Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #03282



To: "Ian Bernstein" ian@beam-online.com,
From: "Hyndman" hyndmanm@cadvision.com
Date: Sat, 15 May 1999 12:33:35 -0600
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Re-tinning Solor cells


>>The blob of solar on one of my solarbotics cells has broke off a while
ago; I
>>got too greedy, and tried to trim the lead I'd connected to it to short
and
>>"POP!". It's likely a lost cause, as I can't even find any voltage with
my
>>multimeter, but if any of you know an ingenious way to savage the solar
cell,
>>I'd be very glad to hear about it.

>The way I do it is to go to an auto supply store and get a "window
>defroster repair kit". It includes a small bottle of a brown liquid, a
>brush and a paper thing. The brown stuff is like a conductive glue so all
>you need to do is apply a small amount of the stuff to the wire and pad
>and glue it on. It takes awhile to dry so you'll need to let it sit over
>night. In the morning check to see if your getting a voltage and if you
>are cover the whole pad with hotglue or epoxy so it won't pull off (the
>brown stuff isn't a very good glue).

I use a different way, but It should work about the same. Theirs nothing
wrong with Ian's way, I'm just listing this as an alternative. A brand
called
"Circuit works" sells a pen that has conductive ink. I just wash the cell
pad, dry and put it on. Then you solder the lead back onto the pad.. etc
etc. "Circuit works" brand also makes stuff like etching pens, overcoat
pens. But they are a tad bit expencive, about $9.00 a pop. Digikey sells
some conductive glue, as well as other glues or epoxy's. It may actually
be cheaper to buy a "window defroster repair kit".

>BTW: Always cover the pads on your solar cell after you've soldered the
>wire onto it with epoxy so they won't pull off.

Or stuff like plasti-dip, for those that do not what it is, plasti-dip is
liquid
electrical tape, Scotty Dogma (Scott Martin) used a lot of it for building
one of his AUV's.
Devin


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