Are higher quality solar panels stronger in high wind loading conditions?
Synopsis
Here in Darwin, we have the toughest building regulations in the world. To verify documentation, we conducted wind loading tests in conjunction with an engineer. We used an air mattress as a test bed and took the wind speed up to over 1000 kilometres per hour (15,000 kilopascals), which is higher than the wind speed of a type two cyclone Tracy. This test showed the amount of flexion in the panel.
Our tests on another brand panel showed that the earth hole in the centre, top, and bottom caused it to fail big time when put under pressure. It did not even reach close to what was stated in the documentation.
Video Transcript
We've done here in Darwin in conjunction with my engineer, is that we've done the wind loading tests, to verify documentation. And because here in Darwin, we have the toughest building regulations in the world. And it's a test bed and a with an air mattress, underneath that, put it up to, we took it up as high as 15,000 Kilopascals. So that would be a wind speed of over 1000 kilometres an hour, roughly I think. And if you had a wind speed like that, you'd be in a hole in the ground, because there'd be nothing left up here, be gone. And cyclone Tracy I think from memory was something like 250 kilometres an hour. They're classed now, they say it was only a type two, but it was a lot higher than that. So when we do the test, we will take it to the panel, to there, to what Tracey was. And then just show you how much flexion, there is in the panel. We've done a couple of tests on another brand panel, and they had the earth hole right in the centre, at the top and the bottom. We put it under pressure, it just went bumpo right where that screw line was, and it failed big time. Didn't even reach anywhere near, what they're saying is on the documentation.