Build a 60 Watt Solar Panel

Step 8 Interconnect the strings of solar cells and test the half panel

Here I used copper braid to interconnect first and second strings of cells. You could use solar cell tabbing material or even regular wire. I just happened to have the braid on hand. There is another similar interconnection between the second and third strings at the opposite end of the board. I used blobs of silicone caulk to anchor the braid and prevent it from flopping around.

The second photo shows a test of the first half panel outside in the sun. In weak sun through clouds the half panel is producing 9.31 Volts. YAHOO! It works! Now all I had to do is build another one just like it.

Once I had two half panels complete, I could install them in their places in the main panel frame and wire them together.

Comments

[timmi]

Hello, could you possibly expand a little bit more on how you joined the strings of cells. Thanks

[Nick Dolan]

I'm having problems with this as well.