@Mario true, and if you want to promote some sh** malware always make sure to create a second channel with which you can immediately respond positively to your own promotion. Date of creation does not matter as much, since people will not check if it says "Joined Mar 7, 2021" in the about section. Oh, I see they already did. Never mind then.
@Mario Yeah I've seen this exact scam around the site recently. There is always a second poster who says that exact same phrase immediately after the scam phrase.
@@TripleBarrel06 yeah I've also seen (twice now) some "crypto trading advisor" comment chain that literally has around 30 fake replies having a whole conversation, it's pretty crazy. Seems like an obvious scam to me, but considering how many people fall for broken English scam emails I'd imagine these comments are pretty effective.
It is sad to accept that BUY versions is leading DIY versions by 3 points. But, we should not forget that DIY versions helps us to learn and gives us experience about the subject,which is priceless.
Manoj BR agree. It makes sense, as commercial products benefit from volume, economies of scale and usually cheaper labor. But there's no equal to the satisfaction of making a custom item :-)
This panel can put out close to 100 watts th-cam.com/users/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.
One more thing you could have done with your version: Put a reverse bypass diode on each cell, so if a cell becomes shaded, you only lose that 1 cell, plus the forward voltage drop if the bypass diode. I would recommend low voltage Schottky diodes, because of their lower voltage drop. With only 2 diodes, if one cell is shaded, you lose two entire columns of cells, which is half the panel! The fact that you made your own, you could put those diodes in parallel with each cell, producing a better panel for less than ideal conditions, than the commercial panel. I would have used tempered glass, rather than acrylic, for the glazing.(that's what the commercial panel uses) One other recommendation: Mount the solar panels on stand offs, so there is a gap between the backs of the panels and the roof. As the cells get hotter, the output voltage goes down. Semiconductors are negative temperature coefficient, so their voltage drops as temperature goes up. The cooler you can run the panels, the more voltage they will produce, with no reduction in amperage. That will allow them to produce more wattage.
The problem is the expense of the diodes albeit ~5-15 for 36 cells in this case, they are also approx 3/8in(0.8cm) cylinders, making for awkward lumps near each cell when you encapsulate in resin or vacuum seal with polyacetate films
@@AutoLinkThisToGmail You're right on two counts. 1, the diodes need to be rated for at least the short circuit current rating of the solar cells. They also have to be able to withstand that current at high ambient temperatures, often exceeding 50 degrees centigrade.(122 degrees Fahrenheit) As far as bullet epoxy rectifiers go, it would actually be better to use direct substrate rectifiers, similar to what you see if you take apart a high power bridge rectifier, so you don't have the bulk of the epoxy package, and the terminals of the diode are flat, and also serve as a heat sink. Besides, if you're building a framed, glazed panel, the little 'bumps' on the back side shouldn't be a problem, as long as they are lower than the terminal block. I'm guessing, that in bulk, such rectifiers could be had for pretty low cost, compared to the increase in performance in panels that are installed in less than ideal places.
You can get smd schottky diodes made for switching power supplies very cheaply. They are good for up to 5 amps constant current, two in series gives about a 0.7v drop. Would make excellent bypass diodes. The voltage drop you want is higher than 0.5v.
@@christopherleubner6633 actually, you would want to put them in parallel with each other, and put them in reverse of the polarity produced by the cell. The diodes would be completely out of play, no matter how high the solar cell voltage is. Their purpose, is to limit the reverse voltage on a shaded solar cell, so the less voltage drop, the better. You would put one parallelled pair of diodes on each cell. In fact, you could put one diode across each of the pair of cell interconnectors on each photovoltaic cell, to help with current sharing. The antiparallel shunt diodes need to be reverse biased, by the output of a solar cell.
Now replace with high quality glass. Suspend the whole thing and put a natural cooling system taking at least fifteen degrees off the electrical components. Invert system. Use eight mirrors. Record results. Replicate three times. Power your home for less than a thousand dollars. Rewire components in parallel, which was recently in the news. Replace copper with silver and upgrade materials used. Five hundred more dollars, it was just in the news a few weeks ago. Now you should be able to power your neighbors home too.
Crazy Nerd Inventor there is actually some "toys" with radioactive isotopes made back in the days. But of course I'm only being sarcastic so that joke flew over your head ;)
I have DIY'd this too. I did not use resin, and I instead lay the cells out on painted plywood, and sealed the outside edge of the plexiglass over the top with strong adhesive, and topped it off with a C-frame. Takes 8 hours to solder indeed, it's actually meditative. My tips: - Use a thick frame like Great Scott did, thinner ones are not sturdy enough and the space behind the panel is handy for concealing wires, drilling holes and mounting. - If you're not using resin, make sure to keep any live wires away from the frame. - It's much much easier if you don't have to cut the plexiglass to size, it can be brittle and difficult to work with. - Sealing the cells from the elements is crucial and probably worth spending good money on resin to achieve it. It might be a good idea to use a backboard and a C frame, then fill the inside of the frame with epoxy as a seal. That way you use far less resin and mirror adhesive. Haven't tested this idea though, just a thought.
In my opinion, the cheapest and best for this project is to use old window panes (sometimes you can get them for free) and transparent silicone (I used the one for gluing aquariums). The cells can be hermetically sealed with 2 panes of glass (by sticking cells to the rear window with a small amount of silicone), or the cells can be filled with neutral liquid silicone. You can also combine both solutions and the panel will be almost bulletproof. The glass is rigid and UV resistant. Silicone allows the cells to work, so they will not crack due to heat.
@@douglasheld Glass transmits about 80-90%, while Plexiglass transmits 92%. It is impact-resistant (so perfect for hail), but it is less resistant to temperature, softer and bends quite easily under weight. These solar cells are very delicate and the last thing you want is a flexible structure. If you want to use plexiglass, you need to make the structure stiff or use cells made using technology that is more resistant to stress and bending.
Nice video! Here are a few more tips: did the resin leave any gaps between plexiglass and the cells? If yes, you could try pouring a thin layer of resin onto plexiglass and then place the cells on top of it, to avoid any air gaps. The problem with air gaps is that when the temperature changes, water can condense on the surface of plexiglass and reduce the output and in the end even mold can develope in those spaces which is really pain in the ass (it permanently affects the output). Also, you can clean the flux and fingerprints with acetone in a spray bottle, thus further improving the output. And one more thing: plexiglass will degrade under UV light over time and decrease the output. It's also not very scratch resistant which can be a problem when cleaning the panel. (use glass or tempered glass instead)
I just ran across a set of these cells on AliExpress earlier today and the cheap price caught my eye plus I wondered how you hook them all up. Then I found your video tonight. Now I see how you connect them together and the work plus other costs to consider. Thanks a lot!
Regular plexi glass will turn yellow-brownish in a year. Even "UV-resistant" plexi will suffer this in some degree. I think that the glass would be the best way to go
PLEXIGLAS and some other brands make UV resistant versions for years now that give you no yellowing guarantee, at best might notice some slight tint after years but personally knowing that I could get my money back if the glass yellows makes it worth it to me
By far the largest improvement you can make, which has worked very well for me. Obtain old double glazing units, people have them in skips all the time or online when conservatories are being replaced. This provides tough, cut to size glass with aluminium surrounds that can be cut off using a Stanley knife and replaced with sealant. This will result in a cheaper and far more durable system.
