120VDC Solar Panel

tcmtech said:

And when ever the safety Nazi's pop up I will be there to defend this guys intentions any way I can.

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Although I agree that we shouldn't ban potentially unsafe projects such as GTIs, we should warn people of the potential dangers and advise them how to assess and mitigate risk.

In other words, saying "You can build a GTI, this is how you do it but watch out, if you do it incorrectly you could be killed" is fine but saying "Go on, build a GTI, it's safe, you've got nothign to worry about, don't listen to the Nazis health and safety people" is not, just as saying "Don't build a GTI, it's a very dangerous and stupid idea" is wrong.

This is it in a nutshell some one posted they where going to show how to build a GTI!
And this is what you get Grid Tie Inverter Unit maybe.

Make them happy show a real working one with out the maybe.
Then they will be happy

This is it in a nutshell some one posted they where going to show how to build a GTI!
And this is what you get Grid Tie Inverter Unit maybe.

Make them happy show a real working one with out the maybe.
Then they will be happy

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Right now heres my dilemma. (And no offense to you be80be your on the good side.)

Honestly I dont really want to go through the bother any more. Or at least not for a while. I work in the summer and put very little time into hobby research this time of year. Come winter then yes I will likely do more accurate follow up posts, threads, and run around arguments but until then. Sorry I am busy.

I did the bare bones basics write up to get a feel for technical writing. I gave some basic but workable advice on the 250 watt GTI and posted a conceptual design that does need debugging and posted as much reasonable safety and relevant common sense based precautionary advice as I see as being reasonable. I basically gave people the theory and concept of how its done and assumed they would think about it and work it out themselves as I did years ago. Apparently worrying about everything but how to build one is far more fun for some. I assumed people would think but I see now I assumed wrong.
What I got for my efforts were countless loads of hypothetical and very unrealistic safety paranoia issues continually rehashed and hate PMs for it. Most of you were at least tolerant and more often very helpful but a few rather just ruined it for everybody. I did my best to hold my tongue when dealing with the nay sayers and tried to be open honest and professional to a reasonable degree, but thats not what I got in return for my efforts.

Some of you were great and very helpful and open minded. I thank you and appreciate your open minded efforts. The rest are apparently afraid of their own shadow and lack any common sense or knowledge about using line level electrical devices in reality. But yet apparently managed all acquire legal degrees in power system management. Or maybe they just have turrets syndrome and cant help but keep repeating the same thing over and over again despite it having been addressed and explained several times over.

So right now as it stands. Safe, unsafe, good, bad, legal, illegal, I have them, I build them, and I use them. Everyone can kiss my butt and figure it out themselves until I decide when and if I will do any more GTI write ups.
Sorry but I submit to the paranoid whiners and safety Nazis for the time being.

As far as the Op of this post, watch out. Being your proposing a real workable 120 volt, home made, cheap parts solar power system that can actually possibly produce a real usable power level they will likely be on your butt now.
Your trying and thats just to much for some to handle.
I really hope your thread work here pulls the near 30,000 views in 6 months as the main GTI thread has done!

Sorry for the rant in the middle of a good and informative thread.

I have had some thoughts about how to use the cheap thin solar cells to make a good reliable and rugged panel unit. Here what I have came up with thats both solid and rather easy to build on a low budget.

It seems to me that almost every one has or know someone who has old glass panes from windows or doors laying around for what ever reason. Most of that glass is fair to good quality and reasonably durable.
If you took your cell pieces and laid them out on the glass panes and used the old window glass as the primary support for the small fragile solar cells you would have a good solid support system for them that will take far more abuse than the cells can by themselves.
Simply use a glue or adhesive of some type thats rated for glass or ceramics and bond the cells to the large window pane. Then connect the cells in the order you need to get the voltage and current you need from the pane as a whole.
Then mount the pane assembly a good hardwood frame and you would have a basic solar panel on the cheap yet still rugged and reasonably weather resistant and is still easy to work with when mounting.
To go even further I would recommend stopping by your local auto parts or automotive paint dealer and inquiring into what types of automotive and commercial undercoating products they have. You know, that thick durable rubbery stuff they put on your vehicles wheel wells and under body to keep the metal from rusting. It comes in spray cans too!
Use that stuff to coat the back of your home made panel and help secure your cells in place while keeping everything moisture proof and electrically insulated.
If your cells are the solder able type the jumper wires and any connections can be covered right over with it as well.
Add a soft foam layer behind that and put a wood back on it and you have solid professional looking home made solar panel for dirt cheap.

Oh and dont for get to down load a picture of a certification agency like UL or something and then print it on a peal and stick label and stick it to the back. Since thats really what make its solar energy work.
It doesn't have to have a certification code or anything just a sticker. Its like a scare crow to ward off the safety Nazi's.

Just a thought.

tcmtech said:

Oh and dont for get to down load a picture of a certification agency like UL or something and then print it on a peal and stick label and stick it to the back. Since thats really what make its solar energy work.
It doesn't have to have a certification code or anything just a sticker. Its like a scare crow to ward off the safety Nazi's.

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I especially like this suggestion! Will most definitely consider it!

Yep, thats basically what I had in mind. Except I hadn't thought about the using the bed-liner stuff for water proofing the panels. That's actually one issue that's been bothering me lately. I wasn't sure if i should try to seal out the moisture while risking trapping some in, or just leave it open to airflow. But, I think your idea would work solidly well!

FYI: In case anyone else is interested, $1/Watt isn't the cheapest you can find cells. Found some today for $0.61/Watt. Only downside is you have to buy these cheaper ones in quantities of 5000. Just throwing this information out there to fuel the fire. Maybe one day they'll be enough interest to do group buy.

Actually it not the bed liner stuff.
Its more of a very thick sticky rubberized paint. It really has great adhesive properties and is very durable.

If every thing is in place and dry that stuff would keep it that way for a long time. The good stuff is even stays flexible in very cold conditions.
Just make sure your wires are properly attached and where you want them. Once that stuff is on you may not get it off!

They also make glues and adhesives specifically for vehicle windows that are also very good sealants. Its probably the same or similar to the stuff used by the solar panel manufactures themselves. Well worth a trip to the store to find out what else they may recommend!

Just watch any glue etc has to be UV stabilised, so it doesn't go opaque and/or yellow after UV exposure. Almost all glues and varnishes etc will go funky after full sun every day.

I would try not using anything between the film cells and the glass, just press it flat with a tiny spot of glue on the corners to hold it then just fill the back with goop (as you said).

Yes, I was wondering about skipping the glue and just go straight to the black goo. But ya, all the cells would be sliding around and would need at least a tiny bit of adhesive. Great suggestions guys!

Good point. A few drops on the side would probably be more than enough to hold a cell in place.

I was checking out eBay and I was wondering what solar cells you were using?
I got a bit over whelmed by what I found! Too many prices and choices for little pieces of blue glass!
Most far to high of price for my taste though. (too cloudy here on average)

The seller's name was "FredV480" and I paid $150 for what should come out to be a 144W panel when I'm done. This is just a test case. If all goes well, I'll order more cells.