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For the shattered panel: solar panels have a nifty trick that if you feed them power they emit IR light. Some cameras can see this light, especially at night. You can test if your camera can capture it if it can see the flashing IR LED from your TV remote. Backfeding the panel like that will show you how much of the panel is out of circuit because of the damage and allow you to show it to the viewers that want you to attempt fixing the shattered panel.
Oh come off it..... current can flow only in one direction in panels these days..... and if you try to push it... you'll just end up burning the diodes....
While I worry that your neighbors may be starting to panic about the average guy with the tarp and broken solar contraption out in his driveway, I admire fact that you’re willing to sacrifice your local social dignity for the advancement of solar science. I salute you sir! 🫡
I love that you try out different things to see what works best. Watch all your videos and thank you for hoping out others when the power went out because of the storm. Keep up the great work.
I would like to see how much power you could get out of the panel if they were flipped with the back side towards the sun, especially the cracked panel.
I've done the same tests for my bifacial panels and only seen about a 30 watt gain , not really worth all the effort in my opinion BUT I love the panels. They come close to their rated output which single side panel never do and in the winter and spring they really pay off output wise . In the spring when its cool and cloudy out I've seen over 1000 watts out of the 2 panels rated at 415 watts. It would also help to rase the panels up 3 or 4 feet off the ground.
Everyone must assess value for themselves - tests like this help with this decision. In a grid power-down situation, every watt counts and these panels may be worthwhile. The bottom line is to optimize so that the front side gets optimum output (your 1000 watts?). Try to help the backside with some ideas posted here but take whatever the backside produces.
YES! Let's see the MAX you can squeeze from that other side (mirrors, aluminum, solar blanket, etc.). Oh, and please keep up the process of flipping the panel over to see what the max watts are you can get just from the back-side!
Cool to see that bifacial panels actually perform. Just that they are glass on the back side is really cool because you don't have to worry about those plastic coatings cracking and peeling off the back side.
We have a bank of 12 SEG 405w bi-facial panels facing do south that hit 6,094 watts on August 17th at 01:52. That is 102.83 watts per panel over rated output. This is not an isolated case. We got 36 of them from Signature Solar. i think Sirius uses the same cells.
Joe I will donate a couple 2x10 if you could elevate those solar panels so the panel isn’f shading the ground as much. I’m planning an ground mount solar array with space underneath so I can get some primary reflected light under my panels and I would love to see a comparison of output from shaded reflected source vs not shaded. If I can get more power from less panels by maximizing the bifacial output I might be able to offset the costs of the ground mount. Eventually build out my mini powerstation while still having space underneath so I can still enjoy my yard.
Yes Joe, put some of that ½ inch foam board with the foil on one side. Plus put some on the sides aiming towards the bottom. Try the white side and the foil side. Great videos. I have several cracked panels too. So come up with a good fix for mine too. BTW are you an amateur radio operator? I noticed your tower sections.
White plastic would seem nearly ideal. Agree with the other commenter that white plastic behind the panel as well as under the panel would be interesting to see.. Thanks for the effort!
Joe, I’m actually getting quite a bit of insight from your tests. Been watching your channel for a couple of years and this is my first comment. Okay, yes. PLEASE do a better reflective test using foil. For sure. But- take it next level and also test with MIRRORS. I’m sure if you visit a salvage yard, you can borrow a truck bed full of old medicine cabinet mirrors. It would also be super interesting to do a FLIP and see what you get with the panel inverted. Maybe do some maths and see what your absolute max is on the flip and do a nice little chart on what you can achieve inverted vs mirror vs concrete vs grass (yes, I know… another test). Do it man! You rock, doing the tests nobody else does!! About the crashed panel… try just wiping some motor oil on the face to fill the cracks. I betcha that will bump up the wattage. Thanks man! Keep on with the fun tests!
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Something people have been testing is standing the panes straight up and putting the main face pointing south southeast.. This puts them under a lot of wind pressure at times so I don't know how safe or durable it would be.. Having the panel on a white base should give both side a lot of light.. The shattered panel could be repaired with clear acrylic spray that would soak into all those cracks and make it stable..
1:54... That why I pre-drill holes for the screws on the ends of lumber..😉 4:53... Is it just me or does the panel look like it's covered in dust ? 7:44.. Was that an Air Biscuit ?...🤣 8:38... Another one ? Did you have beans for breakfast..😂
Lol yeah the 2x4 split😆. Yess 100% saw all the dust in the video. Was to bright so I didnt notice that day but will clean the panel next test. Air biscuits all around😆😆😆
Interesting video. Maybe in the winter you might get the 530W. With Bifacial panels you would need more space between panels to take advantage of the bottom side.
