I found 3 solar panels with glass broken. they are Shell branded 45W 16V 2.8A rated.
in one panel, some glass pieces missing. there is a silicone like encapsulation between glass & cells. so its looks like cells still protect from moisture and water?? cells look fine.
What should I do to get some use of these panels? put another glass over panel and seal it ? or any coating ? I heard clear epoxy but it very expensive.
If I use panel as is it, will it damage further.?
Actually I need budget ideas to revive these panels.
Re-sealing the panel is going to be a problem… they are usually filled with a dry, inert gas (argon, perhaps nitrogen) to keep condensation from hapening. You might try sealing some silica gel packets in there.
Depends on how strong your sunlight would be. I just recently found this and haven’t bought it, I have bought twice from ebay but at least twice the price and less quantity.
So I can’t confirm for this item for sure, but for my other UV resin, they cure in few minutes under sunlight (it’s really hot here though).
Either/Or. Both work. I have been using a ‘Steri Pen’ to cure it (by shorting the immersion sensors with an alligator clip), as well as sunlight. The glue I use is also the one from FT linked above, but there are many different sources available.
I have found that the ‘Kafuter’ compound cures in sunlight quite a bit faster than whatever it is they sell in the windshield repair kits. It is my understanding that any light you can find that will emit at 254nm will cure this compound. THis is also the wavelength that many water purifier devices use, that’s why I use a Steri Pen.
(It’s very serrendipitous how things come to fruition. It’s crazy how I learned that I could use an everyday lamp to cure the resin to glue trit’s into my lights. At work, we have DNA collection activity that is usually managed by very educated individuals. However there are times when they cannot access a site to get DNA, and it falls to a couple of us rather plebian, but expendable, grunts to collect the DNA for them. I was rather interested in what happens to it when we get it back for them, and one of them told me that they fix acids by crosslinking them with UV which saves them hours over baking. I told him the only thing I knew UV was good for was sterilizing my water. He pointed to the Steri Pen on the hip belt of my field pack and said, ‘You can probably use that to fix your windshield as well’. Turned out he was right)
Wow that is really smashed…
I would try to remove the whole old glas and place a new sheet in front of it. I can’t imagine that a bit glue would seal this proper for outdoor use…
Yes all 3 panels are functional but doesnt produce rated power.
Rated max power point voltage 16.1V / 2.80A, Short circuit current 3.1A. rated power 45W.
When I check panels under strong sunlight (12PM)
two panels except panel with large hole type smash give me 2A short circuit current. other panel is 1.8A
today I will try different value resistors to measure maximum power they produce. I think now these panels can’t produce more than 20w. or less most damaged one.
If I remove the broken glass and put new glass, any hope to gain power at least 30-35W ?
I remember reading that if 20% of a panel is shaded then output gets reduced by 80%
So the broken glass is certainly refracting some light so that may explain your low readings
Those are still good numbers, I’m surprised. You really got something nice there.
I think swapping the glass is the way to go for the smashed one, if only for convenience. Try for one first - the other two can be swapped if the change produced desired result. If not, you can just use the UV resin for fix
My own opinion, I don’t think you’re gonna get 35W, but even if you get 25W that’s nice for something free.
Affixing a piece of glass on top of the broken face is probably your only reasonable option. Removing the broken glass would be impossible and compromise the solar cells. Solar cells are as thin as a piece of paper and fracture with the slightest pressure. The biggest problem is going to be creating a water tight seal which could probably be done by sandwiching a layer of dow solar cell encapsulant between the new and broken glass. Using simple silicon or other adhesive will lower the lifespan of the cells as the adhesive degrades in the sunlight over time. Use as much time as possible removing air bubbles from the encapsulant as the air will damage the cells over time.
