Disclaimer: I am not responsible if your solar panel breaks, fails or whatever. This is an experimental setup for fun. Follow at your own risk.
After many hours of googling, I wanted to build a cheap panel to fit my requirements. I do not require a hailproof glass window for the cells, so I would not have to spend the extra money to protect the cells.
I came up with a simple cheap design. It probably won't last 25 years; it might not even last 5. But, considering the kind of conditions I set my panel in, it might just last quite a while. Anyways, I set this up to play with, not using it for serious power generation. I do charge my mobile devices with it though.
I live in a high rise apartment in Singapore, and it is summer all year long. The solar panel is set under a shelter with a shutter to protect it from rain. There is really no need for me to build those encapsulated or glass window panels.
So what did I use for my solar panel?
1. Polycrystalline ribbon solar cells. I used 3" x 6" cells (80mm x 150mm measured). You can get them from eBay. They come in many shapes and sizes. If I remember correctly, there is an instructable on solar cells.
2. Tabbing wire. They come in the solar panel kit. There are many resources on the internet for you to learn how to tab cells.
3. Bus wire. Part of the kit too. You use these to carry higher current.
4. Solder. I used a little bit of solder to connect the bus wires and tabbing wires together. Makes life a whole lot easier.
5. Flux pen. It helps to let the solder on the tabbing wire stick to the cells during soldering. Also part of the kit.
6. Glue. I used this to construct the backing of the panel.
7. Hot glue. Used it to glue some parts together. Used it to waterproof the connections.
8. Soldering Iron. Mine is rated 20W.
12. Corrugated plastic. Used as backing for the panel.
13. Cling film, Cling wrap, whatever you call it.
16. Wires. Preferably 18AWG or below. Any expert on instructables please correct me if I'm wrong. If you use thin wire, you are going to lose a lot of power, or worst, start a fire.
17. A standard 12 volt barrel DC plug. Of course, you can use better ones like those shown in other instructables.
The construction of the panel was simple. I planned each and every step before starting to work on the panel; you won't make any mistakes if you follow your own detailed instructions. If you don't, you might snip off too much tabbing wire, solder the tabs wrongly, mess up electrical connections, etc. Please be patient and plan your panel.
My panel had only 12 cells. I'm planning to build another 2 panels of the same number of cells (why? read the end of the article). I placed them in a 4 x 3 configuration (you can see that white panel in the pictures).
I measured the length and width of each cell and multiplied the dimensions to get the size of the backing. Of course, you would have to add a little extra for the cells to fit in.
After that, I started tabbing the cells. The tabbing wires are already coated with solder. There are many youtube videos on how to tab the cells. Please take your time and tab carefully, otherwise you might just break them. Fortunately, I broke none:) Even if you do break them, as long as the break is not significant, you can continue tabbing them.
Test the cell voltage under sunlight or a powerful lamp using a multimeter. It should read about 0.5 volts or so. If you want to check current, put them under the sun and test using the correct range on your meter. The cells I got are rated for 3.6A of short circuit current.
After marking the dimensions on the corrugated plastic, cut them out using the knife. I cut out 3 pieces to create a 3 layer sandwich. I also alternated the "grains" of the corrugated plastic so that it would (hopefully) strengthen the board.
Glue the 3 layers together with glue(duh). I didn't use hot glue because hot glue solidifies too quickly. Instead, I used some general purpose adhesive. Try to avoid creating air pockets between the layers when you glue.
Place your tabbed cells on the board and check if it fits. Make any measurements if necessary. Take those cells away from the board and tab them to each other.
After tabbing, carefully place the cells onto the board. Cut a slot to let the bus wire go through to the back. Remember, be gentle.
When everything looks OK, use hot glue to tack the bus wires down. I didn't glue the cells to the board because I might replace it one day.
Hot glue the area around the slot where the bus wire exits the back of the board. Hopefully this prevents moisture from entering the front of the panel.
Now, wrap clingfilm around the board. Make sure you poke holes for the bus wire at the back. You can wrap as many layers as you like, but I'm not sure how it would affect its transparency. I only wrapped 1 layer.
Tape down the clingfilm at the back of the board.
Solder wires to the bus wires sticking out the back. Remember to check for polarity before you solder, so you know which color of wire to connect to.
Connect the wires to the DC plug.
And you are done! Test the panel out under full sun with a multimeter before using it. Make sure it reads the correct voltage and current.
Be VERY gentle with it. The cells are very fragile. Handle the panel by the edges and don't bend the panel.
Use it to power some small appliances. I used a voltage booster to boost it to 12 volts. Of course, if you build the full panel with 36 cells, you don't have to do that.
Why I built a 12 cell panel: As you can see, I am experimenting with alternative materials to build a solar panel. This design works only "indoors", because there is basically nothing protecting the solar cells except a thin sheet of cling film. I will use the rest of the 24 cells to build another 2 panels out of different materials to experiment. Expect to see an update soon.
I'm from Singapore too! hi five!


