The desire to harness solar power is growing rapidly due to rising electricity prices, increasing pollution and decreasing supplies of fossil fuels. However, few people understand the concept of a complete solar power systems. Most information only focuses on DIY or commercial solar panels and does not include all that is required to make a functioning system. This article will explain the four components that make up a complete solar power systems. If you decide to switch to solar power, this article will help you understand what you are getting into.
Solar Panels
A solar panel consists of three main parts: a housing unit and solar cells. Most housing units are made with aluminum frames and a solid backing. This can be made from a variety of materials. A glass or Plexiglas front cover is also used. As moisture and warping can cause damage, the housing unit should be sturdy, ridged, and waterproof. A number of solar cells are mounted on the backing. Solar panels typically have 36 cells. However, this can vary depending on the output desired and the voltage of the cells. These solar cells are usually made from silicon. The sun hits the silicon, and electrons are released. This creates an electric current. The wiring system then sends this current through the panel and eventually out of it. Tabbing wire is the wiring system for the solar panel. This is a long, flat wire that is soldered to each panel cell. It allows current to flow through the cells. A blocking diode is also part of the wiring system for solar panels. It is a tiny but very important device that prevents current from traveling backwards into the solar panel. Home: www.mbt-energy.com
Storage Devices
Solar panels don't generate enough electricity to power devices in real time. They also do not produce any electricity once the sun sets. This problem can be solved by using batteries as a power storage device. It is important to know that batteries are 12 volts. This fact determines the voltage output of most solar panels. The second important piece of information regarding solar power systems' batteries is that they must be deep cycle batteries. Deep cycle batteries are designed to be fully charged and then completely depleted over and over. This is what you would do with standard automotive batteries. One battery will not be enough to power most systems so it is necessary to wire several batteries together. A battery bank is a group of batteries connected together.
Charge controllers
An array of fully functional solar panels can produce huge amounts of electricity every day. However, sometimes our batteries become fully charged and they can be damaged if they are given a constant supply of electricity. Installing a device that measures the battery bank's charge and uses that information to control the energy they receive is essential. This device is known as a charge controller.
Power Inverter
The power inverter is the final piece of a complete system. Battery banks are 12-volt systems, as mentioned earlier. They also use what is known as a direct current system or, short for, a DC system. On the other hand, appliances in a home use 120-volt alternating current (or AC) systems. We must convert the 12-volt DC energy from our batteries into 120-volt AC energy in order to use it to power our appliances. Get more info about ground PV system.
It's all in the end
You will need more than the solar panels that produce electricity to power your home. To store your energy, you'll need a charger controller to control your power and an inverter that converts your power into something you can use. Without any of these components, your system will not work. Thank you for reading and best wishes with your home improvements.
