www.sunelec.com

Astropower Laminates

How can these laminates be used?

What type of frame must be constructed?

A Laminate is a nice way of saying unfinished panel.

A Laminate is just a solar panel, minus the frame. Having paid only 1.52 watt for my BP 75 watt panels last year (SunElec as well), it was worth the hassle of making frames. With what I have now , which was quick built for hurricane #2&#3 this year , I used of all things window screen aluminum channel , cost dollar a piece at lowes and made the panels ridged. I used my gutter mount clips for the roof support, but I have 2X the clips that I have on my photowatt which are factory framed

With panels with full warranty and frames only a dollar a watt more, I wouldn't advise by the SunElec panels ... They had offered to me these panels at 1.90 watt, and I turned them down. They have been for sale for 8 months now ... so it’s not like any one else thinks there worth the hassle and lack of warranty either

As for what is needed, if you’re off in the wood somewhere, you could use PT 2"x4" routered.. But keep in mind, the panels are GLASS and it doesn't take a whole lot of twist to permanently damage a panel. The glass is like auto glass, any of the smallest fractures and instantly the hole panel crumbles

For residential use, you would have to make metal frames so they can be grounded, and your inspector may want to see you UL approval on your home made frames!

I went to lowes to see the window screen chanels the groove is in the wrong place to make a frame, in your pool array i do not see any frames. a picture would be nice

Took a few pictures AND finally updated the BBS software to once again allow attachments!

Originally, I had NO frames, then I realised that that laminates WERE glass after one cracked when re-installing after hurricane #1 two years ago. So that's when I went to lowes and found the insect screen rails. They do very nicely stiffening and support the laminates, I think it was 2 bucks a rail

I would NOT get laminates again as I'm not exactly happy with this low end solution, but it does work. This array is producing about 6-8kWh/day, the panels, including the hardware is about 2400.0 (was 1.62 watt purchased in Dec 2003). For the bean counters, the array will have paid for itself in about 6 years as were now up to 13 cents kWh in Lakeland

Your cost per kw is good. Where can I get the Laminates? I have a Lowes but you did not list a source for the PV Laminates. The post is old and maybe the price has gone down?

Actually, the price has nearly tripled, the lowest price I can find for PV is now about 4.3 watt vs the 1.62 I paid for these panels.

There was a glut, some bankruptcys and in general down PV market in the end of 2003 that just luck for me made these panels available. Laminates are NOT generally available, mine are BP leftover stock and the last one I saw were from Astro power the went under and was bought by GE

I doubt we will see prices that low again ... ever. Energy is just becoming more expensive, the dollar is becoming worth less ... not things that will lower pv panel prices

www.sunelec.com is where I bought all the panels used in my current system, well except for the 6 I added last year, which I paid over 4 bucks a watt for!

Laminates can be purchased here for around $0.88 /watt (!) : Prices have come down here in 2011...


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