polycarbonate vs. acrylic glass vs. glass panel

[Dellyjoe]

hello everyone this might be a silly question, but it is what is stopping me from buying my glass for my solar panels so i would like a answer so i can get to work.


I went out to look for glass for my solar penal and i came across that polycarbonate blocks out UV rays from the sun which idk if that means less sun light that will hit the solar cells.
if this is so then i will not buy polycarbonate but if not then i really think i should.

i will go with acrylic as a back up unless someone else has a better idea.


And last quesion if you made your own solar panels what glass did you use, and where did you get it from.

Thanks,

Joe

[Mike90250]

Plain glass also blocks UV too. But that's not the issue with plastics.
micro scratches, crazing and water vapor are the plastics issues.

[Dellyjoe]

Plain glass also blocks UV too. But that's not the issue with plastics.
micro scratches, crazing and water vapor are the plastics issues.

i mean what would you go for, plastic or like some type of glass.

[inetdog]

i mean what would you go for, plastic or like some type of glass.

Glass, unless there is an overriding cost or weight reason. Or you know the panels will be attacked by eagles dropping rocks.

UV will not hurt the panels, so absorbing it is neither a plus nor a minus. And the heat will be the same since absorbing the UV in the plastic or in the panel will still produce heat in the same place.

[russ]

glass for sure

[Mike90250]

glass has higher thermal conductivity than plastics, so the innards will be cooler.

[Dellyjoe]

glass has higher thermal conductivity than plastics, so the innards will be cooler.

Ok I will look into the best place to buy glass at . Thank you all for all the information you have given me I have much to learn

[russ]

Ok I will look into the best place to buy glass at . Thank you all for all the information you have given me I have much to learn

We all have much to learn about something!