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Correct me if I'm wrong, but: Solar panels are made of solar cells. I don't understand how it would be possible that they would only be efficient in a manufacturer-assembled unit.
The ones I bought were 3 x 6 cells on eBay from an American seller, Everbright Solar. I believe I paid $58 shipped for 60 cells, plus tabbing wire, bus wire, diodes, and flux pen. The cells were B-grade, so they were lightly chipped, cracked, or discolored. I put 36 in series to create an 18v array. If what they claim is true, this should output ~63 watts. I don't know how that would compare to a "12v" panel of similar size, though.
One major downside to DIY is it is a lot of time/effort. Soldering each one of those isn't an easy task. Plus, you have to encapsulate/enclose them to keep moisture away.
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