The silicone cell, ribbons, glass, polymer, back-sheet, frame, junction box and MC4 connectors make up the “Bill of Materials” or the BOM.
When a solar panel manufacturer agrees to sell at a ridiculously low price, the quality of the components (the BOM) is naturally compromised.
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SunPower, LG and Winaico would jump to the top of mind when you think of a premium built solar panel.
Canadian Solar, JA Solar and Phono are examples of quality Chinese made panels at a more affordable price.
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Panels need to be shipped and handled carefully.
Rookies in the industry often unknowingly create micro-cracks in the cell by laying panels flat in the trailer, throwing boxes of gear on top, and ratcheting that collection of thin wafers down real tight. They race over speed bumps (because tradies are always running late), and when they arrive at your place, the untrained apprentice bounces the panels on their head as they walk towards the ladder. Once the job is done, he’ll pose on top of the installed panels for a proud Facebook photo.
Micro-cracks in panels are a serious issue with cheap panels.
As manufacturing technology gets better, and prices are squeezed, silicone wafers get thinner and thinner. To cut costs further, the protective glass and the aluminium frame get thinner and thinner. Combine that with rookies on your roof and the micro-crack phenomenon gets bigger and bigger. Unfortunately, if not handled correctly, premium panels are not immune to the micro-crack phenomena either.