Yes and then the cells are lost because of the resin, but probably they will crack before because they aren't flexible while the plexiglass is and deform by heat and cold.
he did it it in worst way possible on purpose, there are more cost effective ways, lamination is cost effective and looks professional and not messy, perfectly waterproof as well, he added costly things on purpose ;)
@@shanewhite352 well plexiglass works fine and imo a better choice due to crack resistance. You can find plexiglass for rather cheap with UV protection that won't show yellowing for years. The thing that'd fail here first is the epoxy as it yellows rather quick even with UV resistance. As for methods, could have used some kapton tape (a 3-5$ roll should be enough) to hold the Cells together and insulate the back and then use a thin aluminium sheet (should be around 10$ or less for that size) to hold it together for thermal transfer. There's a ton of ways to go about it for much cheaper. Also VHB tape is cheap af and works well Only issue I see is the method and work is rather pointless as you can find monocrystalline 100W panels with like 20% efficiency for any day around 50-60$ from Asia, NEW. So these panels aren't exactly saving you much money especially none in terms of labor. Also 150W panels are like 70$ so there's that
His design is pretty bad, so DIY wins, specially if you can recycle materials. Epoxy was not needed, clear UV protected lacker would suffice, plexyglass is expensive and would better be replaced with normal glass, that you can recycle from old windows. Aluminum frame could also found from trash, but could well be replaced by sheet metal bent in U form and so on.
Nice video, but i think its important to mention how fragile these cells are, aand that you can buy cracked cells for dirt cheap like kilo price , and if the chunks are big enough, cread a panel out of that, and that you can use glass instead of plexi and resin to cut costs dramatically, like a sandwich of wood and glass, which will make DIY worth it
Or you hunt for used old modules, which are less efficient but save you time if you dont have much free time, sometimes you can get like 100 watt panel for 50 or 60 euros
ok, so let me explain. what you say it right. there is plenty of air between the cells and the sun. B U T: when light travels from one media into an other it will be refracted, reflected. (means: not 100% will pass) depending on the material it can be just 70-80% (even with glass or air, depending on angle) so if light goes from AIR to GLASS it will loose some %. THEN it will also go from GLASS to AIR (the one we speak of) and then it will go "into" the Solar Cell. so in total the light path is: AIR-GLASS-AIR- CELLS. that last AIR should be replaced by a liquid (or resin) to make it more transparent. if it happens one time you will get 80% of light in the cells. if you let it pass 2x through an AIR layer it will be 80% of the original 80% and that is only 64% windows will reflect the sun almost like a mirror if it comes in a flat angle. and that light is the one which can not go through.
I appreciate this test so much! thank you. so many times a lot of people (including myself) jump into a DIY project and don't realize that the cost of the individual parts exceed the price of the "already-made" product. not to mention quality of construction and, as you mentioned, labor costs! thanks again. Russ from Ocala, Florida, USA
Glad you did this! Been looking into it for a while, and I concluded pretty much exactly what you shown. I only see DIY solar being practical these days for something like covering an outdoor table that's just sitting there anyways, or something else with panels, and then encapsulating it. Even then, like you said, it is time intensive, so if you are fully employed, you might as well just buy something unless you really have a strong DIY spirit.
It's how most people do it, but cooling would definitely help since overheating solar cells are very inefficient. Coating them completely in resin doesn't help matters either
Here in Holland nobody is glueing the solar panels to the roof. We all use a structure that aims the solar panels to the Sun. It gives a better rendement.
In my physics class, my group managed to increase the light intensity and efficiency significantly by adding aluminium foil as a funnel into the solar panel, it got quite hot quickly but aside from that, I have no idea why this isn't done commercially. Does anyone know?
There is a good reason that parabolic reflectors are not used in that method, and it is the heat. Heat destroys photocells. I've personally always wondered why we don't just collect all of that heat from panels, and use it in practical ways. Perhaps a water or oil filled coil heat pipe attached to the back of the panels? 1. liquid cooling on your panels 2. possible way to run your hot water 3. most of that heat is even there in the winter Other than that, there are a few companies that make adapters for panels, that are literally a Fresnel lens, which refracts and concentrates light. This doesn't increase the actual efficiency of the panel, but concentrates more light onto each points, increasing the reaction. The reason people don't use them more, is that whole heat issue.
K D - Your physics class fail. Matte white painted cardboard is more reflective than alfoil, even mylar. Only custom reflective material for hydroponics comes close to matte white from a rattle can. You fail because you didn't google any tests of reflective surfaces! :P
@@bashkillszombies guess we are resurrecting this comment. (guess we both got recommended this old video) I wouldn't really call it a fail since as the other person stated, it's already going to hurt the cell so adding more reflectiveness isn't going to help in the long term. Also, although more reflective. Matte white directs the light in random directions. Therefore not as focused on an intended target. It's great for certain uses, like the back of a light fixture because it doesn't just reflect the light better but spreads it out as well. But not so great for applications that require precision. That's why they used 100,000's of mirrors at BrightSource in the Mojave desert and not matte white. Maybe it would help in finding the location from space. But not directing the light toward a central location. Think of looking through a windsheld vs. one that has 10,000's of cracks. The light is still hitting the outside of the glass, but the light is being redirected in a way you can't make out what's on the other side. Some photons might not even be hitting your eyes. And the ones that do are in various positions. But yeah. You are right about it reflecting more. Just not the best for the application... if solar cells didn't degrade under heat that is.
@@bashkillszombies "custom reflective materials." Nah, doesn't need to be custom by any means. BoPET would be the more cost efficient material, like what they make emergency blankets from, and it's readily available. I've seen those blankets go in Walmart for
Normal plexiglas have UV blocker added, which might lower your yield. You can buy plexiglass without UV blocker, but you will have to make some calls...
Simon Østergaard - Good point. I suppose it depends on how broad the UV blocker is. UV does not contribute to electrical power and results in unwanted temperature rise. So, you actually want to block UV. The problem would be if the UV blocker additive also block part of the visible spectrum which would indeed lower the PV efficiency. A test would be simple enough - measure the power output of a bare cell and then cover with plexiglass and remeasure. Another concern is discoloration of the plexiglass and/or resin after prolonged UV exposure.
I'd be curious if you could combine solar water heating with solar photovoltaics. Only sensible if you have limited space of course, but heating water with the wasted part of the sunlight and cooling the cells with water might be a more efficient way to heat during e.g. the winter. Probably just not worth it if you have enough space.
Fun project! A few concerns/ideas I have - Will the plastic panel and/or resin discolor (i.e. turn yellow or foggy) with prolonged UV exposure? Is there a significant CTE mismatch between the resin and silicon cells which will cause cracking after exposure to temperature changes? Reworking a cracked cell will be very difficult. Finally, it may be better to mount your panels slightly above the roof instead of laying flush. The space will allow airflow under the panel to keep it cooler and therefore more efficient.
@@Eduardo_Espinoza - Hi! Not sure what you mean by “repeated hits”. I think you are asking if CTE mismatch is a cumulative or compounding effect. If so, yes. Thermal expansion mismatch is a degradative effect. The more cycles and/or the greater mismatch, the lower mean time to failure.
@@Eduardo_Espinoza - Oh, I understand now. CTE stands for Coefficient of Thermal Expansion. When two different materials are in close contact, and if those materials have significantly different CTEs, then they will expand and contract at different rates when the temperature changes. This can cause warping, delamination and/or stress fractures.
This DIY is very useful if you can buy scrap panels and salvage working cells from it. The technique of making a full panel can be improved as well for longevity . All in all i loved this video. Thanks
Plexi is more durable, but glass is harder, therefore more scratch resistant. I'd take scratch resistance over durability in this case, since you shouldn't be dropping the panel anyway. Also, it is more UV resistant.
