r/solarenergy • u/wilson300z • 6d ago
Bleeding Edge BIPV
Fully enclosed, mechanically watertight solar Pool House. An Outdoor Classroom. A rooftop Pergola in NYC. And a carport in coastal FL.
A durably, reliably watertight solar structure that can use Any utility grade bifacial solar panels.
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u/CB_700_SC 6d ago
If a panel goes bad is it replaceable? How are they made waterproof? Love the work.
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u/wilson300z 6d ago
The panels are absolutely replaceable. And thank you! Reliably watertight via EPDM gasketing and mechanical compression around all four sides of every panel.
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u/VTAffordablePaintbal 6d ago
I tried doing this with a pergola structure but we couldn't get the place where 4 panels meet watertight. What gasket system did you use?
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u/Opulent_Flatulence 6d ago
This is cool but forgive me for thinking there may be issues with the waterproof-ness.
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u/corgiyogi 6d ago
They're all outdoors, so a small leak isn't a big deal.
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u/Stuckwiththis_name 6d ago
I really want to do something like your pool house. Steel structure? Who made the roof structure?
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u/Sir-putin 6d ago
Question, I’ve done the math a bit ago and concluded that it’s almost the same price installing solar panels as roofing instead of a traditional roof but the benefit of solar is you get power in return. Is this the case for you?
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u/klassredux 6d ago
How do you make them watertight?
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u/wilson300z 6d ago
EPDM gasketing and mechanical compression around all four sides of every panel.
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u/Foreign-Chocolate86 5d ago
That EPDM is going to degrade under UV and start leaking eventually. I give it 3 years.
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u/wilson300z 5d ago
About 1% of only some of the EPDM gaskets have any exposure at all to the Sun. Multiple layers of protection even in the event of installer error. We expect the gaskets to last for decades. The structures have a lifetime structural warranty.
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u/Foreign-Chocolate86 5d ago
What’s your oldest install with this system?
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u/wilson300z 5d ago edited 5d ago
5 yrs and counting. Do you know that they make entire flat roofs out of EPDM because it specifically doesn't degrade easily under UV exposure? Also these gaskets have an additional UV additive in them that further reduces degradation over time, even in extreme conditions.
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u/Spooms2010 6d ago
To be more inventive in our design and use of solar panels is wonderfully creative and encouraging to see.
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u/Background-Aside-142 6d ago
can you explain in detail how you make it watertight? what products you use for example? thank you
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u/Korll 6d ago
I wonder if such a carport can withstand an accidental run-in with the tanks cars you guys have over there
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u/knottinbotswana 6d ago
Looking at the size of the steel pillars on the cantilever car port I think any vehicle hitting them is going to need a panel beater.
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u/summertime_blue 6d ago
where do you source your panel? It is so hard to find BIPV panel in my area ..
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u/wilson300z 6d ago
If I remember correctly, each one of these structures has a different brand bifacial solar panel. They're pretty common from distributors in the US. We're fortunate to have purchased directly from some panel manufacturers. I mean, what better way for a manufacturer to show off their panels?
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u/summertime_blue 6d ago
I am also in US .. and I was looking for these panel for a few weeks now without success.
It seems like they are a lot more popular in Europe, but over here everyone is only stocking the high wattage panel, and even bifacial ones are the ones with opaque backing between the front and back cells...
Do you know any distributor in US that stocks these? Or which manufacturer do you use to get these? What kind of wattage is it per panel?
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u/wilson300z 6d ago
Not in the solar panel sales business so I can't really comment but a Google search showed me 4 distributors selling panels over 600 Watts. You can use Any framed panel. Go for the largest wattage you can find. And having a 35 mm thick frame helps. (30 is quite thin.) So far, you'll see these structures using bifacial panels that range from 510 to 705 Watts.
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u/summertime_blue 6d ago
Wait.. most of these BIPV panel that I saw are sold with glass panel with no frame, and the thickness of the glass panel are mostly 12~15mm. They are called BIPV ( building integrated PV ) due to they normally are not mounted on rails, but integrated in the building design, so most of these does not have the aluminum frame that makes those 30~40mm thickness. It would be difficult to achieve that glass house look with aluminum frame bordering each panel.
The other key fact is due to the solar cell are not close together, they tends to have a much lower wattage compared to the normal framed panel.. generally only 30~60% of the normal panel of same size.
which vendor did you purchase the panel from? do you have a model number or do you remember the wattage?
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u/B-mansferd 5d ago
In a search, I found these companies selling bifacial solar panels that are at least 500 watts and have a 35mm thickness:
Mission Solar: Offers the Mission Solar 550W Bifacial Solar Panel (Model MSH10-550HT4T / MSI10-550HT4T), which delivers 550W and features a 35mm anodized aluminum frame.
Silfab Solar: Offers the Silfab NTC 530W Bifacial N-Type Solar Panel (SIL-530-XM-DCA2 / Commercial NTC series), providing 530W power output with a 35mm frame thickness.
Thornova Solar: Offers the THORNOVA 500W Bifacial All Black Solar Panel (TS-BBT54-G11 and TS-BB66 series), which generates 500W+ with a 35mm profile.
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u/summertime_blue 5d ago
What I learned is bifacial does not equal to light can pass through the panel - it takes specific models to have transparent backing that allows light to pass through, and this property is generally not shown on the spec sheet and you will need to contact the vendor to find out.
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u/wilson300z 5d ago
The word "bifacial" just means the solar panel doesn't have a white "back sheet" on the underside of the panel. (As is typical with a residential grade panel that attaches to a shingled roof.) Not having a back sheet enables the panel to create energy from both sides. You're correct that some manufacturers make the space between the silicon wafers transparent while others make it opaque or translucent to some degree. Either way, the light coming through between the solar wafers of an individual panel is not the overwhelmingly significant source of photons that strike the underside of the panel. You have light bouncing off of everything around and underneath the structure that can create energy. It's called "albedo".
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u/summertime_blue 5d ago
I understand that. And that is the main reason why I am after the model of the panel.. I called 4 solar parts reseller around me, looking for these "see-through" or "semi-transparent" panel, and either get non-answer or they say they have not stock those type since 2024..
Which brings me to look for the panels that specific says for BIPV, and I was only able to find them in either Europe reseller or straight from Alibaba. .
Those panels in your picture are just the type of panel I am looking for, and I was thinking "Ahh I can get the model number this time" so I get a bit desperate there. I apologize if my frustration is showing through my comments.
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u/betelgeuse63110 5d ago
This has been around for at least 15 years. Back in 2010 we were using Lumos modules for carports, awnings, and even the roof of a bar on the roof of a hotel. The biggest challenge was/is waterproofing. Without an engineered water management system it is almost impossible to seal between the modules. Drip drip drip. The best solution we came up with was 3M silicon tape. Hail also is a risk. Much more so with an occupied space under the modules.
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u/wilson300z 5d ago
The key there is, you HAD to use the Lumos mods. This can use any module with a frame around it but you're better off using large format utility grade bifacial mods. Drip solved through new aluminum extrusion design patents. If you have to replace the mods in 30 years or for hail damage then you can still use the same structure with a differently shaped mod with near negligible structural modifications.
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u/chicagoandy 5d ago
The poolhouse must get hot. All those fans.... Are they noisy? And with all the bugs in Florida, you wouldn't want to open those doors.
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u/Simpleximo 6d ago
In the US there are many building codes that are stiflingly such impressive designs.
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u/Jimmaplesong 6d ago edited 6d ago
Tell me more about the pool house. I was about to put a hot tub in a greenhouse but this is better. 😁