Has anyone had issues with roof-mounted solar panels on their vehicle? I recently had to replace three rigid panels under warranty because they all developed multiple hot spots—around 5 to 10 per panel—that burnt through the laminate. I thought it might just be a bad batch, so I installed new ones from a different batch but of the same brand. However, after only two months, I've noticed one of the new panels has already developed a burn-through spot! I'm trying to figure out if this is just due to poor quality panels or if there's something in my setup that might be causing these issues. The panels are designed for mobile use and are securely mounted on a roof rack with adequate air gaps underneath. They're wired in series (70voc) to a Victron MPPT (100/50), and everything seems to be functioning normally. I'm really puzzled by this. Could it be the stress of being mobile or just non-quality panels? I really want to avoid the hassle of replacing them if they're just going to keep failing. What do you think?
2 Answers
I'll echo the suggestion that photos can really help here. Showing your whole setup, including how the panels are mounted and the location of the burn spots, could provide more insights. If you post those pictures, I bet others can offer more targeted advice!
It sounds like vibrations could be your issue. Those panels are usually made for stationary installs, and the constant jostling on a vehicle can lead to failures in the electric connections. One thing you could try is adding another fixed point for mounting. This might change the resonance frequency and reduce the vibrations that impact the panels. It could be an easy fix!
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ve added a bunch of photos in the comments.