[RE-wrenches] Shattered Evergreen ES-160-SL Module, DPW TOP rack

[Ray Walters]

As noted in the previous case,  the shattered module is on the bottom 
corner.  Those are the most vulnerable to damage from animals, kids, 
vehicles, etc.  The tempered glass always shatters as you described, 
when enough force is applied.  Look very closely for some slight bending 
of the frame which would indicate that it was hit by something.  Grazing 
animals like to scratch their sides on things, and the array might have 
been just the right height for a scratching post.  1000 lb animal leans 
on module, and boom, the module shatters completely.
We've had pole mount systems in place for decades, so its very unlikely 
that its an issue with the frame itself.

R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760

On 6/21/2014 1:24 PM, Richard L Ratico wrote:
> A client of mine suffered a mysterious shattered module on a DPW TOP rack. The
> rack holds eight of these in landscape orientation. The one that broke was in
> the lower, west corner of the array. The glass appears to be uniformly
> shattered, with pieces approximately 1/4" in size. The glass has not started to
> fall out of the frame, but it seems that is only a matter of time. The module is
> still producing power. The install, by others, was done about 9 years ago. There
> is no apparent cause of the failure. It happened here, in Vermont, towards the
> end of an unusually severe winter when the snow was already gone, but mowing had
> not yet commenced.
>
> There was a discussion here just a while ago that involved a broken SolarWorld
> module on a similar rack. Has anyone seen this since then?
>
> Would anyone have one of these or an Evergreen of the same size? Please respond
> off list.
>
> Dick Ratico
> Solarwind Electric
> 802-222-9028
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