The HV panels can bend and will shock the S**T out of you
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Testing the HV panels
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The three HV panels have cured enough so I could start to play with them. I happened to lay one on the rear window of my insight in the full sun, and observed later that the PVC softened a bit when hot, and formed to the shape of the rear window. A few more test showed that even with the cells glued on, the silicone allowed the slight give in the bond required for the slight shape change.Cool.
I will have to let it take the shape, then calk the cracks with silicone. This should help lock in the curved shape.
I had to try connecting the 3 panels in parallel and series to see what they could do. I got the full 255MA SC, and 250 v OC that I expected. The series test got us up to 750 V, @ 85MA. I set up two small vices each with a graphite rod, and connected the + panel output to one, and the - to the other. The panels could sustain a continuous 1/8" arc, that could melt wires.
I stopped the arc, and walked away to tend anouther experiment. Several hours later, I was going to clean up the panels, and without thinking, I grabbed one vice in each hand. Holy bat dropings, what a shock.
I handled one at a time from there on out, with a very healthy respect for what 10%(cell efficiency) of 7.8 square feet of solar energy could do to me.
I leave the leads twisted together on the panels now. They can't bite me that way.
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