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advice on broken solar panel z 06-16-2008
Posted by Ulysses on June 17, 2008, 1:30 pm
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> I like the idea of a laminate of some kind though.. that does sound like
> the best long term solution.
>
> But a magic spray might hold me over.. hell when winter is here again I
> won't care till next summer :)

Measure the voltage and current output with and without the cover
material before committing to it. Silicon cells are sensitive to
infrared which many clear plastics absorb.

If I remember correctly acrylic also absorbs some ultraviolet but I don't
know how that would affect the performance. Also, acrylic has a tendancy to
deteriorate when exposed to sunlight.

Glass also absorbs a little UV but apparently not too much or it wouldn't be
used on solar panels. I have a custom picture framing business and if
someone like you walked in and told me what you wanted to do I would
probably give you the glass for free, cut to size (unless it was a big piece
of glass in which case it still wouldn't cost very much). For that matter
you can cut the glass yourself if you have a glass cutter. If you've never
done it just find a piece a bit bigger than you need and do a practice cut.
The trick is to keep the cutter straight up-and-down and don't try to cut
through the glass as if you are using a blade--you just need to get a
"score" in it and then break it (run it) from one end or the other. You can
draw your cutting lines with a Sharpie or whatever or draw a line on a table
and just follow the line. Just make sure it's "square." If you put a drop
of oil on the cutting wheel axle before you use it it will last for
thousands of cuts if you score with the proper pressure.




Posted by on June 17, 2008, 7:27 pm
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> Hi z;
>
>
> > 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 ?
>
> The spray coatings just don't hold up in the long run.
>
> The best solution is to laminate a thin sheet of acrylic
> plastic, .02" or so, over the surface. Gob a heavy amount
> of RTV on one end. Carefully start at the glue end and
> while bending the sheet slowly roll the sheet down. The
> gob of RTV should be squeezed out and make a clear contact
> with little to no bubbles.
>
> Once the sheet is down it should be weighted down and
> clamped in place. Let it sit for at least a week. It
> takes this long for the acetic acid to dissipate through
> the plastic allowing the RTV to harden.
>
> Cleanup only after the RTV is fully cured with a sharp
> razor blade.
>
> This should be more or less a permanent solution.
>
> > cheers
>
> > -zachary (working on solar while the sun evaporates
> > all my hydro-electric water)
>
> Duane
>
> --
> Home of the $35 Solar Tracker Receiver
> http://www.redrok.com/led3xassm.htm [*]
> Powered by //|
> Thermonuclear Solar Energy from the Sun / |
> Energy (the SUN) / / |
> Red Rock Energy / / |
> Duane C. Johnson Designer / / |
> 1825 Florence St Heliostat,Control,& Mounts |
> White Bear Lake, Minnesota === / |
> USA 55110-3364 === |
> (651)426-4766 use Courier New Font |
> red...@redrok.com (my email: address) |http://www.redrok.com (Web site)
===

Acetic cure rtv is harmful to copper and soldered joints. Use a
neutral cure product

Posted by Duane C. Johnson on June 17, 2008, 8:02 pm
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bealiba@gmail.com wrote:

> Acetic cure RTV is harmful to copper and soldered
> joints. Use a neutral cure product

I would usually agree but in this case the acetic acid
will pass through the acrylic plastic, slowly depending
on the thickness. The existing glass and ETA (?) cell
encapsulant should protect the panel, at least until
the acid goes away.

I have done this on a panel and it worked well. The guy
I did it for says his panel is still running after about
5 years.

Duane

--
Home of the $35 Solar Tracker Receiver
http://www.redrok.com/led3xassm.htm [*]
Powered by //|
Thermonuclear Solar Energy from the Sun / |
Energy (the SUN) / / |
Red Rock Energy / / |
Duane C. Johnson Designer / / |
1825 Florence St Heliostat,Control,& Mounts |
White Bear Lake, Minnesota === / |
USA 55110-3364 === |
(651)426-4766 use Courier New Font |
redrok@redrok.com (my email: address) |
http://www.redrok.com (Web site) ===

Posted by on June 17, 2008, 11:40 pm
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> beal...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > Acetic cure RTV is harmful to copper and soldered
> > joints. Use a neutral cure product
>
> I would usually agree but in this case the acetic acid
> will pass through the acrylic plastic, slowly depending
> on the thickness. The existing glass and ETA (?) cell
> encapsulant should protect the panel, at least until
> the acid goes away.
>
> I have done this on a panel and it worked well. The guy
> I did it for says his panel is still running after about
> 5 years.
>
> Duane
>
> --
> Home of the $35 Solar Tracker Receiver
> http://www.redrok.com/led3xassm.htm [*]
> Powered by //|
> Thermonuclear Solar Energy from the Sun / |
> Energy (the SUN) / / |
> Red Rock Energy / / |
> Duane C. Johnson Designer / / |
> 1825 Florence St Heliostat,Control,& Mounts |
> White Bear Lake, Minnesota === / |
> USA 55110-3364 === |
> (651)426-4766 use Courier New Font |
> red...@redrok.com (my email: address) |http://www.redrok.com (Web site)
===

Get some of that material that is used to tint car windows except it
is clear.
Use Saran Wrap, I am serious.
Buy some of that thin flexible material used for windows on boat
canvas.
Google clear film.

Posted by z on June 18, 2008, 1:18 pm
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ohara5.0@mindspring.com wrote in

>> beal...@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>> > Acetic cure RTV is harmful to copper and soldered
>> > joints. Use a neutral cure product
>>
>> I would usually agree but in this case the acetic acid
>> will pass through the acrylic plastic, slowly depending
>> on the thickness. The existing glass and ETA (?) cell
>> encapsulant should protect the panel, at least until
>> the acid goes away.
>>
>> I have done this on a panel and it worked well. The guy
>> I did it for says his panel is still running after about
>> 5 years.
>>
>> Duane
>>
>> --
>> Home of the $35 Solar Tracker Receiver
>> http://www.redrok.com/led3xassm.htm [*]
>> Powered by //|
>> Thermonuclear Solar Energy from the Sun / |
>> Energy (the SUN) / / |
>> Red Rock Energy / / |
>> Duane C. Johnson Designer / / |
>> 1825 Florence St Heliostat,Control,& Mounts |
>> White Bear Lake, Minnesota === / |
>> USA 55110-3364 === |
>> (651)426-4766 use Courier New Font |
>> red...@redrok.com (my email: address) |http://www.redrok.com
>> (Web site) ===
>
> Get some of that material that is used to tint car windows except it
> is clear.
> Use Saran Wrap, I am serious.
> Buy some of that thin flexible material used for windows on boat
> canvas.
> Google clear film.

Yeah I was thinking about trying that.

I appreciate the more complicated answers but I really don't have a place
to do the solvent thing -- although it sounds like the best long term
solution.

was looking at 'clear saftey film'


Clear Safety Window Film acts like a steel curtain to hold shattered
glass in place to protect you and your family from serious harm. It is
invisible, yet it blocks 99% of the UV rays that cause fading.

So blocking UV rays .. i've read that is OK and i've read that is bad.
My search skills must be suffering because you'd think that would come up
more often.

Do I want to block the UV spectrum or not?

cheers again

-z

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