On Dec 23, 7:20*am, IanM wrote:
... *If you can gain
access, it can probably be soldered, though a very low temperature
solder e.g. indium alloy might be a good idea. *If you don't have the
skills to do that bit find someone who does. *Ebay item *320327080917
might be worth getting. With a little copper foil to patch the break,
and some 150 deg C melting point solder you should be good to go.

Alternatively there *is* car window heater repair paint that can take
the current. *Gluing anything across the crack wont work unless the glue
is very highly conductive.

I'd be concerned about corrosion from the 5200. *I'm not sure what it
liberates as it cures, but if it etches the foil at all you are screwed.
Also its going to be a bitch to apply bubble free and without stressing
the damaged area and repair. *Personally, I'd clean, lightly rough up
and degrease the backing, before cutting it to do the repair and apply
some variety of spray or brush on electrical lacquer afterwards. When
its all dry and the repair is protected, you can stick down any edges of
backing and make good with a sheet of suitable plastic or similar (maybe
a piece of inflatable patch material?) and whatever sealant seems most
appropriate. Alternatively just flood the area with epoxy and when cured
goop some sealent over it for resilient protection.

Thanks for all of that. Lots to think about. There isn't a crack as
such. The connection is a bit of foil coming from one of the sections
of the panel to the negative bus. As the backing has bubbled off it
seems that the over/under connection between them has separated.
Compressing the join makes the connection again, though I don't know
if it is a good one...


I *DO* hope Kyocera decide to make it right as their claimed 20 year
warranty has weasel worded exclusion clauses like (C.2)"h) defects
and/or failures caused by use on a mobile unit including, but not
limited to, vehicles, vessels, etc.;"

Yes, I hope so, too. It's probably not a good week to be trying to
get help so I'm assuming the lack of response so far is because of the
holiday. I think I'm looking at a manufacturing defect. The panel
worked for years and it doesn't look like any moisture has gotten in
there or anything -- the foil is bright and lovely looking. The
plastic has just bubbled up a bit and the join is faulty. I trust
they will stand behind the panel. But, I'm a cruiser and I want to
move around so the logistics may be hard even if they make a good
faith effort. Hard to tell until I get somebody to respond anyway...
....
so the panels cant be *that* old. *Tom, how old are they, you didn't say?

I bought them in 2000 when I was building the boat.

The replacement would probably be the KC85T -
Kyocera KC series solar panel KC85T
http://www.kyocerasolar.com/pdf/specsheets/KC85T.pdf

Tom, do post some links to pictures of the problem here. *I assume that
since you are asking Kyocera for support you have already excluded
self-inflicted mounting damage etc. *If they don't want to replace the
defective panel, do ask them about the best way to repair it and ask
them for their comments on the advice you've already had in this thread.

Not sure how easy it would be to photograph the fault as it is just a
slight bubble in the white plastic backing. I'll take a picture and
if it comes out I'll put it on the web somewhere...

Cheers,

--Tom.