[RE-wrenches] 30-year old PV module

[Chris Worcester]

This has always bugged me about the flat roof installs, seeing the photos of
workers out on the glass in the  middle of the array. Hmmm. I'd love to see
which manufacturers actually approve of this sort of loading! It would be
nice to also have a list of which ones are using the thicker glazing too.

 

Sincerely,

Chris Worcester

Solar Wind Works
NABCEP Certified PV Installer
Phone: 530-582-4503
Fax: 530-582-4603
www.solarwindworks.com <http://www.solarwindworks.com/> 
chris at solarwindworks.com
"Proven Energy Solutions"

 

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Bob-O
Schultze
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010 9:32 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] 30-year old PV module

 

Joel,

A good argument against ever increasing PV sizes and a great argument
against big PVs on RVs and other mobile mounts.

Thanks, Bob-O

 

On May 22, 2010, at 4:42 PM, Joel Davidson wrote:





Hello Drake,

 

(silicon not silicone) Good question about thickness. I recently inspected a
circa 1996 solar array with 300 micron thick, 6-inch round cells
encapsulated behind 3 mm thick glass and found a few cracked cells and
impact fractures. Today, some cells are 260 to 200 microns and even down to
180 to 160 microns thick. I think if the cells are handled properly, and the
glass is 4 mm thick, and the module frame is strong enough to minimize
twisting, and the modules are handled and installed with care, then cell
breakage can be kept to a minimum. It's not how thin the cells are. It is
how the cells and modules are encapsulated and handled.

 

Joel Davidson

----- Original Message -----

From: Drake Chamberlin <mailto:drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org> 

To: RE-wrenches <mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> 

Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2010 1:39 PM

Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] 30-year old PV module

 

Thanks for the excellent article.  I have two of these old Arcos, and they
still put out like new, even though one was (apparently) used in a
concentrator, due to the fact that it came bronzed.  

Do you think the newer modules, with thinner silicone, will last as long?

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