Solar

Basic components of a solar system

With the electricity costs and demand rising over the edge, most people are turning to a clean renewable, reliable and eco-friendly source of energy – Solar. Let’s look at some of the basic components that make a solar system and their importance.

Solar Panels

Solar panels, also referred to as photo voltaic panels, are built from a large number of individual solar cells, also called photo-voltaic cells. The greater the number of solar cells, the more effective the solar panel functionality. The main thing to know about solar panels is that they absorb the sunlight and convert it into power that can be used for many different applications (street lighting, heating systems, machine installations, charging of phones, cameras, signage and many other energy driven devices)..Solar panels are the most noticeable component of a residential solar electric system. The solar panels are installed outside the home, typically on the roof and convert sunlight into electricity. Solar panels are given output ratings in watts. This rating is the maximum produced by the panel under ideal conditions.

Solar Inverter

Solar panels and batteries produce DC (direct current) power. Standard home appliances use AC (alternating current). An inverter converts the DC power produced by the solar panels and batteries to the AC power required by appliances.

Solar Battery

Solar power systems produce electricity during the daytime, when the sun is shining. These solar batteries (deep discharge batteries) are a key component in a renewable energy system. Solar batteries require energy storage produced by a , a solar panel which will be connected to the utility grid. Solar batteries are very useful if you want to use an independent electricity network or in case of a power failure. Your home demands electricity at night and on cloudy days – when the sun isn’t shining. To offset this mismatch, batteries can be added to the system.

Solar Charge Controller

The solar charge controller – also known as charge regulator – maintains the proper charging voltage for system batteries. Batteries can be overcharged, if fed continuous voltage. The charge controller regulates the voltage, preventing overcharging and allowing charging when required.