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advice on broken solar panel z 06-16-2008
Posted by z on June 16, 2008, 10:10 pm
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 Heya

I picked up a Coleman CL 3600 solar panel kit for next to nothing.. they
are 3 18 watt panels -- two are in perfect shape, but one has the glass
badly spidered.

Its not broken broken.. just cracked badly and the cell itself seems OK.
Just wondering if you guys had used any kind of magic spray that would seal
up the cracks and keep the thing water proof. I could try to replace it
but its encased in this housing that doesn't look like it was ever meant to
be taken apart.

I just want to keep the water out and not lose too much light penetration
while not risking damaging the cell itself by replacing the glass.

I have some POR-15 high temp clear coat I use on aluminum engine heads etc
to keep the corrosion from coming back after polishing.. dono what it would
do on the glass.

Any other ideas on magic spray/coating ?

cheers

-zachary (working on solar while the sun evaporates all my hydro-electric
water)

Posted by on June 16, 2008, 10:54 pm
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> Heya
>
> I picked up a Coleman CL 3600 solar panel kit for next to nothing.. they
> are 3 18 watt panels -- two are in perfect shape, but one has the glass
> badly spidered.
>
> Its not broken broken.. just cracked badly and the cell itself seems OK.
> Just wondering if you guys had used any kind of magic spray that would seal
> up the cracks and keep the thing water proof. I could try to replace it
> but its encased in this housing that doesn't look like it was ever meant to
> be taken apart.
>
> I just want to keep the water out and not lose too much light penetration
> while not risking damaging the cell itself by replacing the glass.
>
> I have some POR-15 high temp clear coat I use on aluminum engine heads etc
> to keep the corrosion from coming back after polishing.. dono what it would
> do on the glass.
>
> Any other ideas on magic spray/coating ?
>
> cheers
>
> -zachary (working on solar while the sun evaporates all my hydro-electric
> water)

Clear casting resin.

Posted by z on June 16, 2008, 11:10 pm
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bealiba@gmail.com wrote in

>> Heya
>>
>> I picked up a Coleman CL 3600 solar panel kit for next to nothing..
>> they are 3 18 watt panels -- two are in perfect shape, but one has
>> the glass badly spidered.
>>
>> Its not broken broken.. just cracked badly and the cell itself seems
>> OK. Just wondering if you guys had used any kind of magic spray that
>> would seal up the cracks and keep the thing water proof. I could try
>> to replace it but its encased in this housing that doesn't look like
>> it was ever meant to be taken apart.
>>
>> I just want to keep the water out and not lose too much light
>> penetration while not risking damaging the cell itself by replacing
>> the glass.
>>
>> I have some POR-15 high temp clear coat I use on aluminum engine
>> heads etc to keep the corrosion from coming back after polishing..
>> dono what it would do on the glass.
>>
>> Any other ideas on magic spray/coating ?
>>
>> cheers
>>
>> -zachary (working on solar while the sun evaporates all my
>> hydro-electric water)
>
> Clear casting resin.
>

like this stuff?

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=78

Posted by Ulysses on June 17, 2008, 1:16 pm
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> bealiba@gmail.com wrote in
>
> >> Heya
> >>
> >> I picked up a Coleman CL 3600 solar panel kit for next to nothing..
> >> they are 3 18 watt panels -- two are in perfect shape, but one has
> >> the glass badly spidered.
> >>
> >> Its not broken broken.. just cracked badly and the cell itself seems
> >> OK. Just wondering if you guys had used any kind of magic spray that
> >> would seal up the cracks and keep the thing water proof. I could try
> >> to replace it but its encased in this housing that doesn't look like
> >> it was ever meant to be taken apart.
> >>
> >> I just want to keep the water out and not lose too much light
> >> penetration while not risking damaging the cell itself by replacing
> >> the glass.
> >>
> >> I have some POR-15 high temp clear coat I use on aluminum engine
> >> heads etc to keep the corrosion from coming back after polishing..
> >> dono what it would do on the glass.
> >>
> >> Any other ideas on magic spray/coating ?
> >>
> >> cheers
> >>
> >> -zachary (working on solar while the sun evaporates all my
> >> hydro-electric water)
> >
> > Clear casting resin.

I would be worried about the resin leaking through the cracks and making a
big mess out of the whole thing. Plus I've seen some clear resin turn
yellow. Do you have enough room to just put another piece of glass on top
and seal the edges with some clear silicone?

> >
>
> like this stuff?
>
> http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=78



Posted by Duane C. Johnson on June 17, 2008, 2:00 pm
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Ulysses wrote:

> I would be worried about the resin leaking through
> the cracks and making a big mess out of the whole
> thing. Plus I've seen some clear resin turn yellow.
> Do you have enough room to just put another piece
> of glass on top and seal the edges with some clear
> silicone?

I would be wary of just sealing the edges.
The problem is there would inevitably be an air gap.
This gap will act somewhat like a solar thermal panel.
The active parts in the panel will get hotter resulting
in lower power output and reduced lifetime.

You really want to eliminate the gap with a continuous
application of the adhesive.

Duane

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