In the fall, I released two new products at Dot & Lil. Shower lotion bars, and shower scrub bars. In the holiday season craziness, they never got blogged about or put up on the website. Until now!
Ok so I know I'm the one that makes them, but you guys really have to check these out! I am totally biased, of course. But I have made, used, researched, explored and seen a lot of different bath and body products over the years, both my own and those of others. And these? These are AWESOME. Especially the satsuma lotion bars. Goodness, I am totally addicted to them. Luckily, I have wholesale quantities of them, in my house. How awesome is THAT? I finally listed them on the website yesterday. You can find the scrub bars in oatmeal & honey or grapefruit & bergamot by clicking here and shower lotion bars in satsuma or rosemary & lavender on the website here. Each scent is wrapped in a different color of foil--I'll have to work on getting some better pictures of these.
Both of these products are formulated as solid bars to keep them anhydrous, which means that they don't contain any water. This means I don't need to use a preservative. To read about why Dot & Lil makes only anhydrous products and learn about safe cosmetics preservation, read this past post .
Both the scrub bars and the lotion bars are made with super rich mango butter, avocado oil and luxurious cocoa butter. And the scrub bars have ground apricot kernels and sugar to exfoliate while all those rich butters and oils moisturize. I love the in-shower experience, I love the scents, I love how much time they save me from not having to put lotion on after my shower (time-stressed small business owner here!) and I love the way my skin feels after I use them.
Ok, I think I'm done patting myself on the back for today! Just make sure to keep them somewhere dry and not too warm--cocoa butter can get melty!


