In-Depth Knowledge about PV Ribbon Wire

“PV” is an acronym for Photo Voltaic, meaning something that produces current when struck by a molecule of natural light. Solar photovoltaics is a booming technology these days, with so many environmental concerns being raised be conventional sources of energy. The genius combination of solar photovoltaic materials and harnessing energy has made it possible to convert sunlight into electricity on a large scale. The PV ribbon wire is a very important component of photovoltaics. This blog will give you in-depth knowledge about PV ribbon wire.

What is PV ribbon?

Typically, a photovoltaic ribbon is a thin strip of copper which is heat coated with tin. This is the wire which is used to connect solar cells together in a solar module. The photovoltaic ribbon is attached directly to the silicon substrate on a solar cell, which enables it to collect the electricity produced in the cell. These PV ribbons then connect to the PV bus bar. In this manner, the current generated in the solar cells connected with one PV ribbon is sent to the PV bus bar. PV bus bar is also a PV ribbon which is slightly bigger than the interconnect ribbon used with solar cells.

Technical details of PV ribbon

The PV ribbon used as bus bars are about 3 to 6mm wide and 0.2 to 0.5mm thick, while those used for interconnection of solar cells are 1 to 3mm wide and 0.08 to 0.2mm thick. If you went out to buy one, you would typically find spools weighing anywhere between 50kg to 600kg. They contain tin (100%) as the lead free solder option, and SnPb 60/40 as the leaded option. You can find these ribbons in low temperature versions as well with Bismuth in the alloy.

Above are the major points you need to know about PV ribbon.

Things To Consider When Choosing Low Temperature Lead-Free Solders

The new age has ushered in new technology and materials in the electronics industry which are set to revolutionize traditional methods. Lead-free solders are a part of this revolution, and have proved to be better and more versatile than the materials used earlier for soldering. There are many specialized jobs that lead-free solders can achieve which were earlier not possible with leaded solders. If you have some specialized soldering jobs lined up, here are things to consider when choosing low temperature lead-free solders.

First off, assess the temperature you are going to be working at while soldering. If there are components and materials involved that are likely to melt or get damaged at normal soldering temperatures, it is time to go for a low temperature lead-free solder.

Secondly, think of the application of the soldering job. Certain specialized applications require low temperature solders, like thermometers used in food preparation and fire detection devices. Also, in reflow processes where temperatures are likely to harm the assembly, low temperature lead-free solder can be used in applications such as:

• Flex circuitry in cell phones, smartwatches and other smart devices

• Components that are temperature sensitive

• Step soldering process where sequential soldering is to be done without damaging the previous one

• Large area devices in order to avoid common faults like head-in-pillow and non-wet open.

If any of the above situation corresponds to your soldering job, you should buy a low temperature lead free solder.

The Benefits of Using Low Melting Point Solders

Soldering two surfaces or components together involves fusing the two surfaces together using a soldering alloy, by melting it and forming a connection between them. Since this activity consists in melting the solder, there is a very high temperature at the surfaces. Now if the components or the surfaces to be connected are not prepared to resist this heat of the molten alloy, there could be considerable damage to the elements. It is for this reason that low-temperature solder alloys are used for sensitive applications.  This blogpost will explore the benefits of using low melting point solders.

First, low-temperature solder alloys prevent any damage that could happen to the components and the printed circuit board. Since these alloys are never heated up to very high temperatures for melting, there is no burning of the circuit board or the components.

Secondly, using low temperature solder alloys directly translates into energy savings. The soldering iron does not need to be heated up to very high temperatures to melt the solder alloy. It thus consumes lesser electricity. In case of industrial manufacturing, these little savings convert into a massive amount of money saved in electricity bills.

Thirdly, low temperature alloys are known to perform better in thermal cycling tests, impact resistance and durability. These alloys also help in reducing the number of steps required to complete the surface mount technology process.

Low temperature alloys are more versatile for use over different materials of printed circuit boards since they have the lesser potential to damage the surfaces they touch. Some special plastics that are used to make printed circuit boards usually don’t work well with high temperature solders, which is why low temperature solders are employed.

PV Ribbon Wire: How Are They Used And Where To Get Them

PV is the acronym for Photovoltaic. A photovoltaic material contains molecules that are capable of producing electricity from photons of light, thus the name. These materials are extensively used in solar powered applications in the form of ‘solar cells’. To convey the electricity produced in the material to the DC wires installed in solar-powered applications, many mini-connections are required to be made internally between the solar cells – which is where the photovoltaic ribbon wires are used. In this blog post, you will learn about PV ribbon wire.

How are photovoltaic ribbon wires used?

A photovoltaic ribbon is a flattened wire made of tinned copper which is installed in solar applications to collect the current produced by solar cells and deliver it to the consequent cables. The solar cell is a wafer-thin material made of mostly silicon, layered with other metals in between. Photovoltaic ribbon wire is directly soldered onto each solar cell, and interconnected with the next photovoltaic ribbon…and so on. When all the cells in a solar panel row relate to photovoltaic ribbon wire, the endpoints are then soldered to a bus bar, which accumulates all the current of that row and sends it further.

Where to find photovoltaic ribbon wires?

Photovoltaic ribbon wires are widely available on online stores these days. Many brands manufacture photovoltaic ribbons of different compositions and properties, which you can cherry-pick from as per suitability for various applications.

Solar PV ribbon wires need to be thoroughly efficient in doing their job because solar cell efficiency is still in its growing stage. A good solder bond will ensure there is no wastage in the conveyance of the energy produced.