Dave Sometimes tempered glass will have a defect that will cause spontaneous breakage from a relatively small stress in exactly the right spot. We have seen that happen during module manufacturing, so usally it never makes it out the door. What does the shatter pattern look like. If it is from being hit by something the spot that was hit is pretty recognizable as the cracks radiate out from there. Or if it is heat related ( hotspotting , diodes overheating or a bad cell solder ) the cracks will radiate out from that spot and there should be some discoloration from the over heating event. Pressure from the frame could have also occurred if it pushed directly against the defect, but I would find that less likely since most SolarWorld modules are gasket-ed and have ample space between glass and frame for expansion and contraction.
Bill On Mon, Apr 21, 2014 at 3:32 PM, Dave Palumbo <d...@independentpowerllc.com>wrote: > Wrenches, > > > > I have a customer with one SW 230 poly V2.0 frame (top mount) module that > has shattered glass. It is on a DPW TPM10 pole mount. She noticed it the > other day and does not think that it was hit by anything. I agree that is > unlikely based on the site conditions. > > > > Other than by a falling tree, thrown rock, or twisted frame - is there > another way that glass shatters on a 65 degree tilted pole mount like this? > We installed the system 2 years ago. The module was on the lower corner of > the array. > > · Is it likely that this modules frame was being pressured by the > module(s) above it? TPM has two rows of 5 modules in landscape, so this > bottom module has 4 modules mounted above it. Again it is a top mounted DPW > pole array. > > · Or, is there another way that glass shatters on this type of > module? > > I have not visited the site yet, just received the phone call today. > > > > David Palumbo > > Independent Power LLC > > 462 Solar Way Drive > > Hyde Park, VT 05655 > > (802) 888-7194 > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change email address & 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 > > > -- William Hoffer 161 SE Fourth Ave P.O. Box 1823 White Salmon, WA 98672-1823 suneng...@gmail.com <bhof...@sunergyengineeringservices.com>
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