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Meier Tobler: all-inclusive service package
When the technician is faster than the customer
Before the customer has even detected an issue with their heat pump, the technician has rectified it. This dream is now a reality thanks to the "smart-guard" solution from Meier Tobler. The IoT-based system for remote maintenance and control offers numerous advantages for service providers and customers alike.
Text: Andreas Heer, Image: Boris Baldinger, 02. November 2020
Heat pumps are the latest trend. And Meier Tobler is taking full advantage. About 1,800 customers already use "smart-guard" – an IoT system for remote maintenance and control of heat pumps. The service has been on the market since 2017, following a successful test phase with Swisscom as the technology provider. With smart-guard technology, a remote diagnostician can access operating data for the heat pump from their workstation, enabling them to detect faults at an early stage. They can also regulate operation and even reduce output while the resident is away from their home. The solution includes sensors and a heat pump control system, with communication via the Swisscom mobile network.
The smart-guard box in the heat pump communicates with the Swisscom mobile network via an external antenna.
A vital all-inclusive package for all involved
"As part of the energy transition, heat pumps are definitely a growth market," confirms Lukas Amrein, Head of Service at Meier Tobler. The move away from fossil fuels and the promotion of heat pumps contribute significantly to this trend. In new buildings and renovations, heat pumps are usually the standard system for heating and hot water. The competition in the market for heating technology is just as fierce, and smart-guard plays an important role at Meier Tobler as a modern service, as Amrein stresses: "We offer an all-inclusive package for service and maintenance that includes control and connectivity – smart-guard is our USP over competitors."
For Lukas Amrein, smart-guard plays a central role in the booming market for heat pumps.
The IoT solution is also an important argument for customers, as remote maintenance lowers operating costs. "With smart-guard solutions, we have a higher proportion of service contracts than with conventional heat pumps," says Amrein. "Plus, customer satisfaction is higher."
IoT for remote diagnosis
Roberto Di Cerbo, long-standing remote diagnostician at Meier Tobler, knows the reason for customer satisfaction: "Smart-guard allows safe operation of heat pumps. We can also detect issues with other components, such as a pressure drop in the heating system. This allows us to call in the right specialist without the customer having to worry about the diagnosis."
Free PDF →
The path to a successful IoT project
Discover how to overcome the typical challenges and ensure the success of your IoT project.
"Smart-guard gives us an important USP over our competitors."
Lukas Amrein, Head of Service at Meier Tobler
Customers also benefit from direct access to one of the three remote diagnosticians in the event of any questions. This specialist makes a diagnosis based on the data available and does not have to make any assumptions. "Many customers are surprised when we phone to tell them about a problem they hadn't even noticed," says Di Cerbo, with a grin. "In this way, smart-guard not only ensures security, but also inspires trust among customers."
Technology solves shortage of skilled workers
If the remote diagnostician is able to carry out diagnosis and control of the heat pumps from their workplace, fewer service technicians are required. Di Cerbo identifies a further advantage for Meier Tobler: "There is a shortage of skilled workers among the service technicians, and the boom is increasing the severity of this situation." This means that although Meier Tobler is still searching for service technicians to cover the growth market of heat pumps, it is able use remote diagnostics as a kind of back-office service.
However, on-site help is still needed for tasks such as replacing defective components or for on-call services. This is one of the reasons why Amrein wants to merge the roles of service technician and remote diagnostician – or at least bring them closer together: "The on-call service becomes more attractive if the service technician can resolve certain problems from their workplace instead of having to go out every time."
The development of smart-guard itself is also ongoing. Amrein is not showing all his cards just yet, but he revealed this: "We are working on a solution that will allow customers to observe the operation of the heat pump."
Meier Tobler
Meier Tobler, a specialist in building services, was established in 2018 following the merger of Walter Meier and Tobler Haustechnik. Today, the company has about 1,300 full-time employees, of which about 700 work in the service organisation. With its head office in Nebikon (LU), the company enjoys a strong presence throughout Switzerland in various locations and markets. In 2019, Meier Tobler achieved revenue of almost CHF 500 million.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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#nerdsread Pull List Comics Kylee Sills Review Sam Wildman
The #NerdsRead Pull List – May 13, 2015
Kylee Sills
Dark Horse and Archaia both launched some pretty awesome new series this week. Harrow County blends Southern gothic with fairy tales and horror, while Lantern City has something for the steampunk fans among us. Meanwhile some other favorites are trucking along.
Here's our weekly pull list.
What did yours look like?
Sam's Reads
Giant Days #3
Author: John Allison
