What is Solar panel: Definition and 97 Discussions

A solar panel, or photo-voltaic (PV) module, is an assembly of photo-voltaic cells mounted in a framework for installation. Solar panels use sunlight as a source of energy to generate direct current electricity. A collection of PV modules is called a PV panel, and a system of panels is an array. Arrays of a photovoltaic system supply solar electricity to electrical equipment.

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  1. D

    B Could solar sails be used as turbines for power generation?

    It seems as though two advantages to using a solar sail turbine system instead of solar panels would be (1) the sails may not degrade as quickly as the solar panels, and (2) a sail turbine system may be lighter than a solar panel (and therefore less expensive to launch into orbit). The drawback...
  2. S

    How to measure solar panel voltage using arduino?

    I would like to make the solar system a bit smarter. The challenge is that the voltage is high (up to 351Vdc) and the solar negative is typically 40-70V UNDER the "system ground". "System ground" is shared among battery negative, charger negative, inverter ground and ground cable digged down...
  3. camerart

    Photovoltaic vs. thermal radiator Solar Panel comparison (using a lens)

    Hi, Has anyone experience with photovoltaic solar panels and thermal radiator type solar panels? 1/ How do they compare when both have the same collection area? If the thermal radiator was much smaller than the collection area, and a lens the size of the collection area was used, focused on...
  4. B

    Why Are Solar Panels 21-22% efficient? How can efficiency improved?

    How efficient are solar panels? How can their efficiency improve? Besides their benefits, what are the ecological impacts of solar energy?
  5. T

    Is it possible to run a pond filter using a solar panel?

    Hey is it possible to run a normal pond filter of a solar panel my pond is placed at the top of my garden and there's lots of sun around the pond i already have solar panel water fountain in there running with solar lighting to. The pond is to far away from the house to run cables down and I am...
  6. The Baron

    I Can we calculate the efficiency and output of solar panels on an electron level?

    Okay, so i have an idea involving solar panels, and how to improve their effectiveness. But to verify it I need to know how to calculate the solar panel efficiency, without knowing the solar panel outut. or how to calculate the solar panel output on an electron level. Meaning not regular solar...
  7. T

    Coverage of energy required for this Solar Panel Farm in Wales

    Hello guys, I am designing a 1052 kwh solar farm with 2844 panels in Wales. These panels have to supply energy to a train station but I get minors coverage of the energy required if I do the following calculation which is based on the average sunshine of hours per month. What do you think about...
  8. phyduck

    Chemical/Paint Removal of broken glass from solar panel

    I'm looking to find a way to remove tempered glass that has been shattered from solar panels to make them viable once again. I have no idea what kind of adhesive is used here, but I imagine it is some sort of epoxy. I've tried to peel it off with a pressure washer at the car wash to no avail...
  9. N

    Temperature of a Solar panel in space

    Consider two 1 square meter marble slabs each of mass 1 kg floating in space facing the sun such that light from the sun incident perpendicularly on the flat faces. At equilibrium, power received from the sun 'PS' equals the power being lost in the form of radiation 'PR'. PS = PR (at...
  10. Tone L

    Running a Raspberry Pi with a Solar Panel

    The objective: Determine the daily power draw of a Raspberry Pi (Watts per Day) and determine the average daily power generation of a solar panel. Will energy generated be greater than energy drawn? Lets begin, I have a 9 Watt, 18 Volt solar panel. This solar panel is charging a sealed lead...
  11. H

    Electronics Portable Solar panel system to run a small computer fan

    Hi all. Recently I purchased two portable USB solar panels, which are rated at 5 watts each. They both came with a 'battery bank' consisting of a single battery all running on 5 volts. I also purchased a 5 volt USB computer fan. My question is; can plug all these things in together so that...
  12. davidhe96

    Heat transfer problem for cooling a solar panel

    I am currently trying to solve a problem for my dissertation. Help would be greatly appreciated. :) A silicon solar panel of area 1m^2 is being warmed by the sun. It achieves a constant temperature of 80 degrees celcius. I am trying to cool this panel which is constantly being provided solar...
  13. J

    Solar Panel Ratings: 100W Pmax, 17.2V Vmp, 5.81A Imp

    Solar Panel Ratings Maximum power (Pmax): 100W Voltage at Pmax (Vmp):17.2V Current at Pmax (Imp): 5.81A When I measured volts and amps this is correct. When it is connected to 12 volt battery I get 13 volts and 3.5 Amps when it is charging under Ohm's law this would be 45.5 watt are my meters...
  14. B

    I Solar panel angle to the Sun

    Moved into a house with some solar panels facing due south and some facing due west. Our latitude is 33.8 North in California. We are in the Mojave desert with very little cloud cover. The angle of the roof is 22 degrees from horizontal. What is the equation that will accept the azimuth and...
  15. J

    LED to come on with battery power when it's too dark for the solar panel

    I am trying to get relay to come on when it gets dark outside this works with one LED and 600 ohm resistor but it does not seem to turn on relay I get 20 ma draw when applying 12 volts to coil it seems you need transistor or SCR to to turn on relay. Relay I think was from a TV it's only 1/2" X...
  16. RAD2

