Brian<br><br>In my past life working for a module manufacturer, we used Dow Corning PV 804 silicone sealant. It comes in black and white flavors, usually not found off the shelf at Home Depo. I believe it is the standard used by most module manufacturers and the only silicon sealant that meets UL746 Polymeric materials for electrical applications (Insulating tabs electrically). We experimented with many types with similar results, but when UL listing a module you can only use UL listed components (or you get to pay to perform those tests on that material too!). The price of PV 804 reflects the UL listing. You would need to ask a chemist at Dow Corning if it has a different composition than the common off the shelf varieties. It is great stuff, sticks to everything (especially opposite colored pants!) and moves well between two materials that may expand and contract at different rates with varying temperatures, like a module is often exposed to.<br>
<br>Bill<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, May 25, 2010 at 4:51 PM, Brian Teitelbaum <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:bteitelbaum@aeesolar.com">bteitelbaum@aeesolar.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">I like Blair’s idea, but I’ve
always used a silicone sealant that doesn’t use acetic acid as the curing
agent. Dow #739 is one type, but any silicone sealant that is rated as
food-grade, or for aquariums, should work fine. The 739 is a “moisture-cure”,
100% silicone, which uses moisture present in the air as the curing agent. I
was told many years ago that this is the stuff that is used by module
manufacturers to attach and seal module junction boxes and the exit point in
the laminate where the tabs come out. It would be great if a module rep could
confirm this with us.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Brian Teitelbaum</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">AEE Solar</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<div>
<div style="border-width: 1pt medium medium; border-style: solid none none; border-color: rgb(181, 196, 223) -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color; padding: 3pt 0in 0in;">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">From:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt;">
<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
[mailto:<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Blair
May<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, May 25, 2010 3:09 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Rip in panel backing</span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue;">I use a heat gun to remove moisture & smooth out the rip then
I've used some bitchathane w/ foil tape over that.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue;">I am not sure about the possible corrosive effects of the silicone
during curing.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></p>
</div>
<blockquote style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 5pt;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;">-----Original Message-----<br>
<b>From:</b> <a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
[mailto:<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>bob<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, May 25, 2010 5:49 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [RE-wrenches] Rip in panel backing</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I have a customer who just
put a rip in the (tedlar?) on the back of a Solar World 175 watt panel. For
some reason he thought that he needed to move the leg to a different hole on
his RGM mount instead of just collapsing it.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">What’s the best way to
seal it back up?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">There is no other internal
damage that is noticeable its about 1.5” long and ½” at the widest
end.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">My first thought is to use
silicone caulk, but I thought I would pick the collective brain, so to speak.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Thanks,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Bob Ellison</span></p>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Bill Hoffer PE<br>Sunergy Engineering Services PLLC<br>2504 Columbia Ave NW<br>East Wenatchee WA 98802-3941<br><a href="mailto:SunEngSer@gmail.com">SunEngSer@gmail.com</a> (509)470-7762<br>
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