Solar Panels for Residential Use
The most critical part of any home solar power system is the residential solar panels. They are at the heart of any solar power system and actually convert the sunlight to electricity. Many of these residential solar panels look similar, however there are a lot of differences and there are a number of things that should be considered before you choose which panel to use for your home. If you’re interested in building your own solar panel, visit GreenDIYEnergy Reviews.
The construction and efiiciency of modern solar panels is quite a bit better than what was available in the past. Because of these advances, any homeowner will be better off with newer panels than they would have been even a few years ago. Although there have been quite a few improvements, there are also many differences in solar panels and choosing a model of panel must be based on how much electricity you wish to produce and your budget.
First of all, you need to consider how much output voltage the system you are building needs. Residential solar panels have several standard voltage levels and you need to choose with one to use for your system. This choice concerning voltage level will have an impact on which solar panels you use as well as which power inverter you select. While more expensive, higher voltage panels have some advantages like less power loss in long wire runs. Home solar panels will usually output power at 12, 24 or 48 volts, though there are some panels that are even higher. It is generally best to select panels with the highest voltage level that your budget will allow.
Voltage will also dictate whichsolar system charge controller you use.
Another difference between different types of panels is efficiency. There can be as much as 10% difference in conversion efficiency between different panels, even though the panels may look the same. From a given level of sunlight, 10% higher efficiency will mean a huge difference in the amount of electricity produced. The difference in the amount of power that will be generated over the life of the panels is really huge. Greater efficiency also means you will need fewer panels to produce the same amount of electricity and you will need less space for panels as well. It is important to look at the efficiency rating and again select the one with the highest efficiency that you can afford. Getting a better quality panel now, even if you have to spend more money, will pay you back many times over during the lifespan of the panel.
Another consideration is some of the specialty panels being produced now. One type of newer panel combines both electric and thermal solar into a single panel. This type of panel can be used for both hot water and electricity.This kind of panel can produce both electricity and hot water at the same time. You will get the most efficient use of roof space with these panels and also get double the benefit.
Solar panels that include a micro inverter are another newer development. A micro inverter is a small power inverter built right into the solar panel. A power inverter converts the DC electricity from a solar panel or battery into the AC power that your appliances need. The typical configuration is to the have all of the panels and batteries feed a single, larger power inverter than does the conversion for the whole system. With a micro inverter in each solar panel, you can build up your system slowly rather than having to pay up-front for a larger power inverter to support all the panels you will eventually buy. This means you can build your solar system up little-by-little, but still get the benefit of AC power from the system at every step. Higher voltage AC electricity coming from the panels also means less power loss in the wires. If you’re interested in micro inverters, there is an in-depth article at Solar Micro Inverter.
