DIYbanter - View Single Post - Solar panels-practical???

Pete C.

wrote:

On Mon, 13 Nov 2006 18:54:49 GMT, "Pete C."
wrote:

Quite a long time. I believe most of the major manufacturers of PVs have
something around 25 year warrantees. If they warranty them for 25 years
I'd expect real world life with modest care in an average environment to
be 40 years or better.

When they actually get 25 years of experience with the current
technology I would believe that. I also doubt the warranty covers
anything but total failure. Your problem is these things start losing
efficiency over time so your 10kw array may only be giving you 3 or 4
kw after a while. The warranty doesn't do anything for a lightning
strike, hail or a wind blown debris.

The warranty I looked at specifically indicated the amount of power
production guaranteed at the 25 yr mark. I think it was something like
80% of rated capacity.

As for experience, they do indeed have in excess of 25 years of real
world experience since the basic technology hasn't really changed much
at all. The accelerated testing chambers they use also do a good job.

Pete C.