Panel repair ?

lipets
lipets Solar Expert Posts: 61 ✭✭
in PV Installers Forum - NEC, Wiring, Installation #1
A brand new 200watt panel just fell over cracking the glass it is all intact.

Someone said to coat it with clear acylic paint of some kind.

Any suggestions.
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Panel repair ?

    Buy a new panel and try not to break it.

    Once the glass is shattered you have a huge number of cracks to allow moisture to infiltrate and begin degrading the panel. Anything you try to seal it with may miss some hole and will have an effect on the light hitting the cells.

    A small silicon patch on a single old panel that is not being relied on is one thing; smashed front on 200 Watts for a new install ... not worth messing about with.

    No doubt someone will see it otherwise.
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  • lipets
    lipets Solar Expert Posts: 61 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: Panel repair ?

    I have to try and fix it, I understand your point but can't afford to toss it.
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  • jcheil
    jcheil Solar Expert Posts: 722 ✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: Panel repair ?
    lipets wrote: »
    I have to try and fix it, I understand your point but can't afford to toss it.
    As long as you understand that any money you spend now to fix it will be money you are throwing away in the (perhaps near) future.
    As soon as a drop of moisture gets in there (which it likely already has) things will start corroding. And any coating you try to put over the glass is going to reduce the sunlight getting to the cells underneath. A small chip/crack somewhere, maybe ok, but from the sound of your damage, you would need to coat the majority of the panel.
    Heck at this point, if you really wanna throw money away, you'd likely be better off trying to just replace the entire sheet of glass.
    Off-Grid in Central Florida since 2005, Full-Time since June 2014 | 12 X Sovello 205w panels, 9 X ToPoint 220w panels, 36x ToPoint 225w panels (12,525 watts total) | Custom built single-axis ground mounts | Complete FP2 Outback System: 3 x FM80, 2 x VFX3648, X240 Transformer, FLEXnet-DC, Mate-3, Hub-10, FW500 AC/DC | 24 x Trojan L16RE-B Batteries 1110ah @ 48v | Honda EU7000is Generator and a pile of "other" Generators | Home-Made PVC solar hot water collector | Custom data logging software http://www.somewhatcrookedcamp.com/monitormate.html
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Panel repair ?

    Or cut a piece of lexan/acrylic/polycarbonate and seal it over the top.
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  • SkiDoo55
    SkiDoo55 Solar Expert Posts: 414 ✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Panel repair ?

    If that is the case I would put it in the easiest spot to get at so that when it does Fail then it won't be super difficult to change. Any repair and even the crack('s) line shadow will cause degraded performance
    GT3.8 w/4600W Trina 230W, TX5000 w/5000W ET-250W, XW4024 w/1500W ET-250W, 4 L16, 5500W Gen. (never had to use) Yet!!
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #7
    Re: Panel repair ?

    Bummer. never heard of a successful fix. If you live in lo humidity desert, you may be able to seal it with something, and get a couple years, otherwise, I would seal and hope for at least a year.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • lipets
    lipets Solar Expert Posts: 61 ✭✭
    #8
    Re: Panel repair ?

    thanks guys

    ????????????
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  • Blackcherry04
    Blackcherry04 Solar Expert Posts: 2,490 ✭✭✭
    #9
    Re: Panel repair ?

    I'd bet that 3M has some window film that you could remove the frame and install on the glass reinstall frame and make water tite and it'd work. Another other option would be to use a piece on single pane glass and undersize slightly and seal it around and to the frame with some 5200 waterproof silicone. Any repair is going to be effy at best.
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  • verdigo
    verdigo Solar Expert Posts: 428 ✭✭
    #10
    Re: Panel repair ?

    There are businesses that repair car windshields and they do a very good job of repairing and even hiding the crack. Depends on the size I would think. They cover the crack with a film of some kind over some sort of epoxy and vacuum the epoxy into the crack. Rainx, 3M, and Permatex all have similar DIY kits. Good luck
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  • lipets
    lipets Solar Expert Posts: 61 ✭✭
    #11
    Re: Panel repair ?

    I decided to spray it a UV acrylic clear marine finish, 5 thin coats, it sunk in nicely.

    Just took a voltage & amp reading, same as others.

    the ? will be for how long????????????????????
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,639 admin
    #12
    Re: Panel repair ?

    Months or, if you are lucky, a year. Just a guess.


    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #13
    Re: Panel repair ?

    Water VAPOR will slowly diffuse into the repaired panel, and slowly corrode the innards.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,639 admin
    #14
    Re: Panel repair ?

    Also cracks will focus forces on the very fragile solar cells.

    Thermal cycling, flexing from winds, etc. all will conspire against any repairs.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • AuricTech
    AuricTech Solar Expert Posts: 140 ✭✭
    #15
    Re: Panel repair ?

    Well, since you stated earlier that you couldn't afford to replace the panel, here's hoping that the repaired panel will last long enough for you to be able to replace it. I recommend that you set aside money each month to cover the inevitable replacement of the damaged panel. While our host doesn't currently list any 200W panels, you might be able to use a 190W panel or a 220W panel without too many issues, depending on how you set up your present system. Both of the linked panels are priced at under $260 plus shipping (you might be able to find other compatible panels online for about this price, or even less), so even if your repaired panel fails at the three-month mark, setting aside $100 per month would pay for a replacement. Meanwhile, you would still enjoy the output of your repaired panel until it fails.
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