Artist: Lissa Treiman
Publisher: BOOM! Box
Source: BOOM! Studios DRC
Big news for Giant Days fans! The series was extended from a six-issue limited run to twelve issues. I was complaining last time that it was to good of a series to be such a short miniseries and it looks like I was right!
This week's issue focused on a really tough issue – the Internet and cyberbullying. After Esther gets a little crazy at a party she finds herself on a sick website ranking the most attractive and most 'desirable' freshman girls on campus. It gets worse when, as part of a crowdfunding drive for their site, they start giving out her number. When the school administration isn't helpful the girls take matters into their own hands and end up doing the worst thing imaginable – calling the guys who run the site's mothers.
This was probably my favorite issue so far. It dealt not just with contemporary issues but also with the pains of being away at school. The heart-wrenching moment of the issue was Daisy's ill-fated relationship with wood pigeon Gordon who – after becoming tamed by her constant feeding – was killed by a loose cat. It was just really sad, okay? And, on a final note, the one thing that still bugs me about this series: McGraw's character design. The dude looks like he's in his thirties. That in itself is fine, but if he's supposed to have dated a college freshman before she went off college? I don't know. The character design just seems off from the timeline and ages we're working with.
Lantern City #1
Author: Paul Jenkins & Matthew Daley
Artist: Carlos Magno
Publisher: Archaia
This is a series with a lot of potential. I'm not much of a steampunk fan in general. I keep courting the genre but we're not quite meshing just yet. But Lantern City is one of those series that really makes me keep trying. It promises to be a pretty classic story of outright resistance against tyrannical oppressors bundled up in a nice dystopian steampunk package.
I did a full review of the first issue and you can read it here. And then go track down a copy of Lantern City #1 because it's awesome.
Rebels #2
Publisher: Dark Horse
Source: Dark Horse DRC
It's the spring of 1775 and the Green Mountain Boys' war is just beginning. Seth and his compatriots begin preparing to support the full Continental effort towards independence. They steal British correspondence and take some very dangerous risks to sabotage their strategic plans. Meanwhile, Mercy is alone at home trying to take care of the little piece of land she and Seth are able to lease out and call their own. She is decidedly not happy about Seth's delusions of grandeur and plans to leave to join the Continentals – especially since he's already committed to it all before speaking with her.
Rebels continues to be an interesting series, but it's slow. At least, it feels slow. There's a lot going on and the story – and history – progresses, but at the same time the more action-oriented scenes don't feel so action packed. I'm also not entirely invested in Seth and Mercy's relationship thus far but I feel like that has a lot to do with how rushed it was from the first to this second issue. I don't think I'll be able to make a really definitive decision on how I feel about this book until the first six-part arc is finished.
But at this point I kind of just want to stick with AMC's Turn and call it a day…
Sam Wildman is a co-founder and co-editor at Nerdophiles. Her college days weren't nearly as exciting as those of the girls in Giant Days. @samaside
Kylee's Reads
Deep State #6
Author: Justin Jordan
Artist: Ariela Kristantina
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Deep State #6 rewards JFK conspiracy theorists with a look into Lee Harvey Oswald and the hand that Control had in the assassination. Branch and Harrow take somewhat of a backseat in this issue while we hear from another previous agent who just wants them the help her end it after all the guilt she's built up in the profession.
Darkly humorous moments pepper the issue as Jordan gives us a perfectly paced look at the bigger picture, while Kristantina's art continues to impress. And shout out to Matt Taylor for his covers – this issue especially, I need it on a tshirt. With #6, Deep State is hitting its stride and showing a balance between blending the past conspiracies we all know and love and creating new ones central to our protagonists.
Harrow County #1
Author: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Tyler Crook
A southern gothic fairy tale twist on the horror genre, Harrow County makes a strong first outing with its innocent protagonist couched between the horrors of the past and the horrors of the future. We can't wait to find out how Emmy is connected to the witch Hester Beck, what that means for her, her family, and the whole of Harrow County after they strung up the witch to make sure she couldn't come back to haunt them.
The heavy exposition of the first issue, and the gorgeous artwork to help the story along, promise a layered mystery that we're excited to delve into as the story progresses.
Read our full review here.
Kylee Sills is an associate editor at Nerdophiles. She's going to keep repeating that she wants that Deep State cover on a t-shirt until Boom Studios makes it happen. @kyleewho
Tagged in : Archaia Boom! Box Boom! Studios comics dark horse comics Deep State giant days Harrow County lantern city pull list rebels
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Part of a personal photography project to collect detail photographs of spectacular the Ferarris, Lamborghinis and the odd Bentley.
These photos are all shot unlit with a Leica M9. Many thanks to Carrs of Exeter for their continuing warm welcome.


