Solar Laminates

I’ve had quite a few people ask me what the low cost solar laminates are that Sun Electronics sells. In short, a solar laminate is just the center part of the solar panel. It is a sealed, weatherproof unit, consisting of the tempered glass top, the cells and interconnections protected in a clear encapsulant, and an insulating backing. These are shipped stacked up like matzoh in a box. Unlike matzoh, however, you should not attempt to spread jam on these and eat them. The results would not be particularly good.

The laminates do not come with a frame, junction box, or leads, like a fully assembled solar panel does. They are ready to be framed and mounted, and to have a weatherproof junction box attached. The junction box is attached with a weatherproof adhesive (RTV silicone or similar), and the laminate’s protruding buss ribbons are soldered or screwed down to its terminals. The buss ribbon is tinned and will solder easily. Click to view the image in the gallery, where you can see it full size.

At left, a complete panel; at right, a laminate in a frame without a junction box. A custom J-box would probably be needed to fit this tiny panel! I’m not sure what its specs are. It’s about the size of a box and a half of spaghetti noodles placed end to end. Lots of spaghetti!

In case you’re curious, these are the same panels from the front. We hang these around the offices like some kind of strange photovoltaic portraits.

Tiny solar panels!

I would post this on the Sun Electronics website, but we’re having some technical issues with it. Such is life…

update the better part of a decade later, after removing spam links: I do not work for Sun Electronics and have not for quite some time. They screwed me over just as nicely as they did most of their customers. May they go rot in South Floridian hell. Which is to say, just, South Florida itself. BYE FELICIA