Thats why it is far away from creativity and the sense of solar cells, wasting hundrets of euros to save some cents on electricity costs and buying new toxic materials to save the enviroment. The resin wasn't just absolutely not necessary, it was an absolutely idiotic idea for that he even spent almost the same amount of money like on the cells. He glued together two things from that one is flexible and reacts on heat and cold while the other cracks very easy, also the plexiglass will lose it's transparency in some months and the materials like the money is wasted anyway. Also all the other parts can be found in almost every corner in Germany as waste, only the cells needed to be bought, aluminium is toxic and now needs to be reproduced because he bought new instead of reusing something that is called waste, but probably he got so much money from YT that he became to decadent to think further, just making a new video fast for fresh yt-money. I'm getting disappointed more and more with every new video.
I'd be insanely curious to see you revisit this one. I suspect that there may be a way to either source cheaper materials, or save some bucks by buying more cells, or maybe getting different, higher (or maybe even lower) efficiency cells. I wonder about encapsulation with resin vs vacuum sealed plastic sheeting. I wonder about acrylic vs glass (and then tempered vs regular). I even wonder about what the absolute Frankenstein solar panel would look like or do. I'm talking "what do I have laying around the shop?" copper wires from old chargers instead of nickel strips, glass salvaged from some old monitor or something. Frame made out of literally anything. All in the name of curiosity/science haha.
If you’re worried about cracks, I suggest an epoxy resin that’s a little softer when set, and using Lexan(polycarbonate) rather than Plexiglas(acrylic). That should buy you some more time before it breaks.
As an enthusiastic electronics engineer there are loads of things I'd like to make myself but there is no way I could compete with mass production, cost/finish but mass production can't compete with my bespoke designs. Mass production has to start somewhere. Keep up the great videos.
I just buy panels too. Put them on my camper roof for 600w of continuous power during the day, while still charging all the batteries for nighttime use. Camping is really awesome with it.
I tried this myself, but the soldering didn't work well and from a kit of 45 cells, only about 36 survived which was expected by the designers of that kit. But this is becoming a very outdated technology as I am participating in the research for tandem thin film solar panels that can be commercially produced and sold for even lower prices and have about twice the efficiency of those panels. Also crystalline silicon requires high temperatures (1000C) to manufacture that silicon wafer that is then having atoms added to make it a p or n semiconductor. But thin film, the whole panel is produced like a single cell in an in factory device that is a vacuum chamber so the metal atoms can at lower temperatures (
why are the solar cells spaced so far apart? and the frame so thick? you could save money in material cost by making it more compact. less resin, aluminum framing, plexglass , adhesive, etc... it seems like you didn't even try to make it cost effective.
Suppose you can cut half the cost to make it as cheap as professional product, you still need to spend 8 hours or 1 day for 100w. For 10kw system, you need to spend 100 days, no way you don't lose your mind and breath too much lead gas to be able to cure in the process.
Well one tip I would suggest for people is when you get a new adhesive tube and you have to cut the plastic part to open it. Cut it at 45°. Much easier to control the caulking. Also don't constantly squeeze the trigger. Pull it till it starts coming out than just do a full line.
I'd say it really depends on where you live, most developing countries will find it cheaper to get several packages of small solar panels from chinese suppliers with free shipping, than to buy them locally, where I live for example, they are 6x more expensive than eBay/Aliexpress suppliers
As he said, anytime you want an odd shaped panel you can make your own. Also, anytime you want a different voltage, such as 3 volts, you can make your own.
I've tried DIYing solar panels. The hardest part of DIY solar is the assembly. Making one or two panels is not too bad. Hand assembling dozens of panels sucks. Glass panels (as opposed to plastic which warps from heat) is prone to cracking. Glue sheets result in reliable adhesion but require a decent amount of heat to melt. That kind of heating wears down the power generation efficiency of the cells. With all that, each panel will generate widely differing amounts of power. And I can't reiterate this enough: panels are fragile. Applying a little too much force on a cell will immediately split it in two. One small slip up while cleaning up excess adhesive will send cracks across the top - no longer water resistant. Components are relatively cheap, but hand assembly is not fun.
In my country Things like the aluminum channels and the epoxy and other tools are too expensive.. it's a lot cheap to just buy a solar panel I recently bought a solar panel rated for 100 watts at a cost of about Rs 2900 which turns out to be around 40$. thank you making such amazing videos
NO NO NO With this layout of the solar cells try putting the hand over one... you will notice your output plummet near 0 if just 1 cell isn't producing!
Best way to do it is to solder them fast and hot. Clean them with alcohol, and sandwich between two pieces of glass with silicone encapsulation resin with the wire strips out the side. Apply double stick foam tape on the back of each cell for strain relief and expansion compensation. Use tempered glass for the sun side.
if you had done things a little better your DIY would have won.... first off plexi is a big no no. flex cracks cells and plexi breaks down fairly quick from UV. not to mention glass is waaay cheaper. youre suppose to use glass. you also used far more resin than needed. make sure your cells are as flat as possible, than use less resin and slowly tilt it all back and forth to even it out and to let the bubbles escape from under the cells. vwala, cheaper and usually higher producing panel with just as long shelf life as the mass produced ones
I was cringing too - Plexiglas/Perspex is really not appropriate, it can also melt or catch fire if a shaded cell gets too hot, but this can only happen with long strings and bypass diode breakdown. Should also seal the edges of the cells with some masking tape to prevent resin getting on the cell surface. I made my panels using Sunpower cells - much less tabbing to worry about, but tedious cutting and shaping small pieces to connect them instead of using the expensive 'dogbone' connectors.
@Taylor lol the point is all you're doing is holding the solar cells in place. You could use a mechanically cheaper adhesive around the edges and then fasten a panel on to the back to weather proof the panel. IDK what material would be best but almost anything would be cheaper than epoxy.
+KrazeeCain simple silicone caulk, and hot glue from Walmart (used seperately of course).. cost you a dollar each. will hold and seal anything in the world for cheap, quick fix diy : ) between those, gorrilla glue, and some duct tape, you are unstoppable. lol
If you shop around and salvage a lot of the parts you can probably make one for half the price... for me, the frustration of DIY makes buying one well worth the cost!
Usually I see diy as a customization to add quality features, while attempting to add things on to which it will be used for. For example I saw his video on oscillope for diy or buy or the price difference. I see the cheaper oscillope was not as bulky as the 400 dollar one. Also DIY I have done because I didn't want to get rid of all the computer components yet. I ultized the screen on a dead laptop to serve as a second monitor, that I didn't have to carry around in a case.
I can think of two category of exceptions: - when you need quality and/or fill a niche(or custom). Example: bed, subwoofer. Ok, you need a set of ok-ish woodworking tools to start... - some items can be repaired much cheaply than buying new: laptop batteries, battery banks/packs.
things to improve: >you should add a one way tint to the glass because some of the sun's ray is getting reflected . >add a screen wiper that will wipe it for every 4 hours >Add the solar tracker suggestions: >house-made efficient Wind mill >DIY vs Buy Refrigerator
Great tip on the odd shape panel, if needed!! That's the only thing I can think of that would compensate all the labor and fragility of the DIY version! Another great video!! Learned allot!! Congrats!!
