INSTALLATION MANUAL

Thank you for your purchase of Solbian SunBender products. Created with innovative technologies and high-quality components, solar panels with Solbianflex technology will provide you with energy in the harshest environmental conditions and with the versatility needed for a wide variety of applications. To take full advantage of their features and keep them in good condition please read the instructions below carefully.

This manual does not constitute a warranty, implied or express. Solbian assumes no liability for damage resulting from the installation, use or maintenance of its solar panels. Solbian reserves the right to change its products, technical specifications, and installation manual without notice.

The following instructions should be read carefully and well understood before installing, connecting, and using panels with Solbianflex technology. Contact with electrical components, such as terminals, can cause burns or electrical shock even if the panel is not yet connected. In fact, a solar panel produces electricity as soon as it is exposed to the sun or a light source. Although the electrical values of a single Solbian SunBender panel do not pose a health hazard, connecting multiple panels in series or parallel increases their voltage and current, respectively. A solar system consisting of several panels can therefore generate voltages and currents that can be harmful to health and result in death.

Solbian will not, however, be liable for any accidents or personal injury, including electric shocks, caused by misuse or improper installation.

This manual contains important information regarding safety that should be read carefully and understood before proceeding with the installation and use of Solbian SunBender solar panels and their accessories.

Keep your purchase receipt and original packaging for the warranty period of the product.

• Do not connect solar panels of different type and/or power rating together.

• Do not modify the electrical connections of the panels, especially do not open or remove the sealed junction boxes that connect the internal structure of the panel with the external electrical connections.

• Do not drill or cut the panel, this could cause exposure of live components and/or damage to the panel itself.

• Do not subject electrical cables to excessive tension or bending.

• Do not expose the solar panel to direct light when installing the system or otherwise take this into account considering that with exposure to light, the solar panel produces current and therefore its terminals are live.

• Maintenance, installation, and removal of the solar panel should always be done on dry surfaces.

• Use only tools equipped with an insulated handle.

• Do not use solar panels in the presence of explosive or flammable mixtures.

• Keep solar panels inside the packaging until they are installed.

• Ensure that the position of the solar panel does not cause mechanical or electrical hazards.

• Do not use solar panels that have been damaged (during transportation, installation or during use).

• Do not apply protection or paint to the panel. Contact the manufacturer for information about cleaning or protecting Solbian SunBender panels.

A panel containing damaged cells or even a panel in good condition in which a single cell, or a few cells, are completely shaded (Fig. 4) can generate a HOT-SPOT, i.e., very high local heats can occur, up to and including producing melting of the protective materials of the cells with smoke emission and reaching temperatures above 200 degrees on small portions of the panel.

• Do not flex the solar panel with a bending radius of less than one meter, as the photovoltaic cells may be permanently damaged.

• Solbian SunBender panels cannot withstand mechanical loads such as snow or high winds. Therefore, depending on the type of installation, the strength of the structure on which the panels will be installed must be considered. The structure should not be exposed to continuous stress. Improper use of Solbian SunBender panels can cause irreversible damage to the installation, such that its efficiency and relative use are compromised.

• The installation area should be chosen so as to maximize the sun exposure of the panel and avoid excessive shading. Remember that even partial shadows on the panel can substantially decrease energy production. No objects should be placed on the panel when it is exposed to the sun (Fig. 4).

• The position of Solbian SunBender panels should allow adequate air circulation over the surface exposed to sunlight. This expedient can lower their temperature and ensure a better yield.

• Panels expand under the effect of heat; take this into account when installing them. Where several panels are placed side by side, whatever the mechanical installation method, a minimum spacing must be observed to allow adequate thermal expansion. A space of at least 4 mm should be left between one panel and the other.

INSTALLATION WITH EYELETS

Solbian SunBender panels are supplied with metal installation eyelets. In this case, the panels are attached by ropes, ties, or other means to rigid supports to ensure their support and resistance to weathering. Using these installation procedures, contact between the panel and an underlying rigid surface is not assured, so the panels cannot be stepped on.

INSTALLATION WITH SCREWS

Panels with Solbianflex technology can be fastened with screws and washers. M6 screws are recommended and flat washers interposed between the screw and the panel should be used, avoiding overtightening the screws themselves so that during thermal expansions the panel can slide. Again, since contact between the panel and the underlying surface is not assured, the panels cannot be stepped on.

Each solar panel behaves like a DC generator (a battery) and is therefore provided with a positive contact and a negative contact.

The solar panel generally cannot directly drive a load because of the intermittency of current production that depends on the light received by the panel. The common use is therefore to charge a battery that then provides the power for the load.

A charge controller is then used between the panel and the battery to optimize the process.

The Sunbender kit includes a cable kit for connecting the panel to the charge controller and a cable kit for connecting the charge controller to the battery.

In case it is necessary to replace the electrical cables supplied in the kit, their cross-section must be sufficient to limit voltage drop. In an outdoor environment, always use cables for the photovoltaic industry or specific for outdoor applications that are resistant to sun and weather exposure. It is recommended to apply a fuse on the battery side. The cable cross-section increases proportionally to the length of the cables, in the following table some indicative examples.

Read the charge controller manual in the Sunbender kit carefully. The charge controller is covered by a 5-year manufacturer's warranty. 

Solbian assumes no responsibility for damage or malfunction caused by improper use or installation.

Due to the absence of moving mechanical parts, maintenance of solar panels is very limited. Below are some important precautions.

• Keep the panels clean. Wash the system with freshwater, especially in the marine environment, in order to avoid damage due to the presence of salt.

• The surface of the panels can be cleaned with neutral soap and water, scrubbing with caution and without abrasive substances. Alcohol can also be used to remove grease or the like.

• Periodically check the structural integrity of the panel and its installation including electrical connections.

• Check the efficiency of the system by means of the signalling systems (displays or LEDs) integrated into the charge controllers.

POSSIBLE FAULTS

Solbian SunBender panels are covered by a warranty on manufacturing defects and on the power generated. The following is an excerpt from the full warranty conditions, which are the only ones that apply, and which are published on www.solbian.eu.

Solbian is a member of the PV CYCLE consortium for the take-back and disposal of damaged or end-of-life solar panels. Please consider Solbian SunBender panels as electrical equipment and therefore destined for separate recycling. If disposal is required, please contact our sales offices.