Solar cell imperfections on Solar Roof?

[NoMoShocks]

Everyone with the Solar Roof, have you noticed any inperfections in your solar panel such as internal air bubbles or delaminating with some discolorations? Mine has a bunch of these and I am somewhat concerned that over time, it will get worse and start looking really ugly. The air bubbles look like ones you might see in a poorly done window tinting job, and those seem to be diminishing, but the purplish discolorations are all over..

The night shot does a lot better job of showing what I am concerned about, so I replaced the daylight photos I had posted here earlier as they didn't really show what I was talking about very well.. It is not the random pattern of the crystals within the cells. Rather, it is the fact that some grid blocks are mostly black, and others are mostly bluish purple. With close examination, the bluish pruple squares of this checker board look like they are starting to delaminate internally.

Anyway, the dealer will take a look see next week. If everyone else reports having this black and blue random checker board effect, then I will just suck it up and stop worrying about things.

[Midpack]

Ouch, please keep us posted. I am on the fence about getting a sunroof (leaning against it to be honest), but this would put me off it for sure.

[Tideland Prius]

air bubbles?

[EZW1]

Can U post pics?

[Mr. Nelsby]

Yes, I'd be very very curious to see if this is widespread as I am quite leaning towards the sun-roof.

[DaveSheremata]

Eagerly awaiting pics.... oh, and my new car.

[LTRAiN]

while were on the subject...how effective are the panels/fan? does it feel like the same temp inside as outside? still a little warmer inside? still pretty hot inside?

[i3akachan]

hmmm. i'm not sure, but the solar cells might be polysilicon or amorphous silicon. if so, the chips shouldn't be perfect crystalline.

[HTMLSpinnr]

Originally Posted by LTRAiN

while were on the subject...how effective are the panels/fan? does it feel like the same temp inside as outside? still a little warmer inside? still pretty hot inside?

You can find effectiveness reviews in another thread.

I don't see any imperfections in my panel as mentioned.

[NoMoShocks]

I have added the photos to the OP. I figure I'll have more amunition when I go to ask for a relpacement if I can say 10 or more people in our car club have solar roof panels without these discolorations and air pockets.

It acutally is not that easy to take photos of the solar panel, because it is really reflective and you see a lot of clouds and trees and sky. I tried in the shade too, and you can see all the same pretty well.

Finally, I got the idea to use my heat shield sun shade to shade the panel at close range.

Question of the day is: What looks funnier than a guy with a camera taking closeup shots of the roof of his car?

Answer: I guy taking closeup photos of the roof of his car with a sun shade drapped over his head so he can hold and operate the camera.