The commercial panels are made in glass. Special glass with a high percentage of iron causing a better resistance to dirt. Due to the high temperature during the exposition to solar Light, plexiglas can modify his shape and move cells around. Considering how much work needed the construction of panels i'm with you on buying panels: ready, tested and working! Hi see you to the next video!
You say 'stay creative'... How the hell can I be creative with things that are super-expensive and even exist cheaper? I gotta admit. On the one hand, we can be creative. On the other hand, our creativity is dying.
Georg Gross Just become an engineer and buy all the stuff you need. :P Also, try buying on Ali Express from China. Everything is cheaper if bought where it's made.
I also did my DUY panel and its prive was much lower: I did not used plexiglas nut used normal glass intead, even if this is now the very good idea as resin does not stick to it well. next i didi not used that much resin to cover entire panel but just made it sure that all cells are coated in resin and there are no bubbles between glass and cells. to save on cost i used polyester resin which is relatively cheap Also i squeezed cells right next to each other leaving no gaps at all. in the end, resin hardened and popped away from the glass in the edges but it was no problem because I just filed gaps with more resin. even if cells will detach from the glass, in the end, they still hold well. I made no frame for this panel but made it much smaller intead, so that glass itself is capable to sustain its own weight
if you are thinking of retrying this one, try using, for example, an insert that has slots for each cell set, spaced, and cut out. something as thick as the cells themselves. and second sheet of Plexiglas. and maybe even, if you can find a [plausible way to do it, vacume sealing the space in between the sheets of Plexiglass.
I know this was a quick test of the concept, but there are several mistakes in material choices and construction methods. First one is using mirror adhesive. It will not handle being outside. An exterior grade silicone sealant or, better yet, a roofing sealant since it can handle the temperatures you find on a roof. Second, the brackets and hardware used on the corners can not be normal steel. Steel in contact with Al leads to galvanic corrosion of the Al to the point where cracks will form in the Al. Only use stainless, brass, bronze, titanium, and Al hardware when using Al. Third, a thin layer of UV could resin could replace the plexiglass and would be thinner, leading to better thermal characteristics and lower cost. The rest of the resin could be non-UV rated if the initial layer was rated to block UV. If not, more expensive resin would be needed. Also, adding a layer or two of fiberglass cloth embedded in the resin to the back side of the panel would stiffen it very well. Last, covering the connections on the the back side of the panel in duct tape is not going to last more than a week. Even weather rated NASHUA 357 will only last 4-6 months outside and it is the best duct tape you are going find short of kevlar/nylon fiber based tapes for aircraft repair. Exterior grade silicone adhesive or a small, watertight connection box is the correct way to weather proof that area.
If you dont glue the panels to the floor you will get better cooling on the panel and produce a little more watt's. Put some brackets like L brackets. It will make a difference.
We need to add not 8 hours, but at least 120 Euro’s (8 hours * 15 euros) of labour costs. Not counting the tools if someone needs to buy them. Great episode!!!
it can be cheaper to build your own panels, if you can source cheap materials. I built ten 150W panels in 2004-05 and they still perform well today. i had bought 8 panels previously but they cost way more $ and five of them totally failed within 2-3 yrs. My solar cells were each smaller than the ones you used, and came in huge boxes bought from fleabay for around $25 USD each box. I had the aluminum and glass on-hand so that saved me big $. They paid for themselves in just 4 yrs, compared to the store bought panels that never paid off due to failures and no refund on their demise. Definitely takes patients soldering all those tabs, and assembling them. lol Also if you had the back of the panels more open so air can flow it might lower the heat and stop the plexi from warping.
"and try not to lose your mind while doing so"..... the eternal problem of the DYI guy.
Great video, thanks
Antisocial Engineering words to live by mate,words to live by
TH-cam is so drunk that it says this comment was 4 days ago
Moki no I think it's the patreon thing where ppl can get videos before everyone else
TheJoJmaster ah right I forgot
Zamundaaa thanks sry i forgot
“I happened to have some solar cells just lying around.” Guess that saved you a few steps.
lmfao
🤣
@Mario true, and if you want to promote some sh** malware always make sure to create a second channel with which you can immediately respond positively to your own promotion.
Date of creation does not matter as much, since people will not check if it says "Joined Mar 7, 2021" in the about section.
Oh, I see they already did. Never mind then.
@Mario Yeah I've seen this exact scam around the site recently. There is always a second poster who says that exact same phrase immediately after the scam phrase.
@@TripleBarrel06 yeah I've also seen (twice now) some "crypto trading advisor" comment chain that literally has around 30 fake replies having a whole conversation, it's pretty crazy. Seems like an obvious scam to me, but considering how many people fall for broken English scam emails I'd imagine these comments are pretty effective.
It is sad to accept that BUY versions is leading DIY versions by 3 points.
But, we should not forget that DIY versions helps us to learn and gives us experience about the subject,which is priceless.
Manoj BR agree. It makes sense, as commercial products benefit from volume, economies of scale and usually cheaper labor. But there's no equal to the satisfaction of making a custom item :-)
I agree.
Nope. That's the benefit of mass production... sadly
Agree. Everything about learning not just about earning.
@Joey Barreras if you do it practically, you will never forget it
This panel can put out close to 100 watts th-cam.com/users/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.
I appreciate your honesty, integrity, building skills, and the straight forward way you presented it! Nicely done bro!
7:44 great use for nutella!
Jana Ebert 😂😂😂😂
... i can clearly see that is not Nutella...
@@moneygreen4692 Ain't that italian nutela?
@@moneygreen4692 it's a joke
it really helped thanks
One more thing you could have done with your version: Put a reverse bypass diode on each cell, so if a cell becomes shaded, you only lose that 1 cell, plus the forward voltage drop if the bypass diode. I would recommend low voltage Schottky diodes, because of their lower voltage drop. With only 2 diodes, if one cell is shaded, you lose two entire columns of cells, which is half the panel! The fact that you made your own, you could put those diodes in parallel with each cell, producing a better panel for less than ideal conditions, than the commercial panel. I would have used tempered glass, rather than acrylic, for the glazing.(that's what the commercial panel uses)
One other recommendation: Mount the solar panels on stand offs, so there is a gap between the backs of the panels and the roof. As the cells get hotter, the output voltage goes down. Semiconductors are negative temperature coefficient, so their voltage drops as temperature goes up. The cooler you can run the panels, the more voltage they will produce, with no reduction in amperage. That will allow them to produce more wattage.
The problem is the expense of the diodes albeit ~5-15 for 36 cells in this case, they are also approx 3/8in(0.8cm) cylinders, making for awkward lumps near each cell when you encapsulate in resin or vacuum seal with polyacetate films
@@AutoLinkThisToGmail You're right on two counts. 1, the diodes need to be rated for at least the short circuit current rating of the solar cells. They also have to be able to withstand that current at high ambient temperatures, often exceeding 50 degrees centigrade.(122 degrees Fahrenheit) As far as bullet epoxy rectifiers go, it would actually be better to use direct substrate rectifiers, similar to what you see if you take apart a high power bridge rectifier, so you don't have the bulk of the epoxy package, and the terminals of the diode are flat, and also serve as a heat sink. Besides, if you're building a framed, glazed panel, the little 'bumps' on the back side shouldn't be a problem, as long as they are lower than the terminal block. I'm guessing, that in bulk, such rectifiers could be had for pretty low cost, compared to the increase in performance in panels that are installed in less than ideal places.
You can get smd schottky diodes made for switching power supplies very cheaply. They are good for up to 5 amps constant current, two in series gives about a 0.7v drop. Would make excellent bypass diodes. The voltage drop you want is higher than 0.5v.
