Would you send these panels back??? Just got two in today.

Virtuousdesires
Virtuousdesires Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
edited March 2017 in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Below is some pics of what looks like a couple cracks and one of the pics has what looks to be a brownish tan spot right on the edge of cell. Those tan spots are on a lot of the cells. They look like burn marks. I darn near feel forced to get an MPPT controller to get higher quality panels!

Morning star TS-60 PWM (With display, RTS), 2 DEKA G31 flooded batteries (210 AH), Aims 1200 watt Pure sine inverter, 2 100 watt panels, Bogart Engineering 2030 RV trimetric meter.

Comments

  • Virtuousdesires
    Virtuousdesires Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    Morning star TS-60 PWM (With display, RTS), 2 DEKA G31 flooded batteries (210 AH), Aims 1200 watt Pure sine inverter, 2 100 watt panels, Bogart Engineering 2030 RV trimetric meter.
  • Virtuousdesires
    Virtuousdesires Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭

    Morning star TS-60 PWM (With display, RTS), 2 DEKA G31 flooded batteries (210 AH), Aims 1200 watt Pure sine inverter, 2 100 watt panels, Bogart Engineering 2030 RV trimetric meter.
  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,036 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The fine lines (traces) on the cell surface are printed onto the cell. Pic.# 1 looks like a a smudge of the wet printed matter. Doubtful it will affect performance. The second pic isn't real clear so it's hard to tell where the flaw is. I will say this, many cells these days have those small brown marks on the edges. I believe they are inherent to the manufacturing process.

    I have added a pic of these typical marks. Notice I have labeled the pic "solar cells flaws" this is to locate this shot, I still think this is just part of the particular mfg. process.

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

  • Virtuousdesires
    Virtuousdesires Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    The fine lines (traces) on the cell surface are printed onto the cell. Pic.# 1 looks like a a smudge of the wet printed matter. Doubtful it will affect performance. The second pic isn't real clear so it's hard to tell where the flaw is. I will say this, many cells these days have those small brown marks on the edges. I believe they are inherent to the manufacturing process.

    I have added a pic of these typical marks. Notice I have labeled the pic "solar cells flaws" this is to locate this shot, I still think this is just part of the particular mfg. process.
    I get that the fine lines are are supposed to be there. Take another look, there's marks that go across the fine lines. I can try one more pic for clarity. :)
    Morning star TS-60 PWM (With display, RTS), 2 DEKA G31 flooded batteries (210 AH), Aims 1200 watt Pure sine inverter, 2 100 watt panels, Bogart Engineering 2030 RV trimetric meter.
  • Virtuousdesires
    Virtuousdesires Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    edited March 2017 #6
    In other areas the camera won't pick up, I can't tell if there's a couple of pieces of hair or if those are cracks. Oh, and the new panels cells look completely different than the original one I bought last month from the same company! Lol
    Morning star TS-60 PWM (With display, RTS), 2 DEKA G31 flooded batteries (210 AH), Aims 1200 watt Pure sine inverter, 2 100 watt panels, Bogart Engineering 2030 RV trimetric meter.
  • Virtuousdesires
    Virtuousdesires Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    Come to think of it, would these renogy panels even pass code?
    Morning star TS-60 PWM (With display, RTS), 2 DEKA G31 flooded batteries (210 AH), Aims 1200 watt Pure sine inverter, 2 100 watt panels, Bogart Engineering 2030 RV trimetric meter.
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I think Renogy are ETL inspected to UL rating, cheaper than getting a direct UL rating. So they should pass "code". You can check the label on the panel for certifications, UL or ETL
    The UL mark on a charging station indicates the charging station is safety certified

    Did you get these through the Home Dept. sale? I think they had them at $110+ tax, it would be easy to return.

