviously an amatuer (as you implied in your first video), my hat's off to you, I can't wait to try building a few of these myself.

[Gerryby310]

hey robert how do you hold the peg board down to the board

[RobertSmith3]

@Gerryby310 Screws. Drilled them through some of the holes in the pegboard.

[chamscos]

Hi Robert

can u pls help me with how u connected the tabbing wire to get positive and negative connections. I'll b glad if u can make a little drawning & email it to me

On how u got positive & negative using the tabbing wire.

Thanks

God bless u 4 ur videos

[SolarXpert]

Huge sale! 4 days only. DIY solar panel kit $99. PV frames $39. Make your own solar panels and find all your diy solar products at solar-deals(.)com.

[MrDeeppressure]

Thank you Robert :).

[MrDeeppressure]

No worry's Robert you will meet intelligent people. Worthy of the Galactic Federation you are.

[DemCrookBooyz]

You lack tools and carpentry skills bra, LOL Just sayin... But definitiley GREAT INFO I'm making one soon... so 2 solar cells = 1volt so by calcualting 130volts i need 260 cells?

[ThePhoenicks7]

@DemCrookBooyz --- I would NOT try and get 130volts / 260 cells connected like you're thinking. You need to remember, solar pv is DC voltage. Get your voltage up to 12v by connecting your panels in series like he shows, then connect 12 volt sets in parallel to increase your amperage. Connect the final result to an inverter (at any auto parts store) to convert the output to AC voltage which will come out at 110/120v AC at whatever amperage is available.

[ThePhoenicks7]

@DemCrookBooyz The inverter you buy at the auto parts store are usually labels as 7500w. P (watts) = I (amps) x E (volts). A typical inverter, like what I use on my service truck to charge drill batteries is 1500w.... which is about 12 amps at 120v AC.

Check the package, and it should tell you what the DC amp draw is, and that's what your going to try and match up to your Solar output at 12v. (Some "Diesel" inverters are 24v DC)

[bloodawn5]

What is the frequence of this Solar Panel? How many Hertz delivers?

[Maccan]

I am now building DIY panels without any wood.

[Tommo020788]

aaah! That was driving me crazy after u finished soldering the tabbing wire to the bust wire, and you were "testing" the connections by bending the wires backwards and forwards... I keep thinking "ooh crap he's gonna snap that tabbing wire by bending it back and forth that much..."

[joerond]

Armadillo Liners has resin or silicone base products, like for way way better price than Sylgard 184. BTW great info and details.

[typeXJuggernaut]

Silicone not silicon and you never real want to move them around like that its to easy to mess up the soldering and your gun is to cold

But 5 stars for sharing

[cavalier171]

Mr Robert How can you do all these holes in Pegboard and wich tools can do such these holes?please help

[soulshinobi]

Also, regularly tinning the soldering iron tip (putting solder on the tip then wiping it on a damp sponge) will clean oxides off it making it more conductive just because making a soldering joint. Heat accelerates oxidation, and the flux in flux core solder breaks it up so it can be wiped off, giving you a like new tip. I have a $18 Weller 40 Watt iron that I got at Home Depot, I used to have a Weller 25W model; I wouldn't get less than 40. Radio Shack's irons tend to be very poor quality.

[soulshinobi]

When soldering, you should heat the wires and melt the solder directly to the wires, avoiding touching the solder to the soldering iron tip. If you don't the wires may not be hot enough to properly 'accept' the solder and you get a cold solder joint--a joint that looks okay but is not very well connected. A cold joint can provide electrical resistance (bad) and possibly break.

[theblackguy6haaa]

nice videos man!!very entertaining and,good editing i also like how informal the actual process is,with a laid back appearance.thanks!

[rh001YT]

Robert: In addition to a good iron, get a gold curly-q tip wiping 'sponge" - looks like a coily copper pot scrubber but is gold colored and made for soldering. Hakko makes a good one, but a good cheapie can be found at Jameco daught com

[zliminator]

I call it silicone. You call it silicon. Isn't that what they use to augment breasts? LOL. Seriously, these are excellent videos. Thanks for the great work.

