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<DIV>Bob-O,</DIV>
<DIV>I'm with you on keeping modules modular. Years ago, Mobil Solar made Ra modules that were approx 5 ft x 5 ft. Big and heavy. You could hear the cells crack when the module was flexed. Big modules require more than one person to handle and require special shipping which adds cost. Another issue is safety. Lifting heavy and over-sized materials can hurt you. On the other hand, you can save time and money by panelizing modules and then lifting them into place with crane.</DIV>
<DIV>Joel Davidson<BR></DIV>
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<B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">From:</SPAN></B> Bob-O Schultze <bob-o@electronconnection.com><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org><BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Mon, May 24, 2010 9:32:24 AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re: [RE-wrenches] 30-year old PV module<BR></FONT><BR>Joel,
<DIV>A good argument against ever increasing PV sizes and a great argument against big PVs on RVs and other mobile mounts.</DIV>
<DIV>Thanks, Bob-O</DIV>
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<DIV>On May 22, 2010, at 4:42 PM, Joel Davidson wrote:</DIV><BR class=Apple-interchange-newline><SPAN style="WIDOWS: 2; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate; FONT: medium Helvetica; WHITE-SPACE: normal; ORPHANS: 2; LETTER-SPACING: normal; WORD-SPACING: 0px" class=Apple-style-span>
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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Hello Drake,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>(silicon not silicone) Good question about thickness. I recently inspected a circa 1996 solar array with 300 micron thick, 6-inch round cells encapsulated behind 3 mm thick glass and found a few cracked cells and impact fractures. Today, some cells are 260 to 200 microns and even down to 180 to 160 microns thick. I think if the cells are handled properly, and the glass is 4 mm thick, and the module frame is strong enough to minimize twisting, and the modules are handled and installed with care, then cell breakage can be kept to a minimum. It's not how thin the cells are. It is how the cells and modules are encapsulated and handled.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Joel Davidson</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----</DIV>
<DIV style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(228,228,228); FONT: 10pt arial"><B>From:</B><SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><A title=drake.chamberlin@redwoodalliance.org href="mailto:drake.chamberlin@redwoodalliance.org" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:drake.chamberlin@redwoodalliance.org">Drake Chamberlin</A></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B><SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><A title=re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" rel=nofollow target=_blank ymailto="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches</A></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B><SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>Saturday, May 22, 2010 1:39 PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B><SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN>Re: [RE-wrenches] 30-year old PV module</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Thanks for the excellent article. I have two of these old Arcos, and they still put out like new, even though one was (apparently) used in a concentrator, due to the fact that it came bronzed. <SPAN class=Apple-converted-space> </SPAN><BR><BR>Do you think the newer modules, with thinner silicone, will last as long?</BLOCKQUOTE></DIV></SPAN></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></div></body></html>