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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#44546a">About 5 years ago we had a SunPower module shatter for no apparent reason a couple of weeks after we completed the installation. No one knows the exact cause, but SunPower did end up RMAing the module and sent an engineer out to check out our array (which was flush mount rooftop). We noticed that the frames on the modules were out of square and my educated guess was that there was some strain on the module frame caused by our installers as they “tweaked” the modules to make the array square. We also noticed the module glass on some of the adjacent modules was slightly cupped (concave). I don’t know if that was a manufacturing issue or what the cause of the cupping was. We haven’t had any problems since.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#44546a"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#44546a">I suppose extreme hot/cold variations such as pouring warm water on a cold module or spraying a hot module with cold water could cause it to shatter but don’t have any direct experience with that. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#44546a"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#44546a">Best,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#44546a"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#44546a">August</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#44546a"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#44546a"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#44546a"> </span></p><div><div style="border:none;border-top:solid #b5c4df 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> <a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a> [mailto:<a href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Dave Palumbo<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, April 21, 2014 3:32 PM<br><b>To:</b> 'RE-wrenches'<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar World shattered module</span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Wrenches,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">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.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">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. </p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:38.8pt"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style>·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>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.</p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left:38.8pt"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span style>·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span>Or, is there another way that glass shatters on this type of module?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I have not visited the site yet, just received the phone call today.</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">David Palumbo</p><p class="MsoNormal">Independent Power LLC </p><p class="MsoNormal">
462 Solar Way Drive</p><p class="MsoNormal">Hyde Park, VT 05655<b></b></p><p class="MsoNormal">(802) 888-7194 </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></body></html>