Flexi solar panel replacement

[Mocko1962]

If anyone has the misfortune to have a failed solar panel and need to remove it from the roof .. I used a multi tool with a fine tooth blade which very quickly cut the sikaflex between the panel and the roof with no damage to the roof , as on my install I bonded the panel on the side edges and front so sika was accessible to ‘cut’ out.

Once the panel is removed .. you can quite easily cut away the high left over sections of sikabond very carefully with a sharp Stanley knife ..

I made sure the new panel dimensions were bigger then the original to hide the sika residue not removed .. bonded again with sikaflex… hopefully not to be repeated again..

My original had failed only due to the bike rack retaining arm falling backwards as I hadn’t tightened to the rack to stay in position .. when the tailgate was lifting , wedging against the PV panel ‘take-off’ cable connector and pushing it off the panel… a bit of bad luck ..

 

[Grim Reaper]

I've done it (to change from a 100W to a 200W panel) but I used vinyl wrap under the original panel which meant once I'd cut the adhesive using a nylon thread I could remove the vinyl and it left the roof clean and ready for a new application of vinyl and panel.
It worked a treat.

 

[Mocko1962]

Does the vinyl wrap hold the sika bond & panel with no issues … I had seen some other people had installed PV panels this way but as only a bit nervous it would all bond ok and no chance of lifting… maybe if it needed to be changed again…

 

[Grim Reaper]

The vinyl is quite difficult to remove as a large sheet, no problem holding a panel on.

 

[Dmin]

Just had a flexible panel show signs of delaminating and looks like water so prepared for failure at some point soon and then the cheesewire. Interested in Vinyl solution to sticking down and does any one have a preferred type/supplier. Also one option may be to replace it with a rigid type but has anyone fitted one to a LWB pop top roof as there is quite a lot of flex/movement in the roof and would this be a issue? Also has anyone seen this type of delamination before. Thanks Darren