[RE-wrenches] module hot spots

Dan Fink danbob88 at gmail.com
Sun Nov 22 07:30:24 PST 2015


Bill, all:

My budget is limited. I went with the Seek Thermal camera ($250) that
connects to my Android phone via micro USB, with an extension cable so I
don't have to remove the phone from its Otterbox (unlike the FLIR One,
which is a propriatary case you have to move an iPhone to). I think Seek
has an iPhone version also.

Since I'm just looking for drastic *differences* in temperature, it works
fine and paid for itself on the first job, finding a high-resistance
battery terminal connection without dismantling the whole battery bank
looking for green crud. I include thermal photos on every system
maintenance report I do now.

Dan Fink
Adjunct Professor, Ecotech Institute
IREC Certified Instructor™ for:
~ PV Installation Professional
~ Small Wind Installer
Executive Director, Buckville Energy
NABCEP Accredited Continuing Education Providers™
970.672.4342



On Sun, Nov 22, 2015 at 5:21 AM, Bill Loesch <solar1online at charter.net>
wrote:

> Hi Marco, boB, et al,
>
> Thermal imaging is so useful for so many diagnosis. How did you choose the
> equipment you use without buying more than you use/need? Satisfied with
> your current machine or would you recommend something else?
>
> TIA,
>
> Bill Loesch
> Solar 1 - Saint Louis Solar314 631 1094
>
> On 11/21/2015 11:48 PM, boB at midnitesolar.com wrote:
>
>
> I have looked at several modules (not SunPower though) and I see this much
> temperature
> variation between cells BUT I have not seen anything like your picture,
> with only one cell
> hotter.  What I have seen is hotter and cooler cells more or less spread
> out
> semi-randomly.  Not sure if your example is normal or not for Sun Power ?
>
> Here is one example from my library of FLIR pix.
> A thermal imaging camera sure sheds light
> on many different things !
> boB
>
>
>
>
>
> On 11/21/2015 9:31 PM, Marco Mangelsdorf wrote:
>
> Hello all,
>
>
>
> I’m seeing hot spots on some of the SunPower modules we installed circa
> 2007-2010.  (I’ve been a SunPower dealer since 2005.)
>
>
>
> Sometimes theses cells are 20-30 degrees C hotter than the surrounding
> cells and it’s especially striking while using a Flir IR camera.  Check out
> the two images below.
>
>
>
> [image: cid:image001.png at 01D12070.CBCC60D0][image:
> cid:image002.png at 01D12070.CBCC60D0]
>
>
>
> Do many of you come across hot spotted mods?  Anyone know of any papers
> out there on hot spots and the hit on performance and reliability?
>
>
>
> Mahalo,
>
> marco
>
>
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