disposal of solar panels

System
System Posts: 2,511 admin
in General Solar Power Topics #1
hello all
What is the proper procedure to dispose of solar panels fried by lightning??
Ouch!!
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,613 admin
    #2
    Re: disposal of solar panels

    Solar panels do have various heavy metals, so they should be recycled.

    A short article here.

    Finding somebody to take them... ???? One article I saw a few years ago said that it would cost about 10% of the new panel cost to recycle them. But that was before the recent price of metals went way up...

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • Roderick
    Roderick Solar Expert Posts: 253 ✭✭
    #3
    Re: disposal of solar panels

    Don't throw those away! I'm sure someone will take them off your hands for a few dollars if you post on Craigslist. Some guy might try to salvage a few of the cells, or if not that, even the aluminum in the frame has value. If only the insides are fried, I'm sure some hobbyist making their own solar panel would love to have a frame with low-iron glass already in place. Or it could be made into a DIY water heater.

    It would make a nice conversation piece, if nothing else. With the glass replaced, imagine having a coffee table that was made from an actual solar panel hit by lightning!
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  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    Re: disposal of solar panels

    "With the glass replaced, imagine having a coffee table that was made from an actual solar panel hit by lightning!"

    he never mentioned that the glass broke, but that would be a novel idea for a coffee table.
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  • Ralph Day
    Ralph Day Solar Expert Posts: 1,022 ✭✭✭✭
    #5
    Re: disposal of solar panels

    Get a local hardware store to cut glass or lexan to fit, back together, add some legs and voila...coffee table. As long as no none spills coffee on it. Would be quite a conversation piece. Seems just about the right size, maybe not for a small apartment tho.

    Ralph
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  • SolarJohn
    SolarJohn Solar Expert Posts: 202 ✭✭
    #6
    Re: disposal of solar panels

    I'm sure some tinkerer would love to have them. It could be that just the diodes are blown, making them repairable. I would want them myself, except that the wife complains about all the junk I collect.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #7
    Re: disposal of solar panels

    Do you see any signs of burn marks on then anywhere at all? On the frame, or on the back, or under the glass? If not, the problem could well be just the replaceable diodes, which makes the panels anything but junk.
    I had one panel damaged by lightening a few years back. Thought it's life was over, almost no output. Found it was only the diodes, replaced then and all has been fine now for several years. A $2 diode is nothing when looking at a $700 panel.
    Wayne
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #8
    Re: disposal of solar panels

    Thanks folks for the suggestions. I will of course make a coffee table or a wall hanging. The glass is not broken but there are interesting tracks in the cells and a small hole in the back. It still puts out 8 volts on one leg. This one is best disigned for the interior of the house.

    I did see one (panel) last year that had a hole blown in it by lighting about the size of a baseball. The wires were fried and the back alumumum plate was distorted as well as the frame. Interesting enough the surrounding panels and equipment was all in good order. The frame structure holding the panels was grounded and I can only assume the current was channeled to the ground.

    Have a good day.
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  • System2
    System2 Posts: 6,290 admin
    #9
    Re: disposal of solar panels
    Bill wrote: »

    I did see one (panel) last year that had a hole blown in it by lighting about the size of a baseball. The wires were fried and the back aluminum plate was distorted as well as the frame. Interesting enough the surrounding panels and equipment was all in good order. The frame structure holding the panels was grounded and I can only assume the current was channeled to the ground.

    WOW!!!!!
    Moved mine to new location in early winter, must get mine properly grounded as soon as the earth is no longer frozen. Almost there now. Perhaps next week.
    Peace
    Wayne
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