@@christopherleubner6633 actually, you would want to put them in parallel with each other, and put them in reverse of the polarity produced by the cell. The diodes would be completely out of play, no matter how high the solar cell voltage is. Their purpose, is to limit the reverse voltage on a shaded solar cell, so the less voltage drop, the better. You would put one parallelled pair of diodes on each cell. In fact, you could put one diode across each of the pair of cell interconnectors on each photovoltaic cell, to help with current sharing. The antiparallel shunt diodes need to be reverse biased, by the output of a solar cell.
Now replace with high quality glass. Suspend the whole thing and put a natural cooling system taking at least fifteen degrees off the electrical components.
Invert system. Use eight mirrors.
Record results. Replicate three times. Power your home for less than a thousand dollars.
Rewire components in parallel, which was recently in the news.
Replace copper with silver and upgrade materials used. Five hundred more dollars, it was just in the news a few weeks ago. Now you should be able to power your neighbors home too.
Tesla Model S DIY or buy???
Virgo AVR nuclear power plant diy or buy?
Jack Wang who the fuck can buy a Nuclear power plant?!?!?
Crazy Nerd Inventor there is actually some "toys" with radioactive isotopes made back in the days. But of course I'm only being sarcastic so that joke flew over your head ;)
DIY nuclear bombs or buy?
that's on the rick rebuilds youtube channel
thanks for the advice, I was almost planning to make my own solar panel roof..
It would have taken forever to build 😂
Oof
😂😂😂 damn me too
I have DIY'd this too. I did not use resin, and I instead lay the cells out on painted plywood, and sealed the outside edge of the plexiglass over the top with strong adhesive, and topped it off with a C-frame. Takes 8 hours to solder indeed, it's actually meditative. My tips:
- Use a thick frame like Great Scott did, thinner ones are not sturdy enough and the space behind the panel is handy for concealing wires, drilling holes and mounting.
- If you're not using resin, make sure to keep any live wires away from the frame.
- It's much much easier if you don't have to cut the plexiglass to size, it can be brittle and difficult to work with.
- Sealing the cells from the elements is crucial and probably worth spending good money on resin to achieve it.
It might be a good idea to use a backboard and a C frame, then fill the inside of the frame with epoxy as a seal. That way you use far less resin and mirror adhesive. Haven't tested this idea though, just a thought.
I love the "DIY or buy" series. Sometimes DIY solution is not the most "value for money".
In my opinion, the cheapest and best for this project is to use old window panes (sometimes you can get them for free) and transparent silicone (I used the one for gluing aquariums). The cells can be hermetically sealed with 2 panes of glass (by sticking cells to the rear window with a small amount of silicone), or the cells can be filled with neutral liquid silicone. You can also combine both solutions and the panel will be almost bulletproof. The glass is rigid and UV resistant. Silicone allows the cells to work, so they will not crack due to heat.
I think with ordinary glass there might be a power loss though.
@@douglasheld Glass transmits about 80-90%, while Plexiglass transmits 92%. It is impact-resistant (so perfect for hail), but it is less resistant to temperature, softer and bends quite easily under weight. These solar cells are very delicate and the last thing you want is a flexible structure.
If you want to use plexiglass, you need to make the structure stiff or use cells made using technology that is more resistant to stress and bending.
Your videos are incredible! The information, organization, and editing are really great.
Your penmanship is immaculate!!!
Nice video! Here are a few more tips: did the resin leave any gaps between plexiglass and the cells? If yes, you could try pouring a thin layer of resin onto plexiglass and then place the cells on top of it, to avoid any air gaps. The problem with air gaps is that when the temperature changes, water can condense on the surface of plexiglass and reduce the output and in the end even mold can develope in those spaces which is really pain in the ass (it permanently affects the output). Also, you can clean the flux and fingerprints with acetone in a spray bottle, thus further improving the output. And one more thing: plexiglass will degrade under UV light over time and decrease the output. It's also not very scratch resistant which can be a problem when cleaning the panel. (use glass or tempered glass instead)
That's what the commercial panels use, and for exactly those reasons.(tempered glass)
Also more tips: Don't eat yellow snow, nor pat burning dogs.
The only bastard crasy enough to still do a full diy panel even tough you know it will compare poor against commercial panel, i call that dedication !
Even though BUY won, I STILL LOVED THIS VIDEO! I love solar cells and panels.
Suggestion for next video: How about DIY Solar cell, aka homemade?
I just ran across a set of these cells on AliExpress earlier today and the cheap price caught my eye plus I wondered how you hook them all up. Then I found your video tonight. Now I see how you connect them together and the work plus other costs to consider. Thanks a lot!
Regular plexi glass will turn yellow-brownish in a year. Even "UV-resistant" plexi will suffer this in some degree. I think that the glass would be the best way to go
PLEXIGLAS and some other brands make UV resistant versions for years now that give you no yellowing guarantee, at best might notice some slight tint after years but personally knowing that I could get my money back if the glass yellows makes it worth it to me
By far the largest improvement you can make, which has worked very well for me.
Obtain old double glazing units, people have them in skips all the time or online when conservatories are being replaced. This provides tough, cut to size glass with aluminium surrounds that can be cut off using a Stanley knife and replaced with sealant. This will result in a cheaper and far more durable system.
You should look up aluminum brazing/welding rods. You can aluminum weld with a hand torch.
This is just awesome... What's greater than to build a commercial thing by yourself at home? This is why Mr Scott is unique
Isn't the plexiglass going to get cloudy because of uv ?
Yes and then the cells are lost because of the resin, but probably they will crack before because they aren't flexible while the plexiglass is and deform by heat and cold.
no because it has a uv protectant in it
Yes, it will, but slower depending on how much UV expensive iinhibitors are put in said plastic. @@Blox117
he did it it in worst way possible on purpose, there are more cost effective ways, lamination is cost effective and looks professional and not messy, perfectly waterproof as well, he added costly things on purpose ;)
@@shanewhite352 well plexiglass works fine and imo a better choice due to crack resistance. You can find plexiglass for rather cheap with UV protection that won't show yellowing for years. The thing that'd fail here first is the epoxy as it yellows rather quick even with UV resistance.
As for methods, could have used some kapton tape (a 3-5$ roll should be enough) to hold the Cells together and insulate the back and then use a thin aluminium sheet (should be around 10$ or less for that size) to hold it together for thermal transfer. There's a ton of ways to go about it for much cheaper. Also VHB tape is cheap af and works well
Only issue I see is the method and work is rather pointless as you can find monocrystalline 100W panels with like 20% efficiency for any day around 50-60$ from Asia, NEW. So these panels aren't exactly saving you much money especially none in terms of labor. Also 150W panels are like 70$ so there's that
this episode was finally something close to the level of a beginner like me. love when you simplify it like this/ choose easy project. We need more!
awww, I was cheering for DIY
His design is pretty bad, so DIY wins, specially if you can recycle materials. Epoxy was not needed, clear UV protected lacker would suffice, plexyglass is expensive and would better be replaced with normal glass, that you can recycle from old windows. Aluminum frame could also found from trash, but could well be replaced by sheet metal bent in U form and so on.
That's awesome - I was just a little disappointed to see it was not as cost effective. Great work! :)
Nice video, but i think its important to mention how fragile these cells are, aand that you can buy cracked cells for dirt cheap like kilo price , and if the chunks are big enough, cread a panel out of that, and that you can use glass instead of plexi and resin to cut costs dramatically, like a sandwich of wood and glass, which will make DIY worth it
This completely.
