Solar Panel Frame Question-White or Black

[JMCFAN]

Going to mount my solar panels on a plywood and 2x4 frame. Going to seal the plywood with sealer and paint.. for best heat transfer to the panel should I paint white or black....????

[huenix]

Assuming you are talking only about the frame and not about any part of the heater itself, it really wont make much difference, but you should make it white. The reason for this is that the lighter the color, the more heat is reflected back, and you want that heat reflected. However, now that I said that, it really is not going to make much difference. The solar tubes are black to absorb heat via radiation, which in turn is passed to the water through conduction and convection. Any additional heat reflected off the frame onto the black is minimal.

[JMCFAN]

Yea I was just talking about the plywood back. I sealed it with a primer/sealer which is white so I should be good to go. Was thinking maybe if I painted it black I would get a liitle more heat....but in thinking actually the black plywood would absord ther heat...and not reflect it back like the white would.....right?

[matt4x4]

White or Silver, remember that your solar panels heat up throughout - meaning they would also be warm on the bottom where the heat could easily transfer through to the plywood - especially if the plyw. is black, therefore you want to reflect that heat back into the panel.