Solar Farming has it's risks!

[MM Farms]

Can anyone vouch for SunSmith Solar modules as replacements?   http:/www.sunsmithsolar.com/

Also I've heard you can re-cover shattered panels with 20% loss?

Thanks,

Mac

[electronbaby]

wow.  what were you trying to do? maybe place the array on top of the pole? Im trying to figure out how the tractor got tipped.

[dnix71]

Can you post a picture and specs on the panels? I'm assuming they are polycrystalline.

75 watts, $300 a piece?

Ouch. I guess as long as the backhoe operator didn't get hurt it could have been a lot worse.

http://www.sunelec.com/  has some of the best prices and selection, but I don't know about shipping costs.

You could email close up pix to them and ask if it's worth attempting to rebuild them.

The cost of shiping back and forth probably makes it unprofitable. Either you or someone local would need to do it to make it pay.

[dnix71]

Maybe sell the damaged panels on ebay for someone to practice on, or experiment with might make sense, too.

[SparWeb]

OUCH

Despite the front-end loader and the roll bars, you're still lucky.  Whatever happened, consider it an expensive lesson that could have been even more costly.

I am trying to guess what tipped you over:  You captured some "wind power" with your "solar sail"...?

Keep smiling, dude...

[MM Farms]

I was placing it back on pole after rack/tracker maintenance. The hoe was for used for trenching some new conduit and what I thought would be 5th leg for stability on the slope. It didn't do diddly for front end. A little microburst from passing cloud turned the array into a sail. I was actually off the tractor trying to align mount to post when it blew over. Quite sickening.

 Panels were BP SX150B (only poly), BP 2150S, SunTech STP160-24 and Sharp NT 185U1, all about 35Vpm, except the smaller 2 SR50 17v series wired in center of rack. All are seriously spiderwebbed except the SunTech and one SR50. The SX150 has a bucket fork through it. It feels good....well.... better... to be insured.

 Anyway Sunelec doesn't seem to deal with large panels or higher voltage stuff. The SunSmith doesn't quite match up to the panel I have left either, after doing some more research.

 Good idea to sell the shattered ones on Ebay to recoup my deductible loss rather than take the chance of them dragging down new system. I'm not sure if I can put a couple of them back together again though.

 

[dnix71]

The voltage on your panels is double what is common in the US.

The Sharp NU series has the voltage and output of your panels, but they are available in Europe, not here. Your BP panels have been discontinued.

http://evoenergy.wordpress.com/2008/08/03/sharp-nu-series-185w-180w-175w-170w/

There is someone on ebay who has these used

http://cgi.ebay.com/Used-Sharp-175-Watt-Solar-Panel-Only-Two-Years-Old_W0QQitemZ370079888698QQihZ024
QQcategoryZ41981QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

maybe he can get you a couple more ( his ebay store has other solar items http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZpramit )

[DamonHD]

BTW, I had my grid-tie system put in my Evo Energy of the first link, and Kevin who runs it is a good guy.  Don't know if he'll be able to give you much concrete help at distance though...