You can get cells for nothing, glass for cheap and wood on the bottom and make them a lot cheaper.
Or you hunt for used old modules, which are less efficient but save you time if you dont have much free time, sometimes you can get like 100 watt panel for 50 or 60 euros
you NEED the resin. without it you have an air layer between the glass and the cells. that eats up to 40% energy output. also it seals everything.
there is plenty of air between the glass and the sun, I dont see how a couple more mm will change anything @jp jay
ok, so let me explain.
what you say it right. there is plenty of air between the cells and the sun.
B U T: when light travels from one media into an other it will be refracted, reflected. (means: not 100% will pass) depending on the material it can be just 70-80% (even with glass or air, depending on angle)
so if light goes from AIR to GLASS it will loose some %. THEN it will also go from GLASS to AIR (the one we speak of) and then it will go "into" the Solar Cell.
so in total the light path is: AIR-GLASS-AIR- CELLS.
that last AIR should be replaced by a liquid (or resin) to make it more transparent.
if it happens one time you will get 80% of light in the cells. if you let it pass 2x through an AIR layer it will be 80% of the original 80% and that is only 64%
windows will reflect the sun almost like a mirror if it comes in a flat angle.
and that light is the one which can not go through.
I appreciate this test so much! thank you. so many times a lot of people (including myself) jump into a DIY project and don't realize that the cost of the individual parts exceed the price of the "already-made" product. not to mention quality of construction and, as you mentioned, labor costs!
thanks again.
Russ from Ocala, Florida, USA
For DIY, people often forget to factor in their time. If it takes 10 hours to save $100, you are working for yourself at $10 hour.
Glad you did this! Been looking into it for a while, and I concluded pretty much exactly what you shown. I only see DIY solar being practical these days for something like covering an outdoor table that's just sitting there anyways, or something else with panels, and then encapsulating it. Even then, like you said, it is time intensive, so if you are fully employed, you might as well just buy something unless you really have a strong DIY spirit.
Why do you mount your solar panels directly to you roof?? I think it need some airflow under the panels for cooling
It's how most people do it, but cooling would definitely help since overheating solar cells are very inefficient. Coating them completely in resin doesn't help matters either
InfernosReaper, w.r.t. resin coating what would you suggest?
He made a video about exactly this topic some weeks ago.
Amen to this. Needs ventilation or the lifetime and performance will both decrease. Check temprature coeficient in datasheet.
Here in Holland nobody is glueing the solar panels to the roof. We all use a structure that aims the solar panels to the Sun. It gives a better rendement.
Scott makes my day happier
In my physics class, my group managed to increase the light intensity and efficiency significantly by adding aluminium foil as a funnel into the solar panel, it got quite hot quickly but aside from that, I have no idea why this isn't done commercially. Does anyone know?
There is a good reason that parabolic reflectors are not used in that method, and it is the heat. Heat destroys photocells. I've personally always wondered why we don't just collect all of that heat from panels, and use it in practical ways.
Perhaps a water or oil filled coil heat pipe attached to the back of the panels?
1. liquid cooling on your panels
2. possible way to run your hot water
3. most of that heat is even there in the winter
Other than that, there are a few companies that make adapters for panels, that are literally a Fresnel lens, which refracts and concentrates light. This doesn't increase the actual efficiency of the panel, but concentrates more light onto each points, increasing the reaction.
The reason people don't use them more, is that whole heat issue.
K D - Your physics class fail. Matte white painted cardboard is more reflective than alfoil, even mylar. Only custom reflective material for hydroponics comes close to matte white from a rattle can. You fail because you didn't google any tests of reflective surfaces! :P
@@bashkillszombies guess we are resurrecting this comment. (guess we both got recommended this old video)
I wouldn't really call it a fail since as the other person stated, it's already going to hurt the cell so adding more reflectiveness isn't going to help in the long term.
Also, although more reflective. Matte white directs the light in random directions. Therefore not as focused on an intended target. It's great for certain uses, like the back of a light fixture because it doesn't just reflect the light better but spreads it out as well. But not so great for applications that require precision.
That's why they used 100,000's of mirrors at BrightSource in the Mojave desert and not matte white. Maybe it would help in finding the location from space. But not directing the light toward a central location.
Think of looking through a windsheld vs. one that has 10,000's of cracks. The light is still hitting the outside of the glass, but the light is being redirected in a way you can't make out what's on the other side. Some photons might not even be hitting your eyes. And the ones that do are in various positions.
But yeah. You are right about it reflecting more. Just not the best for the application... if solar cells didn't degrade under heat that is.
I was thinking of doing the same thing but with mirrors 🤔
@@bashkillszombies "custom reflective materials."
Nah, doesn't need to be custom by any means. BoPET would be the more cost efficient material, like what they make emergency blankets from, and it's readily available. I've seen those blankets go in Walmart for
The best handwriting anywhere.
Normal plexiglas have UV blocker added, which might lower your yield.
You can buy plexiglass without UV blocker, but you will have to make some calls...
Simon Østergaard - Good point. I suppose it depends on how broad the UV blocker is. UV does not contribute to electrical power and results in unwanted temperature rise. So, you actually want to block UV. The problem would be if the UV blocker additive also block part of the visible spectrum which would indeed lower the PV efficiency. A test would be simple enough - measure the power output of a bare cell and then cover with plexiglass and remeasure. Another concern is discoloration of the plexiglass and/or resin after prolonged UV exposure.
Bro You are way better teacher than Manny techers that y had on school
I'd be curious if you could combine solar water heating with solar photovoltaics. Only sensible if you have limited space of course, but heating water with the wasted part of the sunlight and cooling the cells with water might be a more efficient way to heat during e.g. the winter.
Probably just not worth it if you have enough space.
Cheers to the only respectable guy named Scott in 100 years or more
Fun project! A few concerns/ideas I have - Will the plastic panel and/or resin discolor (i.e. turn yellow or foggy) with prolonged UV exposure? Is there a significant CTE mismatch between the resin and silicon cells which will cause cracking after exposure to temperature changes? Reworking a cracked cell will be very difficult. Finally, it may be better to mount your panels slightly above the roof instead of laying flush. The space will allow airflow under the panel to keep it cooler and therefore more efficient.
Is CTE repeated hits to the panel?
@@Eduardo_Espinoza - Hi! Not sure what you mean by “repeated hits”. I think you are asking if CTE mismatch is a cumulative or compounding effect. If so, yes. Thermal expansion mismatch is a degradative effect. The more cycles and/or the greater mismatch, the lower mean time to failure.
@@Samuel-km5yf These CTE stands for compounding effect? I don't know what CTE is & I think I googled the wrong one.
@@Eduardo_Espinoza - Oh, I understand now. CTE stands for Coefficient of Thermal Expansion. When two different materials are in close contact, and if those materials have significantly different CTEs, then they will expand and contract at different rates when the temperature changes. This can cause warping, delamination and/or stress fractures.
@@Samuel-km5yf Thank you very much! Well said!
This DIY is very useful if you can buy scrap panels and salvage working cells from it. The technique of making a full panel can be improved as well for longevity . All in all i loved this video. Thanks
What if you don't use the resin? That's -$40
And glass instead of plexiglass? You could even get it for free.
That's cost savings of almost $80!
...And I see everyone commented this.
