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

[DeltaFox 25]

Yes, I wait untill the sylgard dryes on the cells and then put the sealent down and then add the juncion box. I'll give you a link to where I have pictures of all the stuff I have been diong. Please go there and look at it.

http://s635.photobucket.com/albums/uu73/WayneBlake/

[BilljustBill]

The PV 804 it a silacone sealent made for solar panels. It is $11.95 a tube. it fits into a regular calking gun. It is made by dow coring.
A solar panel frame adhesive & sealent. Once I have the cells on the glass you put the PVsealent around the edge so when you pore the sylgard it does not run off the glass.The PV 804 also helps keep your buss wires down becaues it sticky.(thats good) You can get it on EBay .

Do you use the sealants to seal/attach a plastic box for your electrical connections or simply just use a pigtail and a weatherproof shrink tubing?

Thanks for the info and " what works" experience,

Bill

[DeltaFox 25]

The PV 804 it a silacone sealent made for solar panels. It is $11.95 a tube. it fits into a regular calking gun. It is made by dow coring.
A solar panel frame adhesive & sealent. Once I have the cells on the glass you put the PVsealent around the edge so when you pore the sylgard it does not run off the glass.The PV 804 also helps keep your buss wires down becaues it sticky.(thats good) You can get it on EBay .

[BilljustBill]

I found a material just like Sylgard184 but it's made by corning and it cost $36.87 .I ordered 3 of them . If you use the sylgard right it should flow around the cells so there are no air space and it's a silicone base material. I touched the back side of the one's I have done and it feels like a rubber , that is dried.
Idon't try to use the EVA and the ted for the panels . I don't have the right table or the heat to do that.

I just use a 1" aluminum fram and put the solar cells on it then seal it with sylgard. I use PV 801 sealent for around the edges so the sylgard does not run off.

What is the PV 801, it's cost, and where do you find it? ;>)

Thanks!
Bill

[DeltaFox 25]

YES as long as your aluminum is giving you straingth and the glass is attached to the frame and the cells are like glued with the sylgerd it works. I have two ot them now out side both making 20 volts.

[BilljustBill]

I found a material just like Sylgard184 but it's made by corning and it cost $36.87 .I ordered 3 of them . If you use the sylgard right it should flow around the cells so there are no air space and it's a silicone base material. I touched the back side of the one's I have done and it feels like a rubber , that is dried.
Idon't try to use the EVA and the ted for the panels . I don't have the right table or the heat to do that.

I just use a 1" aluminum fram and put the solar cells on it then seal it with sylgard. I use PV 801 sealent for around the edges so the sylgard does not run off.

Do I read your use of the top glass/polycarbonate and Slygard material as that is all you use on the backside of your panels?

Thanks, Bill

[DeltaFox 25]

I found a material just like Sylgard184 but it's made by corning and it cost $36.87 .I ordered 3 of them . If you use the sylgard right it should flow around the cells so there are no air space and it's a silicone base material. I touched the back side of the one's I have done and it feels like a rubber , that is dried.
Idon't try to use the EVA and the ted for the panels . I don't have the right table or the heat to do that.

I just use a 1" aluminum fram and put the solar cells on it then seal it with sylgard. I use PV 801 sealent for around the edges so the sylgard does not run off.

[BilljustBill]

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.

Here's what I found, but the current auctions' cost went from $49 to $53 for the .5 kg kits ...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sylgard-184-Solar-Cells-Panel-Encapsulant_W0QQitemZ400067558114QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5d25e27ae2

You have found a better deal if one is building two or three panels. There is also listed a material for a backsheet and another type of a plastic film encapsulation. Could I hear your comments about them?

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Livingoffthegrid_W0QQ_fsubZ6736854

When watching a program of "How it's Made", a window manufacturer used a type of heated Butyl rubber to do the final seal of their double pane window assemblies. They said that Butyl keeps out moisture and stops moisture from getting inside and fogging their windows. Along with using that material as a final coat of sealant to seal all openings, I had an idea that might work to dissipate heat if I can get a moisture proof seal.

Since I'm concerned about panel overheating and therefore using Hardyboard cement siding for the backside, with metal wall stud material and 1x4 Hardyboard trim in building the panel's framework, dissipating the heat has my attention.

If the white Teldar backing material is an insulator, why couldn't a person cut a series of thin kerf slots in the cementboard back-panel of the solar panel, slide in several thin lengths of aluminum drip edge use on the edge of your home's roof and facisa? This "L" shaped metal could be sealed with both a good sealant like LexCell and a Butyl sealant, so the metal fins extend down and dissipate the heat to make the cells run cooler and more efficient... Comments?

Jason, any comments from your experience?
Bill

[Mike90250]

For long term use, to prevent thermal stress, you need to match "Thermal Expansion Coefficient" for both the silicon cells, and the potting compound. Otherwise, a few months of hot/cold - day/night cycles will crack the cells. Like the way a bi-metal thermostat works, a thermostat bends, but PV cells don't like to bend.

[DeltaFox 25]

I have just found a different supplyer of the sylgard 184. It's from superioressex.com .You have to at least buy $100.00 worth. They want $36.87. Theres is made from Corning.
There web sight. www.superioressex.com/electronics.aspx and I went to the online shopping ( DC-184-1.1 ) 1.1/# Sylgard Elastomer. I hope this helps some one .

[DeltaFox 25]

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.

[BilljustBill]

I have made 3 solar panels ans on two of them I sealed it with Slygard184 encapsulate. It seams to be holding up real good right now. It has been through hot weather and snow and it's doing real good.

Delta,
Is that the material I see on Ebay? I've seen it sell for about $50 for the gallon and the matching catalyst. Is that about what pricing you've seen?
Thanks,
Bill

[DeltaFox 25]

I just started to read this and it is 6.00 am now but when it gets light out I'll take a bicture of my panel up close. I have one picture of the back of the panel and I'll post it. I know I don't have the right holddowns on it but I had to make do with what I had.



.http://s635.photobucket.com/albums/uu73/WayneBlake/

[philpaine]

It would be very interesting to compare the performance of the panels with encapsulated cell with the non-encapsulated cells.

It seems to me that the absence of encapsulation or ineffective encapsulation is the one of the major problems with DIY solar panels. Is there any info on how quickly non-encapsulated cells degrade due to water vapour?

Can we have lots of BIG piccies of encapsulated solar cells please?

thanks

Phil

[DeltaFox 25]

I have the two on the left , one is 3x6 cells and the other is 4x4 cells both are aluminum frames one I bought off the INTERNET and the other is made myself. I have one that I'm making and it is 6x6 cells the frame for that i had a welding shop here weld it for me. i still have to buy the glass. If you use the slygard you have to have it in a place where it's warm until it drys. You might get alot of air bubbles in if you don't. I had to build my stand up off the ground because of the snow we get. I'm not very good of making a stand for it.