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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>Hello,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>I am debugging a Florida ocean-side 35 kw array using 4 year old Canadian Solar panels, which I’ve never had a high opinion of, installed by others.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>I’ve discovered several not-so-good problems, such as low insulation resistance through the panels, ONLY when raining, early to mid-morning condensation, or by using the last resort of spraying the panels with a garden house and watching the SMA inverters shut down due to failing their self “Riso” (that’s the IRT) test creating a ground fault error.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>That aside, what’s just as interesting is that about 8 or 9 of the module interconnections were basically oozing the aqua-blue copper tarnish. I’ve never seen this in any installation before. Either the MC4s weren’t crimped and tightened at the factory well, or the connectors were seated poorly, although that doesn’t seem to be the case. BTW, I replaced all these dubious MC4 connectors and the ground faults still occur when the panels are wet.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>The bigger issue is the panel warranty, but is there anything on the market which could seal these connections, perhaps a type of “clamshell” to provide an extra layer of protection, which is removable if need be? There’s always glue-filled heat shrink, but ideally I don’t want anything permanent surrounding the connectors.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>Has anyone ever seen what I’m describing in a marine environment?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Kirk Herander<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Owner|Principal, VT Solar, LLC <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>Celebrating our 25<sup>th</sup> Anniversary 1991-2016<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt'><a href="www.vermontsolarnow.com"><span style='color:blue'>www.vermontsolarnow.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>dba Vermont Solar Engineering<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>NABCEP<sup>TM </sup>2003 Inaugural Certificant<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>VT RE Incentive Program Partner<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt'>802.863.1202</span><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:18.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>