Use the hot tip of the soldering iron to melt through the clean coating of the copper tape. Be
careful not to burn through more than just the thin clear coating. Burning too deeply can damage
the solar module. Although not necessary, it is possible to remove a small piece of the clear
coating with a sharp knife prior to soldering to the copper tape.
Good contact can be made by melting and depositing a dot of solder to the exposed copper
tape.Use a low temperature soldering iron adjusted to about 600 to 650 degrees (F). It is also
acceptable to solder directly to the copper tape, without using a solder dot.
Crimping
A pressure method of mechanically securing a terminal, splice or contact to the copper strips may
be used. There are many sources of crimp connectors, such as AMP (www.amp.com).
Alligator Clips
Although not the most secure connection option, alligator clips may be used.
Fastening the PowerFilm® Module
The PowerFilm® module may be fastened in several ways:
Adhesives
Choose adhesive based on the material to which PowerFilm® is being attached
A wide range of adhesives are effective.
Epoxy, silicon, super glue, 3M super 77 spray, double-sided acetic tape, etc.
Be careful not to get any adhesive on the front side (dark side) of the module since it will degrade
overall performance.
VI PowerFilm® RC Aircraft Series
Leads and Testing
The leads on the solar modules in the PowerFilm® RC Aircraft series are the copper tape strips
at each end of the module. In this series the copper tape is specially folded around the back of
the solar modules so it is possible to solder to the backside of the module. Remember to check
the Polarity!
Connecting the PowerFilm® Module to a Load
Remember to check the Polarity!
Soldering
The solar modules should be soldered to from the front. The positive copper contact is on one
end and the negative is on the other end (see section on Polarity).
Use the hot tip of the soldering iron to melt through the clean coating of the copper tape. Be
careful not to burn through more than just the clear thin coating. Burning too deeply can damage
the solar module. Although not necessary, it is possible to remove a small piece of the clear
coating with a sharp knife prior to soldering to the copper tape.