I can say it would be worth it for me because I'd make it for way less :)
plexi is far more durable than glass, especially when backed by 1cm of resin
Plexiglass and resin both yellow over time when exposed to UV rays, which will begin to cut into the light transfer
Plexi is more durable, but glass is harder, therefore more scratch resistant. I'd take scratch resistance over durability in this case, since you shouldn't be dropping the panel anyway.
Also, it is more UV resistant.
Thats why it is far away from creativity and the sense of solar cells, wasting hundrets of euros to save some cents on electricity costs and buying new toxic materials to save the enviroment. The resin wasn't just absolutely not necessary, it was an absolutely idiotic idea for that he even spent almost the same amount of money like on the cells. He glued together two things from that one is flexible and reacts on heat and cold while the other cracks very easy, also the plexiglass will lose it's transparency in some months and the materials like the money is wasted anyway. Also all the other parts can be found in almost every corner in Germany as waste, only the cells needed to be bought, aluminium is toxic and now needs to be reproduced because he bought new instead of reusing something that is called waste, but probably he got so much money from YT that he became to decadent to think further, just making a new video fast for fresh yt-money. I'm getting disappointed more and more with every new video.
It is the learning moment of creation here that is priceles.. thank you for creating this video
I'd be insanely curious to see you revisit this one. I suspect that there may be a way to either source cheaper materials, or save some bucks by buying more cells, or maybe getting different, higher (or maybe even lower) efficiency cells. I wonder about encapsulation with resin vs vacuum sealed plastic sheeting. I wonder about acrylic vs glass (and then tempered vs regular).
I even wonder about what the absolute Frankenstein solar panel would look like or do. I'm talking "what do I have laying around the shop?" copper wires from old chargers instead of nickel strips, glass salvaged from some old monitor or something. Frame made out of literally anything. All in the name of curiosity/science haha.
One of the best videos on solar panels!
Nice video as always make a video on inverter
If you’re worried about cracks, I suggest an epoxy resin that’s a little softer when set, and using Lexan(polycarbonate) rather than Plexiglas(acrylic). That should buy you some more time before it breaks.
Why does the solar panel (appear to) turn black when resin or flux contacts it?
i guess this is because of some microstructure on surface getting wet
Because resin refracts the light differently in comparison to air.
There is a fine matt textured surface which the flux wicks into
it's like wetting a stone I'm assuming
It does that when frightened.
As an enthusiastic electronics engineer there are loads of things I'd like to make myself but there is no way I could compete with mass production, cost/finish but mass production can't compete with my bespoke designs. Mass production has to start somewhere. Keep up the great videos.
stay creative but the winner is BUY, Nice :v
what the fuck is your channel
I just buy panels too. Put them on my camper roof for 600w of continuous power during the day, while still charging all the batteries for nighttime use. Camping is really awesome with it.
I tried this myself, but the soldering didn't work well and from a kit of 45 cells, only about 36 survived which was expected by the designers of that kit.
But this is becoming a very outdated technology as I am participating in the research for tandem thin film solar panels that can be commercially produced and sold for even lower prices and have about twice the efficiency of those panels. Also crystalline silicon requires high temperatures (1000C) to manufacture that silicon wafer that is then having atoms added to make it a p or n semiconductor. But thin film, the whole panel is produced like a single cell in an in factory device that is a vacuum chamber so the metal atoms can at lower temperatures (
Can you predict when we'll see the commercial release of this new film?
so i can build a dyson sphere?
Amazing project....Tbh the power output of the DIY one surprised me. Hatsoff to your dedication and awesome creativity.
why are the solar cells spaced so far apart? and the frame so thick?
you could save money in material cost by making it more compact. less resin, aluminum framing, plexglass , adhesive, etc...
it seems like you didn't even try to make it cost effective.
Suppose you can cut half the cost to make it as cheap as professional product, you still need to spend 8 hours or 1 day for 100w. For 10kw system, you need to spend 100 days, no way you don't lose your mind and breath too much lead gas to be able to cure in the process.
This is why I love German people,
they're very clever but very humble and have a great sense of humour.
I knew you are German! Your accent is so revealing 😂
Dude thanks for the test i just bought a Victron mppt just like your. Why is this channel not getting 1 mil subs !!
thank you Kanye, very cool
Well one tip I would suggest for people is when you get a new adhesive tube and you have to cut the plastic part to open it. Cut it at 45°. Much easier to control the caulking. Also don't constantly squeeze the trigger. Pull it till it starts coming out than just do a full line.
STAy creative... and i will see you nEXT TIme..
A honest DIY, the winner is from factory, but if keeping learning and improving i'm sure u can beat that commercial solar panel
U want it water proof and then you attach the positive and negative wire with conductive Duct Tape.... WTF
I give you a thumbs up just on your name alone. XD
Is say the diy was the winner, especially if you live where there's no snow.
isn´t the ressin quiet expensive?
i guess it's like a third of total cost.
It's not like he wrote the price for it in the video... 8:25
I'd say it really depends on where you live, most developing countries will find it cheaper to get several packages of small solar panels from chinese suppliers with free shipping, than to buy them locally, where I live for example, they are 6x more expensive than eBay/Aliexpress suppliers
Cost of work will always be the most expensive thing.
As he said, anytime you want an odd shaped panel you can make your own. Also, anytime you want a different voltage, such as 3 volts, you can make your own.
arduino diy or buy
wether it is cheap or not DIY is something that you can be proud of your self
Is it just me, or can I hear a heavy breath after each sentence :p
Dammit. You made me aware
dude y did you do this
Now i will hear it every time.... Why dude why?
I can hear it now. Not before you mentioned.
why have you done this
I've tried DIYing solar panels. The hardest part of DIY solar is the assembly. Making one or two panels is not too bad. Hand assembling dozens of panels sucks. Glass panels (as opposed to plastic which warps from heat) is prone to cracking. Glue sheets result in reliable adhesion but require a decent amount of heat to melt. That kind of heating wears down the power generation efficiency of the cells. With all that, each panel will generate widely differing amounts of power. And I can't reiterate this enough: panels are fragile. Applying a little too much force on a cell will immediately split it in two. One small slip up while cleaning up excess adhesive will send cracks across the top - no longer water resistant. Components are relatively cheap, but hand assembly is not fun.
Diy or buy?
Yes
blanana _m No
@@ste4lthles bread
lol
buy
In my country Things like the aluminum channels and the epoxy and other tools are too expensive..
it's a lot cheap to just buy a solar panel
I recently bought a solar panel rated for 100 watts at a cost of about Rs 2900
which turns out to be around 40$.
thank you making such amazing videos
NO NO NO
With this layout of the solar cells try putting the hand over one...
you will notice your output plummet near 0 if just 1 cell isn't producing!
Yes, but do you put your hand always on one cell? We need a high current or we would have a huge loss through the cables.
6:50
No it won’t that’s what those bypass diodes are for
Best way to do it is to solder them fast and hot. Clean them with alcohol, and sandwich between two pieces of glass with silicone encapsulation resin with the wire strips out the side. Apply double stick foam tape on the back of each cell for strain relief and expansion compensation. Use tempered glass for the sun side.
if you had done things a little better your DIY would have won.... first off plexi is a big no no. flex cracks cells and plexi breaks down fairly quick from UV. not to mention glass is waaay cheaper. youre suppose to use glass. you also used far more resin than needed. make sure your cells are as flat as possible, than use less resin and slowly tilt it all back and forth to even it out and to let the bubbles escape from under the cells. vwala, cheaper and usually higher producing panel with just as long shelf life as the mass produced ones
I was cringing too - Plexiglas/Perspex is really not appropriate, it can also melt or catch fire if a shaded cell gets too hot, but this can only happen with long strings and bypass diode breakdown.
