TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: The first flexible top sheet is transparent to visible light, where the first flexible top sheet includes a polymeric outer layer covering an inorganic transparent moisture barrier layer, and the polymeric outer layer includes one of ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene, fluoro ethylene propylene and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). The inorganic transparent moisture barrier layer includes at least one of aluminum oxide or silicon oxide. The sealed module chamber includes an encapsulant material coating the solar cells and filling the rest of the sealed module chamber. The terminal wires: include moisture resistant and insulating tubing; and extend through the inner seal wall, which includes top and bottom sealant layers and the terminal wires extended between the top and bottom sealant layers, where an insulation layer is disposed between the top sealant layer and the terminal wires. The sealed wire chamber includes an encapsulant material coating the terminal wires and filling the rest of the sealed module chamber. In the apparatus, both the flexible bottom sheet and the second flexible top sheet include a polymeric outer layer covering an inorganic non-transparent moisture barrier layer Tedlar (RTM: Polyvinyl fluoride), where the polymeric outer layer includes one of Tedlar (RTM: Polyvinyl fluoride), PVDF, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), perfluoro-alkyl vinyl ether, polyamide and poly(methyl methacrylate). The solar cells include group IB, III or VIA thin film solar cells. In the apparatus (II): the second surfaces of the sealed module chamber and sealed wiring chamber includes a single piece of material that extends over the sealed module chamber and the sealed wiring chamber, where the single piece of material includes a metal layer which inhibits water entry into either the sealed module chamber or sealed wiring chamber; the first surface of the sealed module chamber and the sealed wiring chamber are positioned proximate to each other, where the single piece of material on the second surfaces of the sealed module chamber and the sealed wiring chamber extends onto the first surface of the sealed wiring chamber; the sealed module chamber and the sealed wiring chamber further include an encapsulant to inhibit water entry into the chambers; the junction box is positioned on the first or second surface of the sealed wiring chamber; and the portion of the inner seal wall adjacent the first surface of the sealed module chamber is formed of the insulating film, which comprises a high dielectric PET layer. The apparatus (II) further comprises insulating tubing that extends in the sealed wiring chamber from the inner seal wall to the outer wall proximate the junction box, where the wire is positioned within the insulating tubing to inhibit water entry in the sealed module chamber via the wire.