Panel Top Covers

[MikePower]

Should a panels case be a glass top or can it be an acrylic or plexi glass? What is the difference?

[Jason]

Hi Mike and welcome to Solar Panel Talk. Your best bet would be using plexiglass. This will protect the fragile solar cells from the weather.

You could use glass if you wanted to, but glass is fragile and hail storms or flying debris could break it.

[MikePower]

Thanks-

I was just wonder if the UV stabilizers in plexi glass would interfere with certain lights to be properly absorbed.

[Jason]

the uv stabilized plexiglas will actually benefit you. it helps protect the plastic from degrading in sunlight and turning yellow. it also protects the solar cells from the same. you could use acrylic as well. it is cheaper but not as tough or protective as the polycarbonate uv stablized plexi.

[MarineLiner]

Thanks a lot. Those explanations really enrich my knowledge and of course the vocabulary too.

[cindynsg]

I heard recently that Plexiglas will warp from daily heating and cooling. I was advised against using it. Has anyone else heard of this?

[Mike90250]

That's what I've thought. They use polycarbonate for greenhouse glazing now. And none of the plastics are secure against water vapor getting in. Seems it always get's in, but never leaves.

[cindynsg]

Many people have recommended I uses quarter inch tempered glass. It almost never hails here. but I wonder If glass that thick would reflect alot of light.

[Mike90250]

Many people have recommended I uses quarter inch tempered glass. It almost never hails here. but I wonder If glass that thick would reflect alot of light.

The outer edges are what reflect the light, the thickness is what absorbs it, reducing light to the PV. PV mfg's use low iron glass (no green tint looking at the edges) and anti-reflection coatings to get the best performance out of their panels.

[Vern2]

What luck! I had 2 PV panels on an RV. One of them sustained a hole the size of my index finger. It did not penetrate. I suspect a 45 caliber. I did remove that one. Later sold the RV.

[Chris @ EcoFasten Solar]

What luck! I had 2 PV panels on an RV. One of them sustained a hole the size of my index finger. It did not penetrate. I suspect a 45 caliber. I did remove that one. Later sold the RV.

Off-topic tangent post:
Curiousity has got the best of me Vern- why do you think it was a firearm? I would think that a .45 of almost any flavor, be it handgun cartridge or rifle cartridge, would easily go through any panel out there without losing much, if any, of its velocity.

[DeltaFox 25]

Hello everyone,
I have three solar panels with glass and I have two with plexiglass. They seem to be holding up real good for now. It's has been about 5 months out side so far. I have to wait for the rainy season still.

. A new way to build solar panels

[DeltaFox 25]

I have three solar panels with glass and two with plexiglass and they have been holding up real good.

.

[Vern2]

How did I know it was a .45?

The panel that was hit was glass, then a sticky substance then the module. The 1/2" hole took the the glass out down to the sticky substance. It was just a guess on my part. .45 cal is ammo I reload. It was just a falling piece of lead.

Vern
--------------
Home projects:

[DeltaFox 25]

I'm sorry to here of you troubles with your solar panels . I think thats real bad.If it was soneone that did this he must be real stupid.