Does anyone have the Installation PDF for BP4175B (175W) Solar Panel?

jbot

Hello all,

The City of Berkeley CA has strict requirements for permitting in regards to having the installation instructions from the manufacturer included in the plans. I have tried hunting down the installation instructions for the BP4175B panel but have not succeeded. Using the internet archive's (Way Back Machine) it seems that BP Solar North America did not have PDF installation instructions on its own website (see link) for the BP4175 panel.

I already have the Data Sheet for this model panel.

Does anyone happen to have installation instructions for either the BP4175 or BP4175B panel or know if BP Solar published installation instructions for these panels at all?

Thanks,

Newb

BB.

You might check and see if those panels are subject to recall... I had the BP-175 panels, and they did fail, to be replaced with BP-175A -- They seem to work OK, so far, for me. But BP got out of the solar business(?)--However, they are (last I checked) still honoring warranty claims.

There is/was a court case over the failed panels

https://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/350934/failed-solar-panels

http://www.bpsolarsettlement.com/

3. Which BP model numbers are included in this Settlement?

The solar panels included in this Settlement are called “Class Panels.” Class Panels include all BP solar panels manufactured between 1999 and 2007 with an S-type junction box. This includes the model numbers listed below.

Please note: a new model number has been added, BP365TS, which was manufactured 2005-2007.

Category 1 (“FDK+ Panels”) 

BP170I	BP175B	BP175I	BP3140S*	BP3160B*	BP170B
BP3160S	BP4170B	BP3150S	BP4175I	BP3165S	SX160B
SX170B	BP4175B	BP2150S	SX150B*	BPSX150S	BPSX3150S
SX150L	SX140S	BP5170S	SX150S	SX160S	BPSX3160S
BPSM3160S	SX4175S (a/k/a BPS4175S)		BP365TS

I probably would not bother installing these panels on a new installation.... Also, new panels are "cheap" and have a warranty.

-Bill

littleharbor2

 The PV wire leads exiting the J-box on the rear of the panels had a terrible strain relief problem. If the wires got tugged to any extent it caused a broken or high resistance  solder connection. Best to check the output of each panel with a multimeter, or better yet put a load on them and test them. Wiggle the wires while testing and look for voltage fluctuations.
 Any panels that show any scorch marks under the glass adjacent to the J-box should be considered failed whether they have output or not.