What causes hot spots on solar panels?

Hot spots, one of the most common issues with solar systems, occur when areas on a solar panel become overloaded and reach high temperatures relative to the rest of the panel. When current flows through solar cells, any resistance within the cells converts this current into heat losses.

What happens if a solar panel gets hot?

The higher the number and severity of hot spots, the greater the impact on the panel’s overall performance. Continuous exposure to hot spots can cause physical damage to solar cells, leading to permanent degradation and reduced panel lifespan. Excessive heat can cause cell delamination, solder joint failure, or even cell cracking.

What happens if a solar panel is shaded?

Shading on a solar panel can cause certain cells to become inactive, resulting in poor power output and increased resistance. These shaded cells can create hot spots as they become reverse-biased and start dissipating energy in the form of heat.

How do you detect hot spots on solar panels?

Hot spots can be easily identified by capturing temperature variations across the panel’s surface. Electroluminescence imaging is another technique that captures images in the dark, highlighting potential areas of concern, including hot spots. Implementing thermal sensors or data analytics systems allows for real-time monitoring of solar panels.

Do solar panels have a hotspot effect?

The dissipation of power from the good cells to the poor cells is called reverse bias, which ultimately leads to overheating. This creates a hotspot effect. Hotspots can lead to major consequences. To begin with, hotspots on solar panels will bring down your power output. The difference in the generation might not stand out in the short run.

Can you see a hotspot on a solar panel?

Sometimes hotspots appear as brown spots or noticeable damage on the surface of the panels. But most of the time, hotspots are not visible to the naked eye. But if you cannot see it, it doesn’t mean that it’s not there! The best way to detect hotspots is through thermography, which highlights the overheated spots.