Idea: grab some walmart or HD cheapo door mirrors and lay them on the ground behind and see how much it improves gain. Bet its significant. Thanks for your average joe testing! And for fun, spray the hose on it to see if thst helps in any way, check temp before and after, too (for each test)... Fun!
I have white landscaping frost cover material as well as a car windshield visor (the silver shiney stuff). I want to try them bothe when my panels get here this weekend.
I am trying white coroplast panels (Hi-Core) as a reflective material under my 405 Watt bifacial panels on the flat house roof. No measurements yet. The 4 x 8 panels are flexible and masy be angled somewhat. Like the tarp, the coroplast panel is light and may be moved or twisted by the wind. Got to anchor the panel with some weights. I use bricks.
A repair attempt with epoxy or urethane might be worth a try. I'm with the other commentors that would like to know what the test would show if the panels were flipped bottom side up just to know. I bought one of the meters you have and now have tested all my panels mostly small or foldable. They all fall short of the max rating but do better than I was expecting. Horus almost went to his dressing room after that close up.
I've done this with a shattered panel, and I was able to get it to 90% of original functionality. Nothing fancy, just some clear epoxy from my local Ace hardware
Here in Europe, they install mounted directly to struts on the roof, which means the panels are only a few inches above a clay tile (or slate in some cases). Some installers say they will still gain from the rear surface, whereas others say there is minimal scope for reflection under those circumstances, so it's not worth paying for bi-facial. Be nice to see what you measure with such a close fit and poor reflective surface? One of the main suppliers local to me in the UK pushes Rea or JA Solar bi-facials. Trouble is you'd never know what's really true unless you try both ways....
Should have tested grass vs white tarp. Also, some sort of angled white pieces to reflect more of the light on to the back. Some sort of oil based varnish/poly so that it seeps into the pores of the shattered glass may reduce the diffusion and increase the output.
Thanks for this test. Please do the foil or sun blanket or something. I'm looking at how these panels function for you to determine if it's actually worth the investment based on the gain.
If it was my only solar panel and being that it’s bifacial I’d just flip it upside down and run it til the wheels fell off. Prolly have to drill a small drain hole in the framing for rain to escape.
Could you do a video that has a white tarp (3", 12", 24", ... to the max ) behind it, then use one of those "thermal blankets" that are quite reflective.... As there might/could be a sweet spot of "distance behind" with one type of "material". Maybe even a mirror to see if that would do anything. Just don't "cook" the solar panel.
Would you mind testing 80 degrees vertical SE/SW facing bifacial vs your 29 to 30 degree nromal south facing? Not sure if you can test the daily full production of 2 at a time. I have one of them eg4 mini splits to install, and I was going to use 4 or 6 of the 400 watt bifacial aptos panels on it, but I was thinking facing half SE, and half SW, and somewhere I read 80 degrees vertical is superior to 90 degrees, and or 30 degrees south with the bifacials. Thank you for all these videos.
Hi Joe! Nice testing rack... just one thing on your test: I'm almost sure you turned the panel to the East and not to the West as you pointed out... If the panel is looking South and you turn it left, then is East (from where the Sun comes up every day)😁😁😁. Also, what's the name of the app on your phone to calculate the inclination of the panel... looks cool😎😎!! Keep up the good testing...!!!👍👍
🫣🤫Yep... you are correct🤦♂️lol Im not sure how and why I kept saying AND putting on the screen. Yes 100% the panels were facing East and I am an idiot. The app is called bubble level. 🤘
Ok Joe time for a nonsense test. Do the I had to many cold snacks while installing my panels test and see what they put out with the back side facing up instead lol.
The crack panel belongs in the trash, but I could see a repair video maybe being helpful to people who got their panels off the roadway and can't afford new ones. Even if it fails and the panel is worse, they'll know what not to do. lol
The cracked panel could be used on a shed for lightning and an old car battery or old lithium battery. Don't junk it like others say. Good off grid folks use everything eventually a few times.
How about aluminum foil on a thin board behind the panels. 1/4” insulation board has a very shiny reflective surface and would be weather resistant. More expensive than foil but easier to mount and maintain. I love the idea of bifacial but they require some additional logistics to make them worth it. IMHO 🙏🏻. Great videos brother!
@@AveRage_Joe Yes sir! I used to put that stuff under our soft side pool and it was devastatingly blinding with the silver side up. Great job on the tests. Of course someone in the peanut gallery will always have complaints. Don’t sweat it brother, you’re doing great. I watch all your videos. Your DIY solar journey looks a lot like mine. 🫡
There should be very thin highly polished stainless steel sheets that I have seen being used as mirrors.... Might work better than just using something white?
Here’s another thought. What if we could cool the panel down to closer to 100. Would it make closer to its stated output? Maybe put a fan on it. Maybe.
