6x6 poly solar cells tabing

[a7m1]

So i got 40pcs 6x6 4.1w cells with leadbox, flux pen, tabbing wire and bus wire and terminals

i crqcked 6 cells in the process of tabbing

this will hopefully ends up with 17v open circuit am i right?

Will cheap charge controllers accept this voltage to charge 12v battery?

Thanks

[bcroe]

So I got 40pcs 6x6 4.1w cells with leadbox, flux pen,
tabbing wire and bus wire and terminals.

I crqcked 6 cells in the process of tabbing.
This will hopefully ends up with 17v open circuit am I right? Will cheap charge
controllers accept this voltage to charge a 12v battery? Thanks

You can expect about 17V under load (V max power), the open circuit voltage will be
roughly 25% more. Check short circuit current to see that it has some power capability;
could be a not yet visible crack. That should be enough for your battery. I finally gave
up on 6x6 cells, because I couldn't build a panel without some of them breaking. Then
I would have to wire shorts across the bad ones. Bruce Roe

[a7m1]

You can expect about 17V under load (V max power), the open circuit voltage will be
roughly 25% more. Check short circuit current to see that it has some power capability;
could be a not yet visible crack. That should be enough for your battery. I finally gave
up on 6x6 cells, because I couldn't build a panel without some of them breaking. Then
I would have to wire shorts across the bad ones. Bruce Roe

Thanks bruce Roe,

I am not even sure that i'll use my panel after being built for power(it's really not worth it ) electricity here "in kuwait is so cheap thay it'snot worth to replace lead acid battery every year or so

i'll use it for led lighting in my room and charging mobiles


so what the usual range for solar controller input voltage,? Do they have (step up or down boost circuit) i am talking about cheap controllers also about expensive ones
Can i use a solar controler without battery attached?
I may use dead or weak battery as ( shock absorber) or none

Thanks again

[a7m1]

So, i managed to connect 32 of them 8 in each column and 4 in each raws

at the end of each column i used bus wires

So i got my positive on far left and negative on far right
now what, link all 3 tab wires of the final cell that is in serial( both neg and pos cells)

And thats would give me the power right,

I got a analog multimeter and i don't really know how to use it

Will get digital mm soon, now can i use it to power for example 12v cigarette lighter phone charger???i assume most are happy of input voltage between 12-24volts i will be using 5 or 10w usb charger

What will happen if i short circuit this thing? Final terminals of course

i don't have a solar controller or battery to recharge as of yet,

thanks

[a7m1]

So, i managed to connect 32 of them 8 in each column and 4 in each raws

at the end of each column i used bus wires

So i got my positive on far left and negative on far right
now what, link all 3 tab wires of the final cell that is in serial( both neg and pos cells)

And thats would give me the power right,

I got a analog multimeter and i don't really know how to use it

Will get digital mm soon, now can i use it to power for example 12v cigarette lighter phone charger???i assume most are happy of input voltage between 12-24volts i will be using 5 or 10w usb charger

What will happen if i short circuit this thing? Final terminals of course

i don't have a solar controller or battery to recharge as of yet,

thanks

Got 17.17 volts unloaded
and 16.98 loaded with motorola microusb charger tbat outputs i believe 500mah 5v and accepts inout 10.08-33 dcv

not bad after all,
I managed to run 5 meters 3528 strip and voltage dropped to 7 in roomlight only unloaded voltage was 10-11v just in room light !!!

[bcroe]

Testing Output

Got 17.17 volts unloaded and 16.98 loaded with motorola microusb charger tbat outputs i believe 500mah 5v and accepts inout 10.08-33 dcv not bad after all, I managed to run 5 meters 3528 strip and voltage dropped to 7 in roomlight only unloaded voltage was 10-11v just in room light !!!

