eli5: Does casting rays through magnifying lens on the solar panels have any positive or negative affect?

Question

Considering panels can withstand the high levels of heat and energy. Does this have any affect on the time required to charge?

In: 10

Answer 1

As u/jnskjnn said, if you use the magnifier to collect light from an area larger than the solar panel, you can increase its output … IF the unmagnified panel is operating below its capacity.

Solar panels–which include not only the photovoltaic material but the electronics to make the electricity they produce consumable–are designed to optimize electrical output for normal conditions at the Earth’s surface, where solar irradiance maxes out at approximately 1000 to 1100 W/m². If an unmagnified panel is already operating at 100% of its energy production capacity, dumping additional solar energy onto it isn’t going to produce more electricity.