Lots of manufacturers make small solar panels with PET coating. We do not recommend it for any industrial or for any case where you want to frequently use the panels outside. The reason is that PET has significantly lower UV resistance than alternative coating options.
Here are three PET coated panels that we had placed outside for eighteen months but the bottom line is that every PET coated panel we have tested has failed under what we consider short term tests.
This Anker panel delaminated plus all the fabric started to fall apart. Anker does not seem to use UV treated fabric.
Another common place for PET panels to fail is at the edges. The PET peels away from the EVA that bonds the cells and PCB to the PET protective layer.
Can it get worse? It can.
In summary, if you want a solar panel to last for more than occasional outdoor use, don’t use PET. We recommend ETFE, urethane or glass for long-term applications.
Here are our stock long-life small solar panels. If you need a custom solar panel, we can do that too.
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