I would connect a light load that lets the output stay above a dozen volts under steady sun.
Then check the voltage of each column of 8 cells, or maybe 4 at a time; each group
should be close to the same voltage. If you find some poor performers, try to narrow it
down to a specific cell. Do observe polarity; reverse voltage on a cell means it is holding
up the rest. Jumping out a bad cell is better than letting it further reduce output. Bruce Roe

[a7m1]

I would connect a light load that lets the output stay above a dozen volts under steady sun.
Then check the voltage of each column of 8 cells, or maybe 4 at a time; each group
should be close to the same voltage. If you find some poor performers, try to narrow it
down to a specific cell. Do observe polarity; reverse voltage on a cell means it is holding
up the rest. Jumping out a bad cell is better than letting it further reduce output. Bruce Roe

Thanks bruce,

This setup was very poor and it was my first panel

i wasn't ready to do anything and got the cells by the mail
i didn't even incapsulated it kr cover it, how bad it'llget if it got dust and rain over it?
i understand that there is no electronics just electricity will anything rust up?
even the cells are not glued in place and alot of them cracked during tabing or assembly


i'll try to re-enforce the cells into place then do any test

can you give m a good load to try out?
i tried to connect a 65w invertor while voltage was about 16-18 and it didn't do anything
i tried the same thing when voltage was around 15 or so and it dropoed to sub 1-voltthe invertor was not loaded at all

btw how to test amps output? do you have to get thr voltage to 0? short circuit?

i tried to hook up my multimeter(it's digital one) and was on10A setting it shows 1.43

thanks again for your support

[bcroe]

i wasn't ready to do anything and got the cells by the mail
I didn't even incapsulated it kr cover it, how bad it'll get if it got dust and rain over it?
I understand that there is no electronics just electricity will anything rust up?
even the cells are not glued in place and alot of them cracked during tabing or assembly
I'll try to re-enforce the cells into place then do any test

Can you give m a good load to try out? I tried to connect a 65w invertor while voltage
was about 16-18 and it didn't do anything. I tried the same thing when voltage was
around 15 or so and it dropoed to sub 1-volt. The invertor was not loaded at all.

btw how to test amps output? do you have to get the voltage to 0? short circuit?

I tried to hook up my multimeter(it's digital one) and was on 10A setting. It shows
1.43 A. thanks again for your support

If the cells are not encapsulated, they will have a very short life indeed. If cells are
cracked, the current will be greatly reduced from the 8A possible. Look for a load that
will pull the voltage down somewhat; maybe a 100 ohm 5 watt for openers. Attach
several in parallel till voltage starts to drastically drop. Get the bad cells out. Bruce Roe

[a7m1]

If the cells are not encapsulated, they will have a very short life indeed. If cells are
cracked, the current will be greatly reduced from the 8A possible. Look for a load that
will pull the voltage down somewhat; maybe a 100 ohm 5 watt for openers. Attach
several in parallel till voltage starts to drastically drop. Get the bad cells out. Bruce Roe

dear Bruce,

how to measure current using a digital multimeter
mine is proskit branded has 10a scale and several ma scales

i always read that i plug the multimeter in serial with the load but what ifi wanted to know the maximum output, increase the koad untill i get 0 volts output?? i only have 1 digital multimeter right now

roughly how long will uncovered cells last, assuming i got good enforcement of the cells

and what to do to severly cracked cells, short them?

[bcroe]

how to measure current using a digital multimeter
mine is proskit branded has 10a scale and several ma scales

i always read that i plug the multimeter in serial with the load but what ifi wanted to know the maximum output, increase the koad untill i get 0 volts output?? i only have 1 digital multimeter right now

roughly how long will uncovered cells last, assuming i got good enforcement of the cells

and what to do to severly cracked cells, short them?

