Sylgard 184 on front ?

[kermitas]

Hello.

Again, what you think about using Sylgard 184 on front of wafers/cells ??

I started to think about panels without solar glass...

As we can see on this movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Muwclw5oYd8 (from 3:17 sec) after it dryes it is quite clear !

Do you have any information if it does not absorbes energetic wave light so wafers can easyli produce as much power as they can ??

How thick should be sylgard layer to protect wafers from hail (ice storm) and to allow sunlight easyli reach wafers ?

Or maybe sylgard on front is generally bad idea ????? (maybe is it not so optic clears as it is on movie?)

Thanks,
Arthur.

[DeltaFox 25]

I really don't think about putting sylgard on the front but You might try it.
It's made to be clear and there would not be any hindrence in using it like that but Your going to have to make a border around the panel so the sylgard doesn't run off when you pore it. I would think you would have to be parity thick so the weather would not bother it.

Go to Dow Corning Corp and look up sluggard 184 it will tell you the speck.

I think it would be a bad thing to put it on the front but thats just me.

[kermitas]

I have some new trace.

http://www.acc-silicones.com/applications/solarpanels.ashx

[DeltaFox 25]

The manufactures use EVA & tedlar to encapsulate there solar panels . You need heat and vacuum also.

[kermitas]

The manufactures use EVA & tedlar to encapsulate there solar panels . You need heat and vacuum also.

Yes, I also think about it... but I don't have heat&vacuum table .

There is Tedlar foil http://cgi.ebay.com/Tedlar-Backsheet...item25566eeade .

As it is written and as I count I need eva, eva and tedlar layer. That gives about $50-$60 per panel.

But how to DIY vacuum and heat - I don't know .

Oh, one more question. Using heat gun does it melt this tedlar (T/P/E) foil as EVA foil on this move http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1CJhwmMODs ??
(I hope no, because it should be strong to be backing, under heat it should stick to wafers and glass but not melt.)

[DeltaFox 25]

With Tedlar & EVA you also need heat & vacuum. I know of a person that was making his own table that would do all of this. It starts getting exspensive if you do this.
Dow Corning has alot of infermation on this .

[kermitas]

I really don't think about putting sylgard on the front but You might try it.
It's made to be clear and there would not be any hindrence in using it like that but Your going to have to make a border around the panel so the sylgard doesn't run off when you pore it. I would think you would have to be parity thick so the weather would not bother it.

Go to Dow Corning Corp and look up sluggard 184 it will tell you the speck.

I think it would be a bad thing to put it on the front but thats just me.

I send a question to Dow Corning and to MarkP0177 (the author of the movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Muwclw5oYd8 ) about to use sylgard on front of cells.

Wayne, you already used sylgard in your panels. Why do you think it is bad idea to use sylgard on front (and eliminate solard glass, eliminate of super strong frame) ??

[DeltaFox 25]

Iguess you can use it on the front but you should have a plastic for the back. It would be a waste to have a glass for a backing. At least here glass is exspensive. You have to get hardened glass . They want you to have low iron glass but I can't affored it. Sylgard would be a good cover for your cell's . Back layer = cell's= sylgard .within a frame. You will still have to put like silicone around the edge so the sylgard doesnot run off.
you should ask MarkPO177 how he gets his bubbles out??

[kermitas]

Iguess you can use it on the front but you should have a plastic for the back. It would be a waste to have a glass for a backing. At least here glass is exspensive. You have to get hardened glass . They want you to have low iron glass but I can't affored it. Sylgard would be a good cover for your cell's . Back layer = cell's= sylgard .within a frame. You will still have to put like silicone around the edge so the sylgard doesnot run off.
you should ask MarkPO177 how he gets his bubbles out??

Do you rembember my panel1 photos ? As a backing I planning to use polycarbonate. It is very light-weight and not too expensive.

Yes, I will do sth around to sylgard does not run off - thanks to you.

I already ordered and received five 13 sq feet solar glasses (low-iron, hardened) from glassworks but now I am planning next panel whitch could be lightweight eliminating solar glass and all problems with strong (because of big glass) aluminum frame.

[kermitas]

Do you rembember my panel1 photos ? As a backing I planning to use polycarbonate. It is very light-weight and not too expensive.

Yes, I will do sth around to sylgard does not run off - thanks to you.

I already ordered and received five 13 sq feet solar glasses (low-iron, hardened) from glassworks but now I am planning next panel whitch could be lightweight eliminating solar glass and all problems with strong (because of big glass) aluminum frame.

Not so good response from Mark :

Hi arthur You have to use glass, the sylgard alone is not durable to surive a hail storm.The sylgard is a little costly but it will last over 30 year's.Sylgard was developed by dow chemical for nasa,it will make the cell itself last longer.When you are doing a solor project you want it to pay for itself, so you want it to last for decade's. The only way it will last is with a aluminum frame and to encapsulate. Mark

[DeltaFox 25]

I seen this one guy that put small spacers between his cell's and left them there and put a glass over it ans had silicone around the edge. There is so many ways to build panels but the trick is to get one to last a long time.

They would charge me an arm and a leg for the low iron glass. I wish I could afford it. Good going. Take some pictures and show us.

[Mike90250]

you should ask MarkPO177 how he gets his bubbles out??

You have to use a vacuum bag. That's a big teflon lined bag you place around the object, and then use a high power vacuum to pull the air out, as you get better vacuum, the bubbles get larger and pop. After 15-20 min, or whatever your cure time is, you un-wrap. Fancy glass fiber layup shops use them, boats, surfboards, airplanes, car body parts.

[DeltaFox 25]

Mike ,I have this DVD that show you how to do all of that , It's called "Layman's Guide to Solar Cell Assembly" some how I got 3 of them . Need to give a couple away.

[kermitas]

You have to use a vacuum bag. That's a big teflon lined bag you place around the object, and then use a high power vacuum to pull the air out, as you get better vacuum, the bubbles get larger and pop. After 15-20 min, or whatever your cure time is, you un-wrap. Fancy glass fiber layup shops use them, boats, surfboards, airplanes, car body parts.

Another answer from Mark about bubbles :

When you mix sylgard do not whip air into it. Mix it slow you have a lot of time to work with sylgard. Pour the slygard around 3 sides of each cell and wait about one hour,the slygard will move under the cell's slowley. You can take a paint brush and help spread after the one hour. Sometimes i lift one side for a minute,and then the other side.The sylgard will take up to 3 day's to set,in all that time most of the air bubbles comes out.The air bubble's does not effect the wattage. Mark

- markp-0177

[DeltaFox 25]

Have you yourself worked with sylgard ? I guess so It sounds like it. I still have trouble with bubbles. I might be inpatient I guess.