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

jbot
jbot Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭
in PV Installers Forum - NEC, Wiring, Installation #1
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
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,617 admin
    #2
    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
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,105 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #3
     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.

    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.

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