I have a PV panel that has failed due to a fault to earth. I suspect it's because the panel was initially fitted incorrectly and has flexed and broken the seal. It will work OK when it's dry. It's a 96 cell panel and it's proving impossible to find a replacement.
As the panel was in a landscape position I propose to swap it into a portrait position which may well help to keep the damp out. I'd also like to try to seal it. The back of the panel looks OK on a brief inspection so I suspect the failure is on the glass side. Would anyone have any ideal what to use? Ideally a liquid type seal that will penetrate between the frame and glass.
Don't forget that bitter cold air has a very low absolute humidity, so the end of a cold dry spell might not be a bad time to do it. Unfortunately, although the air is very dry, the low temperature militates against moisture evaporating away!
For a repair I would consider the stuff used for mending cracks in car windscreens. I don't know whether it is a sort of very fluid penetrating superglue or some such thing.
A
2.0 kW/4.62 MWh pa in Ripples, 4.5 kWp W-facing pv, 9.5 kWh Givenergy batt
30 solar thermal tubes, 2MWh pa in Stockport, plus Congleton and Kinlochbervie Hydros,
Veg, fruit - and Bees!
Oliver90owner wrote: ↑Wed Nov 24, 2021 12:34 pm
You have a few months to decide on any alternatives - you don’t want to permanently seal any moisture inside the panel!
I've taken the panel off the roof so can keep it dry and warm it up.
If you can seal it in a large polythene bag with a large amount of silica gel in the warm for a few months that could help ensure as much moisture as possible is removed before sealing the panel.
I've no connection with them, but have found the stuff to be brilliant at penetrating deeply into narrow crevices and sealing them up very well.
25 off 250W Perlight solar panels, installed 2014, with a 6kW PowerOne inverter, about 6,000kWh/year generated
6 off Pylontech US3000C batteries, with a Sofar ME3000SP inverter
Hope it does the job. I first discovered it years ago, when I owned a small boat. It seems to be able to track down the same tiny gaps that water gets into, and fill them up. No idea what's in it, the only thing about it to watch is to try and keep it away from paint, as it damages some paint finishes and is hard to wipe off.
25 off 250W Perlight solar panels, installed 2014, with a 6kW PowerOne inverter, about 6,000kWh/year generated
6 off Pylontech US3000C batteries, with a Sofar ME3000SP inverter
Countrypaul wrote: ↑Wed Nov 24, 2021 1:17 pm
If you can seal it in a large polythene bag with a large amount of silica gel in the warm for a few months that could help ensure as much moisture as possible is removed before sealing the panel.
Good idea, i have a large tin of silica gel somewhere.