This time 4 years ago some major drama went down and I just stayed drunk, black out drunk 24/7. I started an emotional affair with some guy, I was going to runaway to Kansas with him lol. I wasn't in love and didn't want to end up hurting him so I ended it.
We are not alone in this universe, theres outcasts and rejects from another galaxy that are trying to reach out to us. In the year 2202, we will be able to have space flights to planets in other galaxies. We intergrated with and made kids with people from all around planet earth, will be some time the same happens with space.


Regina is the capital city of the province of Saskatchewan. It is in the south part of the province on highway No. 1 . Regina is home of the RCMP Training Academy and the CFL Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Regina has more parks and greenspace per capita than any major city in Canada. Wascana Centre is a huge 9.3 square kilometre (2300 acre) park that is built around the shores of Wascana Lake, a man made lake in the heart of Regina. It is one of North America's largest urban parks, and includes several attractions, such as several walking and bicycle paths, the Saskatchewan Science Centre, an outdoor pool, a marina with boat rentals, the Saskatchewan Legislative building, and the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts.
Willow Island, This Island on Wascana Lake is both open to the public and available for group bookings. A pontoon boat which seats 12 passengers is used to transport people back and forth from the Island.
Victoria Park is the park located in Regina's Market Square. It is the venue for many summer and winter events and concerts. In the centre of the park is a war memorial. A few statues dot the park, there is a playground on the South East corner. The park is well treed and has many benches. On summer afternoons expect downtown's business-people to populate the park equally with teenagers (who mostly stay on the grass). The park is on the North side Victoria Avenue between Scarth and Lorne Streets.
A.E. Wilson Park has the Northern entry point to the Devonian Pathway. There are many path intersections in this area, making it great for short walks. The park has the widest points in the creek on the North side of Wascana Lake. It is home to the Jack Hamilton Arena and Rick Hansen Optimist Playground.
Douglas Park houses the Canada Games Athletic Complex and Leibel Field.


I have an iPod classic. It has 80GB of capacity. I copied all my CD songs into it. Currently it is only filled up slightly over 5 GB.
I used to play my CD player in my Orange Peugeot 206 car when I drove to work or after work. I used to listen to my songs according to the CD compilation. Maybe because I am used to listen the songs in that sequence. I could remember from one song end which will be the next songs to be played in those familiar CDs.
But after I sold my car, I do not have the previlege to listen to my digital surround sound system. Instead I play my songs in the iPod Classic while taking public transport. Of course the feeling is not as great as listening in my car, but I can play songs in any sequence I want.
I have 2 playlists one called Sounds of Joy another called calm. I add the lively songs under the Sounds of Joy playlist and sentimental songs in calm playlist. One for listening in the morning and the other for listening after work. Well of course I will listen the Sound of Joy on my way to work. If not I will dorse off on my way to office listening to the calm songs.
This song is quite popular on the web and I hitted a few blogs article mentioning this. No doubt that a lot of people feel the same as me.
I may not believe in God but I wish there will be Angels that would lend their arms to the human beings to find some comfort here — on earth.
And how I wish I can sing like her..


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Konstnärshuset (literally Artists' House) is a building in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is owned by the Swedish Artists Association (Svenska konstnärernas förening) and is used as an art gallery.

History
Designed by Ludvig Petersen, the building was completed in 1898 and inaugurated on January 7, 1899. The restaurant Konstnärsbaren was restored in 1931, under the design of architect Björn Hedvall (1889-1982). The restaurant consists of a dining room, a bar, and a banqueting hall decorated with wall paintings from the renovation in 1931.

Carl Larsson (1853–1919) was the first chairman of the Artists Association which owns the building.

The facade overlooking the street is finished in Portland limestone with intricate details, including wall openings, a crowning balustrade, clover-leafed windows and mosaics. The architecture is inspired by Italian and Spanish trends from the 16th century. The interior includes the entrance hall, a staircase and the richly stuccoed exhibition hall. The building houses a collection of fine art.  The entire building is decorated by the works of celebrated artists and craftsmen. The small reliefs on the front doors were created by the painter, Gustaf Theodor Wallén.

