I once had a boss/mentor that loved to say "The guy on the job who knows the most, is just the guy who made the most mistakes." Extra points for honesty and humility - we learn from your mistakes and that's worth a lot more than some perfect made-for-television "how-to" approach. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the video. I really like how you show your errors, not only is it inspiring to a culture that tries to hide them, it saves people time and frustration. You are the man.
Thank you for the nice comment. I screw up a lot and it is all good learning experiences. I think sharing the "oops" portions allows for people to not fear a project by expecting perfection.
Sometimes, instructional video people will do it on purpose just to show people(specially newbies) and avoid this mistakes when they do it on their own. Seen it everywhere from DIY home improvement to IT instructional video courses. Nice one, Dan.
2011, factory panels are for the most part. the way to go. Cells are cheaper now so as the price drops for completed panels, so does the DIY method. If you have the extra time or need custom panels, DIY is the way to go. If not, buy a whole panel. This just shows easy ways of doing it. If you try to make a panel from new materials, aluminum frame, non-reflective glass etc. makes no sense. If you have glass and can customize to the size then it is still a valid choice. TIME is the main factor
Thanks for showings us mistakes that come alone so we can learn along from our own mistakes! The Key is to learn from what works and not works. I want to experiment with the Fibonacci sequence and solar cells position, like on trees (Aidan Dwyer)
where do you buy those broken panels from? I tried to buy new ones here but they cost a arm and a leg. I don't understand how they are so expensive since the technology is quite old now.
gigicaly He probably talks to the home repair store manager and arranges to buy broken/discarded products. They probably just trash stuff unless you tell them you'd like to buy it. After all, they probably tell themselves, "Who'd want broken electronics equipment?" You can be like, "hey, I'll pay you half price for broken stuff, don't trash it." They'll probably start saving junk for you.
gigicaly There are always sellers on eBay that have these broken cells. I bought 250 new whole cells on eBay for $265 which is not to bad. I've been collecting old windows to put my cells between. Problem with glass on both sides, makes a heavy panel, but will last many years longer than encapsulated in resin. I will use RTV to seal them like they do aquariums.
Just a thought. If you used ceramic tile spacers on the outside corners while putting the tape on it will keep the panels from moving toward each other.
Thank you, there is so much bad information out there or people taking advantage of people who know nothing about solar. I am grateful for the information you provide.
I think the reason I like your videos is the fact that you guys always share what you did wrong. It truly is science, you invite people to test your findings, as you do theirs. I have learned so much from your videos. Thanks
Tobydog, why do people spend time watching entire diy videos, then spend even more time commenting about why they made the video? Anyone watching the video (besides you) is watching because they want to learn ways of making their own solar panels. Now I'm gonna watch a video about how to catch trout and then comment about why anyone would catch a trout when you can buy one at the store. People are weird. Especially TH-cam people.
When you rip them down the middle for framing, they either warp at the time of the cut or stay straight. I have untreated frames that are 4 years old, sun damaged but not warped. The wind turbine from 2008 is also straight after 5 years and it was untreated too. PT warps, regular does not if it is a good board. Picking a straight 2x4 is the key. I will have a follow-up video on aged 2x4's due out soon. Maybe they are magic:-)
Am kaluya moses in Uganda , where can I get the solar cells, and at what price per cell And how many solar cells needed to make a panel of 75 watts? am so much inters ted with this project
I saw you on Doomsday Preppers last week, then while searching for solar projects, I ran across your videos here! How cool is that? So, you erred in your tabbing process and admitted it on camera. I'm sure MOST of us appreciate your honesty, but most importantly, you got the message across in regards to the process. Keep the info coming brother. You two have a thumbs up from me!!
:-) thank you for enjoying our videos and DDP was a great experience with large production crews here. They kept it to the solar build for the most part so we were really happy with the video. I have about 500 more projects that need to be done. Just need to find the time:-) Happy Holidays.
I wonder if this was a april fool prank or something .. i can imagine somebody following this video step by step and in the end screaming out - "dude WTF"
Sad that solar energy isn't utilized like it should be. Free energy and we use it for calculators. Imagine the guy that invented it. So proud and thought that it would change the world forever and all we do is heat pools and run calculators with it.