    Solar Panel Output in Isle of Eigg, Scotland

    Homework Statement I have data for global irradiance on a fixed plane, diffuse irradiance on a fixed plane, global clear sky irradiance on a fixed plane, direct normal irradiance and clear sky direct normal irradiance. I need to calculate the solar power output but I don't know which irradiance...
  17. A

    Moving objects on water (floating solar panel)

    Dear all member, Im alan, and i need some help,,, Did you guys know about floating solar panel? So, I am going to make a product that will float and can support the solar panel (20kg). And know I am in the calculation stage, so i need to know, that my product can : 1. Float 2. How much weight...
  18. E

    Calculating Solar Panel Area Needed for a 1MW Power Output

    Homework Statement Hello everyone, I'm working on a (simplified) Mars energy model in which I need to calculate the area of land I need to cover in solar panels in order to achieve an particular power output. Say the land I'm looking at receives a constant solar irradiance of 100W/m^2 from...
  19. J

    What's that diode in a solar panel for?

    Solar panels come with a diode like in diagram A what does this accomplish as I always hook them up like in diagram B
  20. J

    Solar panel wires shorted togather

    I have a solar panel rated 20 volts and 6 amps power comes in on 4 12 gauge copper wires 2 for ground and 2 for positive and it is 50 feet long if positive and negative are shorted togather will the wire get warm?
  21. S

    Attaching fins behind a solar panel

    We want to increase the efficiency of our solar panels at home by decreasing their temperatures. Is there an equation that would help us calculate the distance between each fin and how many fins we should install? And an equation to calculate the suitable shape of fin to be using? And should...
  22. F

    Solar Panel Project: Will it Work?

    Hey! So I'm building raspberry pi & camera powered buy a solar panel system to make a automatic timeline of a constructing site (It needs to work for about ~9months). The rasp only needs to be on a few minutes a day to take a picture or really small video (max 1min). So this is my plan...
  23. H

    Solar Panel - Voltage and Current from Spectral Radiance

    Homework Statement i)A beam of light at wavelength 600nm, with spectral width of 4nm and spectral radiance of 1300 Wm-2μm-1, illuminates an area of 10cm2 . What is the voltage this beam could generate if converted to energy? ii) What current could this beam produce? iii) How would the current...
  24. pug

    Small solar panel large toy car

    I am working on building a solar powered toy car for my own edification. The problem I have is that I do not have enough power to start and continue the dc motor(s). I could add a bigger solar panel but I am trying to think of a way that the solar panel could simply collect the energy, store...
  25. S

    Self-cleaning solar panel in a desert

    I am making a self cooling & self cleaning solar. I have already finished the cooling part by attaching fins from the back of the solar. Now, I am going to clean the solar using compressed air system. I am going to attach a 35 in tube from one of the sides of the solar and has a diameter of...
  26. D

    Solar Panel Voltage Boost Troubleshooting

    Hello, I Have built a 50w solar panel that gives an output of ~ 9.2v @ 5-6 amps during a good day. This is not enough to charge a 12v battery. To get around this, I am trying to use a DC-DC boost converter (specifications are below) and it is set to give an output voltage of 13.5v. The only...
  27. D

    Solar tracking system for solar panel

    Hi everyone i am working on a solar tracking system for a.solar panel that i made wheighting about 30kg , i was wondering where to start looking for books where they may give examples of.such devices with mechanisms and control theory or if.by any chance you have knowledge on the subject and...
  28. W

    Solar Panel System Troubleshooting - Charging Battery

    Have built a small solar panel system to power some garden LED lights. However, I am having trouble with charging the battery. Lights work for 1 night then off for 2-3 days. System is: 20w solar panel, 12v 30a pwm solar charge controller, 12v 18ah battery powering 6x3w LED Cree lights with...
  29. Clancy John

    Charging a capacitor using a 4V solar panel

    Will a 4V solar panel connected to a 100V rated capacitor stop charging the cap at 4V or will the cap keep pulling ad infinitum? Seems like the capacitor has no knowledge of the notion "I am full so stop drawing current" else they would not get destroyed if the solar panel was 500V instead. I...
  30. X

    Power Inverter + Solar Panel: Run DVR 24/7?

    hi i wonder be able to help me i got a 150w solar panel , and a 20a charge controller and two marine http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252019284625?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT i want to run the dvr box which is using around 12v 5a i want it to be on 24/7 do i have enough...
  31. TMECLT

    Programs What Major Is Best For My Future?

    I know that when I get out of school I want to help develop solar roadways, bike paths, and parking lots. Potentially even help with the efficiency rate of solar panels. However, I'm currently a mechanical engineering student with a concentration in energy. The only way to get a concentration in...
  32. C

    Dc power loss over a distance of a house?

