Thanks for the video! I actually came to the same conclusion and I haven't even started to build a panel. If you make a single 36 3x6 cell panel, it will be more expensive, however if you build 3 of them you actually start seeing some substantial saving even with expensive glass and frame. Thing is you don't always want a weather sealed panel, in that case DIY makes tons more sense. I want to try and make fabric backed foldable panel that I can hang on a window.
Hey Robert! I've heard of people encasing their cells with a clear polyester resin, instead of the expensive sylgard 184 stuff. I know the resin would seal the cells really good, but i don't know anything about the conductivity of Polyester resin, and i don't know if it would effect the connections/add a ton of resistance. Do you know if that would work? Thanks again for all of the vids! I love them!
@artclemente 63Watts As time goes on, the price of prof. panels are starting to come down. They were a lot more expensive in the past. I just purchased some prof. panels from a poplar seller (UL SOLAR) on eBay for a very low price. I made 3 videos talking about those panels that you can check out in my channel.
Robert, can you tell me how many watts your 36 cell solar panel puts out? Most of the professionally made panels cost about $2.50/watt, or about 500 dollars for a 200 watt panel....expensive enough that I'd definitely want to try to build one of that capacity
very interesting video. keep it up. 2 month ago, i visited world's THE largest solar frame and accessaries company in china. they process 5000 tons of aluminum ingots per mouth. that's "mass production". that's like 100 alumimun Tiger tanks per mouth.
I have seen on line panels for as low as $1.74 per watt, for panels ranging from 100watts to 210watts. If I could build them for as little, and ensure that they will last 20+ years; I'd make them myself. Later from sunny FL
My glass guy makes my frames for cheaper than I can buy the materials for about 25 bucks and installs the glass in them for me then I put my cells on a piece of half inch chip board painted with high heat white paint and primer it first with kilts primer. I attach the board to the glass frame with silicone and thats all thats needed no hard ware involved. The safety glass is about 50 bucks for a 36X36.
Yeah it can cost a lot less just to buy a used panel. I've heard that you can build a wood frame and use something call EVA and that would save a lot of money. Oh and of course use Plexiglas..
I built mine for 200 dollars and it produced more than five amps, no lie in oklahoma in January sun. I really dont expect to them to last for 20 years but with painting them every year they will last a long time. I expect christ to return soon and I dont plan on being here for the next twenty years. I cant afford to buy a 300 dollar panel so I buy my cells, then later safety glass, and kinda gather together the stuff as i can afford. So making my own works for me Same reason I dont buy a new car
I don't think embedding the cells in acrylic is such a great idea, it adds a bit of permanence to the panel. If a cell ever goes bad, and they are all in series, the whole panel will quit working. Better to lay the cells face down on a piece of glass, and put some sort of plastic laminant over the backs. Something that can be removed later. Perhaps when my cells get here, i will make my own videos with aluminum framing.
To get these factory made panels for 1.74 a watt requires that you buy two and thats way more than 400 dollars and I dont have that kind of money lying around.
Robert, I need to see this video as I have to build a frame for my two flex solar panels. However, it was hard to watch. Some feedback on your video so you can make better ones in future. Too much body movement, hand movement and I did not take my Dramamine so slow down. Speak slowly and articulate. Lots of words gushing out which cannot be heard are useless. Less words. More meaning. Slowly. This is a DIY, not an express train. Keep yourself in the frame, no need to share half the frame with eBay. A small text box is enough. Too much discussion and talk, no action. Get into your subject faster, wasting a video on intro is wasting viewer's time. You have good presence, but take my feedback and make outstanding videos in future!
hehe... okaaaaaay.. I would never expect this propaganda from a fellow engineer... :D BTW I'm an atheist so this is funny talk to me... but keep it up...
