Ampster
Renewable Energy Hobbyist
Yes my question is where is the responsibility? They were delivered in good condition to his agent.. Usually it is the responsibility of the trucker to strap them to the truck bed so they would not move.
Solar Panel Shipment (another one...)
- Thread starter Lt.Dan
- Start date
Lt.Dan
Solar Wizard
Yup, 42lbs per panel, 33 panels is almost 1400lbs. A little more than the 7.3 Powerstroke in my old 96'. Granted its not like 1400lbs is sitting on the glass, all of the weight is being transferred through solid aluminum. I see no problem with stacking them 50+ high when stationary. (I definitely wouldn't drive with that many stacked though lol)
There were 3 straps holding it down, 2 straps in an X over the top, from corner to corner, and one strap over the center. If you see in the top post, the straps are still thrown over the top. HE DEFINITELY DID NOT DRIVE WITH THEM NOT STRAPPED TO THE TRUCK.
Ampster
Renewable Energy Hobbyist
If it was me, with that high a stack I would have added some protection and additional strapping to prevent movement. Additinal corner angles and horizontal straps would have worked. Whose responsibility is a grey area? Clearly they have indicated their interpretation. They were delivered to your agent and you owned them from that time on.
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Lt.Dan
Solar Wizard
Sorry maybe I should've added that at the end lol
Lt.Dan
Solar Wizard
I'm not asking for compensation because of the way it was packaged or anything, I was just telling the story of what happened.
I manage a CNC laser cutting shop, and we have to palletize hundreds of parts a day for customers to pick up (we specifically don't ship because of all the BS with shipping companies, we are almost exclusively will-call only), and when a customer loses a part on the way home because they didnt strap it down correctly, or they left the tailgate down, we still will recut and remake them the part for free almost every time. Its called customer service.
Now in my case, I didnt lose a panel or actually affect the output of any, so I'm not upset.
Ampster
Renewable Energy Hobbyist
It is a good story so others know what can go wrong with the best of intentions.
Get behind the panel and hold it up to some light... in a door way etc. You can easily see all the grid pattern of the metal/cell parts to avoid.
The widest safest part on the older panels is along the edges. The top and bottom is where I slice with a knife along the connecting grid to separate to convert them to 12v. Reseal with silastic. I would not consider bringing home any panel. with any. blemish to the front.
I would not like to touch some of the newer panels!!....Maybe a good reason when buying 2nd hand panels not to get carried away by going for later versions.
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Lt.Dan
Solar Wizard
1400lbs is not near the capacity of what that truck can handle? I dont see why its that impressive?
Then you never seen a 1/2ton pickup with a pallet of thick frame Trinas in the back.
wiseacre
Solar Addict
You never saw my Rock Ranger
Fast
Overweight
Rock
Delivery
I definitely had to learn how to tie down a load
(this was a relatively small sex stone)*
* a big f-ing rock
Ozark Tinkering
Solar Addict
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2021
- Messages
- 1,109
I've got airbags on my F250 7.3 Powerstroke and 1400lbs. would just make it ride like a Cadillac. Pulled a 14,000lb. 5th wheel all over the country with the bed full of the extra gear including my 100lb. propane bottle and it didn't care.
Lt.Dan
Solar Wizard
That is a 2017 F250 with a payload capacity of over 4000lbs.
I'm in the same boat. My 96' F350 w/ a 7.3 powerstroke pulls my 5th wheel weighing 20.000lbs. 3500lbs of pin weight with an 800lbs flatbed. Pulls it just fine.
Lt.Dan
Solar Wizard
I tested ever panel that I have, totaling 58 panels, and damn was that a chore! I bought the small Solar Panel Tester on Amazon, not expecting the actual wattage to be accurate, but to get an idea of any completely dead panels, or any that were severely underperforming. My results are pretty ridiculous.
I have 25 panels that are 1 year old, and they have been in commission for about 9 months of that time. 22 of them tested over 190w, (which I would deem acceptable), 2 of them around 175w, (which is borderline for me) and 1 tested 62w. The 1 that tested 62w actually has a bad seal, and has a ton of rust inside, which is the reason I was getting 1 free replacement.
The other 33 panels that my father picked up are kind of a different story. I have a few around 230w (Which is amazing when the temps are 100+* outside right now), a good majority over 200w, and 8 panels all under 175w, with the worst being 106w. All of them look good, and the worst looking ones somehow tested with the most output!
I asked SanTan what an acceptable range would be for testing panels, and all he said was if they are between 33-35v VOC, then they should be fine. Well, all 58 of my panels tested atleast 33v, including my 1x that was at 62w, so clearly this is NOT an acceptable way to test solar panels....
I've asked for replacements; we'll see what happens.
I have 25 panels that are 1 year old, and they have been in commission for about 9 months of that time. 22 of them tested over 190w, (which I would deem acceptable), 2 of them around 175w, (which is borderline for me) and 1 tested 62w. The 1 that tested 62w actually has a bad seal, and has a ton of rust inside, which is the reason I was getting 1 free replacement.
The other 33 panels that my father picked up are kind of a different story. I have a few around 230w (Which is amazing when the temps are 100+* outside right now), a good majority over 200w, and 8 panels all under 175w, with the worst being 106w. All of them look good, and the worst looking ones somehow tested with the most output!
I asked SanTan what an acceptable range would be for testing panels, and all he said was if they are between 33-35v VOC, then they should be fine. Well, all 58 of my panels tested atleast 33v, including my 1x that was at 62w, so clearly this is NOT an acceptable way to test solar panels....
I've asked for replacements; we'll see what happens.
We ship a lot by common carrier. If we choose the carrier and we are the shipper of record, it is our responsibility to work with the carrier if there is damage. It is not the customers problem. If the customer arranges a carrier or picks them up them selves, as soon as the are loaded it is no longer our responsibility. Responsibility is now the freight carrier and my customer. I am am out of the equation.
Lt.Dan
Solar Wizard
Lt.Dan
Solar Wizard
I don't see how this is relevant. Don't advertise a product as one thing, and then give me another. Regardless of the price.
I just wondered if they may have already had issues and may not have been stored and then subsequently stacked for shipping properly.
This is in reference to damage in shipment not a defective item. Lets say that a pallet arrived at customers dock that showed no damage. Later the customer opens that pallet up and finds a defective unit mixed with other units. This is a different problem than a freight damaged item. We would work with the customer and come to a resolution. In some scenarios, we may tell the customer that before they sign a BOL accepting shipment, they need to check the shipment out for "visible" damage. Like I said, damage is different that faulty.
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