I have made wood frame solar panels and all glass solar panels, but so far out of all the solar panels
this type of DIY solar panel is the most sealed from water. I have made wood frame and all seem to get moisture in them. I still make them but they are good under a roof or eve .
This diy solar panel was made with all cracked 3"x6" solar cells to see if I could get the same power out of them, on the next steps I will show what all I did. http://sites.google.com/site/earthforsolar/glass-frame-diy-panel
looking for solar cells www.solarcells101.com
this type of DIY solar panel is the most sealed from water. I have made wood frame and all seem to get moisture in them. I still make them but they are good under a roof or eve .
This diy solar panel was made with all cracked 3"x6" solar cells to see if I could get the same power out of them, on the next steps I will show what all I did. http://sites.google.com/site/earthforsolar/glass-frame-diy-panel
looking for solar cells www.solarcells101.com
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Signing UpStep 1: Soldering tabbing wire on solar cells
When I solder the tabbing wire on solar cells I cut all the tab wire first. If i am using 3"x6" solar cells,
I will cut two pieces of tabbing wire 6" long. Then I soldered all the backs first. http://sites.google.com/site/earthforsolar/glass-frame-diy-panel
On this set of solar cells I used cells that were cracked all the way across, I soldered the tab wire on the back first then I used packaging clear tape and taped the bottoms. This made the cell stronger and helped to keep them from braking more in the soldering and diy solar panel making process .
www.solarcells101.com
I will cut two pieces of tabbing wire 6" long. Then I soldered all the backs first. http://sites.google.com/site/earthforsolar/glass-frame-diy-panel
On this set of solar cells I used cells that were cracked all the way across, I soldered the tab wire on the back first then I used packaging clear tape and taped the bottoms. This made the cell stronger and helped to keep them from braking more in the soldering and diy solar panel making process .
www.solarcells101.com
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Because Commercial Panels as so expensive
It will take you 10 years to break even on commercial solar panels
Look at this diy solar panels website that calculate it
Some things to consider about DIY panels:
Have you ever built one? Is it as easy as they make it look? (Most solar cells are extremely fragile and you will break a large percentage of them to build your first panel. They are about as durable as a potato chip. Imagine trying to solder to that.)
Exactly how much/many solar panels would it take to take your household "off the grid?" (Think square footage. It's a lot. It will take a lot of KW to get to the point where you are independent of the electric company or can actually sell back to them.)
How durable will your DIY panels be? Will they work in a year? Five years? Ten - twenty? Or will you be climbing on your roof to take them down to work on in the middle of the winter?
Even if you can do it, will your DIY panels work in a grid-tie system? Will they pass electrical inspection? Are they safe? Can you get the tax rebates without documentation provided with the commercial systems? Will your homeowners insurance cover the panels, or you home, if there is an electrical fire?
DIY panels are a great project for the cabin or motorhome, but if you are looking at them for your home, there is a lot of hidden costs to consider before deciding commercial panels are too expensive. The electric company isn't keeping secrets about solar power from you. It's not a conspiracy. It's just economics.
The price of commercial panels has been coming down and the conclusions the fellow has drawn in the video website are out of date. Today, in many areas, you can have a company come in, install a commercial solar-electric grid-tie system in your home and the savings and power sold back to the grid will pay for it. They can do it with nothing out of pocket.
I have made the same panels as you but put them in an aluminum frame on top of 4mm toughened glass. I've then encapsulated them in clear epoxy resin. Have had them on the roof for over a year with no problems so far.