Joel,
A good argument against ever increasing PV sizes and a great argument against
big PVs on RVs and other mobile mounts.
Thanks, Bob-O
On May 22, 2010, at 4:42 PM, Joel Davidson wrote:
Hello Drake,
(silicon not silicone) Good question about thickness. I recently inspected a
circa 1996 solar array with 300 micron thick, 6-inch round cells encapsulated
behind 3 mm thick glass and found a few cracked cells and impact fractures.
Today, some cells are 260 to 200 microns and even down to 180 to 160 microns
thick. I think if the cells are handled properly, and the glass is 4 mm thick,
and the module frame is strong enough to minimize twisting, and the modules are
handled and installed with care, then cell breakage can be kept to a minimum.
It's not how thin the cells are. It is how the cells and modules are
encapsulated and handled.
Joel Davidson
----- Original Message -----
From: Drake Chamberlin
To: RE-wrenches
Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2010 1:39 PM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] 30-year old PV module
Thanks for the excellent article. I have two of these old Arcos, and they
still put out like new, even though one was (apparently) used in a
concentrator, due to the fact that it came bronzed.
Do you think the newer modules, with thinner silicone, will last as long?
_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Home Power magazine
List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org
Options & settings:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
List rules & etiquette:
www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
Check out participant bios:
www.members.re-wrenches.org
