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10-31-2009, 07:55 PM
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#1
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,407
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Warning about glass panels
Shss shss shss shattered .
Well I got about 2 weeks before my Wilson whip antenna hit a branch and took out one of my brand new 130 watt panels. I was worried about pine cones, hail and the local baseball hitting the panels but never saw the CB antenna as a concern. I heard the hit last week and wondered, but today I finally climbed up to take a look....Oh well it's only gonna cost me about 600 bucks .
__________________
2006 Ford 6.0PSD EB-50/E-PH SMB 4X4 Rock Crawler Trailer
Sportsmobile 4X4 Adventures.......... On and off road adventures
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10-31-2009, 08:20 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,293
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Re: Warning about glass panels
Just curious.
Does the glass panel just cover the individual solar cells?
Are you sure it's not repairable?
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11-01-2009, 09:15 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Washington - Ridgefield
Posts: 4,728
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Re: Warning about glass panels
Dave, sorry to hear that.
I can see the metal end of the antenna snapping around and shattering the glass. Seems alot more likely than a flexible pinecone doing the same. Can you bond a small rubber ball on the end to prevent recurrence? or simply move the antenna?
It looks like you will get to see what a new panel looks like after all.
Mike
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Alaska to Key West, Labrador and more
Prostate cancer survivor. See Thread Prostate cancer and Sportsmobiles
2015 VW GTI 2020 Fiat 124 Spider
2012 E250 Hitop camper
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11-01-2009, 12:32 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,407
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Re: Warning about glass panels
I plan to look into a short antenna...there has to be some kind of loaded antenna able to handle 50 watts that will work. BTW Mike, those panels were less than 2 months old at least that's when I ordered them from Arizona sun/wind.
WVvan, I am gonna look to see if the glass is replaceable.
Dave.
__________________
2006 Ford 6.0PSD EB-50/E-PH SMB 4X4 Rock Crawler Trailer
Sportsmobile 4X4 Adventures.......... On and off road adventures
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11-01-2009, 01:05 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,837
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Re: Warning about glass panels
dave
what about the "bullet proof film" stuff
http://www.pimall.com/nais/bulletprooffilm.html
in a security thread
maybe apply on top of the glass???
bw
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11-01-2009, 01:42 PM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Southern New Mexico
Posts: 10,177
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Re: Warning about glass panels
Sorry about the glass, that sucks.
One other consideration is to make sure the antenna cannot contact any metal (unless the antenna is insulated). While driving around in my Bronco recently, I realized that on certain bumps, my metal Ham radio antenna can contact my rollbar. That could be an expensive disaster if I were transmitting at the time.
Herb
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SMB-less as of 02/04/2012. Our savings account is richer, but our adventures are poorer.
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11-01-2009, 04:53 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Washington - Ridgefield
Posts: 4,728
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Re: Warning about glass panels
Quote:
Originally Posted by billwilson
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The plastic film will absorb some or all of the UV. The UV is what makes a solar panel generate electricity.
Mike
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Alaska to Key West, Labrador and more
Prostate cancer survivor. See Thread Prostate cancer and Sportsmobiles
2015 VW GTI 2020 Fiat 124 Spider
2012 E250 Hitop camper
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11-01-2009, 06:59 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,837
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Re: Warning about glass panels
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ford_6L_E350
Quote:
Originally Posted by billwilson
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The plastic film will absorb some or all of the UV. The UV is what makes a solar panel generate electricity.
Mike
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gotcha
is there not another film that the Tree Huggers dont make
Bill Wilson
Mr. Zero SPF
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11-01-2009, 10:14 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Parker, CO
Posts: 7,643
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Re: Warning about glass panels
I also think the film just keeps the window intact, I'm not sure it would keep the glass from breaking in the first place.
Does plexiglass absorb UV?
If solar works on UV and windshields / autoglass cut UV then how do those "plug into your cigarette lighter, leave on your dash" doo-dads work?
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it was good to be back
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11-02-2009, 09:00 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Washington - Ridgefield
Posts: 4,728
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Re: Warning about glass panels
Quote:
Originally Posted by jage
I also think the film just keeps the window intact, I'm not sure it would keep the glass from breaking in the first place.
Does plexiglass absorb UV?
If solar works on UV and windshields / autoglass cut UV then how do those "plug into your cigarette lighter, leave on your dash" doo-dads work?
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My initial guess would be: Not very good.
Anybody have one? Can you measure the output behind the windshield and in open sunlight? It might be interesting to check the plastic protection film mentioned earlier also. A thin section of material absorbs less than a thicker one. How much loss? And the loss would increase as the sun angle from vertical increases. More loss when you least want it. How much panel do you have and how much power do you need?
I worked in UV optics for quite awhile. Plenty of need for UV transparent plastics (especially inert ones), but no products exist. If you could invent one, you might get rich and be able afford an SMB for each of you several homes.
Mike
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Alaska to Key West, Labrador and more
Prostate cancer survivor. See Thread Prostate cancer and Sportsmobiles
2015 VW GTI 2020 Fiat 124 Spider
2012 E250 Hitop camper
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