Cooling Solar Panels

Minus 400W of power to run the pump.....

With a 5kW system, and using the 400w pumps full 400w useage,( I think it is more like 300w once running) that means the net gain is about 8-10%, well worth the effort I think.

I ran experiments in Tucson, AZ comparing the output of cooled and non-cooled solar panels in side to side tests. The cooled panels provided hot water in addition to producing mo less the 20% more power.

First, I am not a solar engineer. I had an idea a couple years ago to use water to cool my panels, a closed system tied to my water heater and forced air cooling/heating system. It would have a small pump and automatic diversion valves to reroute the water according to outside temp.

Water would run at all times, summer and winter. In the summer it would cool and in winter it would warm to keep snow from sticking to the panels.

I'm pretty new to solar panels.

I am currently building my own down here in Houston,tex.

My thought was to sandwich a water flow through 2 glass panels

with the solar cells underneath. facing upward. Using a strong 12 volt water pump

running off my array and using water from my hvac drip pipe I could possibly cool all my panels . Have'nt figured out how to cool the water coming back out yet though.

Also wouldn't the water also magnify sunlight to some extent? And if you dropped it down into a shallow light box, say with mirror tape around the inside edges,

could that solve some problems? I,m working on one now. Any input is appreciated.