See also
 Architecture of Stockholm

References

Other sources
Dag Widman:   (1999) Konstnärernas hus - en mötesplats under 100 år (Byggförlaget, Stockholm)

External links
Konstnärshuset websire
Konstnärsbaren website

Buildings and structures completed in 1898
Art museums and galleries in Stockholm
Listed buildings in Stockholm
1898 establishments in Sweden

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The waiting time for eligible immigrants who want to become naturalized citizens could be cut by more than half under new initiatives proposed in San Francisco yesterday.
Doris Meissner, commissioner of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, said the agency hopes that new technology, increased staffing and faster background checks will reduce the wait for new applicants from as long as two years in some locations to about six months by 2000.
In San Francisco, the average waiting period is about 14 months, though Thomas Schiltgen, INS district director, said people filing citizenship applications now will wait about a year. Schiltgen conceded, however, that there are immigrants who have been waiting more than 18 months to have their applications approved.
"We think that the new resources we are seeking, together with management changes, will give us the momentum we need to attack the backlog and help rebuild the naturalization system," Meissner said.
Meissner said yesterday that the agency will seek an extra $171 million from Congress to cover new costs for reducing the backlog. She said the agency would use the money to acquire and operate a high-tech fingerprint verification system, hire 200 more officers to do case reviews, improve record-keeping and provide higher levels of customer service.
Besides the additional funds from Congress, which are by no means assured, Meissner also said that application fees will rise from $95 to $225, effective January 15.
Meissner said the agency is considering allowing fee waivers for those who cannot afford the higher costs.
The system has come under tremendous pressure since the mid-1990s, when the number of applications began soaring in the United States, jumping from about 250,000 in 1990 to 1 million in 1995 and 1.5 million in 1997. Backlogs mounted, and today more than 200,000 people are awaiting approval of their applications in the San Francisco region alone. The region includes 49 counties in Northern and Central California.
Meissner and other INS officials speculate that sudden jumps in the number of petitions were a reaction by immigrants to service cutbacks in the 1996 federal welfare reform act. Immigrant advocates said the an anti-immigrant climate epitomized by California's Proposition 187, which sought to eliminate public benefits to illegal immigrants -- also galvanized people into becoming citizens.
"Proposition 187 is what I call the Pete Wilson citizenship promotion plan of 1994," said Mark Silverman, a lawyer with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, a nonprofit organization in San Francisco that works with immigrant advocacy groups on citizenship issues.
In the midst of the huge wave of new applications came demands from Congress that the agency tighten its background checking system. Highly publicized accounts of criminals becoming naturalized led to much tighter requirements for approval, including fingerprint verification from the FBI.
The new background checks further slowed processing.
Citizenship application numbers have fallen sharply in the current federal fiscal year and are projected to be 850,000 by the end of September. Silverman and Meissner both said restoration of a number of immigrant benefits may, as Meissner put it, "cut some of the urgency out" of becoming a citizen.
They both also said some people may have been discouraged from applying because of the backlogs.


Welcome on the HIIT Education Sansthan. We are teaching computer in the city area 'MAU'. Our focus is always on job oriented skill development with latest course. Explore others page for more details..
HIIT Education Sansthan® has the mission of educating the person in the rural part of eastern U.P. In this area of information Technology and Science We are committed to made available the computer education literacy and accounts education on very nominal fee structures covering rural and urban area. Through latest educatiin, we are education the students to make them skilled regarding industry requirement. With this great mission, HIIT Education Sansthan is running it's education centre in MAU District.
By offering latest courses, we are training people and help them to either get a job in corporate companies or become able to stablish IT based small business and start earning for their life. More then 2000 successful students are live evidance of our commitment and quality education. 'Education for Life' is the key of our education. We better understand the value of your time and money.