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| Solar Panels, As we know the first thing you need to do is find your electric usage before anything else so you can size an inverter. Is your system going to be solar electric grid tied, or will it be an off grid solar power system or maybe a grid tie with battery backup system. There is an inverter for each and that is the first thing you will need to complete before anything else. Assuming you have your inverter and power usage under control you can move on either to the battery bank and solar charge controller or in the grid tie only system you would go right to the solar panels. Solar panels come in all sizes, shapes, makes and models, with varying voltage as well. One thing all solar panels have in common is they all work better in bright sun and the colder the better. Having all your solar panels the same brand name with like voltage and amp ratings is the way to go. However it don’t always work out that way. Watt: Standard unit rating of module power output (W). Watts = amps X volts. Volt: Standard unit of electrical potential (V) or measure of the strength of an electrical source. Amp: A measure of current (A) or quantity of electricity. Vmp: Maximum available voltage. Voc: Open circuit voltage. An open circuit occurs when contacts, switches or similar devices are open and prevent the flow of current. Used to determine if the solar modules are within the maximum voltage of an inverter. Imp: Maximum available current. Determines maximum current an array can deliver at optimum conditions. Isc: Short circuit current. A short circuit occurs when there is an improper connection that interrupts an electrical circuit. Used to determine appropriate fuse sizes. If you live in the USA you need to find one other term on the solar panels it is the UL listing symbol. This is very importune if you plan to hook your solar power system to your home. You will find a lot of discounted solar panels on the market. Check to make sure it is UL listed. If not no matter how good of a deal you get on them your inspector will never approve your solar power systems. Only thing you could hope to do is have a farm so you can use them to pump water to the fields or to the live stock. Then I am still not sure you would be legal. Maybe you could sell them on E-bay. Or maybe that is where you got them to start with and the same guy is still pushing them at a lower price then you could afford to get under. So ask for the UL listing or make sure you see it on the site before you hand over your cash. I have said many times in the past that it don’t matter how the protons bump in to each other in the solar panels to create DC electric. It don’t even matter what the wafers/cells are made out of. There are just as many ways to mix the water in a mop bucket as there ways to build a wafer and hook them together to make a panel. If you are digging this deep you are looking for information that is just not required. All solar panels cost about the same no matter what they are made out of or how the water was mixed. The middle man will make sure of that if the factory don’t beat him to it. As far as the size of the solar panel or wafer goes it is all about the same. There is not enough difference in the size of one panel to other compared to output to worry with. And most all have about the same hail impact rating and over 100 MPH wind rating. Where you find the difference is in the voltage and amps the solar panel puts out. One helpful thing to keep in mind. You might want to know what is the coldest it will get in your area and what is the hottest it will get in your area. If you need 195 volts just to start your grid tie inverter and it is normally 110 degrees in your area in the summer. You will need extra solar panels because of heat loss. The solar panels and wiring will easily make it to 160 degrees in the summer heat and panels are normally rated at 77 degrees in testing. Solar panels put out less volts when hot and more when cold. Same goes the other way. If the inverter max is 400 volts you will over load it in the winter by putting 400 volts in solar panels on it. The sun shinning bright on the snow on a cold day will improve power out put. |
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Here is a list of terms that is used on most all solar panels.
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A couple more things you should watch for are the free panel con job/scams. I have checked
out a few of these. And then there are the really cheap solar panels. You will find out they
are normally not UL listed which means you can not hook them to a power system in the
United States of America. But the prices are great just can't be used on your home.
Quick note: A solar panel is more then one solar module hooked together which could also
be called a solar array as long as it is a single unit in either case. A solar module is a group
of solar cells hooked together. So a solar module is a solar panel if you wanted to say it is a
solar cell panel. So it is still up to you what you want to call it.
out a few of these. And then there are the really cheap solar panels. You will find out they
are normally not UL listed which means you can not hook them to a power system in the
United States of America. But the prices are great just can't be used on your home.
Quick note: A solar panel is more then one solar module hooked together which could also
be called a solar array as long as it is a single unit in either case. A solar module is a group
of solar cells hooked together. So a solar module is a solar panel if you wanted to say it is a
solar cell panel. So it is still up to you what you want to call it.
05-26-08
