Epoxy for encapsulating cells (great DIY thread with photos!)

[conntaxman]

Slygard184

BilljustBill,

Yes that is the same stuff but it goes for $53.00. If you can find it cheeper that that tell me please. The amount of the Slygard is about 20 oz.
567g. It's just enough to do a panel with 36 3x6 cells . I think I'm going to have to buy two for my 6x6 panel that I'm making.

.
I would like to know how you did Both sides of the cells with Only 22 oz. that comes out to about .03 oz for each cell. I just made and used 2 qts of resin for one 36 cell panel of 3x4 cells.
Also I found out that you can also use the resin that they use for Surf Boards,and it has the uv protection. I buy it from a guy in Florida, one gallon ends up to be $50.00 . I did some panels and they came out good and its holding up in the cold 20 deg. outside, and then I bring them indoors to about 70 deg. And every thing is fine.
John
The glass area is 26x31

[Gravelsandwich]

Newbie

Hi all,
I'm new to this game and over the last few weeks i've read a novel of posts and watched a movie length of youtube vids!!! Its clear the holy grail for the DIYer is the encapulation. I've just built my first panel, 12x5 (60)cells the 3x6"ones, I used 30x30x3mm aluminium frame with 6mm(1/4") Plexiglass.
I made the frame the same way that Mark bloke on youtube does but i glued the corners and the Plexiglass down Sikaflex instead of silicone.Sikaflex is much stronger and durable than silicone but as you cant get it in clear you've got to be carefull where you put it. All the cells are soldiered and in place ready for encapulation. This is where i came to a halt.
I've read a lot about differant encapulation materials and methods.(lets leave EVA aside for now) but every time i keep coming back to Sylgard. i wouldn't use polyurathane's, my experience with it is after a while it goes cloudy, Epoxy's yellow and are to rigid.I've mucked around with gells, oils etc but just end up back at Silgard. The big problem with Silgard how expensive it is and then you add the freight. Especially for us humble Aussies
I did find this stuff which i've ordered 3 lots of, its heaps cheaper so i hope it works ok.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290519348271&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/SOLAR-TITE-LIKE-SYLGARD-184-DIY-solar-cell-solar-panel_W0QQitemZ270689611511QQcategoryZ41981QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m263QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%252BC%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D10%26pmod%3D290519357053%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D6269129803114984975

On getting the bubbles out from under the cells has anyone tried sucking them out with a flatened bendable straw?

[DeltaFox 25]

http://www.ellsworth.com/display/productlisting.html?ProductLineID=18&VendorID=138&SubcategoryID=58&Tab=Vendors

This is one of the places that I found that has sylgard. I know oversea's it's to exspensive to order and I'm very sorry about that because I think everyone that wants to buy this should not be punished with over exspensive shipping.

[Pylonman]

You definitely need two units of Slygard 184 to do a panel with (36) 3 x 6 cells. I used one and it left the back side of the cells exposed. Also, due to my crappy soldering, each string of cells wasn't totally flat. If I tried to tape the edges, the cells would crack.

[DeltaFox 25]

I'm going to make a 5x5 72cell panel and I'll be useing a 3.9KG container of sylgard , ( $336.02) I'll put half on the glass then the cells and then the other half on the back and i'm going to have a lexen backing on top of that.

[solarchris]

DIY Encapsulated Solar Panels

I looks like I'm not the only one to come up with the idea of encapsulating solar panels. I've made a couple solar panels for my boat. Since they panel is routinely exposed to salt water, I decided to encapsulate them in UV stable fiberglass and resin.

I'd appriciate any feedback anyone cares to give on my DIY Solar Panels guide.

Cheers!

Chris Troutner

[conntaxman]

Sylgard-184

I would like to know if this Sylgard-184 " STICKS" to the glass also? I have encpasulated one test panel with Surf Board resin [ UV protective] and found out that it dose NOT stick to the glass of the front panel.Also if you have any air bubbles it seem to POP a hole in were the air bubble was,This is when it is 20 degrees.
How i did it was Make a frame, then put the cells on the glass Then solder all the rest of the pos and neg to the bus bars, Then POUR the resin over the whole back and let it seep under the cells. I used 2 quarts and it came out to be 1/16 of an inch thick.
I ended up taking out the HARDENED panel from the frame and glass. The front side of the panel looks just like glass VERY VERY smooth ,that is because it was modeled using the glass that I know.
I think were ever their was an air bubble after it cured, the frezzing temp. Froze the moisture in that air bubble and that is what caused it too pop., Not sure.
John
Back to the drawing board ------------

[Mike90250]

To get the air bubbles out, you have to use a vacuum bag.

