Worthy for warranty claim?

Dapdan
Dapdan Solar Expert Posts: 330 ✭✭
in Solar Product Reviews & Opinions #1
Hey all,

Is this a good case for warranty claim. I had purchase the Kyoceras back in july 2007.

Cheers...
Damani
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Comments

  • solarix
    solarix Solar Expert Posts: 713 ✭✭
    #2
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    I had Kyocera replace an entire array of sixteen 150W modules one time. Kyocera said they had a bad batch of them around 2000 and replaced them no problem.
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  • James
    James Solar Expert Posts: 250 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    Hello, Kyocera replaced my KC120's around that time with the KC130TM's .... looks like that is what you have there.
    I would contact them with this issue. Also check any other panels before you contact them. Have serial numbers ready when you call in order to save time. Please let us know what you find out with a follow-up reply to this thread...I'm sure many of us would like to know what you find.
    Thanks
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    that almost looks like solder resin leaking through. maybe they didn't clean off the excess resin, but i don't know for sure. does the pv still meet specs as best as you can tell? if it is resin it may lead to a possible failure later.
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  • Dapdan
    Dapdan Solar Expert Posts: 330 ✭✭
    #5
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    I will keep you guys abreast. So it is recommended to contact the Kyocera directly as opposed to going to the retailer I bought it from. I have notice some browning around the terminals at the sealant point on some of the other panels. I will make a note of the serial numbers James-thanks.

    Cheers...
    Damani
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  • Dapdan
    Dapdan Solar Expert Posts: 330 ✭✭
    #6
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    Niel,

    If you look carefully you will see that the plastic backing to the terminal blocks have melted. I am not sure if the browning is scorching or resin leakage.

    Cheers...
    Damani
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  • James
    James Solar Expert Posts: 250 ✭✭
    #7
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    I'm not sure if there is an issue about contacting retailer first.
    A portion of my panel purchases was from our host, but they could not locate my order records so they said no problem contacting Kyocera directly. I found Kyocera to be extremely easy to deal with.
    Best wishes.
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  • Dapdan
    Dapdan Solar Expert Posts: 330 ✭✭
    #8
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    I just emailed Kyocera directly with pictures attached. I will see how it goes.

    Cheers...
    Damani
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    wow, i'm gettin old to over look that melted plastic as i truly did not see it until you said something.:cry: odds are those marks are scortch marks then and indicate some high heating is going on there. make a note of any other pvs even remotely showing the same and i'd contact both the dealer and kyocera to let them know there is a problem here.
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  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #10
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    There's no potting agent in the junction box??!?! sure it is going to do that, what were they thinking?!

    You can buy some dow potting agent from Krayden.com it's like $10 for a tube which will do a few panels. IT DRAMATICALLY reduces temperatures.

    See their video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQLv3hi7xBc&feature=player_embedded

    20 degree temp difference, not sure if it is F or C though.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?
    rollandelliott wrote: »
    There's no potting agent in the junction box??!?! sure it is going to do that, what were they thinking?!

    You can buy some dow potting agent from Krayden.com it's like $10 for a tube which will do a few panels. IT DRAMATICALLY reduces temperatures.

    See their video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQLv3hi7xBc&feature=player_embedded

    20 degree temp difference, not sure if it is F or C though.

    Potting agent is not the cure. There is too much heat. moving it someplace else will just make something else less happy.
    Either corroded contacts, diodes overloaded (is this panel shaded a lot?) or the thermal load was never properly calculated.

    And am I seeing parallel diodes without balance resistors ? That's a no-no.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #12
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    the diodes don't look to have been the problem off hand as there is no scorching of the painted on info on the diodes. although diodes could pass uneven amounts of current and create problems in some applications, i don't think this application is all that critical, but it would depend on what diodes they actually used. imo they need to be at least 3a each and i think 2 6a would've been much better, but would they fit and what would 2 6a diodes cost in comparison to 3 3a diodes? i can't second guess some of this.
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  • Dapdan
    Dapdan Solar Expert Posts: 330 ✭✭
    #13
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    Mike,

    The panels are not shaded at all. They all faced south at about 12deg. Only one panel had the melted terminals with about half the rest having the pink sealant discoloured around where the terminal penetrate.

    I just got an email from Kyocera asking me to give them a call. So I am going to follow their instructions.

    Cheers...
    Damani
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  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    #14
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    "There is too much heat. moving it someplace else will just make something else less happy. "

    EXACTLY, it moves the heat away, thus preventing any heat build up in one area, thus preventing things like plastic melting, that is why dow made a video showing exactly what you describe, except instead of dismissing it as a trivial heat exchange they show it is beneficial.
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  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    #15
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    roland,

    Well it is possible that the pottant you linked to would solve this issue. But almost without question it would VOID any warranty. If Kyo wanted pottant in the junction box, you can bet that it would be there. Furthermore, completely filling the J-box with pottant would render it essentally useless, and that video shows the pottant filling the entire box, to my eye.

    As in replies to some of the prior posts, it is not simply a matter of using some of the materials used by some PV Panel manufacturers in building your panels. It is using them correctly in a well-designed process to meet design parameters as a part of a complete system. A well designed product and well designed process, using properties of materials etc is a requirement for good life. This is an engineering process.

    However, there does appear to be a problem with dapdan's panels, but Kyo has earned a very good rep for covering warrany issues with their panels.

    JMHO, Vic
    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #16
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    Looks to me the screws were lose causing resistance heating OR

    From an external source, if your back feeding into the panel from higher voltage some how ( failed controller and no fuses on the array for protection )

    OR 3 or more panels in parallel, you shade one panel and the other 2 dump into the shaded one if one skipped the required fusing
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  • Dapdan
    Dapdan Solar Expert Posts: 330 ✭✭
    #17
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    SG,

    No loose screws. I also had gold plated spade terminal on the end of 10awg wire.

    The array was 4 panels in series and 3 in parallel into a morningstar mppt 60. Each set of panels were fused with a midnite solar 15Amp dc fuse before going into the morningstar controller. I also had the controller reporting locally to my computer on an intra network. I monitored the harvest every day and have the records to show that info as well.

    Shading:

    There was no shading all panels faced the same direction and had the same tilt.

    Cheers...
    Damani
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #18
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    check to see if any of the bypass diodes are shorted, if they are one would be pumping 15 amps into them and they would cook like shown

    Also, 15 amps is near double the rated current of the panel, 10 amp would be more appropriate for protection
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #19
    Re: Worthy for warranty claim?

    watch yourself if you check the diodes with a dmm as power generated by the pv could blow the meter. if possible pull the diodes out to check them (observing how they go back in) and i have my doubts that a shorted diode would occur on 2 separate banks of diodes as the plastic is melted on both sides meaning there would be more than 1 shorted diode. that condition rarely occurs, but checking couldn't hurt so i'll agree with sg just to rule it out.
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