Solar panel hood mount

[dwh]

Pretty sure the cells in the semi-flex also have the cupping problem.

Glare...most solar has an anti-reflective coating to keep too many photons from bouncing off. Glare should be somewhat less than normal glass.

 

[Paddy]

As long as they don't delaminate they won't cup from weather. It's an aluminum sheet remember?

Here's the ones I got

http://m.ebay.com/itm/50W-Poly-Semi...%3Ab10a18e215d0aa48e5aba131ffff3424%7Ciid%3A2

 

[rruff]

As long as they don't delaminate they won't cup from weather. It's an aluminum sheet remember?

I haven't found a sensible explanation of why this happens. AM Solar people claimed that insubstantial face sheets were to blame. I don't know if the cells are rigidly bonded to the backing. Still, aluminum backing seems like a better choice. If you use a few pieces of tape to install them, there will be a small air gap, and aluminum has low emissivity (low radiation), which will minimize heat transfer from the hood to panel.

The part I'm more concerned about is scratches from rocks kicked up and hail. A rigid panel with a glass face would be better in that respect.

 

[Paddy]

I suppose although rocks kicked up usually hit the windshield more than hood I'd say but hail that I can't speak to. We don't get enormous hail here so we are lucky that way.

 

[rruff]

That's true about the rocks. They'd be at a glancing angle on the hood, but probably still enough to scratch plastic. No idea how much it would matter though.

Definitely some advantages to having a very thin panel that conforms to the hood. Even if they don't last so long, panels are pretty cheap in the grand scheme of things.

 

[inthedirtagain]

Hey, you could tilt the hood for better solar tracking, too! No?

 

[rruff]

Gotta pair of 50w semi flex panels that I'm hood mounting. These new breed of panel makes it very easy to mount of curves and they are strong and very thin. Tested today and they produced 2.75a ea in the sun.

How are you liking them?