[RE-wrenches] Separated frames on BP modules

[Nick Lucchese]

Sorry to hear about the BP problems Andrew. For what it's worth you  
can tell BP that your story just solidified another wrench's reason  
to never sell any of their modules ever again.

Hope you get the customer service you deserve,



Nick A Lucchese
NABCEP Certified PV Installer
Planet Home
General Contractor # 808851
Sierra Solar Systems
563C Idaho Maryland Road
Grass Valley, CA 95945
tech info and foreign orders:  (530) 273-6754
order line: (800) 51-SOLAR (US only)   FAX:  (530) 273-1760
nickl at sierrasolar.com
http://www.sierrasolar.com




On Jun 15, 2009, at 9:22 AM, Andrew Truitt wrote:

>
> Greetings wrenches!  We recently did a small commercial system (17  
> kW) using BP-SX 3175 modules and the Unirac RapidRac ballasted  
> mounting system.  The flat roof is ballasted with 2" of gravel that  
> we smoothed as much as possible but undulations are visible in the  
> array, though the changes are never more than 5 degrees from module  
> to module.  After about 3 months the cusotmer noticed a problem  
> developing with 1/3 of the modules: the interior of the module  
> (backsheet, cells and glazing) were separating from the aluminum  
> frame!  Remnants of the black, rubbery adhesive are clearly visible  
> on the inside of the frame and on the edge of the backsheet/cell/ 
> glazing sandwich.  It seems clear to us and that the adhesive  
> simply failed and should be covered under the 5 year workmanship  
> warranty, but BP does not agree.  BP is saying that the modules are  
> supposed to be mounted with a solid member spaning the width of the  
> module and since the RapidRac supports the module on what amounts  
> to 4 individual stanchions, the workmanship warraty is null and  
> void.  The mounting instructions, however, say nothing about  
> requiring a solid member spaning the module.
>
> Has anyone else had this issue with BP or any other types of  
> modules?  Does anyone buy that it could be the fault of the  
> RapidRac?  We unbolted a few of the bad modules to see if the frame  
> was exerting any torque but the neither the module not the frame  
> moved - we set the module back on the frame and the mounting holes  
> lined up perfectly as before.
>
>
> Thoughts or suggestions?
>
>
> Gotta' love these long sunny days!
>
>
> Andrew Truitt
> Standard Solar Inc.
>
>
> -- 
> "Don't get me wrong: I love nuclear energy! It's just that I prefer  
> fusion to fission. And it just so happens that there's an enormous  
> fusion reactor safely banked a few million miles from us. It  
> delivers more than we could ever use in just about 8 minutes. And  
> it's wireless!"
>
> ~William McDonough
>
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