Solar M semi-flexible panels - bend radius

[awyatybw]

What experience do people have with the maximum bend radius for the Solar M-series of semi-flexible panels? The manufacturers instructions say that it should not exceed 6cm/m (they state it slightly differently) but unfortunately the curve of my hatch garage is rather more than that. Have any forum members successfully exceeded that 6cm/m spec? To what degree?

 

[ghostlymoron]

I've just fitted one on my hatch garage. To be honest I didn't check the bend radius. Just try it and see how it feels. If it feels unduly under strain put a packer under the ends to reduce radius. Since I put it on the sun has not stopped shining so I'm hoping for good volts when I go back to the boat today.

 

[alan]

Solar M Panels

I can't really answer your question but I would go by what the manufacturer says.
However, I have had two of these panels fail on my boat with the characteristic that they give no output when they are on the coachroof but when I take them off and flex them the output comes and goes! I have never managed to determine where the problem lies but it seems to be some internal connection broken. Both these panels were fitted with about 1 cm of bend across the length ....... so well within what Solara recommend.

From my experience, I would be very wary of bending these panels too much because I have a suspicion that they do not really like being bent !!!!!!

Alan.

 

[VicS]

Solar M-series of semi-flexible panels? The manufacturers instructions say that it should not exceed 6cm/m (they state it slightly differently)

They specify a maximum of 3% That surely is only 3cm / metre.

Also I would interpret that as meaning that a panel measuring 1 metre across could only be deflected by 1.5 cm at each edge

Translated to actual panel dimensions. A panel measuring 460mm could only be deflected at each edge by approx 0.7cm !