I doubt anyone uses solar electrics to heat pools. That would be the dumbest and most inefficient use of power ever. Solar thermal water heaters perhaps. Any from what I see, solar is expanding faster than ever, where I live there are panels on every other roof, and lots of big industrial buildings and malls run entirely on solar with thousands of arrays on top the roof and/or a field nearby. Perhaps there is just not that much sun where you live? Solar is a bad idea if yo live in say, England, with constant overcast.
I agree it should be free but the lever make it 3 because they lose money then it cost so much money to make it free cuz I thought of doing it but f****** and you don't realize how much it is to buy all the parts to make solar panels but it's ridiculous
Thanks man! I liked your non-ego explanation, especially the end where you mentioned tabbing some cells to themselves. Very few people can acclaim themselves as professionals at this, so thanks again!
Thank you so much! I did tabbing with no issues at all (with my 40 Watt soldering iron), but when it came to attaching cells together it would not solder at all! After I viewed your video, I tried two new things: your method and a quality 25 Watt iron. It worked like a charm. Only occasionally I had to add a drop of solder, and it actually stayed on the cell. So iron wattage and quality matters as well (too hot and solder won't stay on cell).
Factory made REAL panels are down to about .75 a watt now, it's hardly worth DIY and risking making something that leaks or crazes with all that effort. JUST BUY THE THINGS. Buy one at a time, in a year you would have a killer array.
Thank you for explaining so well. I appreciate that you're honest about the mistake. This makes me feel better about starting something like this and knowing that even the professionals make mistakes too.
Whats wrong with coal fired steam power man? Think of that steam whistle blowing off at five am letting everyone know that Tom has invested in tried and true systems that have worked for over a century. Shoveling coal keeps you in shape. Smoke from your chimney will choke out the birds and bugs that endanger your veggies. Man I really love my veggies and I could talk about my bokchoi for hrs.
Tom you know im just joking right? I have kin folk who live in Southeast Ky in them thar mountains and they depended on coal jobs but they were so ignorant they voted for Obama, who said he was going to kill coal. They were all caught up in the fad that it would be so cool to have a black man be a president. Talk about Democratic Racism.
+GREENPOWERSCIENCE ~ I've got enough incandescent bulbs to last generations of my family. Eff the government telling me what to do. I don't do the nanny state.
Nice video. Thanks for including your messed up one as a warning even though embarrassing. These types of mistakes can ruin or discourage a project like this very easily. With a wide variety of viewers, you never know their different skill levels and tool proficiency, so the more details you add relating to the project, the less additional research your viewers may require. Keep up the good work!
The only cells I know of are CPV or concentrated photovoltaic which watt for watt are more expensive but work for orbit projects and each gram of weight at liftoff is expensive. CPV is used for projects on the ground but when the collector and cooling is considered the cost is still a lot more than standard PV. Thank you for the great comment.
There is a saying, "Time is money, unless time is the only thing you got." There are so many people who don´t have the money but they have the time. But I´m happy you can buy them instead. :) And I´m also happy he shows us how things work, and don´t work as well. :)
It's amazing, the confidence that internet can give to a small boy with a high pitched voice...and the irony of calling someone a nerd, then saying you'll be uploading video-game videos. Some people at least are proactive...
Buying some for ASAP testing. Maybe a possible option for a lot of projects. Not sure if it will work for solar but seems like a quick and easy fun surface. THANK YOU FOR THE INFO.
Aw you know that was cool of you to admit your mistake dude. If more people had the guts to be like that the world would be better. Still you managed to get the point across teaching by letting us experience your mistakes and successes with you. Good on you! Now I want to make my own stuff, thanks for the help.
Ebay has them, check "tabbed solar cells" buy fully tabbed cells or un-tabbed cells. I do not recommend buying "clipped" or 'short" tabs as they need to be removed with the soldering iron and re-tabbing is tricky.
Great video. No worries about the mistake. I do those kind quiet often. It will help a lot of people not make the same. Would have loved to see the thing complete and hooked up.
It looks like you are spot on and to the point, whilst being dedicated. I have to get some cash together so I can follow your vids and make the items. Been interested in this and you are easy to listen to...so far anyway, I don't know anything solar (but have a good media background) and see it's kind of expensive to buy outright. Thanks for your offerings.
LOL I love It! Taking one for the team, and messing up so we don't have to! Watching you solder those tabs was well informative enough, we'd never really known you had done it backwards. So, a great lesson in a lesson, and for that we thank you. Hey, maybe a good idea would be to draw a few arrows with a sharpie on the tape, the direction you want the tabs to lay before soldering. I think I will surely do that. :) Keep up the cool and informative vids Dan, Thanks!