I wonder how much power a bifacial will produce on the back side in direct sun? Flip the panel over so it's bottom up. Just wondrin'. Thanks for your consideration.
@@AveRage_Joe Awesome! I'll go check 'em out now. Been trying to get caught up on my viewing due to work being well, work. Thanks for the reply and the informative and fun videos. Peace! 🤙 (Please give the cat a little run behind the ears for me. ♥)
Joe, suggestion, instead of placing the tarp on the ground, how about hanging it vertically about 3 to 10 feet BEHIND the panel? it would seem that the reflection would be stronger to the back side of the panel. btw - love your channel, been watching it for years russ from Ocala, Florida
@@AveRage_Joe i'd be interested in that. for your panels on the side of the house, you could put something white up against the wall o' the house, maybe.
@@AveRage_Joe If you wanna go wild. You should do a panel over grass, one like this and one like op is talking about. But you also need to raise the panel so its at least 32" off the ground add 1/3rd of what the panel is over 6ft. You should be shocked at the overall increase, if you leave them up all day. Because it's the off hours/season that this really shines.
@@AveRage_Joe MY dad, my brother and I all live within 1mile with my dad and I living next door to one another. We all have the exact same "systems" the ONLY difference is mounting. My brother has his roof mounted and gets 140Kw in the summer 50Kw in the winter. My dad went with the EG4 ground mount to spec but has gravel under it and he gets 160KW in the summer and 65KW in the winter. I have the same EG4 mounts but 36" off the ground for winter tilt, have them set-up 15ft from the white barn on the edge of the whitewash patio I will get like 170Kw and 75Kw. Because of this all I need to do is add batteries help my system. They have to add inverters and more panels to get the power needed to even max the batteries they have out and then get more batteries. It's WILD to me how much planning and mounting play into this and isn't talked about enough or really at all! Its just inverters and panels as a whole thats talked about
I think you went out of your way to accomidate us with your tests, thankyou ! When you were moving the panel around you were talking about off angle losses and you even took a measurement (with lower watts reading) ------ There is a formula for figuring that out (cannot find it right now) but solar panels are actually very forgiving and they have an oval sweet spot and generally solar panels only lose about 8% production when the sun is (off angle) by up to about 15 degrees. When the sun is off angle by more than 20% (sun off angle) that is when a solar panels production losses really start going up.
@AveRage_Joe he used the mirrored silver stuff , stuck it to the roof a few inches under the panel , I expect heat will be more of an issue as well so may negate some of the gain ?
Considering the shattered panel making 170 watts, that’s a pretty robust source of energy! Imagine if you dropped an average gas powered generator off the back of a truck.. It might still work or it might not produce any power at all!
If the trucks battery is 123kwh and it was empty or close to dead. Lets say one gets about 5-6hours of peak sun. You would need around 23kw of solar. Maybe a little less cause you charge before and after the "peak" sun as well. Lets say 20kwh of solar.
Hiya Joe. For solar panels the maximum usable refraction of light from another surface comes from pure white Flat or Semi-gloss. Reflectivity from glossy or purely-reflective surfaces emits less usable frequencies of light for the solar cells to convert (less power). That white tarp would be considered glossy. White rocks is probably your best bet for a permanent install, but snow works fantastic for us northerners ;)
It was not a good test because if you want a much more reliable answer you first need to know what the best angle for the installation from the reflective material is, and what the best feasible or affordable reflective material is. And after you have that sorted out and tested you can really tell if it is worth to have any reflective material at all. A tarp is most certainly not the best possible reflective material. And your angle was also not the most optimal angle. Far from it as far as I am concerned. With your solar array that is located at ground level you have a wall in the back. I was thinking about hanging something reflective on that wall so that you get a much better angle to reflect sunlight towards the back of the solar panel. Even a regular mirror would be a great test.
I would expect a mirror do more than a white sheet, not sure all that is worth it, where you place a white sheet might as well be another panel. I don't know the cost of dual, so :shrugs: ...
Once again.... you have your panel facing the east west direction.... wrong move.... for a bifacial it would be advisable to have it facing the south with the reflective surface atleast 9 times bigger than the solar plate so as to actually be able to test the reflective output from any side as the sun moves along . If you have the panel facing the east you're going to have the shadow of the panel itself for half the day right behind the panel and for the other half the upper face of the panel will have the shadow and you'll make only half the power from the underside.... logic......
yeah, i'm also wondering if these bifacial panels can generate the same power on both sides, and if mounting it with the wrong side up makes a difference. if yes you can have them mounted perpendicular and have mirrors bounce light onto both sides.
