Really Cheap Bare Solar Cells

[systems_glitch 106]

This guy is selling Kyocera solar cells -- bare cells, as would be used to build an array of whatever voltage -- for $3.50 for 24. I just bought 4 boxes for various projects I've had in mind. Here's the link:

Kyocera Solar Panels

He reports they put out around 1 V @ 100 mA in full sun. Of course, you arrange them in series for more voltage, or parallel for more amperage. I thought they'd be great for charge-during-day, lights-at-night devices referred to as "pummers" (a BEAM-bots term for a flasher with a slow decay). Since they're so cheap, I thought I might build a solar-powered USB device charger -- good for charging all of my USB powered devices, since the average unpowered hub puts out 500 mA @ 5 V.

Anyway, I thought other people might like the link, since there's a good quantity of them, and they're monocrystalline cells, which are the good kind.

[Ragnarok30 1]

This guy is selling Kyocera solar cells -- bare cells, as would be used to build an array of whatever voltage -- for $3.50 for 24. I just bought 4 boxes for various projects I've had in mind. Here's the link:

Kyocera Solar Panels

He reports they put out around 1 V @ 100 mA in full sun. Of course, you arrange them in series for more voltage, or parallel for more amperage. I thought they'd be great for charge-during-day, lights-at-night devices referred to as "pummers" (a BEAM-bots term for a flasher with a slow decay). Since they're so cheap, I thought I might build a solar-powered USB device charger -- good for charging all of my USB powered devices, since the average unpowered hub puts out 500 mA @ 5 V.

Anyway, I thought other people might like the link, since there's a good quantity of them, and they're monocrystalline cells, which are the good kind.

This really interests me. I might just buy some. But I know they are going to sit for a while. I don't have a lot of wiring and electrical skills to build anything worth while. Not to mention I have no electronic components. Hmm.... but 3.50.... wow.

[t3st.s3t 0]

Wow! That is a great price. They would be perfect for a couple of projects that I have in mind. Thanks for the post.

[PurpleJesus 12]

Have you gotten them in your hand yet? Are they good quality? Think they'd stand up to being left out in the rain?

[systems_glitch 106]

Have you gotten them in your hand yet? Are they good quality? Think they'd stand up to being left out in the rain?

Yep, I received them the other day -- they're bare solar cells, so naturally they're pretty fragile on their own. They should be mounted to a sturdy nonconductive substrate like Lexan/Plexiglass/Acrylic for mounting anywhere, especially outside. If they'll be in a place where things (hail, birds, nuts from trees) may fall on them, cover them in Plexiglass or similar protective clear material. "Gorilla Glue," epoxy or hot glue seem to work fine for mounting them.

Other than being naturally weak, they seem to be very high-quality little solar cells. The produce a little over .5 V in artificial indoor lighting -- I haven't tried them outdoors in strong sunlight yet, since I've been working late. Don't use too much heat soldering to them, or you'll damage the cell. And don't use heavy (anything over 24 gauge) wire with them either -- any twisting applied to the wire will pull the solder traces from the solar cells! I don't know if this affects them, as long as part of it remains, but I wouldn't imagine it's great for them in any case. I've used 30 gauge Kynar wrapping wire for my solar cell connections, which works great.

The cells /can/ be cut to different shapes/lengths. They're better of being ground rather than cut, like glass. I used a Dremel tool with a 1/32 cutoff wheel at a medium speed. Think "grinding away" rather than cutting or sawing.

[xcalibur 1]

Excellent find!

[xcalibur 1]

Wait, shit! "Item has ended." Damnit! Hope if any of you wanted some you ordered them already...

[tokachu 0]

A half volt at 100 mA… that’s 0.05 watts, right?

[hackerDik 1]

man. me and a partner left a solar panel under a heat lamp in our tech teachers room. almost started a fire