    The first one might be a "snail trail" which might be from a fine crack in the cell, but if it's a straight line, I would think it's more likely from the printing process. The cell works on the current passing through the cell, top to bottom. The marks look to be errors in the 'printing' of the trace lines. I don't thin it would effect the function of the cells, other than minor shading of that area. Were they considered grade 'A' panels or having minor cosmetic flaws (grade 'B' panels). I personally might compare it to your current panel and if they are very similar, not worry about it. But then again my major panels purchased have been grade 'B' panels, the first had no visible flaws and the second had some coverage when flashing, so have some areas that are grey rather than blue. All have worked fine, going on 10 years now.
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.
  • Virtuousdesires
    Virtuousdesires Registered Users Posts: 28 ✭✭
    I just went ahead and got the return label to ship them back to Amazon. I just shipped another one back earlier this week for similar problems AND Amazon was gracious enough to grant me a refund on the original panel I bought that has a scratch on the glass that I was going to keep but later found out that can cause problems.

    So it seems I am now without solar panels... :(

    Is Topoint solar panels any good? A guy has new ones on Craigslist 225 watt 60 cell poly panels for a 100 bucks new. Says he works for a company that installs commercial systems.
    Morning star TS-60 PWM (With display, RTS), 2 DEKA G31 flooded batteries (210 AH), Aims 1200 watt Pure sine inverter, 2 100 watt panels, Bogart Engineering 2030 RV trimetric meter.
  • Blindowl1234
    Blindowl1234 Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭
    Photowhit said:
    I think Renogy are ETL inspected to UL rating, cheaper than getting a direct UL rating. So they should pass "code". You can check the label on the panel for certifications, UL or ETL
    The UL mark on a charging station indicates the charging station is safety certified

    Did you get these through the Home Dept. sale? I think they had them at $110+ tax, it would be easy to return.

    The first one might be a "snail trail" which might be from a fine crack in the cell, but if it's a straight line, I would think it's more likely from the printing process. The cell works on the current passing through the cell, top to bottom. The marks look to be errors in the 'printing' of the trace lines. I don't thin it would effect the function of the cells, other than minor shading of that area. Were they considered grade 'A' panels or having minor cosmetic flaws (grade 'B' panels). I personally might compare it to your current panel and if they are very similar, not worry about it. But then again my major panels purchased have been grade 'B' panels, the first had no visible flaws and the second had some coverage when flashing, so have some areas that are grey rather than blue. All have worked fine, going on 10 years now.
    Does Home Depot sell Renogy? I got my Grape solar panels from Home Depot....they didn't sell Renogy brand about a year ago, unless I missed something. 
  • mcgivor
    mcgivor Solar Expert Posts: 3,854 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2017 #11
    Does Home Depot sell Renogy? I got my Grape solar panels from Home Depot....they didn't sell Renogy brand about a year ago, unless I missed something.

    Home Depot, Costco, Walmart and the like get the lowest price bid for their supplier, they seem to have ever changing brands one month it's Grape the next it's Renogy then Wang Jing next who knows , they are not dealers carrying a particular line, they are low price outlets without any brand loyalty.
    1500W, 6× Schutten 250W Poly panels , Schneider MPPT 60 150 CC, Schneider SW 2524 inverter, 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Battery Bodyguard BMS 
    Second system 1890W  3 × 300W No name brand poly, 3×330 Sunsolar Poly panels, Morningstar TS 60 PWM controller, no name 2000W inverter 400Ah LFP 24V nominal battery with Daly BMS, used for water pumping and day time air conditioning.  
    5Kw Yanmar clone single cylinder air cooled diesel generator for rare emergency charging and welding.
  • Photowhit
    Photowhit Solar Expert Posts: 6,002 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Does Home Depot sell Renogy? I got my Grape solar panels from Home Depot....they didn't sell Renogy brand about a year ago, unless I missed something. 
    I guess it must have been a grape panels, I recall having posted a sale in another thread about 100 watt panels recently, off sale now;

    http://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/comment/368375#Comment_368375
    Home system 4000 watt (Evergreen) array standing, with 2 Midnite Classic Lites,  Midnite E-panel, Magnum MS4024, Prosine 1800(now backup) and Exeltech 1100(former backup...lol), 660 ah 24v Forklift battery(now 10 years old). Off grid for 20 years (if I include 8 months on a bicycle).
    - Assorted other systems, pieces and to many panels in the closet to not do more projects.