Over panel. Helping a neighbor with his system and he can’t figure out why he’s not getting the full wattage 😂 A cloud passing by ruins everything. How many blue sky days do you get? They are rated at perfect conditions. I only use used panels and you will never get what you think you will. Over panel 😊
Mirror or GTFO!!! I kid, I kid! I have always been curious about exactly this, especially with snow. Not that in Aus we see any, but for places with clear skies and snow, I can see it being a big deal in winter.
@@CotyRiddle okay, but the other side isnt shattered. so depending on the bifaciality and how much light was getting blocked by the shattered, would be interesting to see the numbers.
This is why you should do this same test in the winter on a cloudy sky with no specific direction of sun. Biracial panels will make the most (percentage) difference on this kind of day when the extra power is needed most. The reflection method this guy used was kind of weak, the reflective material area should ideally be 6-8 times the surface area of the panel at the elevated height he was using. Doing this test in the summer when light source is highly directional (point source) will be less effective than on winter day with no directional light source (shadowless). th-cam.com/video/PL17WVBvT4c/w-d-xo.htmlsi=tSrojk51-vxjPda7
![ละลาย (LALALYE) - DAOU PITTAYA ต้าห์อู๋ พิทยา [OFFICIAL MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wo6r9TgausI/mqdefault.jpg)
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Checkout Qsil 216 for repairing the glass on the panel. May work if there's not too many of the cells broken
For the shattered panel: solar panels have a nifty trick that if you feed them power they emit IR light. Some cameras can see this light, especially at night. You can test if your camera can capture it if it can see the flashing IR LED from your TV remote. Backfeding the panel like that will show you how much of the panel is out of circuit because of the damage and allow you to show it to the viewers that want you to attempt fixing the shattered panel.
For REAL?😲😲 Im gonna test that!
@@AveRage_Joe I don't know if the bypass diode interferes with it but I know the effect is real
Oh come off it..... current can flow only in one direction in panels these days..... and if you try to push it... you'll just end up burning the diodes....
@@alokkadam4416"why all solar panels are secretly LEDs (and all LEDs are secretly solar panels)" by Steve Mould
@@alokkadam4416 This i a real effect. Manufacturers use it as a quality control check.
While I worry that your neighbors may be starting to panic about the average guy with the tarp and broken solar contraption out in his driveway, I admire fact that you’re willing to sacrifice your local social dignity for the advancement of solar science. I salute you sir! 🫡
Lol Thank You! Were doing Science😆
not to mention the groundhogs!
F the neighbors ..😅 this is what needed to fugure thungs out
I love that you try out different things to see what works best. Watch all your videos and thank you for hoping out others when the power went out because of the storm. Keep up the great work.
I would like to see how much power you could get out of the panel if they were flipped with the back side towards the sun, especially the cracked panel.
I did when in the first video amd the cloudy day video BUT without the tarp.💥🤘
I've done the same tests for my bifacial panels and only seen about a 30 watt gain , not really worth all the effort in my opinion BUT I love the panels. They come close to their rated output which single side panel never do and in the winter and spring they really pay off output wise . In the spring when its cool and cloudy out I've seen over 1000 watts out of the 2 panels rated at 415 watts.
It would also help to rase the panels up 3 or 4 feet off the ground.
Nice! Yes all my panels do so great during those times. Crazy is cause my AC is usually off during it🙄🤦♂️😆🤘
Everyone must assess value for themselves - tests like this help with this decision. In a grid power-down situation, every watt counts and these panels may be worthwhile. The bottom line is to optimize so that the front side gets optimum output (your 1000 watts?). Try to help the backside with some ideas posted here but take whatever the backside produces.
If your panel output is about 400 on average , a 30w gain is almost 10% compound it over time and it wil be worth it
YES! Let's see the MAX you can squeeze from that other side (mirrors, aluminum, solar blanket, etc.). Oh, and please keep up the process of flipping the panel over to see what the max watts are you can get just from the back-side!
Cool to see that bifacial panels actually perform. Just that they are glass on the back side is really cool because you don't have to worry about those plastic coatings cracking and peeling off the back side.
We have a bank of 12 SEG 405w bi-facial panels facing do south that hit 6,094 watts on August 17th at 01:52. That is 102.83 watts per panel over rated output. This is not an isolated case. We got 36 of them from Signature Solar. i think Sirius uses the same cells.
😲😲Thats Amazing!🤘
Joe I will donate a couple 2x10 if you could elevate those solar panels so the panel isn’f shading the ground as much. I’m planning an ground mount solar array with space underneath so I can get some primary reflected light under my panels and I would love to see a comparison of output from shaded reflected source vs not shaded. If I can get more power from less panels by maximizing the bifacial output I might be able to offset the costs of the ground mount. Eventually build out my mini powerstation while still having space underneath so I can still enjoy my yard.
