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Old 10-31-2009, 07:55 PM   #1
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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 .

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Old 10-31-2009, 08:20 PM   #2
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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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Old 11-01-2009, 09:15 AM   #3
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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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Old 11-01-2009, 12:32 PM   #4
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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.
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Old 11-01-2009, 01:05 PM   #5
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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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Old 11-01-2009, 01:42 PM   #6
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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.


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Old 11-01-2009, 04:53 PM   #7
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Re: Warning about glass panels

Quote:
Originally Posted by billwilson
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
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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Old 11-01-2009, 06:59 PM   #8
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Re: Warning about glass panels

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ford_6L_E350
Quote:
Originally Posted by billwilson
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
The plastic film will absorb some or all of the UV. The UV is what makes a solar panel generate electricity.

Mike

gotcha
is there not another film that the Tree Huggers dont make

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Old 11-01-2009, 10:14 PM   #9
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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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Old 11-02-2009, 09:00 AM   #10
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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?
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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