CaliSunHarvester
Solar Enthusiast
It *will* leak once the floor framing has collapsed. It's no concern for the downstairs tenant as they surely have renters insurance.
Portable solar panel fire hazard
- Thread starter Peepeeman
- Start date
It *will* leak once the floor framing has collapsed. It's no concern for the downstairs tenant as they surely have renters insurance.
Brucey
Solar Wizard
I don't consider it ownership if I have to live with the whim of petty tyrants decreeing regulations based on fantasies.
42OhmsPA
What's in a title?
So you came here to gain info to try and take legal action against the building owner? I'm glad you didn't find what you need.
You should have cleared your prior browsing history before visited, this forum is extremely clean.
You weren't mistaken.
Then why are you getting certified letters?
What if you used the flexible panels to make a kite? You wouldn't have to worry about them being attached to your landlords building and wouldn't have to worry about shadows from trees, another bonus would be fire safety.
ScrotpusGobbleBottom
Corn Pop was a bad dude.
Ive had lots of roommates in rentals in my past. Not one of them had renters insurance.
Collapsing floors are certainly of concern.
I have a 100 W stereo system with built in radio. And 15 inch stereo speakers 4’X2’cabinets. And I have a portable Walkman radio with earbuds, with one AA battery. But I’ve never compared to them to each other as having the same simulator fire hazard potential risk or almost anything else. Yes they’re both classified as a radio. I Thought of maybe a bird can catch fire flying in the sun and then fly in somebody’s window on the roof and cause a fire. Who wants to take bets? I’m having a very hard time contacting XTAR portable solar panels company. You can email them but it’s really difficult getting direct contact. And an answer on this conundrum. sold on Amazon. This research is very difficult for me. Hours an hours an hour. I know there are several other portable solar panel Companies. Everybody keep digging
Bluedog225
Texas
Troll
ScrotpusGobbleBottom
Corn Pop was a bad dude.
Long sobs of autumn violins
wound my heart with a monotonous languor
Molasses tomorrow will bring forth Cognac
The chair is against the wall
wound my heart with a monotonous languor
Molasses tomorrow will bring forth Cognac
The chair is against the wall
So the Notion that it’s all the same crap is a pretty arrogant/ignorant train of thought. Some how you can compare an elephant to a cockroach. when you’re surrounded by a Community tribe of pseudo intellectuals, you can’t live with them and you can’t kill them. The word finally came to me came to me (product safety)
Haa.. or he’s into the sauce ….or both…
ScrotpusGobbleBottom
Corn Pop was a bad dude.
What is ignorance besides going against the advise of the collective whole, whom YOU summoned for help?
10 people told you the truth, and you seem to think we are ignorant?
That is funny!
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HarryN
Solar Addict
There are very legitimate uses of a solar panel in an apartment.
Just as an example, here in CA, we have outages every year from forest fires. The most common causes are wind blowing down power lines and lightning in the heat of late summer.
This essentially made it impossible for PGE to guarantee sufficient refrigeration to prevent spoiling, so they actually have a big list of portable power systems ( which are powered by solar since they are sometimes called "solar generators" ) and suggesting that people own them.
Solar panels are UL listed, same as a toaster, and toasters cause fires as well sometimes.
__________
Coming back to "can a solar panel cause a fire" and "are portables more likely to have failures".
Nearly all roof top solar panel related fires have come from significant numbers of panels in series and being pushed toward the upper limits of current going through them. An individual panel or small number of panels in series is dramatically less likely to have a "panel fire" because it won't force current through a damaged wire.
Panels that flex fail more often but not necessarily because they flex. They fail because a panel converts light into electrical energy and thermal energy - and there needs to be a way to dissipate that thermal energy / heat. Many people mount these panels in a way that blocks air flow to get to the back of the panel, or mount them on an insulator such as plastic. This traps the heat and the panel fails from this. Fail does not mean fire, it just means it stopped working.
Just as an example, here in CA, we have outages every year from forest fires. The most common causes are wind blowing down power lines and lightning in the heat of late summer.
This essentially made it impossible for PGE to guarantee sufficient refrigeration to prevent spoiling, so they actually have a big list of portable power systems ( which are powered by solar since they are sometimes called "solar generators" ) and suggesting that people own them.
Solar panels are UL listed, same as a toaster, and toasters cause fires as well sometimes.
__________
Coming back to "can a solar panel cause a fire" and "are portables more likely to have failures".
Nearly all roof top solar panel related fires have come from significant numbers of panels in series and being pushed toward the upper limits of current going through them. An individual panel or small number of panels in series is dramatically less likely to have a "panel fire" because it won't force current through a damaged wire.
Panels that flex fail more often but not necessarily because they flex. They fail because a panel converts light into electrical energy and thermal energy - and there needs to be a way to dissipate that thermal energy / heat. Many people mount these panels in a way that blocks air flow to get to the back of the panel, or mount them on an insulator such as plastic. This traps the heat and the panel fails from this. Fail does not mean fire, it just means it stopped working.
HarryN
Solar Addict
There are some differences in code for "permanent installation" and "used during emergency situations".
I am still working on understanding the detailed aspects of it, but a solar panel used in a not perfect NEC compliant way is a problem if "in use" during normal times, but the same thing is allowed as a temporary / emergency use when the grid is down.
