Author Topic: pv panel/roof cooling?  (Read 4433 times)

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christian09

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pv panel/roof cooling?
« on: February 21, 2014, 11:08:12 AM »
I have been investigating many ways to cool solar panels, and at the same time cool my roof. I figured this would decrease cooling costs, increase array output by 5-10%, and extend the life of the panels and the roof. I live in Florida, usa, and we use a/c 6 months of the year, and the bills can be high. I have an array that greatly suffers from the Florida heat. I have been looking into using micro irrigation sprayers on the back surface of the solar panels, the water would then stream off onto the roof, thus cooling the roof and panels. I have run tests and know the roof misting gives me a net gain in savings, as I save about $30/mo. in cooling and only use $7 in water.
Couple of questions:
1. Is it ok to mist the back of these panels? It seems like it would be ok, since we get torrential rains that splatter water on the backs of all the outer perimeter panels.

2. If it is ok, since my panels are angled, should I just spray say the top half of each panel, and let the water flow down the rest of the panel?

Thank you.

DamonHD

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Re: pv panel/roof cooling?
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2014, 03:16:18 PM »
PV/T (PV / thermal) panels have built in the ability to circulate fluid to cool the PV and warm the fluid.

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john8750

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Re: pv panel/roof cooling?
« Reply #2 on: February 22, 2014, 12:02:53 AM »
Great idea.  Would the cooling have an effect on the PV cells, reducing power production? I know they run very hot in the sun light.  And will the water turn hot and evaporate in the sun?
I like it....

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Keep the fun in it. Give me sun light.
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DamonHD

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Re: pv panel/roof cooling?
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2014, 03:13:29 AM »
Cooling the PV will make it produce more output.

What you do with the warmed liquid is your business!  Presumably you could run it through radiators in shade to dissipate some heat.

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Mary B

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Re: pv panel/roof cooling?
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2014, 04:49:05 PM »
preheat  your hot water tank... run it under a slab in cooler climates to heat the concrete...

MattM

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Re: pv panel/roof cooling?
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2014, 01:08:22 AM »
PVC pipe can be packed pretty tight, much tighter than say Pex tubing.  If you can collect heat better using an array of PVC, why couldn't one use the same idea to cool their solar cells?  It would need to lay basically under the solar cell array and above an infrared barrier, something simple like foil.  A drain back system should make it easy to design.

XeonPony

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Re: pv panel/roof cooling?
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2014, 01:58:47 PM »
Do you have a suplier and price for them, I am just geting garbage on my searches as I plan to invest in a 1 to 3 Kw array and would definetaly go for some pv/t pannels as that is 100% pure win in every sense
Ignorance is not bliss, You may not know there is a semie behind you but you'll still be a hood ornimant!

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MattM

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Re: pv panel/roof cooling?
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2014, 02:50:51 AM »

XeonPony

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Re: pv panel/roof cooling?
« Reply #8 on: April 18, 2014, 10:09:33 AM »
Do you have a supplier and price for them, I am just getting garbage on my searches as I plan to invest in a 1 to 3 Kw array and would definitely go for some pv/t panels as that is 100% pure win in every sense

I neglected to state I am looking only for the solar/thermal panels. if any one is still looking in this thread.
Ignorance is not bliss, You may not know there is a semie behind you but you'll still be a hood ornimant!

Nothing fails like prayer, Two hands clasped in work will achieve more in a minute then a billion will in a melenia in prayer. In other words go out and do some real good by helping!