Solar Panel Water Drain Clip

When looking for these kind of clips and after testing some, I didn't really find any that fit my needs. Some where either overly large (don't really understand why you would need those side overhangs), could only be printed in an orientation where they would easily crack when installed, couldn't be printed efficiently, … also tuning to a specific panel type isn't easy with prexisting models so I designed my own.

Changelog

• 2026-03-04: Uploaded STEP files and the FreeCAD (1.0.2) files of the models. The models however are not really stable, they were designed originally with FreeCAD before version 1.0.2 .

• 2024-08-01: Tested the version for “Trina Solar DE08M.08 II short-side” it's working as intended

Design goals

• Print sideways so that layer lines are in the correct orientation for the stress being applied to the clip.

• Printable without support

• Capillary function should be deterministic, means consistent thickness of capillar gap

• No post processing required

• Reduce amount of material used (Need to print 160 pieces for 80 panels)

Measurements

• Are heavily depending on panel frame and lip profile

  • You can try this model for your panel but if it's a different type I haven't tested the clip may not work

• Capillary width: 0.5mm

• Clip width: 34mm

• BISTAR TP6F60M long-side

  • Frame height: 35mm

  • Lip width: 10mm

  • Lip height/thickness: 2.3mm

  • Weight: 5.7g per clip with settings below

• Trina Solar DE08M.08 II short-side

  • Frame height: 35mm

  • Lip width: 8mm

  • Lip height/thickness: 3.55mm

  • Weight: 5.62g per clip with settings below

Measurements/Views from panel datasheets

Trina Solar DE08M.08 II short-side:

BISTAR TP6F60M long-side:

Printing

• Printer: Prusa MK4

• Sheet: Satin

• Material: I used Extrudr DuraPro ASA, because it needs to be UV resistant

• Nozzle: 0.4mm

• Layer Height: 0.2mm, I used the STRUCTURAL@MK4IS profile from PrusaSlicer for my Prusa MK4 as a based

• Infill: 20%

• Perimeters: 3

• Avoid crossing perimeters: true

• Support: not needed

• Orientation: Print with the sides facing the bed.

• Seams: Paint them on the rear side facing away from the solar panel frame, see picture.

• Scaling

  • Used slicer to scale in X and Y by 100.5%

  • Compensates shrinking and the printed model hit my model dimensions bang on.

• Filament profile: Based on the PrusaSlicer "Extrudr DuraPro ASA@PG"

• Temperatures (depend heavily on filament + environment):

  • Nozzle: 235°C

  • Bed: 110°C

  • Chamber temperature:

    • Either: 53°C

    • Or: 45°C + glue stick on sheet

Installation

• You need (I'm guessing a bit here), 2 clips for the short side of a panel, 3 clips for the long side

• Hook the top part first onto the frame lip and then push the lower parts against the frame to snap it on there.