Good afternoon fellow Solars, my first weekend off in months.

I found today that when it start raining the earth leakage thru which my inverter get fed from the grid is tripping. So yes fault finding we did and after all breakers was on and no tripping I flicked the isolator on the panels and the inverter died instantly and earth leakage tripped again.

I got up the roof and found that there is water in the top and bottom corners of the solar panels. First time every I saw water inside a solar panel.

Now what I would like to know is that if there is water inside the solar panel will that not create a kind of short circuit that can build up resistance?  The voltage coming from the panels is when tested now was 328 Volt where it's normaly 344Volt max on a sunny day.

12 hours ago, Koppies said:

if there is water inside the solar panel will that not create a kind of short circuit that can build up resistance?

It's supposed to be very high resistance cell to frame, and water will decrease the resistance, causing earth leakage current to flow, which will be the reason for the tripping. Certainly water should not be inside the panels. If under warranty, they should be replaced. 

It's possible that you could dry them out and seal wherever the water is getting in, but it will be very hard to find, repair, and test. I suppose testing could be with a multimeter and gentle hose.

Are many panels affected? 

15 hours ago, Koppies said:

Good afternoon fellow Solars, my first weekend off in months.

I found today that when it start raining the earth leakage thru which my inverter get fed from the grid is tripping. So yes fault finding we did and after all breakers was on and no tripping I flicked the isolator on the panels and the inverter died instantly and earth leakage tripped again.

I got up the roof and found that there is water in the top and bottom corners of the solar panels. First time every I saw water inside a solar panel.

Now what I would like to know is that if there is water inside the solar panel will that not create a kind of short circuit that can build up resistance?  The voltage coming from the panels is when tested now was 328 Volt where it's normaly 344Volt max on a sunny day.

Do you have any photographs of this? I have never seen it.

21 hours ago, YellowTapemeasure said:

Do you have any photographs of this? I have never seen it.

 

On 2021/12/05 at 5:37 AM, Coulomb said:

It's supposed to be very high resistance cell to frame, and water will decrease the resistance, causing earth leakage current to flow, which will be the reason for the tripping. Certainly water should not be inside the panels. If under warranty, they should be replaced. 

It's possible that you could dry them out and seal wherever the water is getting in, but it will be very hard to find, repair, and test. I suppose testing could be with a multimeter and gentle hose.

Are many panels affected? 

HI Coulomb, all the panels is leaking. X8 panels. I installed the panels in May 2021. I got them from Solar Links in Randburg. 

 

1 hour ago, Koppies said:

 

Wow. Who is the manufacturer?