Solar Panel Water Drain Clips Explained: Why, Types & How-to

The efficiency of solar panels is one key element to determine the competitiveness of solar energy in the renewable energy or broader energy sector. Beyond creating higher efficient products, maintaining the efficiency of these panels along their life cycle is vital to generate promising results.

Among the many means, using solar panel water drain clips is a straightforward but effective approach that contributes to the operational efficiency and longevity of solar panels.

This article will walk you through these magic accessories!

Context of the Invention

In most c-Si-based solar panels, the metal frame plays an important role by providing structural support, protecting against moisture, facilitating heat dissipation, and ensuring easy installation with mounting system, among others.

However, the edges of the metal frame are usually slightly raised above the surface of the solar panel as a result of the structure design, forming small ridges. This, in turn, can hinder the smooth moving away of any external substances such as water, dirt and snow. 

If these substances are not removed promptly, they will at least accumulate along the lower edge and induce a negative impact on the panel. This situation is even more pronounced if the panel is installed at a small tilting angle due to the consequently poorer drainage.

First off, the accumulated substances can cause the hotspot effect on the panel. Plus, stagnant water or snow not only leads to corrosion but also provides an ideal environment for mold and mildew growth, which can negatively impact both the panel and the roofing materials. Moreover, in colder climates, accumulated water can freeze and create ice dams, which can also cause damage.

Such situations ultimately result in poor efficiency and electrical performance, as well as reduced longevity of the panel.

What Is the Solar Panel Water Drain Clip?

Solar panel water drain clips, also referred to as solar panel water diversion systems, are specialized accessories designed to facilitate drainage, prevent water pooling and the accumulation of dirt and debris after the water has evaporated.

These drain clips are typically made from durable, weather-resistant materials like UV-resistant plastics, stainless steel or aluminum alloy, ensuring they can endure harsh outdoor conditions.

By allowing water to drain efficiently, these clips help to prevent water damage, maintain excellent performance and production and extend the lifespan of solar panels, and reduce the risk of slippery surfaces around solar installations.

How to Install Solar Water Drain Clips?

To install solar water drain clips, first, you should examine your solar panels to identify areas where water tends to stagnate. This generally occurs along the lower edges of the panels.

Then obtain the appropriate water drain clips for your solar panel thicknesses (the measurements of the metal frames). These clips are designed to fit common thicknesses such as 30mm, 35mm and 40mm.

Please position the clips at the edges of the panels where water accumulation is most noticeable. Remember to securely attach the clips to ensure they stay in place during rain or cleaning processes.

After installing the clips, it is recommended to pour water over the panels to test the effectiveness of the drain clips. You should notice that water drains more quickly from areas with clips than from areas without.

Why These Clips Can Facilitate Drainage?

You might be wondering from the beginning: how do these drain clips efficiently channel water from the panel surfaces, then cross over the edge ridges and finally down below the panels—all without the use of a motor?!

The mechanism of solar panel water drain clips is built upon two key principles: surface tension and capillary action.

The former is the cohesive force between liquid molecules at the surface of a liquid, which causes the surface of the liquid to behave like a stretched elastic membrane. In brief, this force can lead to droplets forming on panel surfaces.

On the other hand, capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the assistance of external forces, which occurs due to the adhesive force between the liquid and the surrounding material, as well as the cohesive forces between the liquid molecules themselves.

In fact, these two principles are interrelated.

Solar water drain clips are designed with specific narrow channels or grooves that disrupt the water surface tension and utilize capillary action to help draw water away from solar panels.

Leveraging these principles, drain clip manufacturers are also committed to optimizing the curvature, design and material of drain clips to facilitate quicker drainage, minimizing water accumulation on panel surfaces.

However, it is important to acknowledge that there are instances where water cannot be effectively drained from the panel surfaces due to higher-than-average edge ridges, which impede the ability of surface tension and capillary action to draw the water away.

Drain Clip Materials & Drainage Efficiencies

As previously mentioned, capillary action enables water to flow in narrow spaces partly due to the adhesive force between the water and the surrounding material. This force is closely related to the hydrophilicity of the material.

The hydrophilicity levels can vary greatly between different materials.

Some materials do not exhibit hydrophilic properties in their natural forms, but they can still be hydrophilic when they undergo specific surface treatment.

In other words, under the same design and configurations, solar panel water drain clips made with materials of high hydrophilicity can draw water away more quickly and efficiently.

In practical use, stainless steel solar water drain clips and aluminum alloy solar water drain clips tend to have higher drainage efficiencies compared to the plastic counterparts.

The choice of clip materials finally depends on a combined assessment of cost, project climate conditions, panel specs and setups, and water pooling status.

In Conclusion

Solar panel water drain clips are user-friendly, straightforward and effective accessories suitable for residential, commercial and industrial solar projects. They are designed to prevent water pooling on panel surfaces, thereby enhancing both the operational efficiency and lifespan of the panels.

Although they seem like a hassle-free solution during maintenance, regular inspection and cleaning are still a must to ensure a fine panel surface for optimal energy conversion.