Yes Joe, put some of that ½ inch foam board with the foil on one side. Plus put some on the sides aiming towards the bottom. Try the white side and the foil side. Great videos. I have several cracked panels too. So come up with a good fix for mine too. BTW are you an amateur radio operator? I noticed your tower sections.
Would love to have seen you put the panel sideways up as high as possible on that mount I think you would have seen even more watts
White plastic would seem nearly ideal. Agree with the other commenter that white plastic behind the panel as well as under the panel would be interesting to see.. Thanks for the effort!
Joe, I’m actually getting quite a bit of insight from your tests. Been watching your channel for a couple of years and this is my first comment.
Okay, yes. PLEASE do a better reflective test using foil. For sure. But- take it next level and also test with MIRRORS. I’m sure if you visit a salvage yard, you can borrow a truck bed full of old medicine cabinet mirrors.
It would also be super interesting to do a FLIP and see what you get with the panel inverted. Maybe do some maths and see what your absolute max is on the flip and do a nice little chart on what you can achieve inverted vs mirror vs concrete vs grass (yes, I know… another test). Do it man! You rock, doing the tests nobody else does!!
About the crashed panel… try just wiping some motor oil on the face to fill the cracks. I betcha that will bump up the wattage.
Thanks man! Keep on with the fun tests!
Something people have been testing is standing the panes straight up and putting the main face pointing south southeast.. This puts them under a lot of wind pressure at times so I don't know how safe or durable it would be.. Having the panel on a white base should give both side a lot of light.. The shattered panel could be repaired with clear acrylic spray that would soak into all those cracks and make it stable..
1:54... That why I pre-drill holes for the screws on the ends of lumber..😉
4:53... Is it just me or does the panel look like it's covered in dust ?
7:44.. Was that an Air Biscuit ?...🤣 8:38... Another one ? Did you have beans for breakfast..😂
Don’t forget to use a countersink bit
Lol yeah the 2x4 split😆. Yess 100% saw all the dust in the video. Was to bright so I didnt notice that day but will clean the panel next test. Air biscuits all around😆😆😆
That would have been better for sure😁
Interesting video. Maybe in the winter you might get the 530W. With Bifacial panels you would need more space between panels to take advantage of the bottom side.
Idea: grab some walmart or HD cheapo door mirrors and lay them on the ground behind and see how much it improves gain. Bet its significant. Thanks for your average joe testing! And for fun, spray the hose on it to see if thst helps in any way, check temp before and after, too (for each test)... Fun!
Great test to see whether its worth re painting your roof white.
I have white landscaping frost cover material as well as a car windshield visor (the silver shiney stuff). I want to try them bothe when my panels get here this weekend.
Add a white fence to the white tarp, a few feet behind the shadow of the panel.
I’m glad we talked you into doing that 😎
HAA😁🤘
I am trying white coroplast panels (Hi-Core) as a reflective material under my 405 Watt bifacial panels on the flat house roof. No measurements yet. The 4 x 8 panels are flexible and masy be angled somewhat. Like the tarp, the coroplast panel is light and may be moved or twisted by the wind. Got to anchor the panel with some weights. I use bricks.
A repair attempt with epoxy or urethane might be worth a try. I'm with the other commentors that would like to know what the test would show if the panels were flipped bottom side up just to know. I bought one of the meters you have and now have tested all my panels mostly small or foldable. They all fall short of the max rating but do better than I was expecting. Horus almost went to his dressing room after that close up.
I've done this with a shattered panel, and I was able to get it to 90% of original functionality. Nothing fancy, just some clear epoxy from my local Ace hardware
For some average testing this is pretty cool!
Coat it with clear urethane, it worked for me!
Clear Urethane ✔️. Ill put it on the list!😁🤘
Bifacial panels are best in winter and high angle situations...
Here in Europe, they install mounted directly to struts on the roof, which means the panels are only a few inches above a clay tile (or slate in some cases).
Some installers say they will still gain from the rear surface, whereas others say there is minimal scope for reflection under those circumstances, so it's not worth paying for bi-facial.
Be nice to see what you measure with such a close fit and poor reflective surface?
One of the main suppliers local to me in the UK pushes Rea or JA Solar bi-facials. Trouble is you'd never know what's really true unless you try both ways....
Timestamp 7:45
🤫😉😆
Should have tested grass vs white tarp. Also, some sort of angled white pieces to reflect more of the light on to the back. Some sort of oil based varnish/poly so that it seeps into the pores of the shattered glass may reduce the diffusion and increase the output.
the shatter panel is half dead. even if he *sealed it* the performance gain would be minimal at best.
great video, in my opinion repairing that panel would cost more than the panel is worth.
cool video. I think it would have been interesting to just turn the broken panel so the shattered part was facing down....
