I only have 10x10cm sized 0.5Volts solar cells in my cellar. But I often need other Voltages and/or solar panels in other sizes, so I had to find a way how to cut them and put them into some nice waterproof housing.
I think I found a nice way how to do both, and wanted to share it.
What you'll need:
- "Raw" solar cells at any size
- Wires, soldering iron, solder
- Transparent (Polyester-)Resin
- Fibreglass mats
- Sanding paper
- Toothpaste
- Thinner
- Dremel or such
--- Diamond blade
--- Grinding-Head
- A piece of wood
- Hammer and chisel
- Optional: Paint (Lacquer)
Gathered the stuff? Good, let's start!
DISCLAIMER:
As usual: You are responsible to what you do. If you damage any property, human or animal or get harmed in any other way, I can't be held responsible, even if I told you to do so.
Working with the Dremel, the soldering iron, the belt sander, resin or any other tool or material may be dangerous and happens on your own risk.
BTW:
Any measurements are in the metric system.
1m=100cm
1cm=10mm
1 mm = 0.0393700787 inch
1 cm = 0.393700787 inch
Please use Google-calculator or any other calculator if you want to know the sizes in inches (or any other system).
I think I found a nice way how to do both, and wanted to share it.
What you'll need:
- "Raw" solar cells at any size
- Wires, soldering iron, solder
- Transparent (Polyester-)Resin
- Fibreglass mats
- Sanding paper
- Toothpaste
- Thinner
- Dremel or such
--- Diamond blade
--- Grinding-Head
- A piece of wood
- Hammer and chisel
- Optional: Paint (Lacquer)
Gathered the stuff? Good, let's start!
DISCLAIMER:
As usual: You are responsible to what you do. If you damage any property, human or animal or get harmed in any other way, I can't be held responsible, even if I told you to do so.
Working with the Dremel, the soldering iron, the belt sander, resin or any other tool or material may be dangerous and happens on your own risk.
BTW:
Any measurements are in the metric system.
1m=100cm
1cm=10mm
1 mm = 0.0393700787 inch
1 cm = 0.393700787 inch
Please use Google-calculator or any other calculator if you want to know the sizes in inches (or any other system).
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Signing UpStep 1: Custom solar-panel: Cut 'em!
First: Get them to the right size!
To do this, you have to plan what sizes you want to have in the end. ( Watch out: Try to let the cells as big as possible,
the smaller the cells the more work, the more loss etc you will have!)
Think of following points:
-What voltage do you need in the end?
-How many cells do you have?
-How big are they?
-What shape do they have?
-How many mA do you need in the end?
-Where are the main strives? (The thicker solder-lines, it's hard to impossible to solder the thin ones)
-You will lose some cells (they are so fu**in thin, they break so easily)
Every cell has normally 0.5V. How much mA per cm² they give you have to measure*².
Now you always can either put them in:
- series
- parallel
Series raises the voltage (three cells in series provide 3x0.5V=1.5V etc), but only the amperage of the smallest cell (so try to use cell of similar sizes)*³.
Parallel raises the amperage (three similar cells with 0.5A provide 1.5A etc). Size doesn't matter here (you can put whatever you have).
Only if you have this plan ready, continue.
I tried several techniques to bring solar cell to the right size, but in the end only one worked: Cut 'em!
I took the diamond-blade for my Dremel and build a little table* on which I could precisely cut them.
Here is the howto-vid:
Wear eye-protection and old clothes when working with the Dremel!
* Instructable may follow.
*² Think of the resistance of you device. Don't take the shortage-voltage.
*³ You can combine both techniques. Think of following example
cell A and C are the same size, cell B1 and B2 are half that size. To get 1.5V and the full amperage put them together like this:
plus --cell A --|-- cell B1 --|-- cell C -- minus
.........................|-- cell B2 --|
| and - are cables . is not!
To do this, you have to plan what sizes you want to have in the end. ( Watch out: Try to let the cells as big as possible,
the smaller the cells the more work, the more loss etc you will have!)
Think of following points:
-What voltage do you need in the end?
-How many cells do you have?
-How big are they?
-What shape do they have?
-How many mA do you need in the end?
-Where are the main strives? (The thicker solder-lines, it's hard to impossible to solder the thin ones)
-You will lose some cells (they are so fu**in thin, they break so easily)
Every cell has normally 0.5V. How much mA per cm² they give you have to measure*².
Now you always can either put them in:
- series
- parallel
Series raises the voltage (three cells in series provide 3x0.5V=1.5V etc), but only the amperage of the smallest cell (so try to use cell of similar sizes)*³.
Parallel raises the amperage (three similar cells with 0.5A provide 1.5A etc). Size doesn't matter here (you can put whatever you have).
Only if you have this plan ready, continue.
I tried several techniques to bring solar cell to the right size, but in the end only one worked: Cut 'em!
I took the diamond-blade for my Dremel and build a little table* on which I could precisely cut them.
Here is the howto-vid:
* Instructable may follow.
*² Think of the resistance of you device. Don't take the shortage-voltage.
*³ You can combine both techniques. Think of following example
cell A and C are the same size, cell B1 and B2 are half that size. To get 1.5V and the full amperage put them together like this:
plus --cell A --|-- cell B1 --|-- cell C -- minus
.........................|-- cell B2 --|
| and - are cables . is not!
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There is an Engineer from Chicago his name is John Sommer
He explain it All in his Solar Panels DIY Blog
Very nice work, but cutting cells this way is a bit to risky...
I have used a different approach when cutting solar cells... I have used an diamond glass cutter, a very cheap one...
From a 15x15 cm cell I have managed to cut over 40 mini cells each one producing about 100mA of current.
I have a video to show it on:
http://www.schematics.ro/Howto/CutSolarCells_en.aspx
Enjoy
Although the base is high quality precision rail the dremill vibrations and low quality diamond blade did not enable me to robustly cut the panels .
What did you use as rail?
Maybe this can help you :
Try to fix the whole dremel to the ground plate (less vibration)
Use some thin but soft under the panel.
Vary the speed and type of the cutter.
"Sandwich" the panel (eg use some plexiglass or wood) with each a layer of the soft and thin material.
If you check out the video on YouTube you'll find some similar but slightly different ideas how to cut 'em.
Is the diamond blade round? It should be.
I used a micro precision rail and removed the defective motor which was on it (scrap material) .
I think I may need a dedicated motor with low vibrations and a better blade .
May be some day .....
I will make one and post pics .
If you click on the video in the instructable you will find in the comments below a guy who built a table like mine from an old scanner, what I think is a great idea.
Hope it helps.
But please post pics anyway.
Could get a problem, I'm travelling for the next eight months. I'll contact the support.
Thank you for noticing.
I am thinking of building a solar powered skateboard, and i wanted to have a solar panel on the bottom of the deck cut so it has the same shape as the board. Can I cut solar cells into shapes like that without damaging them?
You can as well try using some other diamond tools (eg like these: http://www.tools-tech.de/shop/images/tools/30diatt.jpg). If you try, please post some comment (&pics?), whether it works :)
Think about gluing some borders on the board and pouring the resin directly on the board, instead of making panels and gluing them to it.
Hope it works out well :) I would be very glad if you post a link to this instrctable in your instructable.
It just protects the fragile cells from the "environment".