German PV module manufacturer Solar-Fabrik expects to issue a warning in the next few days regarding junction box failures on its solar panels that could lead to fires.
Solar-Fabrik said in a brief statement that intense research and testing of junction boxes used by the company had demonstrated the potential to generate excess heat to the level that a fire could develop.
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The company noted that it was not possible at this time to estimate the number of potential customer claims regarding the faulty junction boxes on its panels that it has sold.
Though rare, junction box failures have occurred in recent years, which have led to rooftop fires.
The largest and most serious occurrence related to 650,000 PV modules built by Scheuten Solar that were distributed between September 2009 and October 2010, which had been manufactured with a design flaw in the junction boxes.
The product failure led to the final collapse of the company, having been acquired after entering bankruptcy before the junction box issue became public and a number of fires had been investigated by insurance companies.
Solar-Fabrik recently entered insolvency proceedings to restructure its finances due to liquidity issues, according to the company.
Details on immediate actions to contain risk are to be made available on Solar-Fabrik’s website.