Thanks for this test. Please do the foil or sun blanket or something. I'm looking at how these panels function for you to determine if it's actually worth the investment based on the gain.
Well geter done!😁🤘
Maybe try Reflective Roll Insulation. Easier to lay out than foil.
With snow you get a lot more. I have 30kwp of bifacial and they exceed that by 30% in the winter on snow and cold. Snow must reflect a lot more
Snow is tiny multifaceted crystals of water, so yes it reflects very well.
In researching for a completely closed greenhouse, white vinyl is a percent or two off of perfect for light reflectivity
I like that!
If it was my only solar panel and being that it’s bifacial I’d just flip it upside down and run it til the wheels fell off. Prolly have to drill a small drain hole in the framing for rain to escape.
Could you do a video that has a white tarp (3", 12", 24", ... to the max ) behind it, then use one of those "thermal blankets" that are quite reflective....
As there might/could be a sweet spot of "distance behind" with one type of "material".
Maybe even a mirror to see if that would do anything.
Just don't "cook" the solar panel.
Would you mind testing 80 degrees vertical SE/SW facing bifacial vs your 29 to 30 degree nromal south facing? Not sure if you can test the daily full production of 2 at a time. I have one of them eg4 mini splits to install, and I was going to use 4 or 6 of the 400 watt bifacial aptos panels on it, but I was thinking facing half SE, and half SW, and somewhere I read 80 degrees vertical is superior to 90 degrees, and or 30 degrees south with the bifacials. Thank you for all these videos.
Great testing! Thank you!
I think the tarp is good at representing snow. Foil wouldn't be representing much, unless you're emulating a tin roof.
I think it would be cool to take apart that broken panel and make a custom sized panel👍
Hi Joe! Nice testing rack... just one thing on your test: I'm almost sure you turned the panel to the East and not to the West as you pointed out... If the panel is looking South and you turn it left, then is East (from where the Sun comes up every day)😁😁😁.
Also, what's the name of the app on your phone to calculate the inclination of the panel... looks cool😎😎!!
Keep up the good testing...!!!👍👍
🫣🤫Yep... you are correct🤦♂️lol Im not sure how and why I kept saying AND putting on the screen. Yes 100% the panels were facing East and I am an idiot. The app is called bubble level. 🤘
@@AveRage_Joe No sweat... Shit happens... 😂😂🤣🤣
@Songomx TROOF🤣
Ok Joe time for a nonsense test. Do the I had to many cold snacks while installing my panels test and see what they put out with the back side facing up instead lol.
The crack panel belongs in the trash, but I could see a repair video maybe being helpful to people who got their panels off the roadway and can't afford new ones. Even if it fails and the panel is worse, they'll know what not to do. lol
I agree with all of this😆💥🤘
Possibly a clear resin pour, it'd seal it and is relatively optically clear ?
@Dirt-Diggler Thats an idea. Ill have to see what the cost is. What about panel/glass flex? You think it would re-crack? Its pretty "floppy"😉🤭
The cracked panel could be used on a shed for lightning and an old car battery or old lithium battery. Don't junk it like others say. Good off grid folks use everything eventually a few times.
@@AveRage_Joe that's a point, I've only used resin on wood 😳 it does set pretty hard 😵
Thanks Joe 👍
How about aluminum foil on a thin board behind the panels. 1/4” insulation board has a very shiny reflective surface and would be weather resistant. More expensive than foil but easier to mount and maintain. I love the idea of bifacial but they require some additional logistics to make them worth it. IMHO 🙏🏻. Great videos brother!
I said this in the original video. Put the aluminum foil 2inch away from the pannel.
Hmmm...yeah that might work!🤘
Is that what you mentioned? The foam board with tinfoil on it? 🤦♂️ I musta missed that.🙄😁
@@AveRage_Joe Yes sir! I used to put that stuff under our soft side pool and it was devastatingly blinding with the silver side up. Great job on the tests. Of course someone in the peanut gallery will always have complaints. Don’t sweat it brother, you’re doing great. I watch all your videos. Your DIY solar journey looks a lot like mine. 🫡
Would love to see bifacial test with grass versus white tarp vs a large mirror
If I had a large mirror I would try that!!
I have a question. They sell glass crack or scratch repair, could something like that be used to repair the damaged panel?
There should be very thin highly polished stainless steel sheets that I have seen being used as mirrors.... Might work better than just using something white?
Here’s another thought. What if we could cool the panel down to closer to 100. Would it make closer to its stated output? Maybe put a fan on it. Maybe.
Some use misters to cool arrays. Id do it if I got free water😁
I wonder how much power a bifacial will produce on the back side in direct sun? Flip the panel over so it's bottom up. Just wondrin'. Thanks for your consideration.