This is a decent idea if you have some time on your hands. I might have to try that. I always liked tinkering with electronics, so it might be a fun project for later in the year. Helpful.
Verum biblia, I bought mine on Amazon from (I think) mls solar. Search Amazon for 3x6 solar cells. They come in packs of 36, 100, etc. They usually throw extra in to account for breakage. I was surprised how fragile they were. Like Dan said, you can find broken cells sold by the pound too. Also, kudos to Dan for admitting soldering tabs to the wrong cells. We've all been there (and hoped no one was watching) .
Thank you for your tip. I figured this out on my own, but I found with the wider tape that it causes air bubbles to get caught under the cells. I hope that my comment is helpful to you.
Wow, less than $1 a watt and I thought I got a deal on a few manufactured 10 watt panels at $40 a piece. Good info, going to have to look into DIY solar even more.
+GREENPOWERSCIENCE I thought it was entertaining, but I think stephan is an ai program that goes around kidding.... hence the name kidder. lets face it, while i liked the video this is not a good way to do it and not saving any money either, so stephan was kidding, thanks for the entertainment.
Yeah, I built one of my own solar panels and did not have the pre-tabbed wires. Definitely more time consuming but I guess I got more practice soldering. Got a bunch of old windows people threw out which I want to use for solar panels. Anyway, good vid and I look forward to part 2. Many Thanks.
You can, but the first step is to get your house as energy efficient as possible. LED lighting, energy star appliances, proper insulation. Solar thermal for hot water (search our channel for solar hot water) then you can add PV panels for electricity. Powering a whole home without going energy efficient first is 2x as expensive. Check your electric bill and check the kilowatt daily usage.
That was an very informative video for a neewbie to solar panels. I really admire your honest mistake at the end. Most people just edit stuff like that out and let other just learn the hard way but it is the sort of mistake I would make. Thanks for the video....
you are the man dude! nice job; even the effe up at the end. way to educate and show mistakes that are simple to make. with most of the ADD people on the web the cell phone will have distracted them during the video so if you reached 1% of the 1.6 mil views you did MORE than your share to save and educate a small part of the planet. thanks again!
Harbor Freight has some nice units. The three 15 watt panels sell on sale for 149.00 They come with a steel frame to put them up, a charge controller with digital volt meter to manage the battery. Each panel is roughly one and a half foot wide by three feet tall. The charge controller has a standard cigarette lighter, USB and 1/4 inch power socket for all kinds of applications. They are a great camping units. Everything is there but the 12V battery. I use mine all of the time for something.
Hehe, this video was really informative and funny at the end. Solar panels are still very expensive here in South Africa so thanks a mil for the DIY tips.
Do not go more than 80 watts. The per watt price is the same after shipping they are easier to install one person can lift them to the roof. If one does break from whatever, you are out only 80watts Two 80watt panels cost the same as one 160watt panel. FEDEX AND UPS both charge an additional $50 handling fee for objects in the 100 watt range and larger The 80 watt panels fit the smaller shipping profile and cost $20 vs $70-$100 shipping. Also smaller panels are less likely to break via shipping.
i find when i train ppl or know i m being videotaped i make mistakes as well, but takes a real man to admit you tabbed them to themselves you saved the rest of us from the same mistake :$
@truvak - To make it easier to understand, say you have 3 cells, cell 1 (the first in the row lets say) is soldered to the back of cell 2, cell 2 then to the back of cell 3. Cell 3 you keep the tabs free so you can then connect them to the MC connectors. Hope this helps.
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Put toothpicks between the cells for alignment before putting the sticky tape and soldering. After it's soldered, the toothpicks can be removed and reused for the next row. This will keep the cells from touching each other and keep them aligned and neat. Also, use an ice-cream stick or another wood toothpick to hold down the tabs (bus wires) while soldering. Also, use good quality solder for electronics and be wary of flux and solder intended for other applications like soldering gutters.
My late wife and I began work on setting up our own solar array for our home in central Florida about 5 years ago. I purchased off Ebay, at a very good price, a plethora, of 4x6 "grade A" cells to build our panels (around 26 producing 64.8 watts each) with. Not too shabby. I chose to use extruded L channel aluminum for the frames.Things have been put "on hold" after the unexpected death of my wife due to cancer. I stumbled across something that may take me in an entirely different direction.
