Doug,
I could be wrong but I dont think that definition of soaking is correct. Typically it takes 6 months of good sunlight minimum for a module to reach a stable output, this is particularly true of A-Si . For example a US64 will degrade 15% and then settle at the label rating after 6 months of soaking in good sun. I attach a link to a report on this issue http://www.physics.arizona.edu/~cronin/Solar/References/Degradation/carr%20P V%20comparison%202004.pdf This report shows degradation across different technologies. I would stress that real word performance is the more important factor as the report concludes The triple junction a-Si modules produce over 15% more energy than BP275(c-Si) does in summer, and around 8% more in winter Yet in the degradation stakes it did less well. Producing energy should be the first consideration. 25 degrees C and 1000W/M² almost never exists in real life yet is the industry bench mark behind which many manufacturers have hidden poor performance. At realistic temperatures of 50 60 degrees C many Poly and Mono panels only manage 60% of their rating. Additionally, none of the industry standard measurements allow for a panels ability to respond to light being captured at high angles of incidence, therefore at times of global irradiance, some panels performance drops off quite seriously. Excuse the rave pet subject. Regards Carl Emerson Ok so its a reading night. There are a bunch of very good papers about this effect on all the different types of modules. www1.eere.energy.gov/ <http://cs.dogpile.com/ClickHandler.ashx?du=http%3a%2f%2fwww1.eere.energy.go v%2fsolar%2fpdfs%2fpvmrw2011_p25_tf_dunn.pdf&ru=http%3a%2f%2fwww1.eere.energ y.gov%2fsolar%2fpdfs%2fpvmrw2011_p25_tf_dunn.pdf&ld=20130219&ap=4&app=1&c=in fo.dogpl&s=dogpile&coi=239138&cop=main-title&euip=24.147.2.48&npp=4&p=0&pp=0 &pvaid=b38b38d290ad401eb6a632df17eb8c15&sid=1830193568.2660773008126.1361238 904&vid=1830193568.2660773008126.1361138254.13&fcoi=417&fcop=topnav&fpid=2&e p=2&mid=9&hash=60D4EDF8C76D3C8BF8BF97A0BBCF6F57> dfs/pvmrw2011_p25_tf_dunn.pdf Best summary of Soaking would be : controlled exposure to light under controlled environmental conditions. The "soaking" seems to come from exposing the panel to light for --extended-- periods. Thus finding the effects on the panel after it has reached a critical point of light exposure. Like a sponge, the panel has been fully soaked with light. Then they observe effects. Some pretty interesting effects in some panels. Doug Wells The Solar Specialists Morrisville, VT 05661 (p) 802-223-7014 (c) 802-498-5856 www.thesolarspecialists.com <http://www.thesolarspecialists.com/>
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