# night time solar



## Ravima (30 Apr 2011)

is it possible to generate hot water, via solar panels, at  night? if it is, why don't everyone have the system?


----------



## ajapale (30 Apr 2011)

This weird question was posted here last year: 

It proved to be to difficult to moderate so it was deleted.

aj
moderator


----------



## DGOBS (1 May 2011)

lol, always wondered where that post went!

gave me a great chuckle

like when Paddy decided to fly to the sun, went at night to avoid the heat


----------



## SparkRite (1 May 2011)

Ravima said:


> is it possible to generate hot water, via solar panels, at  night? if it is, why don't everyone have the system?



AFAIK in theory it is!

Any light (energy) that can be collected can be converted to heat or any other form but obviously at night less energy is available to be collected.

So therefore the outlay (in harnessing the energy) probably far outweighs the returns.


----------



## DGOBS (1 May 2011)

light energy, from the moon,stars and street lights!

would any heat exchanger not be in reverse order?


----------



## Ravima (1 May 2011)

Given how hard it is to understand, I can understand how hard it was to moderate!


----------



## DGOBS (1 May 2011)

As far as I can see the only thing 'real' about night-time solar, is about technology being developed to STORE the solar power gathered in DAYTIME hours to release it at night time


----------



## colm5 (1 May 2011)

Ravima said:


> is it possible to generate hot water, via solar panels, at night? if it is, why don't everyone have the system?


 
In short, no, not in Ireland. In very hot counteries it may be possible to continue to absorb thermal energy during the night.


----------



## DGOBS (2 May 2011)

AS outdoor temp here would mean a loss at the panel not a gain


----------

