My solar PV thread

[oil pan 4]

After more testing my approximately 15 degrees tilt neted up to 10% more daily power. That's still only like $4 or $5 per panel more per year.
During the summer I may not get little if any more power. From the added tilt.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

After more testing my approximately 15 degrees tilt neted up to 10% more daily power. That's still only like $4 or $5 per panel more per year.
During the summer I may not get little if any more power. From the added tilt.

AeroStealth lives north of Las Cruces, and he always observes reduced output from his PV array because of summer temps.
A neighbor where I live had a solar-tracker mount for his PVs, which had two degrees of freedom, vertical and horizontal. as it followed from sunrise to sunset. Same deal with summer performance.
Mine were fixed at 33-degrees for my latitude, at true-south, and also fell off in the summer.

[Logic]

Originally Posted by aerohead

AeroStealth lives north of Las Cruces, and he always observes reduced output from his PV array because of summer temps.
A neighbor where I live had a solar-tracker mount for his PVs, which had two degrees of freedom, vertical and horizontal. as it followed from sunrise to sunset. Same deal with summer performance.
Mine were fixed at 33-degrees for my latitude, at true-south, and also fell off in the summer.

Yes Solar Cells like to be cool.
More efficient and higher output. Longer lifespan.
There's all sorts of studies and videos on cooling them:
Water sprays from above and below.
Heatsinks and water cooling blocks.
Damp clay. (evaporative)
Low Watt Fans. With and without the above.
etc-etc.

I think a generous gap between them and the roof, or whatever they're mounted on, for any breeze to get under is a simple start.
On the ground in dry areas; Well watered shade plants so you get leaf evaporative cooling in said 'under breeze'..?? and over..??
Lush gardens are just cooler where its dry.

Then that solar reflective paint if there's any excess roof or ground surrounding the panels.
And especially if they're Bifacial.

[Logic]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

After more testing my approximately 15 degrees tilt neted up to 10% more daily power. That's still only like $4 or $5 per panel more per year.
During the summer I may not get little if any more power. From the added tilt.

So that's 15 deg more South right?
From? East? West? If you said; I missed it.

Does your software give a graph for the day?
To see if there's more usable power in the morning/evening for E/W vs S..?
Fun with Solar!?

[Logic]

Originally Posted by freebeard

The only reference to bifacial was a big TBD..

He has a whole lot of videos looking at all sorts of 'this vs that' with well documented results:
https://www.youtube.com/@ProjectsWit...query=bifacial

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by aerohead

AeroStealth lives north of Las Cruces, and he always observes reduced output from his PV array because of summer temps.
A neighbor where I live had a solar-tracker mount for his PVs, which had two degrees of freedom, vertical and horizontal. as it followed from sunrise to sunset. Same deal with summer performance.
Mine were fixed at 33-degrees for my latitude, at true-south, and also fell off in the summer.

That was same day comparison to other panels.
Trackers explode the price of an install. Talking 2x to 4x more money for around 50% more power and that assuming the trackers last as long as the panels which they don't, they'll be the first thing to break.
I thought only the government can afford to blow money like that.

[oil pan 4]

USAA says that hail storm back in the end of may totalled 80% of the vehicle that it hit in my county.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

USAA says that hail storm back in the end of may totalled 80% of the vehicle that it hit in my county.

Why are 80%+ vehicles parked outside instead of garaged?

[Logic]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

That was same day comparison to other panels.
Trackers explode the price of an install. Talking 2x to 4x more money for around 50% more power and that assuming the trackers last as long as the panels which they don't, they'll be the first thing to break.
I thought only the government can afford to blow money like that.

I dont think the tracker was THE POINT oil pan:
The point was the fact that HEAT DECREASES EFFICIENCY and panel lifespan.

So what are easy ways to keep panels cool?
1st would be a decent sized gap between panels and roof or whatever so a breeze can get at the bottom.

IMHO 2nd would be well watered plants underneath and around as they evaporate water into the atmosphere and Evap cooling is the most efficient cooling you can get. That's why it's cooler under a tree than it is under a roof...

That all goes to hell in humid climates, so you could move to Zaire (or whatever its called this year) if you felt like taking a dump on some facts..?

[oil pan 4]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Why are 80%+ vehicles parked outside instead of garaged?

That's the number that had claims made against them. If the car was in a garage, or in the next town over it wouldn't have had a claim made.
It hit in the middle of the day so most people were likely at work.