Solar Panels at Factor e Farm

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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 or local sheet metal shop
  3. 1” by 1/4” aluminum bar< 72.5'W+140'L-5'for corners= 207.5' good thing you don't have to worry about saltwater spray. imagine ordering this much stainless steel! This might be a bit much for local stores, we shall see
  4. u-channel for edges (will we do clips or do full bars and drill? One will require more drilling, the other more cutting?? the difference will necessitate only about 5' additional. pg 96)
  5. shrink tube –
  6. window screen – L/M - suggests
  7. tabbing ribbon – need 12.5” per cell – total of about 520 feet! <rd pg 79-82. we might need more per cell, more like 15". it must run between the cells as well as along them. so, maybe as much as 620'
  8. bus ribbon - estimating about 82'. We will need to do a scaled schematic/structural drawing to calculate this
  9. stainless steel screws - assuming 18 per panel, at least 270, on pg 132, SS pan head slotted machine screw 10-24 1.5"L (or up to 2")
  10. stainless steel machine screw nuts - at least270 Stainless Steel Machine Screw nut 10-24 screw size, 3/8" width, 1/8" height.
  11. stainless steel 18-8 large OD flat washer 10 screw size 13/64" ID, 1/2" OD, .033" -.047" thick.
  12. GE Silicone II sealant, clear
  13. GE RTV 615 optically clear silicone Circuit Specialists RTV615-1P 1 pint (for 4 panels) - 1 gal
  14. Xylene (xylol) solvent Hardware store 1 pint (for 4 panels) - 1 gal
  15. two brushes for encapsulant
  16. 60/40 solder - or PB free silver based? For the health of the assemblers? Add'l cost for heavy metal health and safety protection equipment...- though 60/40 available locally @ L/M
  17. 2-wire terminal
  18. wire for panel connection
  19. junction box - 15
  20. epoxy for junction box
  21. Clear plastic pony beads 4" Craft store 8 per panel, 120 Total
  22. Silicone rubber strip 3/32" thick, 2" width 36" long
  23. 15 Schottky diodes (shottky are a bit more, but .3 V drop instead of .7 V is important)

Tools

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

Work Plan=

Hope to have 4 people total. Lots of cutting, soldering, silicone pasting to do. Split into two teams, rotating duties, Duty 1: Soldering and wiring, Duty 2: Panel assemblage. Since panels can be prepared before the cells are soldered together, these two tasks can be done simultaneously, saving time. Cutting will be taxing, so this will require lots of rotation, and will also require proper safety equipment.

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