Should also seal the edges of the cells with some masking tape to prevent resin getting on the cell surface. I made my panels using Sunpower cells - much less tabbing to worry about, but tedious cutting and shaping small pieces to connect them instead of using the expensive 'dogbone' connectors.
Fully agree! DIY only for very STRANGE shapes!
You lost me at the 2-part epoxy. That shit is hella pricey and totally unnecessary.
@Taylor lol the point is all you're doing is holding the solar cells in place. You could use a mechanically cheaper adhesive around the edges and then fasten a panel on to the back to weather proof the panel. IDK what material would be best but almost anything would be cheaper than epoxy.
+KrazeeCain simple silicone caulk, and hot glue from Walmart (used seperately of course).. cost you a dollar each. will hold and seal anything in the world for cheap, quick fix diy : ) between those, gorrilla glue, and some duct tape, you are unstoppable. lol
If you shop around and salvage a lot of the parts you can probably make one for half the price... for me, the frustration of DIY makes buying one well worth the cost!
Ich wusste es du kommst aus Deutschland! ( München?)
he doesn't reply to comments not in english
Camilo Mason GreatScott come from Germany?
Luis kommt er nicht aus Sachsen?
He's from germany, check out his patreon site for more informations!
Waterfront_xD information*
I loved it how honest you were.
You pretty much never can DIY cheaper than buy due to economy of scale.
At least if you are paying retail prices for stuff. If you can pickup stuff wholesale or used it can be cheaper.
Usually I see diy as a customization to add quality features, while attempting to add things on to which it will be used for. For example I saw his video on oscillope for diy or buy or the price difference. I see the cheaper oscillope was not as bulky as the 400 dollar one.
Also DIY I have done because I didn't want to get rid of all the computer components yet. I ultized the screen on a dead laptop to serve as a second monitor, that I didn't have to carry around in a case.
I can think of two category of exceptions:
- when you need quality and/or fill a niche(or custom). Example: bed, subwoofer. Ok, you need a set of ok-ish woodworking tools to start...
- some items can be repaired much cheaply than buying new: laptop batteries, battery banks/packs.
things to improve:
>you should add a one way tint to the glass because some of the sun's ray is getting reflected .
>add a screen wiper that will wipe it for every 4 hours
>Add the solar tracker
suggestions:
>house-made efficient Wind mill
>DIY vs Buy Refrigerator
Why so big gaps?
Ivan Alaskevich I guess heat transferring
So he doesn't have to bother cutting the plexiglas I presume, he's not short on space.
Great tip on the odd shape panel, if needed!! That's the only thing I can think of that would compensate all the labor and fragility of the DIY version!
Another great video!! Learned allot!! Congrats!!
Saved half money on Readymade panel and spent that money on building frame and glass, etc.
Where is the saving dude?
Dude...have you seen the video? I mean until the very end?
@@matteobaldini9837 obvsly
The commercial panels are made in glass. Special glass with a high percentage of iron causing a better resistance to dirt. Due to the high temperature during the exposition to solar Light, plexiglas can modify his shape and move cells around. Considering how much work needed the construction of panels i'm with you on buying panels: ready, tested and working!
Hi see you to the next video!
*USB SOLDERING IRON DIY OR BUY*
Bin.
why would you DIY a 2-3$ item?
Lalan Desai why would anyone want that low power piece of shit?
USB Soldering iron DON'T!
neither
I love your hand writing....
You say 'stay creative'... How the hell can I be creative with things that are super-expensive and even exist cheaper? I gotta admit. On the one hand, we can be creative. On the other hand, our creativity is dying.
You gotta get money ez if you are creative
Georg Gross Just become an engineer and buy all the stuff you need. :P
Also, try buying on Ali Express from China. Everything is cheaper if bought where it's made.
Always go with cheaper, it's usually not as good as expensive stuff and will require some modifying or repairing :)
Cekpi7 that depends on you trial and error ......the company's might have the best design at the moment it's not the cheapest option
R&D is lost money. Both the time invested and the raw materials put to use to create prototypes. Get used to it!
I also did my DUY panel and its prive was much lower:
I did not used plexiglas nut used normal glass intead, even if this is now the very good idea as resin does not stick to it well.
next i didi not used that much resin to cover entire panel but just made it sure that all cells are coated in resin and there are no bubbles between glass and cells.
to save on cost i used polyester resin which is relatively cheap
Also i squeezed cells right next to each other leaving no gaps at all.
in the end, resin hardened and popped away from the glass in the edges but it was no problem because I just filed gaps with more resin. even if cells will detach from the glass, in the end, they still hold well.
I made no frame for this panel but made it much smaller intead, so that glass itself is capable to sustain its own weight
pff
stupid DIY
why use expensive resin and plexiglass when you can use CHEAP regular GLASS...
dis one not so great scott!
because of ice rain?
@@HHCABC hail ;)
I love the diy or buy format :)
if you are thinking of retrying this one, try using, for example, an insert that has slots for each cell set, spaced, and cut out. something as thick as the cells themselves. and second sheet of Plexiglas. and maybe even, if you can find a [plausible way to do it, vacume sealing the space in between the sheets of Plexiglass.
I know this was a quick test of the concept, but there are several mistakes in material choices and construction methods. First one is using mirror adhesive. It will not handle being outside. An exterior grade silicone sealant or, better yet, a roofing sealant since it can handle the temperatures you find on a roof. Second, the brackets and hardware used on the corners can not be normal steel. Steel in contact with Al leads to galvanic corrosion of the Al to the point where cracks will form in the Al. Only use stainless, brass, bronze, titanium, and Al hardware when using Al. Third, a thin layer of UV could resin could replace the plexiglass and would be thinner, leading to better thermal characteristics and lower cost. The rest of the resin could be non-UV rated if the initial layer was rated to block UV. If not, more expensive resin would be needed. Also, adding a layer or two of fiberglass cloth embedded in the resin to the back side of the panel would stiffen it very well. Last, covering the connections on the the back side of the panel in duct tape is not going to last more than a week. Even weather rated NASHUA 357 will only last 4-6 months outside and it is the best duct tape you are going find short of kevlar/nylon fiber based tapes for aircraft repair. Exterior grade silicone adhesive or a small, watertight connection box is the correct way to weather proof that area.
you cleverly make such videos to pursue viewers to Buy a commercial version.
If you dont glue the panels to the floor you will get better cooling on the panel and produce a little more watt's. Put some brackets like L brackets. It will make a difference.
Been needing a few custom pcb, thanks for the source!
We need to add not 8 hours, but at least 120 Euro’s (8 hours * 15 euros) of labour costs. Not counting the tools if someone needs to buy them. Great episode!!!
Holy shit! I was just hoping you would make a video about this 2 days ago! And you did!!
it can be cheaper to build your own panels, if you can source cheap materials. I built ten 150W panels in 2004-05 and they still perform well today. i had bought 8 panels previously but they cost way more $ and five of them totally failed within 2-3 yrs. My solar cells were each smaller than the ones you used, and came in huge boxes bought from fleabay for around $25 USD each box. I had the aluminum and glass on-hand so that saved me big $. They paid for themselves in just 4 yrs, compared to the store bought panels that never paid off due to failures and no refund on their demise. Definitely takes patients soldering all those tabs, and assembling them. lol
Also if you had the back of the panels more open so air can flow it might lower the heat and stop the plexi from warping.