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Frequently Asked Question
A Non-Technical Introduction to Solar
Major Components There are four major components to solar electric systems;
Solar Panels, Charge Controllers, Batteries and Inverters.All of these components
are necessary to have a functioning Solar Electric (PV) system.The solar
panel is the basic building block of the system.This is your battery charger.
If you have several solar modules wired together you have created a solar
array. The size of the solar array determines the amount of power or energy
that will be produced. Your location is also a factor in the amount of energy
produced. If you live in Florida, Southern California, or Texas you will produce
more than if you live in Oregon, Maine or Maryland. In general the closer
to the equator you live your system will produce a larger amount of energy.
Do you want to know how much power can be produced in you area. Check out
our FAQ question "How much power will a solar module produce at my location?"
Charge controllers come in many different sizes and types.They all basically
do the same thing. The charge controller prevents the solar panel or array
from overcharging your battery. Batteries are the energy storage for your
system. Without batteries there is no way to store the energy your solar panels
produce during the day. Typically loads receive their power from batteries
instead of directly from the output of a solar panel. A solar panel produces
a high voltage that will damage electronics if loads are powered directly.
A common application for solar panels directly powering a load is water pumping.
Instead of storing energy you store water. This way you can pump during the
day and have water all night. Batteries will provide you with the energy you
need at night.The last major component is the Inverter. The inverter converts
the DC energy stored in your batteries and turns it into the AC power you
use in your home. Inverters are rated by wattage and the quality of their
output. You can use a 50 watt inverter that plugs into your car 12 volt outlet
to power a computer, or you could have a 4000 to 11,000 watt inverter system
that powers your home. These major components can be put together in many
different ways. Minor components like wire, disconnects,circuit breakers,
and fuses are also needed for a complete system. Now that you know what the
major components are, let me introduce you to you how these different components
are used in systems…….
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Stand Alone or "Cabin" Systems
Solar---Charge Controller---Battery---Inverter---AC Loads
or
Solar---Charge Controller---Battery---DC Loads
A Stand Alone solar system is just as it sounds. It is
not connected to the utility or other types of charging sources.This type
of system is used when utility power is not present and is to costly to bring
in from the nearest pole. If you have a shed set off from the house, a cabin
in the mountains, or a summer home by the lake that is without power this
type of system can often be very cost effective. When compared to bring
in the power lines the initial cost can be less. Some of the pros of this
type of system are: The lack off reliance on the utility. Potential cost
savings. Some of the cons of this type of system are: Even thought there
maybe a cost savings over running utility line, there can be a high initial
cost. You have to know your loads and have the system designed correctly
since you don’t have utility power for backup.
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Utility Tied System
Solar---Inverter---Utility
This system is the newest addition to our site. The system
utilizes an inverter that does not require batteries. During the day, the
power generated is fed back into the utility. If you are producing more power
then you are using your meter can even spin backwards. Due to the simplicity
of the system, it has the lowest cost per watt. The downfall of this system
is that when the utility grid fails the system will shut down.
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Battery Backup System
Utility---Battery Charger---Batteries—Inverter---AC Loads
This is a system that does not involve solar power. This
system utilizing an inverter that has a built in battery charger. It will
charges batteries and hold them at 100% waiting for a power outage or a brownout.
Your critical loads will never see the power outage. Computers, home health
equipment, and lights will continue to operate when the utility grid fails.
This is a system that is great for areas where power is lost for short periods
of time. The limit on this system is the amount of battery capacity that
you have. The larger the batteries the longer your run time will be.
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Utility Tied Battery Backup System with Solar
This system operates on the same principal as the Battery
Backup System. The difference is the addition of solar.The solar is used to
charge your battery bank. When the batteries are full the excess power is
fed back into the grid. In the event of an outage, your critical loads are
powered by the system, and the solar panels continue to charge the batteries.
The benefit of this system is that you have the ability to sell power back
and have the piece of mind that you critical loads will continue to operate.
The drawback is the cost per watt is higher then a Utility Tied System.
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This introduction was featured in out March 2001 Newsletter.
[FAQs]
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