Very useful! I subbed and added you to my hydroponics channel. We need more of this! I am slowly heading toward self - sufficiency , getting off the grid, and micro farming.
Thanks for sharing some great ideas! Try to implement lenses and or mirrors on the sides to reflect sunlight onto the cells. Plus the material you are using will reflect a lot of light away from the cells, therefor a small array of mirrors will compensate for that. It wont be pretty, but you get broken mirror pieces in many places to play with :P Who says a solar panel can't be stylish.
What type of battery do you charge? How do you convert to AC or do you convert your apliances to DC? Thanks for these videos, much better than trying to read through a manual.
You can, you just cannot install them in someone else's house for money. You need to be licensed for that. For DIY own projects, not a problem. Just make sure you know the install steps.
@fuelban The front of the solar is negative and the back is positive. There are two negative tabbing wires coming from the front and two positive tabbing wires going to the back. When you arrange the cells positive to negative, you are connecting the cells in series, bumping up the voltage. I hope this helped!
Usually they have the same output per a square inch of connected cell, but if the traces are broken, those sections won't yield electricity, and you may not be able to lay them out in as high density. You can always use solder and a little wire to connect the trace that doesn't connect, but you have to know what you are doing (You need to know which trace is positive, and which is negative.) This also does risk damaging the cell.
it is best to buy your solar panels all ready made. i bought two 36 cell kits to make a 30 watt panel and by the time i was done i had much more invested than if i bought my pre made panels. i bought 12x 10 watt 8A 12V panels for $300 shipped, the two 30 watt panels cost me about $150 each with all the parts to build the kits correctly plus lots of time to build them. so 60 watts 3A 12V for $300 or 120 watts for $300 for something thats already made and works better than expected and no mess.
I once had a boss/mentor that loved to say "The guy on the job who knows the most, is just the guy who made the most mistakes."
Extra points for honesty and humility - we learn from your mistakes and that's worth a lot more than some perfect made-for-television "how-to" approach. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the video. I really like how you show your errors, not only is it inspiring to a culture that tries to hide them, it saves people time and frustration. You are the man.
I didnt get the error; I am multitasking.. Must watch the video again to learn what happened.
Thank you for the nice comment. I screw up a lot and it is all good learning experiences. I think sharing the "oops" portions allows for people to not fear a project by expecting perfection.
Sometimes, instructional video people will do it on purpose just to show people(specially newbies) and avoid this mistakes when they do it on their own. Seen it everywhere from DIY home improvement to IT instructional video courses. Nice one, Dan.
A smart person learns from their mistakes. A smarter person learns from someone else's mistake. Thanks for the FYI.
You are some teacher Dan. Comprehensive, paying attention to detail and taking the mystery out of it really. So helpful brother, thankyou. ♥
Thank you Paddy, I hope to get back to making some videos real soon.
2011, factory panels are for the most part. the way to go. Cells are cheaper now so as the price drops for completed panels, so does the DIY method. If you have the extra time or need custom panels, DIY is the way to go. If not, buy a whole panel. This just shows easy ways of doing it. If you try to make a panel from new materials, aluminum frame, non-reflective glass etc. makes no sense. If you have glass and can customize to the size then it is still a valid choice. TIME is the main factor
Thanks for showings us mistakes that come alone so we can learn along from our own mistakes! The Key is to learn from what works and not works.
I want to experiment with the Fibonacci sequence and solar cells position, like on trees (Aidan Dwyer)
is it 12v?
where do you buy those broken panels from? I tried to buy new ones here but they cost a arm and a leg. I don't understand how they are so expensive since the technology is quite old now.
gigicaly
He probably talks to the home repair store manager and arranges to buy broken/discarded products. They probably just trash stuff unless you tell them you'd like to buy it. After all, they probably tell themselves, "Who'd want broken electronics equipment?"
You can be like, "hey, I'll pay you half price for broken stuff, don't trash it." They'll probably start saving junk for you.
gigicaly There are always sellers on eBay that have these broken cells. I bought 250 new whole cells on eBay for $265 which is not to bad. I've been collecting old windows to put my cells between. Problem with glass on both sides, makes a heavy panel, but will last many years longer than encapsulated in resin. I will use RTV to seal them like they do aquariums.
This is about the most clear and realistic if your DIY info I have found. [Not install several thousand dollars myself]
Thank you.
I laughed so hard at the end when he described attaching the cells to themselves. I've done similar things in DIY projects. LOL
Very glad that you included the "what not to do" part . Top notch instructional ! Thank you !
