Newbie from TN - Will using Polycarbonate crack my cells?

[TechladyLLP]

Hello everyone, I want to build my solar system as I can afford it. I have my 6x6 cells (1000 Watts worth). I am wishing I had gotten the 3x6 size. I'm having a hard time getting glass or alternative for a resonable price. (BTW, is that what's called glazing?) It seems there are more choices on ebay for frames and glass to fit the 3x6 cells. I thought I could use Polycarbonate and save some money but was just told that it would crack my cells. This is coming from someone who encapsulates with sylgard directly to the glass. I have seen some DIYers encapsulate one row at a time and it is not adhered to the glass yet. If I do it that way, will it NOT crack the Poly since each could be allowed to expand and contract independent of the other? And if I do it that way, how are the rows of encapsulated cells attached and to what? I had planned to encapsulate to the glass with an open back using Aluminum Angle.

[Mike90250]

it's best to match the thermal expansion of all your components, or use things with enough flex the brittle parts don't break.

[Sunking]

it's best to match the thermal expansion of all your components, or use things with enough flex the brittle parts don't break.

Did you maybe mean little flex. Solar cells or at least crystaline cells are glass and do not flex like poly.

[russ]

If you use polycarbonate on the front side then a stiff backside would be necessary to support the cells?

[TechladyLLP]

Newbie from TN - Will using Polycarbonate crack my cells?

[/QUOTE] I have seen some DIYers encapsulate one row at a time and it is not adhered to the glass yet. If I do it that way, will it NOT crack the Poly since each could be allowed to expand and contract independent of the other? And if I do it that way, how are the rows of encapsulated cells attached and to what? I had planned to encapsulate to the glass with an open back using Aluminum Angle.[/QUOTE]

Thanks to all you guys for responding to my questions. I am TOTALLY green. As in, inexperienced - Ha, No punn intended. However I am trying to become more GREEN energy wise too. Could someone explain how people are "mounting", "glueing", or whatever their pre-encapsulated rows of connected cells. I saw a video of this guy showing his encapsulated cells. He picked them up carefully, one row at a time and arranged them into his frame. And then ended the video without saying how his was going to secure them into place. He must have spred them out on something like waxpaper or something else that the encapsulate would not adhere to when he encapsulated them in the first place. One person said they used parchment paper. If this is possible, then I wouldn't have to worry about the polycarbonate cracking my cells when it heats up in the sun because they are not even adhered to it. Can someone shed some light on this?

Thanks!