BP 3160 module line failures [RE-wrenches]

Greg Seelhorst greg_s at sonic.net
Fri Jun 20 21:34:59 PDT 2008


Re: BP failures for BP3160 line of modules
We have no experience with the BP75s, but we do with the BP3160 series.
As of June 20, 2008 we have the following statistics to report for failed or
shattered BP panels for installations since Nov. 2001:

1.34% Percent of installed BP panels (BP3160s) have failed (or shattered)
[41 BP Panels Failed out of 3057 BP Panels Installed].

13.7 % Percent of our customers with installed BP3160 Panels have had
failures ranging from 1 to 14 panels within 6 years of installation [13
Customers out of 95 Total Customers].

BP says the buss bars are failing on the module at the soldering joint above
the junction box.  About half of the failed panels are actually exploding
causing the glass to shatter in place in some cases.  If we can catch the
buss bar starting to show burn marks before they fail BP will authorize us
changing them out.  Since we have over 3,000 BP3160 panels out there we have
to keep about 5 in stock, just to keep up with the failing panels.

Due to the nature of the failure, it is easier to tell because the entire
string is taken out and shows at the inverter display.  The hard part is
getting the customer to relay this information to us close to the time when
it happens so that they can get the lost string back online.

We no longer install BP panels since mid 2005.  


- - - -
Hosted by Home Power magazine

To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://lists.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/read

List rules & how to change your email address: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquette.php

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
--^----------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent to: michael.welch at re-wrenches.org

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit:
http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER
--^----------------------------------------------------------------






More information about the RE-wrenches mailing list