EEVblog 1630 - Solar Panels for Water Pre-Heating?

[EEVblog]

Is it worthwhile to run water through your solar panels to cool them down while pre-heating your hot water? Also solar air and water heaters.
Answering a Twitter question:
https://x.com/axion2003/status/1812740667367460971

As always, YMMV.

[nctnico]

Looks complicated indeed. I have been wondering about installing a water mist system (which basically are a few plastic pipes which run under the panels) to cool the panels using tap water and up the production of the panels on a hot day. It could make a difference of 50W per panel.

[EEVblog]

Looks complicated indeed. I have been wondering about installing a water mist system (which basically are a few plastic pipes which run under the panels) to cool the panels using tap water and up the production of the panels on a hot day. It could make a difference of 50W per panel.

Cheaper and simpler to just install a few more panels to compensate?
Bonus in that you get more output on cooler days.
K.I.S.S

[nctnico]

Looks complicated indeed. I have been wondering about installing a water mist system (which basically are a few plastic pipes which run under the panels) to cool the panels using tap water and up the production of the panels on a hot day. It could make a difference of 50W per panel.

Cheaper and simpler to just install a few more panels to compensate?
Bonus in that you get more output on cooler days.
K.I.S.S

That only works if you have space left on the roof. An advantage of a misting system could be that the interior of the house doesn't get so warm so the AC has less work to do. But I didn't run any numbers on the amount of water (cost) is needed.

[BarrowBoy]

Lack of roof space....bifacial solar modules?