Cracked panel fix

adas
adas Solar Expert Posts: 136 ✭✭✭✭✭
in General Solar Power Topics #1
Aloha, I have a crack in the bottom glass of my BP 70 watt panel. The voltage is still up to specs and crack is a hairline one starting in one corner in the bottom glass and now is 18 inches long and growing daily. Any way to stop the crack from growing and what should I do to the underside to strengthen the panel in case the crack goes all the way? thanks
Frank
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #2
    Re: Cracked panel fix

    Best bet is Automotive Windshield repair epoxy kit, but they pull a vaccum with a suction cup for a dime size nick. If you can remove the panel, get it into a Vaccum Bag for fiberglass layup, apply the windshield epoxy, and pull the vaccum (needed to suck the epoxy into the crack) you *might* fix it.
    Warrenty ???

    What caused the crack ??
    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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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #3
    Re: Cracked panel fix

    if the fix works, do be aware that the pv may not output like it would have had it not been cracked due to the fix blocking some light. you have nothing to lose as it will get worse and at present an unsealed crack means it will not weather making it nearly useless as a pv.
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  • n3qik
    n3qik Solar Expert Posts: 741 ✭✭
    #4
    Re: Cracked panel fix

    I would just coat the crack the clear silicon RTV.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: Cracked panel fix

    It's odd the crack stays small, usually, with tempered glass, the very first crack spiderwebs the entire sheet in a second.
    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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  • adas
    adas Solar Expert Posts: 136 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #6
    Re: Cracked panel fix

    Aloha: Thanks for all the suggestions, but I think I need to clarify the problem. I went down to my local solar store and saw several types of panels, none that are similar to mine.

    Mine is a BP 70w made in 2002 and has no frame. It is comprised of a top glass which is probably tempered then the solar cells and then there is a bottom glass adherding to the underside of the PV cells by some sort of sticky film. The bottom cracked glass I think is NOT tempered.
    It is the bottom glass that developed a crack from one corner and has traveled about 20 inches at a 45 deg angle. It should not affect the PV workings, but will make the whole panel flimsy if the crack goes all the way up.
    I was thinking to just find a way to laminate another glass on top to stiffin it up.
    The glass got cracked because we were mounting the panel onto a steel frame that comprises our patio roof. There was a sharp piece of weld that we missed during our weld smoothing and this created a pressure point that started the crack. We now have weatherstripping separating the panels and steel frames.
    You cannot even feel the crack with your fingernail and we have very little rain and the crack as mentioned is on the underside, so what do you think of just laminating a "stiffening glass" over the existing bottom glass?

    frank
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  • nigtomdaw
    nigtomdaw Solar Expert Posts: 705 ✭✭
    #7
    Re: Cracked panel fix

    Laminate the full back with a suitable piece of thin alluminium sheet and quality fit for purpose adhesive and weather seal the edges of new sheet repair. If the front is OK the killer blow to this solar panel long term will be the ingress of moisture. with hot and cold HTH.
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #8
    Re: Cracked panel fix

    If on the back side, I'd get a sheet of glass, large enough to cover the crack area, plus an inch around it. I'd then use some of the optical grade, UV cure, adhesives, (they are 1-part, watery-thin, like superglue, ) Windshield repair kit again, it will flow into the crack, and bond it back together

    next choice would be a clear RTV, glass on glass

    next choice would be any RTV, metal sheet to the glass.
    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: 33,613 admin
    #9
    Re: Cracked panel fix

    I would tend to use glass--the different expansion rates between glass and aluminum could cause the seal to fail pretty quickly--using liberal amounts of a flexible adhesive (like silicon seal) will help.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • nigtomdaw
    nigtomdaw Solar Expert Posts: 705 ✭✭
    #10
    Re: Cracked panel fix

    Live and Learn :blush:
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #11
    Re: Cracked panel fix

    adas,
    i admit i thought it to be on the top of the pv that is exposed to the sun, but being it isn't i feel you have lucked out as the pv is not ruined. go with the glass and use something like the rtv to cushion between them. the problem you will encounter is most likely where the new glass meets the frame. i'm sure you will figure out a good way to secure it without breaking it near the frame as this new piece of glass needs supported. let us know what method you chose to accomplished your task.
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