DIY Solar Panels...What kind of glass?

[themaxx69]

Well as far as ebay here, there are only 2 sellers I am looking at, and they have thousands of positive feedback, so I'm not worried about that. But like I was saying about sunelec.com prices, if I want a 5kw system that I know the panels are going to last basically forever, I'd buy from there instead of building dozens of panels using glass of thick polycarbonate and only saving a small percentage. I'll probably just build some to use recreationally and for emergency use. Probably around 1-2kw.

[dfowensby]

wonderful info!

stumbled onto this thread googling for glass info for building a drain-back waterheater system i'm researching. thanks much--life just got easier!

[Dellyjoe]

Plexiglas transmits 92% of visible light and over 10 years in the harshest sunlight will lose about 2% - which you can't really detect with your own eyeballs.

Sounds like a pretty big efficiency loss!

so sun just a recap you would spend more money on polycaronate glass b/c you will not lose as much power, is 10 % really that much if you are talking 100 dollars or so more for glass??

just a question i hope im not like sounding like im yelling or anything.

[tjames]

I guess I'll bump this thread. Looking to price a lotta glass

[russ]

I guess I'll bump this thread. Looking to price a lotta glass

Start calling your local dealers

[tjames]

Thanks Russ- I guess I was just picking up from the OP question: What glass is best, or rather most reasonable?

Super-exotic glass (Ruby or something?) doesn't seem to be justifiable due to high cost

Tempered

Thickness? Assuming tempered, would one shoot for 1/8" thick total? Too thin?

Iron-Free seems universally desired.

Textured on front for less reflection / more penetration? I guess this has been independently verified hundreds of times that it's much better than flat floated glass?

[russ]

Tempered if you want panels to last past the first hail storm then yes

Thickness? Assuming tempered, would one shoot for 1/8" thick total? Too thin? too thin

Iron-Free seems universally desired. less light loss

Textured on front for less reflection / more penetration? I guess this has been independently verified hundreds of times that it's much better than flat floated glass?

textured surface? What commercial mfg uses that?

[tjames]

Someone deleted my post?