Just a thought. If you used ceramic tile spacers on the outside corners while putting the tape on it will keep the panels from moving toward each other.
Thank you, there is so much bad information out there or people taking advantage of people who know nothing about solar. I am grateful for the information you provide.
subbed, for less than $1.
I think the reason I like your videos is the fact that you guys always share what you did wrong. It truly is science, you invite people to test your findings, as you do theirs. I have learned so much from your videos. Thanks
Tobydog, why do people spend time watching entire diy videos, then spend even more time commenting about why they made the video? Anyone watching the video (besides you) is watching because they want to learn ways of making their own solar panels. Now I'm gonna watch a video about how to catch trout and then comment about why anyone would catch a trout when you can buy one at the store. People are weird. Especially TH-cam people.
Andy Jones you nailed it exactly!!
Andy Jones i do check my channel
Wow, look how far we have come now.
A lot of what we have today is because of guys like this, even more so, IN RESPONSE to guys like this.
change your soldering iron tip to a flat square tip cut at 45deg makes the job much easier
When you rip them down the middle for framing, they either warp at the time of the cut or stay straight. I have untreated frames that are 4 years old, sun damaged but not warped. The wind turbine from 2008 is also straight after 5 years and it was untreated too. PT warps, regular does not if it is a good board. Picking a straight 2x4 is the key. I will have a follow-up video on aged 2x4's due out soon. Maybe they are magic:-)
Am kaluya moses in Uganda , where can I get the solar cells, and at what price per cell And how many solar cells needed to make a panel of 75 watts? am so much inters ted with this project
Www.aliexpress.com
+Kaluya Moses hope u teach them kenyans,.,.how is it goign for you now,.
I saw you on Doomsday Preppers last week, then while searching for solar projects, I ran across your videos here! How cool is that? So, you erred in your tabbing process and admitted it on camera. I'm sure MOST of us appreciate your honesty, but most importantly, you got the message across in regards to the process. Keep the info coming brother. You two have a thumbs up from me!!
:-) thank you for enjoying our videos and DDP was a great experience with large production crews here. They kept it to the solar build for the most part so we were really happy with the video. I have about 500 more projects that need to be done. Just need to find the time:-) Happy Holidays.
Thanks for saying Solder and not soder at last :) Mike
+1 (as a Brit, I get upset when the 'L' is omitted)
Why, what's wrong with sodder?
It's means to Bum dead bodies that's what's wrong with it :) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodomy
Mike Hebblethwaite
It's the American way! lol
mark rainford Do you want to buy a spade!
I love this guy's videos. Easily one of the best people to watch on youtube, keep them coming!!!
nice twist at the end hahaha
you have one of the most informative channels on youtube God bless you both.
I wonder if this was a april fool prank or something .. i can imagine somebody following this video step by step and in the end screaming out - "dude WTF"
What I love about this video is that the studio work looks straight out of 1978 but it's talking about modern (futuristic!) tech. :P
Sad that solar energy isn't utilized like it should be. Free energy and we use it for calculators. Imagine the guy that invented it. So proud and thought that it would change the world forever and all we do is heat pools and run calculators with it.
I doubt anyone uses solar electrics to heat pools. That would be the dumbest and most inefficient use of power ever. Solar thermal water heaters perhaps. Any from what I see, solar is expanding faster than ever, where I live there are panels on every other roof, and lots of big industrial buildings and malls run entirely on solar with thousands of arrays on top the roof and/or a field nearby. Perhaps there is just not that much sun where you live? Solar is a bad idea if yo live in say, England, with constant overcast.
Oooh no, Solar is used for much, much more than you think...
I see it growing finally. Now we need the see-through panels, solar greenhouses and such. AMAZING possibilities
I agree it should be free but the lever make it 3 because they lose money then it cost so much money to make it free cuz I thought of doing it but f****** and you don't realize how much it is to buy all the parts to make solar panels but it's ridiculous
@@CalyPTratus Build something and you'll know.
Liked the fact you were honest about the "human error" at the end. In reality these things happen sometimes even after the best of preparation.
this video looks pretty old, like from the 80s
good resource though
Close, 2011, hair style from high school:-)
Nowadays you could say it has a "vintage" feel :D.
Nice work btw, your videos are much appreciated
My sister Kim Edwards had the hots for you in high school, haha.
not only are the videos handy and very good instrucktion videos, but they are soooo funny. Great intertainment Thanks man !!!!