Check out the last 2 videos and I show that!🤘
@@AveRage_Joe Awesome! I'll go check 'em out now. Been trying to get caught up on my viewing due to work being well, work. Thanks for the reply and the informative and fun videos. Peace! 🤙 (Please give the cat a little run behind the ears for me. ♥)
I wouldn't try to repair the smashed panel. I would like to know if cells from the panel could be salvaged, for other uses (to be determined).
Joe, suggestion, instead of placing the tarp on the ground, how about hanging it vertically about 3 to 10 feet BEHIND the panel? it would seem that the reflection would be stronger to the back side of the panel.
btw - love your channel, been watching it for years
russ from Ocala, Florida
Well giver a go! Thanks for your years of watching😬😆🤘
@@AveRage_Joe i'd be interested in that. for your panels on the side of the house, you could put something white up against the wall o' the house, maybe.
@@AveRage_Joe If you wanna go wild. You should do a panel over grass, one like this and one like op is talking about. But you also need to raise the panel so its at least 32" off the ground add 1/3rd of what the panel is over 6ft.
You should be shocked at the overall increase, if you leave them up all day. Because it's the off hours/season that this really shines.
@@AveRage_Joe MY dad, my brother and I all live within 1mile with my dad and I living next door to one another. We all have the exact same "systems" the ONLY difference is mounting. My brother has his roof mounted and gets 140Kw in the summer 50Kw in the winter. My dad went with the EG4 ground mount to spec but has gravel under it and he gets 160KW in the summer and 65KW in the winter. I have the same EG4 mounts but 36" off the ground for winter tilt, have them set-up 15ft from the white barn on the edge of the whitewash patio I will get like 170Kw and 75Kw.
Because of this all I need to do is add batteries help my system. They have to add inverters and more panels to get the power needed to even max the batteries they have out and then get more batteries.
It's WILD to me how much planning and mounting play into this and isn't talked about enough or really at all! Its just inverters and panels as a whole thats talked about
I think you went out of your way to accomidate us with your tests, thankyou ! When you were moving the panel around you were talking about off angle losses and you even took a measurement (with lower watts reading) ------ There is a formula for figuring that out (cannot find it right now) but solar panels are actually very forgiving and they have an oval sweet spot and generally solar panels only lose about 8% production when the sun is (off angle) by up to about 15 degrees. When the sun is off angle by more than 20% (sun off angle) that is when a solar panels production losses really start going up.
HOWdy A-R-J, ...
Thanks
COOP
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YOO!🤘
You should use confetti under the panel!!!!
The best result would be to put a reflective surface behind the panel in the sun and shine the reflection onto the back of the panel.
Well giver a go!🤘
I know someone with bifacial on his van roof, he placed a sheet of Mylar under it 👍
Like white mylar🤔
@AveRage_Joe he used the mirrored silver stuff , stuck it to the roof a few inches under the panel , I expect heat will be more of an issue as well so may negate some of the gain ?
I wonder what the readings would be if the panel was clean. Or the white tarp being vertical a couple of feet behind the panel?
Try flipping the shattered panel over so the back of the panel is on the top
I recently had 2 panels smashed by an idiot and a weedwhacker. I sprayed them horizontal with Tremclad clear, 1 can per panel to keep out moisture.
3:05 is when the content starts.
What if you put a mirror behind the panel, like you did first with the cardboard?
Get board and test upright with snow on the ground.
Considering the shattered panel making 170 watts, that’s a pretty robust source of energy! Imagine if you dropped an average gas powered generator off the back of a truck.. It might still work or it might not produce any power at all!
FACTS!!🤔😎
Yeah......SOLAR BLANKET good idea !
raise to at least 3 ft above the ground and yes try to fix the panel
I think I would have gone a bit further and face the panel away from the sun and angle it so there was no shading on the tarp.
Would've been curious to see that panel just flip it over (back side towards sun) - especially for the broken one.
We tested the front and back side of both in the first vid and cloudy vid. Not with tarp tho😆💥🤘
@@AveRage_Joe ahh yea I forgot about that. A lot of TH-cam water under the bridge since then ;)
What about using a mirror under the panel?
Lots of good suggestions below -- should be hours of fun.
OK, how many panels would you need on an average day to recharge a cybertruck?
If the trucks battery is 123kwh and it was empty or close to dead. Lets say one gets about 5-6hours of peak sun. You would need around 23kw of solar. Maybe a little less cause you charge before and after the "peak" sun as well. Lets say 20kwh of solar.
