80W Solar panel arrived with a 'crease'

[jakew009]

I already discussed with seller and had partial refund ... I have other use for it as it produces sufficient voltage for alternative use. I had posted this earlier.

Its not the seller at fault - its the shipping ... the panel was packaged with foam protection - but its obvious that it was bent during shipping causing the crease ...

You would have to be certifiably insane to use that damaged panel. When they get bent like that it tends to create high resistance joints. Those joints then heat up and catch fire.

The high resistance joints can happen from just normal gentle flexing. Yours has already been stressed way beyond its design limit.

The fact it has a CE mark means absolutely nothing. It’s self declared and your seller has already shown his true colours by not immediately offering to replace the panel.

 

[DangerousPirate]

I bought an 80W solar panel, that is flexible to a limited degree ... its to replace the panel on my 38 and needs to fit the slightly curved deck.

When walking away from Courier van back to house - I noted that the package had a slight curve to it ... and slight damage along edges...

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I open the box and the panel has a crease in the back with a definite curve to the panel ....

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There is no sign of damage to the cells on other side - just the bend ...

I put a meter on the cable with panel propped against the wall .... 100% cloud cover - so no clear sun ... and meter read 15.8V ...

Not sure what to do - as it appears that even if dead straight / flat - bending to suit deck will likely cause similar ...

Do I contact seller or try it considering it does show 15.8V in a dismal total cloud cover day ?

Even if it looks fine, I'd just send it back. You didn't pay for a used panel, did you? You wanted one brand new and in pristine condition, and you're not under time pressure to install and leave, are you?

 

[Refueler]

You would have to be certifiably insane to use that damaged panel. When they get bent like that it tends to create high resistance joints. Those joints then heat up and catch fire.

The high resistance joints can happen from just normal gentle flexing. Yours has already been stressed way beyond its design limit.

The fact it has a CE mark means absolutely nothing. It’s self declared and your seller has already shown his true colours by not immediately offering to replace the panel.

Where did I say Seller refused or declined to have item returned etc ?

There were two options offered ... return ticket and full refund ... or partial refund ...

I made the choice not seller.

I have other use for it ... which if it does flame - is not a problem. I am looking at powering the entrance gates to my property .. and this panel could easily provide the limited 'charge' of the 12V system ....

 

[ProDave]

This thread once again highlights the high cost of slightly special (flexible and small) "marine" solar panels.

I just bought some rigid 230W panels for home use for £25 each.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Equally, Paul, nothing you have said means that the whole run must be in 4mm cable. The current is max 6 amps, much less if you’re right about the output.

You might try reading what i said, which was "Cut the connectors off of the new panel, feed the cables through the gland and make the connection inside the boat, using suitably rated cable to the controller and from there to the batteries."

No mention of using any particular size cable once inside the boat.

 

[Refueler]

This thread once again highlights the high cost of slightly special (flexible and small) "marine" solar panels.

I just bought some rigid 230W panels for home use for £25 each.

Interesting that what appear to be same panels sold by various - the specs of flexibility vary !! One in fact states SEMI-flexible and not to be exceeeded etc.
The panel I have bought is targetting RV vehicles ... camper vans / caravans ...

 

[jakew009]

Interesting that what appear to be same panels sold by various - the specs of flexibility vary !! One in fact states SEMI-flexible and not to be exceeeded etc.
The panel I have bought is targetting RV vehicles ... camper vans / caravans ...

The type of panel you have bought is designed to be flexed once during installation.

Repeated flexing just causes it to break internally.

It’s also only designed to be flexed in one axis - ie. It can be bent into a cylinder shape but not into a sphere.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

The type of panel you have bought is designed to be flexed once during installation.

Repeated flexing just causes it to break internally.

It’s also only designed to be flexed in one axis - ie. It can be bent into a cylinder shape but not into a sphere.

I think that is very true for all so called flexible panels. I wouldn’t, for one moment, consider fitting one to a compound curved deck. Luckily, ours is curved in one plane only, as are most decks, and camper van roofs.

 

[PaulRainbow]

The type of panel you have bought is designed to be flexed once during installation.

Repeated flexing just causes it to break internally.

It’s also only designed to be flexed in one axis - ie. It can be bent into a cylinder shape but not into a sphere.

Also only meant to be bent so that it's convex, not concave, as a rule.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Also only meant to be bent so that it's convex, not concave, as a rule.

Just as well, I don’t expect a few inches of water would help their performance.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Just as well, I don’t expect a few inches of water would help their performance.

It's not to do with water pooling in the panel. It's designed to bend such that with an even curve the high point is at the centre of the panel. Doing the opposite will damage the panel.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

It's not to do with water pooling in the panel. It's designed to bend such that with an even curve the high point is at the centre of the panel. Doing the opposite will damage the panel.

Of course.

 

[tillergirl]

And my panels have 9 pages of 'fitting manual' of which 8 pages are about fitting and one of connecting!

 

[Refueler]

The type of panel you have bought is designed to be flexed once during installation.

Repeated flexing just causes it to break internally.

It’s also only designed to be flexed in one axis - ie. It can be bent into a cylinder shape but not into a sphere.

I would like to ask people to consider reading prior posts so that we can avoid repeating or going over points again ... in post #12 - I made comment :

"I have a suspicion that flexibility is only supposed to be in longitudinal - not transverse .. which this panel has been subjected to."

I base that on all the online sales pictures that show panels flexed ... they always are longitudinally - that is the longest axis.

 

[jakew009]

I would like to ask people to consider reading prior posts so that we can avoid repeating or going over points again ... in post #12 - I made comment :

"I have a suspicion that flexibility is only supposed to be in longitudinal - not transverse .. which this panel has been subjected to."

I base that on all the online sales pictures that show panels flexed ... they always are longitudinally - that is the longest axis.

Except the post to which you refer is nonsense. You can bend the panel in either direction - what you can’t do is bend it in both directions at the same time.

 

[Refueler]

Maybe ...

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Maybe ...

Mine seem to bend in either, but not both axes. They don’t use unidirectional fibres or anything remotely so flash. We have one which is fore and aft, therefore curved on the longitudinal axis, and one transverse, so bent the other way. Neither of them bent much, but our foredeck is visibly convex.

 

[tillergirl]

Page 5 - Table of maximum recommended height of the arch - DEPENDENT UPON THE LENGTH and ONE TIME BEND!!! Distribution of curvature MUST BE UNIFORM.

From which we can conclude, semi-flexible panels are very sensitive.

 

[ghostlymoron2]

I already discussed with seller and had partial refund ... I have other use for it as it produces sufficient voltage for alternative use. I had posted this earlier.

Its not the seller at fault - its the shipping ... the panel was packaged with foam protection - but its obvious that it was bent during shipping causing the crease ...

If the seller arranged and paid for shipping, they're responsible for their performance up to your front door.

 

[Refueler]

If the seller arranged and paid for shipping, they're responsible for their performance up to your front door.

I am well aware of that .... my comment was to expand on the cause.

Seems I'm the only one without a 'bee in their bonnet' .... and I'm the one who bought .. agreed partial refund .. have alternative non-risk alternate use for it ... have already bought replacement ...