Residential Solar Panels

Learn How To Install Residential Solar Panels And Beat Rising Energy Costs

admin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 04:13:45 +0000

There has never been a better time to acquire residential solar panels. They will allow you to guard against the ever rising costs of electricity while at the same time helping the environment by utilizing a clean, renewable power source rather than burning fossil fuels and polluting the environment to generate electricity.

This article is going to briefly go over what is involved in the installation process so that you know what to expect if you decide to install a system of your own.

Before the installation begins, you need to start by getting any necessary permits. If you are having your system professionally installed, your contractor may get the permits for you. If your contractor does not get the permits or if you are going to do the project yourself, you will need to contact the proper government agencies for securing building permits in your area.

Once you have taken care of the permits, you will need to do a site evaluation to determine the best location for your solar panels. More often than not, the panels for home solar power systems are placed on the roof of the house but it is also possible to place the panels on freestanding structures built specifically for your photovoltaic system.

If those solar energy panels are installed on the roof, you want to make sure that your roof is in good condition so that you will not have to remove the panels to repair the roof at some point in the future.

Next, you’ll want to determine the optimal position for the inverter. The inverter should be situated in a place that will maximize its useful lifespan, taking into consideration wire resistance but also making sure it is placed somewhere with easy access for future maintenance.

Measurements of your roof would then be taken to optimize placement of your solar panels. You will then have to locate the rafters so that you can secure the rails that will hold the panels in place. The rails are secured with lag bolts and then a sealant is used to prevent water from penetrating your roof through the bolt holes. After the rails are located, the panels are clamped into place. Then, wires are run from the panels, through the attic and to the inverter where the DC power from the photovoltaic cells is converted into AC power to run your household appliances.

There are a lot of steps involved in the installation of residential solar panels but it is not terribly complicated and it is a job that the do-it-yourselfer can tackle. Doing the job yourself is also a great way to save money on the installation so that you can recoup your investment and start enjoying free electricity as soon as possible.

The Installing and Mounting Solar Panels Guide is the third guide in the GreenDIYenergy course.

Here, you will learn the basics of PV solar panel installation. This helpful guide will take you through the process of obtaining city permits to installation of the solar panels to then hooking up to the electrical panel.

Technorati Tags: home solar power system, home solar power systems, inverter, Residential solar panels, solar energy, solar panels

Solar Energy Panels – 5 Ways To Get Solar Smart It is no longer in doubt that solar energy panels...

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Solar Energy Panels – 5 Ways To Get Solar Smart

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 14:15:55 +0000

It is no longer in doubt that solar energy panels provide a clean source of energy that is far more desirable for the environment than traditional sources of energy. You hear a lot about them these days but how much do you really know about them. Perhaps, this may help a little.

What are they?

To capture and use the energy provided by the sun, you need solar energy panels. They are the devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity. A solar panel itself consists of a collection of multiple solar energy collectors, called solar cells, which are covered by a sheet of glass for protection. These cells are made specifically to capture sunlight and generate electricity. For that reason, they are sometimes called photovoltaic cells from the Greek word photo meaning light and voltaic taken from the name of Alessandro Volta, the electricity pioneer.

Each solar cell on its own only produces a few volts of electricity. Therefore, several are connected together to form a solar panel because then those cells can work together to provide enough electricity to be useful in powering, for example, domestic appliances and lighting.

How do they actually work?

Here are the basics. Once the energy from the sun has been trapped by an array of solar energy panels, usually on your roof, this energy is turned into DC (Direct Current) electricity. The DC electricity is then sent to an inverter which converts it to AC (Alternative Current) power making it suitable for use in the home.

Are they noisy?

The panels do not create any noise whatsoever because there are no moving parts. There is a barely noticeable noise (not unlike that of a computer “buzz” when it’s running) produced by the cooling fan of the inverter. However, this fan is usually installed inside a cupboard or garage, so this would hardly be a major concern to anyone.

Can You Expand Later?

This very much depends on the amount of roof space you have and the capacity of the inverter. If there is enough spare roof space, then you obviously can add additional panels to suit your needs. In Australia, this is not a problem as most people have more than they need in terms of roof area.

With the inverter, you need to know how many panels it can handle. For instance, in Australia the inverter for the entry-level 1.5 KW home solar power system has a 2 KW rating. This means that you can probably add 3 more panels to the original 6-8 panels before having to replace the inverter.

That said, it’s far better to invest in a bigger inverter to start with as this will allow you the freedom to increase the number of solar panels in your array later.

Is Your Roof Suitable?

A flat or a low-pitched roof (below 10 degrees) should not deter you from going solar. Nowadays, you can install a frame which will give a 30 degree pitch or thereabouts to the panels. This will cost more but well worth it when you consider that you will have better performance from the panels, thus potentially resulting in even bigger electricity savings.

In Australia, solar energy panels work best when they face north. It’s claimed that you would only lose 25% efficiency even if your roof is in an east to west direction. This is an area where you would need to exercise caution and investigate thoroughly before making a commitment whether you live in Australia, U.S.A., Europe or anywhere else in the world.

A third possible problem with the roof is shading. Shading, even partial shading could reduce the efficiency of the solar panels’ output.

So, hopefully, you now have a better idea of what solar energy panels are, how they work and whether they would be right for you.

Click on this link to discover how you can easily build your own solar panels with the GreenDIYenergy Guide.

Technorati Tags: home solar power system, inverter, photovoltaic cells, solar cells, solar energy, Solar Energy Panels, solar panels

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The Pros and Cons of Home Solar Power Systems

admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 00:56:43 +0000

Home solar power systems are a major investment and, with any significant investment it is important, to weigh the pros and cons before spending your money. So let’s start with the bad news first: what are the drawbacks of installing a photovoltaic system?

The cons

The major drawback is the initial cost to purchase your system and have it installed. Getting set up with home solar power systems that provide enough electricity to power your entire home is going to cost $25,000 on the low end and could go up significantly from there.

Another drawback is the efficiency of today’s photovoltaic cells. Home solar power systems are only able to convert about 30% to 35% of the sunlight they collect into electricity. The technology is improving and new solar panels are able to absorb multiple wavelengths of light, greatly increasing their efficiency but there is still a long way to go.

Another obvious problem is that, in some geographic locations or on cloudy days, you will not be generating much electricity.

The cost of home solar power systems and their efficiency are both things that are improving. As time goes by, the prices will come down and the efficiency will increase so, in time, these drawbacks will no longer exist but let’s take a look at the good points of the systems that are available today.

The pros

The number one benefit to solar power is that it is a clean, renewable source of electricity. Enough sunlight contacts the earth every day that, if we were able to capture it all, one day of sunlight would provide enough electricity to power our entire planet for a whole year. Obviously we cannot capture all of the sun’s energy but it is a nearly limitless supply and, as the efficiency of photovoltaic systems improves, we will be able to make better use of it.

Being clean and renewable means that we can generate electricity without adding to global warming, air pollution, or relying on a limited supply of fossil fuels that will eventually run out.

Another benefit is that home solar power systems are an investment that will pay for themselves over time. Although it can be expensive to get started with a solar set up, you will be able to eliminate your electricity bills and eventually recoup the money you spend to set up the system, at which point you will have free electricity for a long time to come. A home solar power system is also likely to cause an increase in the resale value of your home and, hence, increase the equity therein as well.

Technorati Tags: home solar, home solar power systems, photovoltaic cells, photovoltaic system

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