# First Solar Panel Finished



## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

I finished my first solar panel. It has 36 solar cells that I got on eBay for $100. It makes 63 watts of power at 18 volts (15 volts in the shade).










I more or less followed this guy's recipe, although I'll be making some improvements on my next panel.

http://www.mdpub.com/SolarPanel/index.html

I may photo-document my next panel for a similar web page.

I arranged my solar cells so the panel wasn't as tall and thin as his was. I did that because the plexiglas was a lot cheaper that way. It came out to be about 30 x 20 inches (overall dimensions).

I also purchased untabbed PV cells, since they are $50 less (~$1.50/watt for untabbed, ~$2.00/watt for tabbed). I got 90 feet of tabbing ribbon from eBay for about $15, but I doubt that I used half of it.

There's a lot of soldering involved. It takes me about 3 hours to solder the tabbing for all 36 cells, but you'll need to devote an entire day to the project. It does take some time to fabricate the weather-tight enclosure.


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## danoon (Dec 20, 2006)

Nice job. I'd enjoy seeing the process of the ribbon connecting and the lead box and all. 
Sure would bring the price down from what I've been paying for panels and I'd probably have fun putting it together... though I suspect the soldering gets old after a few.

Good work.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

danoon said:


> Nice job. I'd enjoy seeing the process of the ribbon connecting and the lead box and all.
> Sure would bring the price down from what I've been paying for panels and I'd probably have fun putting it together... though I suspect the soldering gets old after a few.
> 
> Good work.


The soldering isn't that big of a deal, it's the weathertight enclosure that's critical.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Thanks, I learned a lot about the process. I really like this idea which allows control of the shape and size of the panel to fit where one wants. 

Will you use a static mounting or work up a tracking system?


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

Windy in Kansas said:


> Thanks, I learned a lot about the process. I really like this idea which allows control of the shape and size of the panel to fit where one wants.
> 
> Will you use a static mounting or work up a tracking system?


I think the static mount will do me fine.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Great stuff!! Thanks for the photos and it's great to read of someone getting their hands dirty doing the finer assembly work too. Inspirational no less!!


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

So what was your final cost on creating this panel then would you say Nevada?


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

seedspreader said:


> So what was your final cost on creating this panel then would you say Nevada?


That's a good question. I didn't exactly keep track, since a lot of the stuff I bought will be used in the future. I had to buy a soldering pencil, solder, a multimeter (VOM), 90 feet of tabbing ribbon (I only used about 1/4th of it), 10 feet of bus ribbon (I used maybe 1/5th of it), two spools of wire, pack of 10 diodes, etc. I count most of that stuff as infrastructure needed to fabricate future panels.

I suspect I spent around $30 to $40 on the enclosure and wire. I believe it was under $150 total for that panel, including solar cells.


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Fine job Nevada.

How about a used double pane sliding glass door for an enclosure.Thats pretty strong glass,nice frame,waterproof, and runs where Im at about 25-40 per door.

Nice to see,I like that idea a lot. Thanks for sharing.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Low iron glass is quite expensive so any alternatives should be considered. However if you are speaking of sliding glass patio doors you could probably do better with something else for this reason: Most are of a glass to keep carpet fade down which may lessen the light transmittance to the photovoltaic panel.

The door glass should be strong enough to withstand the proper degree lean but when I see folk using them flat for cold frames etc. I wince at the thought of possible breakage. Large panels of glass are meant to stand upright so the shear weight of the glass itself doesn't break it. That is why glass is shipped upright.


Low iron glass is quite expensive so any alternatives should be considered.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

mightybooboo said:


> How about a used double pane sliding glass door for an enclosure.Thats pretty strong glass,nice frame,waterproof, and runs where Im at about 25-40 per door.


I think the enclosure materials were around $25, the rest of the expense for assembly was mainly in tabbing ribbon & solder. If you build the enclosure yourself you have the advantage of making it exactly the right size for the solar cells.


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## deaconjim (Oct 31, 2005)

Nice job! Thanks for sharing.


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## crafty2002 (Aug 23, 2006)

You did a great job there Mike. it makes me want to get my hands into it since I don't have a creek big enough to do anything with, Dang it. LOL. 
You said somewhere between the solar panel and the wind mill you had a hard time finding websites to lead you along. What sites did you find that did guide you to your dicissions on how to build these juice makers???? 
Thanks for the lessons on it.
Dennis


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

I went to ebay and sure didnt see any bargains on cells.People are asking insane prices for them right now.

Have panel costs skyrocketed? My friend just got his last summer at 4 dollars/watt,170 watt panels.Dealer wanted more.Told guy I can get em here on net for that cost,can you meet it? He said let me figure this and said yes.

On the doors,yes you wouldnt want glass with coatings,also I would surely put in some sort of reinforcing tube metal down middle and across.Good points!Would be insanely heavy too but who cares really if you have em ground mounted or such.Also I see double pane windows,vinyl,go for free on Craigslist and freecycle.

I was just thinking nice weatherproof frames on the cheap.Guess I was off,LOL!?

But with the crazy ebay prices right now doesnt seem a good time to be buying cells?

Hey Nevada,dont take this as criticism or naysaying,your panels and what you did flat out rock! I would love to replicate but right now the economics on cells seems all wrong.


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## Nevada (Sep 9, 2004)

mightybooboo said:


> I went to ebay and sure didnt see any bargains on cells.People are asking insane prices for them right now.


Here are the exact same cells I got at the same price. He has 4 sets left in that auction right now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/36-3x4in-solar-...ryZ41981QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Those will make you a 63 watt panel. At $100 that's very close to $1.50/watt.

36 cells x 1.75 watts each = 63 watts total
$100 / 63 watts = $1.587 per watt

As I said, you can go cheaper with broken cells, which still work fine. They don't look quite as nice, but they make perfectly good power. Here is an auction by the same seller for broken cells (already tabbed) at close to $1/watt.

http://cgi.ebay.com/36-solar-cells-...ryZ41981QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Another alternative is to buy smaller, less expensive cells for your first panel. Here is an auction with enough cells to make a 25 watt panel for $31.50 plus shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/40-2x3-solar-ce...ryZ41981QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## mightybooboo (Feb 10, 2004)

Thanks for the links.


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