Solar Panels at Factor e Farm

Basic Design

• 156 mm square cells
• 4x8 cell panels, total of 32 cells per panel
• dimensions – 29”x56” for each panel
• 112 designer watts
• we have enough solar cells for 15 panels

look @ pg. 43 of hurley for an example layout of the panels. The example is 4x8 as well, though the cells are larger than in the example, about 6.14 in^2. These sound fairly large, about 2.5'x4.5'. If we are working on two at a time with a small team of people, we will need significant table space.

Parts

1. 3/16” Plexiglas – Lowes/Menards (L/M) – price:
2. case backing, aluminum – McMaster Carr
3. 1” by 1/4” aluminum bar

 (72.5'W+140'L-5'for corners= 142.5'

1. u-channel for edges
2. shrink tube –
3. window screen – L/M -
4. tabbing ribbon – need 12.5” per cell – total of about 520 feet!
5. bus ribbon -
6. stainless steel screws
7. GE Silicone II sealant, clear
8. GE RTV 615 optically clear silicone Circuit Specialists RTV615-1P 1 pint (for 4 panels)
9. Xylene (xylol) solvent Hardware store1 pint (for 4 panels)
10. brush for encapsulant
11. 60/40 solder -
12. 2-wire terminal
13. wire for panel connection
14. junction box
15. epoxy for junction box
16. Clear plastic pony beads 4" Craft store 8 per panel
17. Silicone rubber strip 3/32" thick, 2" width 36" long

Tools

1. controllable soldering iron x2 –
2. needle nose pliers -