    Project : a solar panel powered LED light (with built-in storage battery) with the house facing north (in Canada). Story : The kit is bought at Costco. The solar panel is small (but it provided a 20 ft cable) and separate from the battery and light. The light (motion and light activated) is...
  33. G

    Cut Mini Solar Cell? | Physics Forums

    Hey physics forums Do you know if you can cut this mono crystalline solar cell in half: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ISVLPN4/?tag=pfamazon01-20
  34. JetLife

    How to calculate torque on a shaft [solar panel]?

    < Mentor Note -- thread moved to HH from the technical engineering forums, so no HH Template is shown > I'm busy designing a solar panel mount for a 300W solar panel, roughly 2m x 1m in size and 30kg in mass. I would like to know how to calculate the torque on the shaft (situated in the centre...
  35. Matthew Titus

    Engineering Torque calculation to determine motor size

    < Mentor Note -- thread moved to HH from the technical engineering forums, so no HH Template is shown > Hi guy's this is my first post so forgive me if i leave anything out. I'm designing a solar tracking device that needs to be mounted on a roof and i need help calculating the torque required...
  36. Simon Hauser

    Very tricky Solar-Module Disconnecting Problem

    My non-ee boss gave me a design assignment I'm not sure is physically possible. I work at a solar panel manufacturing company. He wants me to essentially add a device to the mc4 connectors between modules which would allow disconnecting each module in a string from one another. He wants this...
  37. S

    Can reflected light help generate electricity with a solar panel?

    Can we use a mirror to reflect sun's light on a solar panel and generate electricity?
  38. 2

    Engineering Question about dc to ac circuits in solar panels?

    Homework Statement It can be shown that a square wave can be represented by a sum of sine waves as given by the formula below v = v0sinωot + v1sinω1t + v2sinω2t + v3sinω3t +... Solar cells have an output that is dc. The pd across a cell depends on the incident radiation and the efficiency of...
  39. D

    Solar Panel that you can see through?

    can you tell me if it is possible to make a solar panel that will let some light through and still capture the wavelength that makes electricity? or better yet see through.
  40. S

    Silicon: The Key to Solar Panel Efficiency & Why Carbon Isn't Used

    How does the crystalline structure of silicon make it useful in solar panels? Why is carbon not used?
  41. H

    Solar panel and regenerative braking system

    Homework Statement For my ongoing project, I'm thinking of using Solar panels and Regenerative braking system as two main sources to charge the batteries that will run the motor and in turn the accessories of the car. Homework Equations I've to think of how can the above sources increase the...
  42. J

    Calculating Current from Solar Panel Voltage

    Is there a way to determine the amount of current that can be drawn from a solar panel based on the voltage? Say you have a 100 Watt solar panel. If you measure 24 volts and then later 20 volts can you say anything about the current being produced? P = IV but if there is no load...
  43. D

    Can I run this with a solar panel?

    So I built an "air conditioner" that runs with a 6 inch personal fan that you can see here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005OOJNZ0/?tag=pfamazon01-20 I want it to run 100% off the grid, meaning not plugging into my house. I planned on plugging it directly into a solar panel but when I was...
  44. L

    Can I Power a LED Strip with a Solar Panel?

    Hey Guys, I have no background or experience in electrical engineering. I have not been able to find any information regarding the wiring application I am trying to achieve. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Is it possible to do the following; I want to run a 6 inch LED strip that is...
  45. J

    Connecting 12V Solar Panel to 12V Battery: Should I?

    I'm working on a project where I charge a 12 volt battery with a 12 volt solar panel. Links for the battery and solar panels are below. My question is how I should connect the two. The main thing I can find is that I don't want the solar panel draining the battery. I plan to put a diode from the...
  46. C

    One Way mirror solar panel sphere.

    I saw a previous thread on this forum that asked about the practical usage of a one way sphere ball and after reading through it I've come to terms with an idea that uses such an object in a very efficient manor. If you take your one way mirror sphere and wire solar panels on the interior of...
  47. Artlav

    Charging a capacitor with solar panel?

    A solar panel have a certain voltage at which it produces the most power. Below this voltage it's a current source - giving about the same current all the way down to short circuit. Right? On the other hand, a capacitor sucks up as much current as is available (ignoring ESR), slowly...
  48. Artlav

    Solar panel aging and other weird behaviour

    Given: a ~3W monocrystalline solar panel, originally from a panel+battery+light pack from early 90s, spent a decade in a box, then a decade on the roof under the sun and elements, unconnected to anything. I wanted to finally put it to some use. The circuit is straightforward - the panel...
  49. V

    Need help making a solar panel AA battery charger

    Hi, I'm working on a project to build a solar powered AA battery charger. This is definitely not my profession, I only have a small understanding of electrical engineering. Mostly from what I learned in high school electrical class. Here is what I'm looking to do: I want to charge 16 AA...
  50. F

    Power output of a solar panel if a complete row of cell is shadowed

    Homework Statement I have to analyse the power output of a solar panel using a basic electrical engineering circuit analysis of a solar module if a complete row of solar cells in it is shadowed (For example, such shading might be caused by dust that slides down the surface of inclined panels.)...
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