[RE-wrenches] Solar World shattered module

[Bill Hoffer]

Dave

Sometimes tempered glass will have a defect that will cause spontaneous
breakage from a relatively small stress in exactly the right spot.   We
have seen that happen during module manufacturing, so usally it never makes
it out the door. What does the shatter pattern look like.  If it is from
being hit by something the spot that was hit is pretty recognizable as the
cracks radiate out from there.  Or if it is heat related ( hotspotting ,
diodes overheating or a bad cell solder ) the cracks will radiate out from
that spot and there should be some discoloration from the over heating
event.  Pressure from the frame could have also occurred if it pushed
directly against the defect, but I would find that less likely since most
SolarWorld modules are gasket-ed and have ample space between glass and
frame for expansion and contraction.

Bill


On Mon, Apr 21, 2014 at 3:32 PM, Dave Palumbo
<dave at independentpowerllc.com>wrote:

> Wrenches,
>
>
>
> I have a customer with one SW 230 poly V2.0 frame (top mount) module that
> has shattered glass. It is on a DPW TPM10 pole mount. She noticed it the
> other day and does not think that it was hit by anything. I agree that is
> unlikely based on the site conditions.
>
>
>
> Other than by a falling tree, thrown rock, or twisted frame - is there
> another way that glass shatters on a 65 degree tilted pole mount like this?
>  We installed the system 2 years ago. The module was on the lower corner of
> the array.
>
> ·         Is it likely that this modules frame was being pressured by the
> module(s) above it? TPM has two rows of 5 modules in landscape, so this
> bottom module has 4 modules mounted above it. Again it is a top mounted DPW
> pole array.
>
> ·         Or, is there another way that glass shatters on this type of
> module?
>
> I have not visited the site yet, just received the phone call today.
>
>
>
> David Palumbo
>
> Independent Power LLC
>
> 462 Solar Way Drive
>
> Hyde Park, VT 05655
>
> (802) 888-7194
>
>
>
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-- 
William Hoffer
161 SE Fourth Ave
P.O. Box 1823
White Salmon, WA 98672-1823
sunengser at gmail.com <bhoffer at sunergyengineeringservices.com>
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