[RobertSmith3]

@zliminator lol not sure about the breasts part, but you may be right tho..

[NewnotesJR]

@RobertSmith3

It's probably the same material mixed differently. For example, the silicon that augments breasts probably doesn't harden the same way and remains fluid. I've often found that when something is given the same name, it's often the same material being used differently, concentrated differently, or mixed differently.

For example, iron that's found in cereal is the same iron found in nails, and the same found in dirt. Use a magnet, you can prove it to yourself.

[Maccan]

what is the purpose of the pegboard. why is it necessary?

[mikeymike77123]

It finally loaded for me nvm.

[mikeymike77123]

This video wont load for me. Is it working for anyone else?

[JMF2479]

it's siliCONE. silicon is different, i think it's a metal.

[mozilla700]

nice choice of music.

[birdwing98]

Great Video! I recommend you fold the small tab wire around the bus tab, and also avoid touching or moving the solder joint until it has cooled for 20 seconds. You could use a popsicle stick, or chopstick to hold the pieces together while soldering.

[fawks0512]

Thank you for posting this video. Its awsome. Why don't you make a serial connection between solar cell busses ? so you can get the maximum voltage output.

[gcdrummer02]

that second solder joint doesn't look good. You should try and hold down the soldering gun a bit longer to make sue both components are hot enough.

[YeeYIpWai]

in part 4, u put in the wire to the hole right? so where is this wire connected to?

[joe18370]

so you are sodering - to + and on bottom + to - is this correct

[RobertSmith3]

Right so both wires on top (-) of the solar cell go the bottom (+) of the next solar cell.

Both wires on the bottom (+) of the next solar cell are placed on the top (-) of the next solar cell.

[YeeYIpWai]

@RobertSmith3 im sory, i dont quite understand what u said. u mean on d left tab wire is soldering from -(front) to +(back), and the right hand side tab wire is soldering from +(back) to -(front)?

or at the 1st cell, soldering it from - (front) to 2nd's cell backside(+), then continue the 2nd cell is from + (back) to next cell's front (-). which 1 is correct?

[RobertSmith3]

@YeeYIpWai

The top of the solar cell is "always" positive (+).

The bottom of the solar cell is "always" negative (-).

I suggest going back a few videos and seeing how I soldered the tabbing wire and connected the solar cells together. It's very straight forward.

Series Connection: + - + - + - + -......

So if the top is negative (-), you would take the tabbing wire on the top of the solar cell and solder it to the "bottom (+)" of the next solar cell.

[joe18370]

great job and thanks ,if you file the tip of your solder iron with a file ,you will get more heat at the tip,and get the job done faster,i have the same iron tip you have ,it gets corroded and needs to be filed

[rayofminneapolis]

I have that one too. If you're outside, you can just grind it on a cement sidewalk of the like. Gets it clean and hot.

[jamesdor55]

Good going with the peg board homie

[Martintfre]

I really like the peg board as a means of easing spacing and keeping it together with the tile spacers.

[rhblakeman]

Also be careful what type silicone you use, if it smells like vinegar it has acetic acid in it - will corrode metals like your bus line. Instead bond the bus with double stick adhesive tape (not the spongy stuff, the stuff that has a paper backing and leaves only a thin adhesive strip)

[atmosink]

you should not use silicon at all cause silicon is not very good with uv. UV brakes down silicon you will find id recommend a potting epoxy rated for uv this way you do not have to worry about the silicon letting go and having to repair

[rhblakeman]

Clean the tip on that iron and wipe it occasionally on a damp sponge to clean it and you'll get better results. Use sandpaper, steel wool, etc till that black oxidation and burned flux are gone.

[eric8eric888]

great vid! sooo useful, im gonna be following you when i actually do start this project

[tupac93013]

i have no idea im still looking for the cells on ebay and i cant find a low volt dm 1.5 hp motor and i also need a dc pump. lol

so its a hard project.

[tupac93013]

great video. im learning alot from them. thank you rob

[kroach69]

great job! can't wait for video 6. I'm not electrical enclined. I'm wondering how the finial bus wiring is done. thanks for the close ups on the bus connections I noticed tab wiring. kroach from Alaska!