Just owning a solar panel and having it in your apartment can't possibly be blocked by the building owner. Having it leaning against their window is a legitimate complaint though as it could break or scratch it.
I am still working on understanding the detailed aspects of it, but a solar panel used in a not perfect NEC compliant way is a problem if "in use" during normal times, but the same thing is allowed as a temporary / emergency use when the grid is down.
Just owning a solar panel and having it in your apartment can't possibly be blocked by the building owner. Having it leaning against their window is a legitimate complaint though as it could break or scratch it.
KITROBASKIN
Solar Enthusiast
Thank you to those members supplying information to this thread. Having flexible solar panels undergoing regular vibration could lead to possibly dangerous failure. This has resulted in a change of plans for me.
We do not know if peepeeman is being obnoxious with his neighbors (like he is doing here?) and setting him self up for excess scrutiny.
We do not know if he is into tangling with authority. We are not talking about any significant electrical generation with the setup described. If his building experienced power failure, it would be hard to believe a certified letter would be issued should he use the panels as an emergency situation.
Does peepeeman have a car? Can he use the panel in/on it?
XTAR is a generally well regarded manufacturer of standard lithium battery chargers. They pay a chunk of money to promote their products on candlepowerforums flashlight community. I have interacted with them. They are focused on sales, not giving out free technical expertise on the safety of portable solar panels; of which they are not experienced anyways. Very likely XTAR contracted with a portable solar panel company for their 2 models.
We do not know if peepeeman is being obnoxious with his neighbors (like he is doing here?) and setting him self up for excess scrutiny.
We do not know if he is into tangling with authority. We are not talking about any significant electrical generation with the setup described. If his building experienced power failure, it would be hard to believe a certified letter would be issued should he use the panels as an emergency situation.
Does peepeeman have a car? Can he use the panel in/on it?
XTAR is a generally well regarded manufacturer of standard lithium battery chargers. They pay a chunk of money to promote their products on candlepowerforums flashlight community. I have interacted with them. They are focused on sales, not giving out free technical expertise on the safety of portable solar panels; of which they are not experienced anyways. Very likely XTAR contracted with a portable solar panel company for their 2 models.
featherlite
Solar Enthusiast
your right on all points….
I think he should have been proactive instead of reactive …it’s not going to be kept a secret ….other tenants will see stuff ….ya can’t hide it… SO, show the manager the gear and explain his plan ..point out any good points or press ( if there is any) on your gear… act and speak professional …be respectful ….
Thats the only slim shot there was in this deal…
And yes there are plenty of documented fires cause by solar panels failing from many reasons…
He expecting the manager or owner to risk thier whole building and investment and lively hood with all the liability and ZERO upside…. ….why… ?
Plus, if somthing were to happen all the other tenants could be forced out to find a new place to rent, (mucho$$$$)
..people could be hurt , pets could be hurt ,, possessions and jobs could be lost …lawsuits filed all over the place ..etc…etc…
I see no winners in that deal…
J.
Brett V
Mad Scientist
You totally missed the point, the OP doesn’t own the property. The landlord can say no solar panels just the same as he can say no animals, no smoking, no waterbeds, etc. The owner doesn’t have an obligation to negotiate or justify his rules.
HarryN
Solar Addict
I didn't miss the point at all. The land lord can't dictate someone owning or not owning a sleeping bag or a bluetti for going camping. They can't dictate no bicycle in the apartment.
A water bed can be put in the agreement because the typical building is not strong enough to hold it on a weight per square foot basis ( weak building design / build ). They can also make an statement about leaks causing damage.
You can't ban someone from owning a UL listed solar panel just sitting there any more than they can ban someone from having a cell phone in their apartment.
I agree with you that there is a real problem with dealing with tenant laws in terms of getting them to pay rent and moving them along if they don't. If the state wants to force land lords to keep people who are not paying, then they should be covering that cost.
No I have not. I’m not considering something may be staged or without government documentation-etc or something similar or not or with out specific specifications focus or may be out dated with modifications specifications of 2024 portable 100 watt solar panels have stated unequivocally to me Any response there is no record of reports whatsoever ( Be it a forest fire or House fire Bursting In to Flames or even start smoking in anyway) purported about portable solar panels in the history of the world that have ever caught fire while in use anywhere in the world. etc… If you find any information in opposition or support of this topic please let me know,
Huh?
No I have not. I’m not considering something may be staged or without government documentation-etc or something similar or not or with out specific specifications focus or may be out dated with modifications specifications of 2024 portable 100 watt solar panels have stated unequivocally to me Any response there is no record of reports whatsoever ( Be it a forest fire or House fire Bursting In to Flames or even start smoking in anyway) purported about portable solar panels in the history of the world that have ever caught fire while in use anywhere in the world. etc… If you find any information in opposition or support of this topic please let me know,
I have contacted the United States Department of product safety and this is what they have also unequivocally are in agreement of non- Fire hazard
HarryN
Solar Addict
It could be a reasonable situation that if you own a solar panel, it is a brand name / higher quality one vs the cheapest thing that people can buy on amazon.
There "might" be a situation where most of the issues are confined to some cheap panels and higher quality panels of the same size have never had the problem. This could be worth some research.
There "might" be a situation where most of the issues are confined to some cheap panels and higher quality panels of the same size have never had the problem. This could be worth some research.