Gents, and perhaps ladies as well,

One of my suppliers has a "scratch and dent" section on their web page, and they've posted notice of:

PW-1000-90 Photowatt 90W Solar Modules, 12/24V, (shattered) $50.00
ICP-50 ICP Solar Pro 50W Charger (shattered) $50.00
SX120U 120 Watt Solar Panel (shattered) $50.00

Canadian pricing, btw .

Now, before I give my rep a call and get more info, are they worth my time, seeing as how I like to tinker anyway?

Thanks!

I am a fan of "seconds" , but only if it doesn't effect the output of the panel and it's useful life

Broken glass probably also mean damage (cracked) cells

I'd recommend you stay clear , as even if the cells are OK , the glass if NOT cheap to replace.

In a laminated module, it is not possible to replace the glass, it's all glued together quite thoroughly. All that can be done is to cover with a 2 part electrical grade silicone rubber, not RTV type, with a cover sheet or not. This is an expensive and messy process and there is no gurantee that the module will last very long at all, if it even works to start with. If you could get the modules for free I might try it, but I certainly would not pay money for them. Too bad it's not more effective and easy.

Thanks much for the note of caution. I did find, though, "a guy on a page" that was talking about using a clear coat to repair the glass:

http://www.fieldlines.com/story/2003/8/5/121012/8923

"I had a gallon of Dupont Chroma Clear clear coat laying around.
The ChromaClear is two part so once you mix the hardener you have about 20-30 min pot time before it cures. I mixed up a batch in the spray gun and sprayed on a heavy coat 3 or 4 mils thick making sure fill in all the seams where the aluminum frame meets the panel and any spot where the glass fragments had fallen out. I actually opened the spray gun and poured the clear coat into all the cracks. Once it cured, it looked just like glass again. Clear, shiny, and very hard. I made note of the output voltage in full sun before I did this and after I sprayed them, I noticed no voltage drop."

A link to Chroma Clear:
http://www.autopaint18.com/html/dupont_2.html

So, it's like a car clear enamel product...

Thoughts?

DJ

My supplier dropped the price again, to 50$ for the pair of them, a SX110U and a SX120U watt panel, both 24v.
So I bought them, and have them set up on a temporary bracket in the yard, so I can begin testing/playing them.
I get good voltage out of them, and amperage too. I'm testing them by having them charge a pair of old automotive batteries I had kicking around. Seems like, after a few hour's running, that they do actually work.
Now, definitely, the glass is shattered. All pebbly. And laminated to the cells, yes.
I'm also considering skipping a row of cells, to put them in range for a 12v system; skipping one "row" out of the three gives me an open circuit voltage of 24v (and about 2amp), which is just a hair more than my 85watt Iridium 12v panels give, open circuit (but they give about 5amps). But, to be sure, I'm testing them on those old car batteries (I use them in my tractor) before I put them onto the NiCads.

Now, what, exactly, can go wrong with them now? Is the glass fracture a simply mechanical problem, causing shading and whatnot, or now that the integrity has been compromised, can they short out or something if water got in the cracks?

Just curious. For 50$, it's a fun thing to play with, and, being off grid, every little bit of "free" electricity is *good* electricity!

DJ

The cells are VERY fragile... the glass is what keeps things like wind and hail from cracking the cell.

Water won't harm the cells ... it's really a structural concern

If you gonna keep them outdoors , you'll need to try the clear coat thing or laminate a second sheet of the low-lead glass on top other wise the cells will probably get damaged in short order

> The cells are VERY fragile... the glass is what keeps things like wind and
> hail from cracking the cell.

Ah. Ok, I'll get on that, then. I'll probably give the clear coat thing a go, see what happens, experimentation for knowledge's sake, after all . It's pretty overcast right now outside, and I just checked the cells. The shattered pair of them, with 1/3 reduction at the contacts, is giving a half amp and 25 v, open circuit.
By comparison, my two Iridium 85 watt cells are throwing 20v and 2 amps total, open circuit right now, again, as I said, heavy overcast.

These are them:
http://www.spsenergy.com/pages/products ... /index.htm

> Water won't harm the cells ... it's really a structural concern

Good to know!

> If you gonna keep them outdoors , you'll need to try the clear coat thing
> or laminate a second sheet of the low-lead glass on top other wise the
> cells will probably get damaged in short order

Cool. Yep, the broken ones are in "the work area" by the lake; I strung a bit (~40 feet) of #10 to bring it to the house. I've fused and breakered them, and put them into the bank; free electricity, after all!
Despite our reputation, we are actually snow and ice-free right now, and rarely get hail like the midwest US gets. Tiny stuff, bb sized at best, and up in the hills where I am, we hardly get any. Those panel's biggest threat is having a tree fall on them .

Ah! The sun's coming out! Time to grab the multimeter and go take some measurements!

Thanks Gup.

DJ

Actually, moisture will eventually get into the laminate when the glass is broken and corrode the cells and/ or the interconnects. You should put on the sealer to keep the moisture out. You're off to a good start if they still produce power though. In my experience if you do nothing they will start to degrade in a few months to a couple of years.

Brad