A soldering apparatus has a soldering iron unit having a soldering tip for carrying out a soldering process to a printed circuit board, a heater unit for heating the soldering iron unit, and a gas supply device for operatively supplying a burning-assist gas to the soldering iron unit, when a cleaning process is carried out for the soldering iron unit. The cleaning process for the soldering iron unit is carried out when the soldering process to the printed circuit board is stopped. In the cleaning process, the soldering iron unit is heated by the heater unit and the burning-assist gas is supplied to the soldering iron unit, so that material attached to the soldering iron unit can be easily burnt out.

A photovoltaic module can be constructed from one or more strings, with each of the strings being constructed from a plurality of cascaded solar cells. A connector can electrically connect the strings to one another. The connector can include strain relief connectors that extend between the connector and the strings to help reduce effects caused by thermal expansion.

A photovoltaic module can be constructed from one or more strings, with each of the strings being constructed from a plurality of cascaded solar cells. A connector can electrically connect the strings to one another. The connector can include strain relief connectors that extend between the connector and the strings to help reduce effects caused by thermal expansion.

A hot-dip plating apparatus for plating a thin molten solder film can control a film thickness of a molten solder on a base material evenly and in increments of a few m and achieve a thin-film solder plating having a film thickness less than a conventional system. As shown in FIG. 1, this apparatus comprises a solder bath 17 of accommodating the molten solder 7; a second conveying section 23 for drawing up a strip member 31 from the solder bath; and a blower section 19 for blowing hot gas on the strip member 31 immediately after being drawn up from the solder bath by a second conveying section 23; the hot gas having a predetermined flow volume and a predetermined temperature equal to or higher than a melting temperature of the molten solder 7. According to this configuration, the excess molten solder 7 can be trimmed from the strip member 31 corresponding to composition of the molten solder 7. Thus, the film thickness of the molten solder 7 coated on the strip member 31 can be controlled evenly and in increments of a few m.

A heat transfer tube includes: a tube body made of an extruded material of an aluminum alloy having a composition including: 0.3 mass % or more and less than 0.8 mass % of Mn; more than 0.1 mass % and less than 0.32 mass % of Si; 0.3 mass % or less of Fe; 0.06 mass % or more and 0.3 mass % or less of Ti; and Al balance including inevitable impurities, a ratio of a Mn content to a Si content, Mn %/Si %, exceeding 2.5; and a Zn-containing layer provided to an outer surface of the tube body.

A heat transfer tube includes: a tube body made of an extruded material of an aluminum alloy having a composition including: 0.3 mass % or more and less than 0.8 mass % of Mn; more than 0.1 mass % and less than 0.32 mass % of Si; 0.3 mass % or less of Fe; 0.06 mass % or more and 0.3 mass % or less of Ti; and Al balance including inevitable impurities, a ratio of a Mn content to a Si content, Mn %/Si %, exceeding 2.5; and a Zn-containing layer provided to an outer surface of the tube body.

An aluminum alloy brazing sheet makes it possible to inexpensively braze aluminum in a nitrogen gas furnace without using flux and a toxic element. The aluminum alloy brazing sheet is used for brazing aluminum in an inert gas atmosphere without using flux, and includes a core material and a filler metal, one side or each side of the core material being clad with the filler metal, the core material being formed of an aluminum alloy that includes 0.2 to 1.3 mass % of Mg, and the filler metal including 6 to 13 mass % of Si and 0.004 to 0.1 mass % of Li, with the balance being aluminum and unavoidable impurities.

An aluminum alloy brazing sheet makes it possible to inexpensively braze aluminum in a nitrogen gas furnace without using flux and a toxic element. The aluminum alloy brazing sheet is used for brazing aluminum in an inert gas atmosphere without using flux, and includes a core material and a filler metal, one side or each side of the core material being clad with the filler metal, the core material being formed of an aluminum alloy that includes 0.2 to 1.3 mass % of Mg, and the filler metal including 6 to 13 mass % of Si and 0.004 to 0.1 mass % of Li, with the balance being aluminum and unavoidable impurities.

Methods are disclosed for assembling PV modules using connectors that have strain relief elements. Strings can be inspected individually and dimensional information can be obtained to layup the strings into a PV module in a specific manner. Portions of the strings can be soldered using elevators to lift connectors into place, and then applying heat to both sides of the connector.

Methods are disclosed for assembling PV modules using connectors that have strain relief elements. Strings can be inspected individually and dimensional information can be obtained to layup the strings into a PV module in a specific manner. Portions of the strings can be soldered using elevators to lift connectors into place, and then applying heat to both sides of the connector.