Repair of broken PV modules [RE-wrenches]

graham at solarexpert.com graham at solarexpert.com
Fri Feb 15 09:59:08 PST 2002


Joel,

I agree that un-tempered glass is relatively strong.  I know of 2 solar 
water heating panels in the San Fernando valley that have 1/8” window 
glass measuring 4’ x 4’ that have lasted over 15 years.  I have seen 
solar panels damaged by bullets, BB’s, rocks, wiskey bottles, dropped 
hammers as well as slate falling from an upper story roof during an 
earthquake, but never hail.

Since tempered leaded glass cannot be cut and has to be custom made it 
is quite expensive, unless a group of glazings need replacement.  A nice 
property of tempered glass is that fact that when it does shatter there 
are many hundreds of little pieces that usually remain within the panel 
frame.  Un-tempered glass can beak into large jagged pieces and can fall 
off of a sloped roof.  I noticed the repaired Solarex module is on a 
flat roof and this is not a safety issue for this installation.  I 
wonder if the possible meteor strike to this module is a first.  Perhaps 
Solarex may want to warranty and replace the module before any potential 
for moisture damage occurs.  Having a module struck by a meteor that 
remained at full output could prove to be an interesting conversation 
piece in a Solarex showroom.

I have to add that I enjoyed reading Travis’s remarks about how solar 
panels attract meteors.  Last year at our Earth Day booth we showed kids 
how dinosaurs used solar energy, such as the large solar fin on a 
Dimetrodon’s back.  This solar fin gave this animal the advantage of 
warming their cold blood faster making them more active earlier in the 
day.  Perhaps we can tell the kids this year that solar powered 
dinosaurs attracted the big comet that wiped them out.

Graham

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