All I heard was "building your own is about same cost as buying factory". So just buy one factory and save yourself time on building it?
one of the best, informative, easy to understand, people and planet helping channels on youtube. Keep up the awesome work
where i'm from $1 is not cheap :(
Thanks man! I liked your non-ego explanation, especially the end where you mentioned tabbing some cells to themselves. Very few people can acclaim themselves as professionals at this, so thanks again!
who's watching in 2016
Montaga Osman 2017
2017 my dear :)
GOD bless
2017
2017, wish I saw these videos sooner tho.
October 2017! Just as important an issue as ever!
Thank you so much! I did tabbing with no issues at all (with my 40 Watt soldering iron), but when it came to attaching cells together it would not solder at all! After I viewed your video, I tried two new things: your method and a quality 25 Watt iron. It worked like a charm. Only occasionally I had to add a drop of solder, and it actually stayed on the cell. So iron wattage and quality matters as well (too hot and solder won't stay on cell).
Factory made REAL panels are down to about .75 a watt now, it's hardly worth DIY and risking making something that leaks or crazes with all that effort. JUST BUY THE THINGS. Buy one at a time, in a year you would have a killer array.
I've never seen a truer user name
Thank you for explaining so well. I appreciate that you're honest about the mistake. This makes me feel better about starting something like this and knowing that even the professionals make mistakes too.
Whats wrong with coal fired steam power man?
Think of that steam whistle blowing off at five am letting everyone know that Tom has invested in tried and true systems that have worked for over a century. Shoveling coal keeps you in shape. Smoke from your chimney will choke out the birds and bugs that endanger your veggies. Man I really love my veggies and I could talk about my bokchoi for hrs.
+Josef Venport Coal is history. 10 years form now it will go the way of the incandescent lightbulb and typewriter.
Tom you know im just joking right?
I have kin folk who live in Southeast Ky in them thar mountains and they depended on coal jobs but they were so ignorant they voted for Obama, who said he was going to kill coal.
They were all caught up in the fad that it would be so cool to have a black man be a president. Talk about Democratic Racism.
+GREENPOWERSCIENCE ~ I've got enough incandescent bulbs to last generations of my family. Eff the government telling me what to do. I don't do the nanny state.
i am for steam Machines but powered wit sunlight.
I am all for Mrs Rohas!!!
Hey Dan , Thanks so much for the help and education you provide in all your video's . Both you and your wife are much appreciated .
actually how to make the solar cell yourself? assume you live at post-nuclear war
great idea on getting the broken cells. they work fine, and your using something that would normally get thrown in the garbage.
Nice video. Thanks for including your messed up one as a warning even though embarrassing. These types of mistakes can ruin or discourage a project like this very easily. With a wide variety of viewers, you never know their different skill levels and tool proficiency, so the more details you add relating to the project, the less additional research your viewers may require. Keep up the good work!
The only cells I know of are CPV or concentrated photovoltaic which watt for watt are more expensive but work for orbit projects and each gram of weight at liftoff is expensive. CPV is used for projects on the ground but when the collector and cooling is considered the cost is still a lot more than standard PV. Thank you for the great comment.
There is a saying, "Time is money, unless time is the only thing you got."
There are so many people who don´t have the money but they have the time.
But I´m happy you can buy them instead. :)
And I´m also happy he shows us how things work, and don´t work as well. :)
It's amazing, the confidence that internet can give to a small boy with a high pitched voice...and the irony of calling someone a nerd, then saying you'll be uploading video-game videos. Some people at least are proactive...
Buying some for ASAP testing. Maybe a possible option for a lot of projects. Not sure if it will work for solar but seems like a quick and easy fun surface.
THANK YOU FOR THE INFO.
dude, you're a modern MacGyver. I will totally be doing this. thanks for doing it step-by-step!
Aw you know that was cool of you to admit your mistake dude. If more people had the guts to be like that the world would be better. Still you managed to get the point across teaching by letting us experience your mistakes and successes with you. Good on you! Now I want to make my own stuff, thanks for the help.
Ebay has them, check "tabbed solar cells" buy fully tabbed cells or un-tabbed cells. I do not recommend buying "clipped" or 'short" tabs as they need to be removed with the soldering iron and re-tabbing is tricky.
I'm using your series as a tutorial for a science project for my kids homeschool as it seems very straight forward and easy to follow!!:):)
LadyBugg Junor Thank you for sharing our info and for the nice comment!
