Scratches on Solar Panel below the glass

Hi,

Ask for replacement panels.

those are cracked solar panels, not just scratches. call and complain

Request exchange.

Another reason to pick up in person.
Sorry about the trouble. I hope it works out.

Any chance it could have been the shipper?

Nice to know what there shipping out. I was seriously considering buy a couple from them. Now I won't. Always wondered why there prices were so cheap.

I just got a replacement panel from Solar Blvd when one arrived crushed by FedEx. The replacement has a similar scratch. They are definitely sending some out that way. I can't "feel" the scratch on the outside of the glass, but I can certainly see it. I actually have a couple smaller scratches on it also.
The replacement panel had the same kind of "drum" marks on the Styrofoam. I'm wondering if it is cracked, and not scratched. I actually video taped the unpacking of it because of the rough packaging.

I checked my scratched one again and it looks like someone pulled something across it, like another solar panel. I'm wondering if these are blems or not new. They don't appear to have been installed, but the second one clearly has a few scratches on it. When the other one broke it broke like "safety glass" not like a regular crack. That is why I don't think this one is cracked.

Looks like a half price panel to me, if it tests out at 100%...

diveman52 wrote:
Nice to know what there shipping out. I was seriously considering buy a couple from them. Now I won't. Always wondered why there prices were so cheap.

I wouldn't write off Solarblvd just yet. A few months ago I picked up a couple of the 230 watt Perlight panels. No defects or scratches. I highly suspect this might be a shipping problem with damage in transit.

rootdenied wrote:
I wouldn't write off Solarblvd just yet. A few months ago I picked up a couple of the 230 watt Perlight panels. No defects or scratches. I highly suspect this might be a shipping problem with damage in transit.

It's not about Solar Blvd - though they do sell blemished items, and then they disclose this. It's about cheapo brands and/or cheapo packaging. Poorly made thin frames result in a lot of flex, so either cells or glass may crack, and poor packaging makes it easier.

I picked up my panels in person - not from Solar Blvd, and not the cheapest in the store - and was impressed with packaging. Manufacturer supplied them clipped to each other at the corners, with cardboard between the surfaces. Other than dropping separately each single panel from 10ft height, I wouldn't imagine any damage done. Though, when it's shipped from warehouse to your place by truck in small quantities, the chances that somebody will drop it, are getting higher :)

yep, cracked cells. You can see the misalignment of the metallized traces on the cells across the crack. This is why I stopped buying UL-Solar brand panels off Ebay.

I wrote to SolarBlvd asking about some Sharp 24V panels (no longer sold) asking if they were blems as there was no warranty info. Also asked about will-call and if I could buy on the spot. Never got a reply :(