Get 4X The Power From Your Solar Panels! - TI Sunday

Today we test out our solar panel reflector design. We start with an overview of possible reflector technologies and then compare two identical solar panels but one has the reflector panels installed.

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[WillProwse]

Yeah this always seems like a good idea with initial testing. But keep in mind that cell degradation increases dramatically when cell temp is increased. These panels are designed to work at the temperatures reached without reflectors. And connected to a load. Even leaving a panel out in the desert, open circuit, will be at a higher temperature than they are designed to work.

Bifacial panels are actually designed to work at higher temps and having a reflector on the back is great. And you will have normal cell degradation rates. Just ensure that there is convective flow under them. Bifacial panels may have a different temperature coefficient, but they still have reduced output at higher temperatures (as do all solar cells!). So lifting them off the mounting surface at least 3 feet is recommended from most sources.

I think reflectors are fantastic for mobile systems that are not outside 365 days a year, and/or if weight is an issue. You can become very creative by making lightweight reflectors. A roll up reflector and certain types of flex panels can work together in this way.

Fun video! Love your content. Been watching for years.

[EduardoLorenzettiPellini]

I'm a electric engineering teacher. Your demonstrations, classes and explanations are one of the best lectures I ever saw. My congratulations for all your dedication. And greetings from Brazil.

[dlombard]

I'm always impressed when someone can speak technically and flawlessly for such a long time. I'm sure there were a few edits here and there, but the quality of the technical presentation was outstanding.

[aaronsmith]

This teacher is a college professor? He knows more than anyone I've heard, he knows his tech. Excellent explanations in video on increasing efficiency in solar panels.😊

[birdseyeview]

I've tried similar methods and, yes, it works, and it works great! While the additional heat does degrade them a bit quicker, you won't notice because they will be gone on the first windy day. A similar panel, on an easel in the yard, became an airplane for a short while and made a not so graceful landing into the bed of a pickup truck two blocks over. Tethers are a good thing.

[Petrolhead]

A new Tech Ingredients video, always endlessly entertaining and informative. Thank you guys for the great content!

[shawncrocker]

I'm always so amazed at how you project such an honestly deep level of understanding of all the technical things you describe. It feels like you are someone that could be questioned endlessly on a topic and all your answers would be genuine with no bull in between. Your descriptions always feel so focused in reality that creating a mental image that sticks is very easy. The math you present always seems well placed where you use it as an aid to come to a conclusion rather than a crutch to compensate for lack of a full embodied understanding.

[devendrabisht]

The single axis tracking aspect of the placed mirrors (without moving the main body) is really a significant value addition to the system 👍

[johnpapa]

Thank you for getting to the point. You are one of the best lecturers I've ever had the privilege to watch.

[shivendrasharma]

I love people with a practical approach rather than bookish knowledge. Thank you Sir

[urbanws]

Would love to see a long term test of this. Please set up and use two panels one standard and one with the reflectors long term and provide the data after each month. Consider adding a third to the testing with cooling to dissapate any extra heat. You make very great videos.

[SOLDbyYOU]

at 7:20… “ they cut out little rings, unulars, concentric rings about the center..”…
A GREAT communicator… a GREAT TEACHER….. will intuitively… will naturally…. Deliver the same critical info in different ways … this teacher organically said the same thing .. repeated the same concept using different word combinations… THREE WAYS….

This guy is a natural teacher…
I hope that he is rewarded accordingly
38x10 to the 27….. thumbs up

[johnwest]

I did this in 1991 when I was living in my RV on a couple of 35 W PV panels for electricity. I used aluminum foil-backed Styrofoam insulation sheets for the reflectors. The panels were what they referred to as 'muds' that I got second hand because they had turned brownish due to someone using reflectors on them and overheating them, causing the adhesives inside to cook. I only used the reflectors in the winter snows up in the CO mountains, so the reflectors didn't appear to do any further harm. (Power output reduced only about 1% over a year.) But they gave me substantially more power with the reflectors, about double. The foil works just fine since getting anywhere close to 100% reflected energy from 2 'wings' will cook the panels anyway, so the attenuation caused by the cheap reflectors works just fine.

[dmdartfx]

I enjoyed your demonstration of how to increase the solar energy. I’ve messed with this quite a bit, 10 yrs ago I used a magnifying glass on a smaller panel & it worked for a short time until it burned out that spot in the panel, then I tried mirrors & the mirrors work better, & didn’t shorten the length of the life of the panel. Although these were very small cells, all which was purchased at a dollar store. Just to see if it would work. I do like your design with it folding. I had a dream of these panels used on a huge scale, & after researching it found that in fact they are building super solar cell collectors. I am always open for learning more about solar & how to get as much power out of them, when others tell me it’s impossible in the area I live to collect enough power. I live in the Midwest. Either way, I’m very happy to have found your channel and learn more about ways to improve. Thank you!

[WalterWittMakes]

Another interesting advantage of this setup is reducing the effect shadows have on solar panels (as made clear by the effect those small branches had in cutting the power output almost in half of the unmodified solar panel) because now the panel is getting light from 3 seperate directions, which will contain different shadow patterns.

[jancorey]

i've watched several of your video's with great pleasure you are highly skilled in both voice and mannerisms along with precise science, so as to leave
me with zero questions.

[FCFDave]

I've been using something similar for over a year now, made from 1/8" aluminum covered with a mylar emergency blanket spray glued on. It easily doubled the power output with nearly no cost (used materials on hand left over from a solar oven build)

[DullPoints]

I really can't get enough of this stuff, it gives me so much hope for the future and that I can make a difference too!

[jacobg]

I'm a solar sales consultant working remote from Brazil. Your videos are the coolest!

[SRHMusic]

Nice setup. Note that with reflectors of a similar area as the panel, the most you can increase irradiance is by 1x per reflector. This is because we're simply reflecting the rays from one adjacent area to the panel. The increase is actually less, because either the angled reflector or the panel are at an angle that is not perpendicular to the incident rays. So two reflectors at an optimal angle can give up to 3x the total output of a single panel at an optimal angle. Achieving 4x or more will require larger or more reflectors. Still, it's a good idea given that the reflectors cost and weigh less than adding another panel or getting higher efficiency panels. edit- Note the voltage at the single panel is low, about 14V. The optimal voltage probably doesn't change much with irradiance, but the optimal load does. That's what maximium power point tracking controllers take care of. In this case it's likely the panel would generate more power when presented a more optimal load.