[DeltaFox 25]

Sylgard is like real thick honey or STP. It will stick to the glass. I use PV 804 form Dow Corning to hold the glass to the frame.
Glass=sylgard=cells=sylgard=backing

[conntaxman]

EVA vs Sylgard

How would this work. useing EVA.Build a box [air tight] large enough to put in the panel about 40x40, also install a heating element, and a connection for a vacuum hook up. now take your glass then a piece of EVA then the cells then EVA. put that in the box, start the vacuum pump let it runs till it pulls a vacuum on the gague,then turn on the heating element. let it heat up till I think it is 150 deg.
Has anyone tried this,besides a manufacturer co
John.
I think I send out and get some EVA if this sounds like it would work

[Gravelsandwich]

Eva

How would this work. useing EVA.Build a box [air tight] large enough to put in the panel about 40x40, also install a heating element, and a connection for a vacuum hook up. now take your glass then a piece of EVA then the cells then EVA. put that in the box, start the vacuum pump let it runs till it pulls a vacuum on the gague,then turn on the heating element. let it heat up till I think it is 150 deg.

I've read where other people have done this and had a fair bit of success. I'm going to try this exact same method. I've got the EVA and some Tedlar backing in the post now. Building your own vacuum chamber would be difficult, i was going to use the elements from two electric frying pans for heating.

[conntaxman]

eva/Heat lamps

I've read where other people have done this and had a fair bit of success. I'm going to try this exact same method. I've got the EVA and some Tedlar backing in the post now. Building your own vacuum chamber would be difficult, i was going to use the elements from two electric frying pans for heating.

-----------------------
Gravel, I was looking for heating elements ,and though of Heat Lamp bulbs,They throw alot of heat more then needed.Im trying to find out what sides of the eva go were. I have asked ,but got no replys. lol. I think it goes like this.First Glass,then sticky side down on glass,then blue side of cells,then eva with Non sticky side on cells then backing.
Is that right,if you know.I got my eva off ebay, and the side with the paper on it Isn't sticky, I could put my finger on it and it dosen't stick. ha ha ha
c you
John
I seen one person on google [vidio] just doing this,Glass ,Cells against glass, then eva.Then heated it. So he was just letting the eva stick to the glass front.And he didn't vacuum.That's no good ,not to vacuum.He will get moisture in their.

[Gravelsandwich]

The way i've seen it done is with the sticky towards the cells....Unless you've got a decent vacuum chamber(i've read where someone used a Autoclave(pressure chamber) and a vac bag with good results) you'll always get bubbles. Although a lot say the vacuum bag with shop vac suction works pretty good too. I think we just have to trial and error the differant methods and see what works the best.
I'm not sure if the air tends to get trapped between the glass and the first layer of EV Aor between the EVA layers(under the cells)..........

[conntaxman]

eva/heat lamps

The way i've seen it done is with the sticky towards the cells....Unless you've got a decent vacuum chamber(i've read where someone used a Autoclave(pressure chamber) and a vac bag with good results) you'll always get bubbles. Although a lot say the vacuum bag with shop vac suction works pretty good too. I think we just have to trial and error the differant methods and see what works the best.
I'm not sure if the air tends to get trapped between the glass and the first layer of EV Aor between the EVA layers(under the cells)..........

.......
Hi Gravel. Thats what im going to make is a I guess Autoclave.Were I will be able to put the vacuum bag in will say Box and also be able to pressure rise it.And heat.
Funny you say Sticky side to the cell front, ha ha ha ,were I seen or heard the sticky side toward the glass was on the net,some vid.I would like to know the difference of both sides.Any ways mine isn't so sticky well it dosen't stick to my finger or a piece of paper when I pull back the paper.Tomorrow Im going to start to build my chamber Just large enought to fit in a 36 cell panel.or around 48 inches long maybe 35 inches wide,around 10 inches tall. I would rather have smaller panels because they would be easier to handle,and replace if one goes bad.Instead of say a 72 cell one.And you can wire them differently .
Their are alot of vid's on google but not many doing it correctly.
If you get yours done before I do, let me/us know how it came out.
Tks nice talking with you.
John

[conntaxman]

eva/Heat lamps

The way i've seen it done is with the sticky towards the cells....Unless you've got a decent vacuum chamber(i've read where someone used a Autoclave(pressure chamber) and a vac bag with good results) you'll always get bubbles. Although a lot say the vacuum bag with shop vac suction works pretty good too. I think we just have to trial and error the differant methods and see what works the best.
I'm not sure if the air tends to get trapped between the glass and the first layer of EV Aor between the EVA layers(under the cells)..........

.................
Gravel. I got this vid clip off google and the manufactor puts the non sticky side to the cell. look at the clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqHclYEEj50

Luck
John