Posted: 12/27/2011 8:23:54 PM EDT
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I just invested a little cash into some solar cells, j-boxes and encapsulating solution. I plan on mounting them up on an angled aluminum/glass frame.
There are several websites and you tube videos on this but has anyone here done it? I'm looking for advice and pitfalls anyone has had with a DIY project like this. If all goes well, I will have approx 125 watts of 12vdc power at my disposal for less than $200 (the charge controller and sine wave inverter will come shortly after). I will eventually make up a quick deploying frame setup in order to get these into operation in short order. |
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Quoted:
I just invested a little cash into some solar cells, j-boxes and encapsulating solution. I plan on mounting them up on an angled aluminum/glass frame. There are several websites and you tube videos on this but has anyone here done it? I'm looking for advice and pitfalls anyone has had with a DIY project like this. If all goes well, I will have approx 125 watts of 12vdc power at my disposal for less than $200 (the charge controller and sine wave inverter will come shortly after). I will eventually make up a quick deploying frame setup in order to get these into operation in short order. I hate to rain on your parade, but you realize that you are paying more than new commercially manufactured panels sell for, right? $1.50 per watt is pretty easy to hit, panels from some manufacturers are easy to get less than a $1. (Evergreen, etc). Most of these panels come with, (or would come with, in the case of evergreen) a 25 year power output warrantly, and generally have the UL listing needed to use them in any project of significant size. Most of the DIY panels fail within 2 years, even with good encapsulant. Hopefully you can extend that much longer, but the odds are against the DIY panel. Good luck though - If nothing else, it should be a good project. 
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