If you have 12 volts across 100 ohms, Ohms law tells you the current is 12V/100ohm = 0.12A.
Tie 3 more in parallel each carrying the same current, and you have 0.48A. Cracked cells I
short out. I have no idea how long a cell lasts in the weather, maybe months. But if not
properly encapsulated to glass, it could crack the first time it sees strong sun (happened to me).
Bruce Roe

[a7m1]

If you have 12 volts across 100 ohms, Ohms law tells you the current is 12V/100ohm = 0.12A.
Tie 3 more in parallel each carrying the same current, and you have 0.48A. Cracked cells I
short out. I have no idea how long a cell lasts in the weather, maybe months. But if not
properly encapsulated to glass, it could crack the first time it sees strong sun (happened to me).
Bruce Roe

thanks Dear Bruce,

really appreciate your continuos support.

so 12v output or whatever outputs i get by connecting loads (volts times resistence of loads = amps)

any other easier way to verify amls output? i have a digital multimeter ready

can i plug multimeter to read voltage then add loads untill i get 12v output theb hook mulitimeter inline with loads this gives me 12v amps output, is it a good indication?

i'll try to enforce the cells to the back of the panel (wood)

how did they cracked from strong sun, ? rain came after lots of heat? thrrmal stress or something?

several months is good for me untill i get a good setup to begin with professionally

Any sized cells that you recommend which is easy to handle and less prone ti crackes during assembly?

[bcroe]

so 12v output or whatever outputs i get by connecting loads (volts times resistence of loads = amps)
any other easier way to verify amls output? i have a digital multimeter ready
can i plug multimeter to read voltage then add loads untill i get 12v output theb hook mulitimeter inline with loads this gives me 12v amps output, is it a good indication?
i'll try to enforce the cells to the back of the panel (wood)
how did they cracked from strong sun, ? rain came after lots of heat? thrrmal stress or something?
several months is good for me untill i get a good setup to begin with professionally
Any sized cells that you recommend which is easy to handle and less prone ti crackes during assembly?

Anything smaller than 6" X 6" will be easier to deal with. Bonding cells to anything but
glass might cause cracking in sun, with the different coefficient of expansion. Better
study up on Ohms Law and how to use a meter. Bruce

[a7m1]

Anything smaller than 6" X 6" will be easier to deal with. Bonding cells to anything but
glass might cause cracking in sun, with the different coefficient of expansion. Better
study up on Ohms Law and how to use a meter. Bruce

so i can assume that glass and solar cells expands at about the same rate right?

i know that i can hook a multimeter in series with a load and get the amps
then probably hook another multimeter to get voltage and multiply them{volts X amps} together to get watts

my question is how to perform all these tests?
current at short circuit
and other stuff
can the voltage be at 0 while producing current??

thanks again bruce <3

[inetdog]

The current certainly can be high at close to zero voltage. It will take a small number of millivolts to drive current through your ammeter, but that does not affect the measurement much. Isc is the current into as short a circuit as possible.
Similarly, Voc is the voltage with nothing connected but a voltmeter. A little bit of current will flow through the meter, but not enough to invalidate the measurement.
To fully check cell performance (and in particular to test panel performance when bypass diodes are in play) you have to measure current and voltage in the same circuit which loads the panel down to its maximum power point for whatever light level is falling on it.

The cell substrate is silicon while the glass is mostly silicon oxide. Very similar coefficients of expansion.

[a7m1]

The current certainly can be high at close to zero voltage. It will take a small number of millivolts to drive current through your ammeter, but that does not affect the measurement much. Isc is the current into as short a circuit as possible.
Similarly, Voc is the voltage with nothing connected but a voltmeter. A little bit of current will flow through the meter, but not enough to invalidate the measurement.
To fully check cell performance (and in particular to test panel performance when bypass diodes are in play) you have to measure current and voltage in the same circuit which loads the panel down to its maximum power point for whatever light level is falling on it.

The cell substrate is silicon while the glass is mostly silicon oxide. Very similar coefficients of expansion.

i am assure multimeter will account for it's own load when displaying the measurement

so what would be a good load? do i get the voltage down to "Zero" or close to zero?
any specific resistor to do the trick ?

how to wire the junction box?

i have one close to this

how-to-get-connection-from-solar-panel..Back-Side-of-The-Solar-Panel-Junction-Box-and-The-Functi.jpg
same diodes polarity too
i think i have the negative on the left and positive on the right

not really sure though