Hiya Joe. For solar panels the maximum usable refraction of light from another surface comes from pure white Flat or Semi-gloss. Reflectivity from glossy or purely-reflective surfaces emits less usable frequencies of light for the solar cells to convert (less power). That white tarp would be considered glossy. White rocks is probably your best bet for a permanent install, but snow works fantastic for us northerners ;)
Really! You would think some glossy stuff would be great🤷♂️😁
Broken panel would be good charge source for 12v system
It was not a good test because if you want a much more reliable answer you first need to know what the best angle for the installation from the reflective material is, and what the best feasible or affordable reflective material is. And after you have that sorted out and tested you can really tell if it is worth to have any reflective material at all. A tarp is most certainly not the best possible reflective material. And your angle was also not the most optimal angle. Far from it as far as I am concerned.
With your solar array that is located at ground level you have a wall in the back. I was thinking about hanging something reflective on that wall so that you get a much better angle to reflect sunlight towards the back of the solar panel. Even a regular mirror would be a great test.
Fare Enough! I could improve on this! Mirror may make the next test! Oh and THANK YOU for Subscribing for 15 Years!!! WHOA😲💥🤘
@@AveRage_Joe You're welcome. And indeed I subscribed many years ago....lol 👍
Flip the broken panel good side up, or bottom side up
Repair with a sledge hammer lol. Good test
100%🔨🔨🔨😆
I would expect a mirror do more than a white sheet, not sure all that is worth it, where you place a white sheet might as well be another panel. I don't know the cost of dual, so :shrugs: ...
Try some a liquid acrylic to try and repair it
Yes test it with a solar blanket and tinfoil 😊
Once again.... you have your panel facing the east west direction.... wrong move.... for a bifacial it would be advisable to have it facing the south with the reflective surface atleast 9 times bigger than the solar plate so as to actually be able to test the reflective output from any side as the sun moves along . If you have the panel facing the east you're going to have the shadow of the panel itself for half the day right behind the panel and for the other half the upper face of the panel will have the shadow and you'll make only half the power from the underside.... logic......
Could you flip the PANEL completely OVER
with the BACK on TOP toward the SUN on the SHATTERED Panel
...
It might be interesting
COOP
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As in flip it over and test as a "bifacial"? Sure could!
@@AveRage_Joe
I've never seen a Bi-Facial
with the BACK toward the SUN
to see what FULL Sun
on it's BUTT would produce
...
COOP
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yeah, i'm also wondering if these bifacial panels can generate the same power on both sides, and if mounting it with the wrong side up makes a difference.
if yes you can have them mounted perpendicular and have mirrors bounce light onto both sides.
Test the other side of the shattered panel?
Have you considered selling the cracked panel as used? 😅
Id sell it as Brand New... cause it IS LOL😎😆
What bout just testing the second/rear face ? just to test both cracked nd healthy ..
As in cover the sun facing side to see how much the under side makes(both front and rear side)? I could that!
Solar blankets are cheap and shiney. Try those.
Yes Sirr! I know I have one around here somewhere!🤠
What does the shattered panel do upsidedown
As far as I remembrer this panel is done to be put strait right, not 27 ich °, but 90°
Next test reverse panel
Plexiglass with mirror tint applied.
You probably need to test with both a white tarp and a black tarp to compare.
Over panel.
Helping a neighbor with his system and he can’t figure out why he’s not getting the full wattage 😂
A cloud passing by ruins everything.
How many blue sky days do you get?
They are rated at perfect conditions.
I only use used panels and you will never get what you think you will.
Over panel 😊
YES will be over paneling for sure due to all the trees....plus clouds😆
Mirror or GTFO!!!
I kid, I kid! I have always been curious about exactly this, especially with snow. Not that in Aus we see any, but for places with clear skies and snow, I can see it being a big deal in winter.
If I can find a cheap mirror Ill get one😆
Who thought the basement was awesome! 🌴 here 😂
🤭
put the panel close to the road leave the tarp where it is.
should have flipped the shattered panel over, with the intact back facing the sun
half the panel is dead. so the other side don't work at full capacity.
@@CotyRiddle okay, but the other side isnt shattered. so depending on the bifaciality and how much light was getting blocked by the shattered, would be interesting to see the numbers.
This is why you should do this same test in the winter on a cloudy sky with no specific direction of sun. Biracial panels will make the most (percentage) difference on this kind of day when the extra power is needed most. The reflection method this guy used was kind of weak, the reflective material area should ideally be 6-8 times the surface area of the panel at the elevated height he was using. Doing this test in the summer when light source is highly directional (point source) will be less effective than on winter day with no directional light source (shadowless).
th-cam.com/video/PL17WVBvT4c/w-d-xo.htmlsi=tSrojk51-vxjPda7
Pannel needs a clean too, dusty as. hehehe
Why don't you cover the top completely? That would give you what the back produces as a direct measure.
I didnt really think of that...🙄 I guess I was moar thinking total output. Will change it up in the next video!!🤘