2 Watts from an old 2N3055 as a solarcell ?

[hartiberlin]

Hi All,
I just found a statement, how a 2N3055 can be used as a solarcell.
Here:
http://www.fieldlines.com/comments/2005/5/3/205028/6819/4#4
is stated:

There is one easy way to do it !
I once purchased a hand full of 2N3055 power transistors at an electronics surplus store. Price was perhaps 25 cents each. I carefully cut the top off one of them (TO-3 can), exposing the die. I obtained a cheap magnifying glass about 6 inches in diameter, connected an ammeter to the collector and base leads and used the magnifying glass to focus the sun on the chip. It produced in excess of 4 amps ! In a circuit you would get best power at perhaps .5V and 3 amps so you would have to put a few of them in series to do anything useful.

Did somebody try something like this ?
Is it for real, that you get 0.5 Volts and up to 4 Amperes ?

But probably you would cook pretty soon the silizium, right ?
What will you get at a cloudy day ?

Regards, Stefan.

[terry5732]

Is it the light or would heat work - try soldering iron.

[Vorg]

Out here focusing tha 6" lens  incenerates stuff. Don't think it would last long.

[Walter Hofmann]

hi all
I used a old camera lens from a one way camera it did give here in foridas sunlight 0.6V and a wopping 5 amps at total focus. Theheat generated with this lense is enough to come to around 600 deg F but if there is a heatsink about 4 X 4 Inches put on the transistor it gets just a bit over 110deg F. even if it is cloudy the output still runs on 1,6 to 2 Amp
there is a loss of about 25 to 40 % if a couple put in series.
greetings
walt

[hartiberlin]

Hi Walt,
thanks for testing this-
When I have more time I will also look for some old
2N3055 I still have lying around somewhere.

Where did you connect the lead, between collector and emitter ?

Regards, Stefan.