<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=us-ascii" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.23588"></HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff text=#000000>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=562255901-13012017>Makes you wonder if we just couldn't get a manufacturer
to make beefier modules for really harsh sites, eh?</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=562255901-13012017></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=562255901-13012017>--Chris @ the Oasis MT</SPAN></FONT></DIV><BR>
<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><B>From:</B> RE-wrenches
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Ray
Walters<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, January 12, 2017 5:22 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
RE-wrenches<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar World Wind
Damage<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>Chris & Dana;<BR><BR>Our site is a mountain in Wyoming and does
have some focusing effects, so maybe 170 mph is possible. Are your arrays
using top down clamps? I think that is apparently stronger, also possibly
the 2011 Sanyos look to have beefier frames. However, I looked at
their spec sheet and they're only rated at 60 PSF (less than the SWs).
>From my measurements here of Solar World 4.0 frames, I'm seeing a flange
thickness of approx 1.3 mm, while an old Siemens SP 75 has 1.8 mm thick metal.
<BR>I'm coming up with a fix for the Solar Worlds: 3/4 x 3/4 Stainless
steel Angle fits just inside the lip of the module, and will distribute the
forces more evenly. The question then is, are we just going to lose the
glass next? Anyone have a currently available module that is
beefier? I may recommend we swap the whole array out, if we are indeed
exceeding the design of the Solar Worlds. <BR><BR>Thanks,<BR><PRE class=moz-signature cols="72">R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760</PRE>
<DIV class=moz-cite-prefix>On 1/12/2017 2:39 PM, Chris @ The Oasis
wrote:<BR></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE cite=mid:C908D8265C474A6FBEADE912177D6048@OasisChris type="cite">
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.23588">
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=640143021-12012017>Wrenches: We have a ~70KW ground mounted
array on the Rocky Mountain front near Choteau, MT. Springs winds are
not unusual with 150 to 175 MPH gusts. The system was installed in
2011 (with Sanyo 215W modules). No problems yet; we certainly
over-engineered the racks, knowing what high winds there
are!</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=640143021-12012017></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=640143021-12012017><!-- Converted from text/plain format -->
<P><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff size=2>Chris Daum<BR>Oasis Montana
Inc.<BR>406-777-4309<BR>406-777-0830 fax<BR><A
href="http://www.oasismontana.com"
moz-do-not-send="true">www.oasismontana.com</A><SPAN
class=640143021-12012017> </SPAN><BR>
</FONT></FONT></P></SPAN></DIV><BR>
<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><B>From:</B> RE-wrenches [<A
class=moz-txt-link-freetext
href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</A>]
<B>On Behalf Of </B>Ray Walters<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, January 12, 2017
2:16 PM<BR><B>To:</B> RE-wrenches<BR><B>Cc:</B> Sefchick,
Steve<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar World Wind
Damage<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>Hi Bill;<BR><BR>Solar World customer support did
come through yesterday with flying colors. They got hit by a big storm
in the North West. Right now though, they are saying that we exceeded
the 64 PSF rated loading to the back of the module. I've pointed out
that that would correspond to over 170 mph winds, so I'm not quite ready to
concede the warranty. Their engineering team is reviewing my
information. <BR>As always, the Wrench list experience is
invaluable. Are 170 mph winds possible, outside of a tornado or
hurricane?<BR><BR><B>Whether or not Solar World stands by their product in
this extreme situation, I definitely stand by my installations.</B> I'm taking
a snow cat up to replace and reinforce the modules next week, then hopefully
get a little help from my supply chain after. My repair costs will be
many times the cost of one replacement module anyway. <BR><BR>Yes, the 33 mm
vs 31 mm refers to the module thickness. I don't have a version 2.5
frame to check the flange metal thickness, and it is conspicuously absent from
the specs. I have a good micrometer, and I will compare metal
thicknesses of several module brands, because with all the cost cutting, many
module manus seems to be using thinner metal lately. As Jay pointed out,
we're bolting much bigger modules down with much weaker flanges, and the same
hardware we used on a 75 w module, so its not entirely surprising to start
seeing high wind failures.<BR><PRE class=moz-signature cols="72">R.Ray Walters
</PRE></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></BODY></HTML>