[RE-wrenches] panel back tedlar flaking off

[Joel Davidson]

The tedlar backsheet is laminated with heat and vacuum to protect the back ethylene vinyl acetate encapsulant. The eva is hydroscopic and moisture will eventually get in to attack the cell interconnects, bus bars, cell grids, and solder. It's only a matter of time before the module dies. You could try carefully painting the back of the laminate with a flexible waterproof paint, but make sure the eva is clean and very dry so you do not capture any contaminants or moisture under the waterproofing.

--- On Sat, 4/18/09, jay peltz <jay at asis.com> wrote:

From: jay peltz <jay at asis.com>
Subject: [RE-wrenches] panel back tedlar flaking off
To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Date: Saturday, April 18, 2009, 4:14 PM

I"ve got a customer with some panels that the white back laminate is
literally flaking off in sheets.

they are still working, but what sort of time life do they have?
And how important is the white part vs the encapsulate behind which seems in
good shape.
They are old, at least 15 years, I think they are Photowatt 75 watt, the labels
are so faded that nothing is readable.

I've just never seen panels literally fall apart like this.

Any thoughts?

thanks,
jay

peltz power
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