Solar Panels Delivered on a Broken Pallet - Need some Suggestions

[Kuma]

18 Panels from Signature Solar were delivered yesterday and the pallet was broken. The last driver from the Sacramento Terminal to my house put the broken pallet on a good one but did not fix the broken one so the panels were leaning and swaying and unstable. I suggested several times to put a board under one side of the broken pallet and he finally agreed. That stabilized things but obviously did not fix any damage.

This morning a SS customer rep helped me with the 48 hours to make a shipment claim and extended it through the weekend. One deciding factor were my notes written on the shipping receipt about pallet and panel(s) damage.

A neighbor will come over this weekend to unload the 18 panels and do our best with a visual inspection. With that, what is the easiest way to store them until their installed? Can I lay groups of 6 horizontally on 2x4's that are placed only below the long side of the panel frames? Do I try to lay them against the house vertically with short 6x6 pieces placed only below the ends, corners, of the panels? About 1/2 of the cardboard pieces that are supposed to be on the corners of the panls are missing.

Most frustrating is the confusion and inconsistencies SS has been giving me regarding warranty and future support. Three techs/support people told me SS warranties Solarever. One person two weeks ago said SS does not and Solarever does. One of the techs told me today SS handles any future warrany claims so I asked the person to verify this and please send me an email stating that. Below is the email received which only raises more questions.


"I was able to speak with my supervisors and they suggested that you close the claim through Solarever and submit a shipping claim through our website under the "Contact Us" tab. The reason being S2 is the distributor of the panels. There is a 24-hour window upon receiving the panels to submit the claim. For any panels that you think have damage, I would recommend filing them all on the claim. These panels do have a 10-year warranty. If you notice in the future that these panels aren't functioning properly or are damaged, I have included the ticket number in this email from our call today and I have noted that some of the panels arrived with shipping damage and that this could be a potential reason for these panels to not function properly in the future."


A replied to the email asking what is meant by "close the claim through Solarever" as I have no claim with them. Only with the shipper and SS.

And the stated panel warranty of 10 years is incorrect as is the 24 hour period for warranty claim submissions.


And thIs is also confusing and concerning because the person previously stated that warranty issues are with Solarever. But yet has noted on my order history that future potential issues could be due to shipping. So does that provide a way out of warranty support with Solarever and/or SS. Right now its tempting to claim all 18 are suspect and get a new shipment. One forum member said I should have refused shipment. But two SS people I spoke with today both said its good I accepted shipment.

"If you notice in the future that these panels aren't functioning properly or are damaged, I have included the ticket number in this email from our call today and I have noted that some of the panels arrived with shipping damage and that this could be a potential reason for these panels to not function properly in the future."

 

[Q-Dog]

If there is any damage your claim is with the shipping company. The manufacturer has nothing to do with this unless they shipped the panels. Ask Signature Solar to clarify anything you do not understand, but at this point there isn't much anyone can do until you know if there is any damage.

If you remove them from the pallet, I think the best way to store the panels is on edge, like files in a filing cabinet. Lean them against a wall of your house on their long edges. Get a helper. Make sure they can't fall over.

 

[Kuma]

What should be done to verify a panel is good. Visual inspection? Look for small, hairline or large cracks? Voltage and/or current test?


If stacked against a wall how much support is needed on the bottom frame rail? Only on the bottom ends/corners of each panel? Or the entire bottom frame rail?

 

[zanydroid]

I used visual inspection, you could also put it in some light and run a multimeter to measure VOC. Getting the right VOC will verify that at least whole half of a half cut is same (and if full cut the whole thing). It’s half because even if half the half cut is shattered there is still the other half that can generate voltage and push current. IIRC half cut is usually 3 series of 2 parallel subpanels, connected to bypass diodes. Full cut is 3 series of 1 parallel subpanels. There are of course panels that have different “electrical geometry” (like 5 half cut subpanels instead of 6)

I store mine on edge, supported by the whole floor. The panels are tested by manufacturer and NRTL to be clamped / rest on specific areas along the edge (see installation manual).

Also note when panels are shipped on edge they are supported by the pallet “slats” which IMO is less stress on the frame than what they see on a roof.

I second not letting them fall over. A little bit of wind goes a long way in helping them fall over.

 

[Q-Dog]

I would put them on 2 pieces of wood just like one would store or transport panes of glass. Put the wood on solid ground so they can't slide. Also, put the glass (top) side of the panels facing the wall.

 

[zanydroid]

Also, put the glass (top) side of the panels facing the wall.

Yeah this pro tip would have helped me last week. LOL.

 

[Kuma]

My house is made of very rough adobe 4x7 bricks. Not flat or smooth. The adobe bricks were made on the property 50+ years ago. And perimeter of house is 2"-3" rocks, uneven, nothing level, no concrete...

Sounds like I need to make a home depot run and buy some lumber. Im thinking 1 x 6 fence pickets for bottom slats fastened perpendicular on top of a couple 2x4 runners to make a type of pallet bottom and try to make it level in the rocks. And a couple 2x6 pickets placed against the wall with cardboard between solar frame and 2 x 6 to try and make something flat for the first panel to rest against. Or maybe use some rug remnants and place between panel and house wall.

Im thinking first panel should face away from wall so back of panel is resting against cardboard/2x6's/house wall. Then have the others with glass facing towards first panel/house. Then drive some fasteners/hooks into the adobe wall on each side of the panels secure them with rope/strap.

 

[Kuma]

I used visual inspection, you could also put it in some light and run a multimeter to measure VOC. Getting the right VOC will verify that at least whole half of a half cut is same (and if full cut the whole thing). It’s half because even if half the half cut is shattered there is still the other half that can generate voltage and push current. IIRC half cut is usually 3 series of 2 parallel subpanels, connected to bypass diodes. Full cut is 3 series of 1 parallel subpanels. There are of course panels that have different “electrical geometry” (like 5 half cut subpanels instead of 6)

I store mine on edge, supported by the whole floor. The panels are tested by manufacturer and NRTL to be clamped / rest on specific areas along the edge (see installation manual).

Also note when panels are shipped on edge they are supported by the pallet “slats” which IMO is less stress on the frame than what they see on a roof.

I wish these were fully supported by the pallet slats. About 8 panels were pushed upwards. My 2x4 stabilized the stack but that only helped for the last 10 ft of the 2,000 mile journey.

Do you think I should have refused it? I could not see the damage until it was pulled off the truck.

I second not letting them fall over. A little bit of wind goes a long way in helping them fall over.

 

[zanydroid]

I'm not an expert but I think stored on edge like that they are pretty strong. Those tested mounting points are for handling up/down forces seen on a roof. Sitting on a pallet is a more static situation.

 

[Q-Dog]

I wish these were fully supported by the pallet slats. About 8 panels were pushed upwards. My 2x4 stabilized the stack but that only helped for the last 10 ft of the 2,000 mile journey.

Do you think I should have refused it? I could not see the damage until it was pulled off the truck.

View attachment 161005

If you noted the damage on the bill of lading, and took pictures of the broken pallet, and informed the vendor of the issues so far, All you can do now is take lots of pictures as you unpack them. If you find any damaged panels take a photo of the damage before you remove the panel from the pallet. Solar panels are made with tempered glass so it will be obvious if the glass is broken, but check to see if any of the frames are bent too.