Great video. No worries about the mistake. I do those kind quiet often. It will help a lot of people not make the same. Would have loved to see the thing complete and hooked up.
Looks like a fun project this winter when it's 20 below up here in SD.
It looks like you are spot on and to the point, whilst being dedicated. I have to get some cash together so I can follow your vids and make the items. Been interested in this and you are easy to listen to...so far anyway, I don't know anything solar (but have a good media background) and see it's kind of expensive to buy outright. Thanks for your offerings.
LOL I love It! Taking one for the team, and messing up so we don't have to!
Watching you solder those tabs was well informative enough, we'd never really known you had done it backwards. So, a great lesson in a lesson, and for that we thank you.
Hey, maybe a good idea would be to draw a few arrows with a sharpie on the tape, the direction you want the tabs to lay before soldering. I think I will surely do that. :)
Keep up the cool and informative vids Dan, Thanks!
THANKS DAN YOU SAVED ME A WHOLE F UP. HOW SCIENTIFIC. WHAT NOT TO DO . IMAGINE THAT MIGHT COME IN HANDY SOMETIME.
thanks for sharing good to see you aren't afraid to admit you fudged up up a bit
This is a decent idea if you have some time on your hands. I might have to try that. I always liked tinkering with electronics, so it might be a fun project for later in the year. Helpful.
Best instructional video on the internet!! thank you
Verum biblia, I bought mine on Amazon from (I think) mls solar. Search Amazon for 3x6 solar cells. They come in packs of 36, 100, etc. They usually throw extra in to account for breakage. I was surprised how fragile they were. Like Dan said, you can find broken cells sold by the pound too. Also, kudos to Dan for admitting soldering tabs to the wrong cells. We've all been there (and hoped no one was watching) .
Thank you for your tip. I figured this out on my own, but I found with the wider tape that it causes air bubbles to get caught under the cells. I hope that my comment is helpful to you.
Wow, less than $1 a watt and I thought I got a deal on a few manufactured 10 watt panels at $40 a piece. Good info, going to have to look into DIY solar even more.
great video. comprehinsive, explanatory and budget mindful.
Stephan Kidder Thank you for the nice comment Stephan!
+GREENPOWERSCIENCE I thought it was entertaining, but I think stephan is an ai program that goes around kidding.... hence the name kidder. lets face it, while i liked the video this is not a good way to do it and not saving any money either, so stephan was kidding, thanks for the entertainment.
Tabbing to itself - that's like plugging your power strip into itself - INFINITE POWER, baby!
Love the video - love that you were willing to show your mistakes!
Thanks for the videos. I was thinking about doing this all weekend and just saw that you posted these videos. Thanks again.
Very impressive. Thank you. And thank you for being so scientific about the process. There are errors and you show us what errors to avoid! :)
Yeah, I built one of my own solar panels and did not have the pre-tabbed wires. Definitely more time consuming but I guess I got more practice soldering. Got a bunch of old windows people threw out which I want to use for solar panels. Anyway, good vid and I look forward to part 2. Many Thanks.
You can, but the first step is to get your house as energy efficient as possible. LED lighting, energy star appliances, proper insulation. Solar thermal for hot water (search our channel for solar hot water) then you can add PV panels for electricity. Powering a whole home without going energy efficient first is 2x as expensive. Check your electric bill and check the kilowatt daily usage.
That was an very informative video for a neewbie to solar panels. I really admire your honest mistake at the end. Most people just edit stuff like that out and let other just learn the hard way but it is the sort of mistake I would make. Thanks for the video....
I'm suck a big fan of your work. Thanks for all your brilliant ideas.
you are the man dude! nice job; even the effe up at the end. way to educate and show mistakes that are simple to make. with most of the ADD people on the web the cell phone will have distracted them during the video so if you reached 1% of the 1.6 mil views you did MORE than your share to save and educate a small part of the planet. thanks again!
Harbor Freight has some nice units. The three 15 watt panels sell on sale for 149.00 They come with a steel frame to put them up, a charge controller with digital volt meter to manage the battery. Each panel is roughly one and a half foot wide by three feet tall. The charge controller has a standard cigarette lighter, USB and 1/4 inch power socket for all kinds of applications. They are a great camping units. Everything is there but the 12V battery. I use mine all of the time for something.
another great video with useful tips Dan. Good to see you're a member of the 17% club too
Hehe, this video was really informative and funny at the end. Solar panels are still very expensive here in South Africa so thanks a mil for the DIY tips.
