A liability issue?

System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in General Solar Power Topics #1
I am in the Army stationed at Fort Rucker, AL. I live on the base in the on-post housing. All on-post housing will soon be privatized by a large company called Picerne Military Housing. Fort Rucker was one of the first to privatize. I bought a Power Up 40w panel from Northern Arizona Wind & Sun last spring (2007) and placed it on the roof of my house. They said it was ok as long as it wasn't visible from the road. I didn't permanently install it but it was going anywhere if a strong breeze came through. They had to have our roof replaced as the roof wa starting to rot away after 40 years. When the contractor came over, I took my panel down so he could work. When he was done, or so I thought, I put the panel back up. Apparently he had more work to do & I came home one day to see the panel laying on the ground with the glass completely spider-webbed. They deny everything, Picerne won't do anything, and I am stuck with a panel that's only producing about 15% output. The panel was $250...the same as my insurance deductible, but they wouldn't cover it since I don't have a receipt. Any suggestions to help me make this situation a little more bearable are appreciated.
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  • crewzer
    crewzer Registered Users, Solar Expert Posts: 1,832 ✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: A liability issue?

    Fred,

    PV module frames can sometimes be disassembled -- check for accessible hardware. If all else is OK, you might try shopping around for a replacement piece of low-iron glass.

    HTH,
    Jim / crewzer
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  • n3qik
    n3qik Solar Expert Posts: 741 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: A liability issue?

    Sorry for the bad news, but since you don't own the roof/house you will not have any legal ground to file a claim for the loss. Best to take the loss and move on with life.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #4
    Re: A liability issue?

    Thanks for the replies! I have disassembled the panel to replace the glass, but the original glass that has spiderwebbed was attached to the modules. I'm still digging glass shards out of my fingers! Looks like I'll be shopping for a new panel and safeguarding this new one like a newborn baby.
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: A liability issue?

    if you are leary of it happening again, but are still going with another pv you might consider a unisolar 64. they aren't as efficient as the other types meaning the area the pv will encompass will be much larger, but watts is watts and they don't have glass to break. i saw evidence that somebody had thrown a rock at one of my pvs. no damage was visible and i thought i saw some dirt where the rock may have hit it. how do i know a rock was thrown? it was lying on the roof beneath my pv is how.
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