Do not go more than 80 watts. The per watt price is the same after shipping they are easier to install one person can lift them to the roof. If one does break from whatever, you are out only 80watts Two 80watt panels cost the same as one 160watt panel. FEDEX AND UPS both charge an additional $50 handling fee for objects in the 100 watt range and larger The 80 watt panels fit the smaller shipping profile and cost $20 vs $70-$100 shipping. Also smaller panels are less likely to break via shipping.
i find when i train ppl or know i m being videotaped i make mistakes as well, but takes a real man to admit you tabbed them to themselves you saved the rest of us from the same mistake :$
@truvak - To make it easier to understand, say you have 3 cells, cell 1 (the first in the row lets say) is soldered to the back of cell 2, cell 2 then to the back of cell 3. Cell 3 you keep the tabs free so you can then connect them to the MC connectors. Hope this helps.
Put toothpicks between the cells for alignment before putting the sticky tape and soldering.
After it's soldered, the toothpicks can be removed and reused for the next row.
This will keep the cells from touching each other and keep them aligned and neat.
Also, use an ice-cream stick or another wood toothpick to hold down the tabs (bus wires) while soldering.
Also, use good quality solder for electronics and be wary of flux and solder intended for other applications like soldering gutters.
My late wife and I began work on setting up our own solar array for our home in central Florida about 5 years ago. I purchased off Ebay, at a very good price, a plethora, of 4x6 "grade A" cells to build our panels (around 26 producing 64.8 watts each) with. Not too shabby. I chose to use extruded L channel aluminum for the frames.Things have been put "on hold" after the unexpected death of my wife due to cancer. I stumbled across something that may take me in an entirely different direction.
Very useful! I subbed and added you to my hydroponics channel. We need more of this! I am slowly heading toward self - sufficiency , getting off the grid, and micro farming.
Many cells on Ebay are USA. Most sellers stock 100K cells +.
great!, you are excellent teacher you explain all the points, very well,
Thanks for sharing some great ideas! Try to implement lenses and or mirrors on the sides to reflect sunlight onto the cells. Plus the material you are using will reflect a lot of light away from the cells, therefor a small array of mirrors will compensate for that. It wont be pretty, but you get broken mirror pieces in many places to play with :P Who says a solar panel can't be stylish.
Ebay has some good sources, just check the sellers feedback and shipping costs.
Interesting to see how prices have come down over time. Commercial is easily under $1/watt now, so hopefully it continues to trend that way.
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Solder is pronounced "sodder".
Always enjoy the videos Dan.
"how not to" videos are alot more entertaining and informative than "how to" videos
Yes but generally people don't. I have 80 cells on the way to have a go at making my own - can't wait!
Love the lisp and the mullet "bro".
What type of battery do you charge? How do you convert to AC or do you convert your apliances to DC?
Thanks for these videos, much better than trying to read through a manual.
You can, you just cannot install them in someone else's house for money. You need to be licensed for that. For DIY own projects, not a problem. Just make sure you know the install steps.
Great video dan! I really enjoy learning about this and i plan to make my own!
@fuelban The front of the solar is negative and the back is positive. There are two negative tabbing wires coming from the front and two positive tabbing wires going to the back. When you arrange the cells positive to negative, you are connecting the cells in series, bumping up the voltage. I hope this helped!
11 minutes and 51 seconds of blooper! LOL
Thanks for the info Dan, with summer here lots of us can use these panels for everyday stuff.
good job, recomend cleaning the soldering iron and using rosin core solder.
Probbebly one more thing added to my "want to but will never actually do" to-do list.
Usually they have the same output per a square inch of connected cell, but if the traces are broken, those sections won't yield electricity, and you may not be able to lay them out in as high density.
You can always use solder and a little wire to connect the trace that doesn't connect, but you have to know what you are doing (You need to know which trace is positive, and which is negative.) This also does risk damaging the cell.
it is best to buy your solar panels all ready made. i bought two 36 cell kits to make a 30 watt panel and by the time i was done i had much more invested than if i bought my pre made panels. i bought 12x 10 watt 8A 12V panels for $300 shipped, the two 30 watt panels cost me about $150 each with all the parts to build the kits correctly plus lots of time to build them. so 60 watts 3A 12V for $300 or 120 watts for $300 for something thats already made and works better than expected and no mess.