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How Home Solar Energy Units Operate. Moving To Greener Power. (Part 2)
Becoming knowledgeable in the electrical technical terms is an important step when considering purchasing or renting a solar energy system for your home. You should feel comfortable talking with solar industry experts about your home solar options. In this article, we will dive into understanding the language of residential solar electric systems.
Thinking about doing your part to clean up your part of the environment. You may have thought about upgrading to solar generated electricity. If you do so, you are moving a step closer towards energy freedom when you start using residential solar power.
To better understand solar electric systems and how they work, you first need to understand the technical components making up a residential solar energy system.
New solar rental services are emerging that offer solar power in new and simple ways. These new solar equipment rentals offer system wide efficiency and control and make a home’s electric service more responsive, more reliable, and more renewable.
The remainder of this article will explain and further define many of the common components making up home solar energy system.
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels
The primary components of a home solar system are the Solar (PV) panels. These panels utilize solar cells to convert sunlight directly into home electricity. A group of solar cells hooked together make a solar panel. A single solar panel can produce 250 watts (w) of electricity when the sun is shining at maximum capacity. The panels then route power through an inverter where a controller determines how to distribute the power throughout your home.
Solar Energy Controller and Inverter
The controller is the device that monitors and manages the distribution of electricity produced by a residential solar energy system. The solar systems features go even further by managing and maintaining the transfer of solar power between your home, the photovoltaic (PV) panels, and the energy company in your area. Often these controllers also have the ability to manage secondary storage through the use of batteries for more flexibility and control.
Coupled with the controller is the brains of the operation; the inverter. An inverter is in essence an electronic circuit that converts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). An inverter allows the 12 or 24 volt DC power produced from solar panels to supply AC power to operate all of the electrical needs around your house.
Solar Array Mounting and Connection Components
Connection components are made up of electrical wiring and the rail mounting structure. Several solar panels are arranged into a grid, secured by a rail mounting device, and connected together to make a solar (PV) array. Electrical wiring is needed to connect the solar panels to the controller, then to your meter box, and then to your utility company via the existing electricity grid. Little additional solar energy equipment is needed, other than the panels, controller and inverters, wiring, and the roof mounting system.
The mounting rail is another simple structure that secures your solar (PV) array to your roof with the little need to drill holes through your singles. It is designed with maximum strength and allows for easy assembly of the solar array.
Rental Options for Residential Solar Energy Systems
Homeowners now have the ability to generate electricity right at home in safe, simple, and environmentally conscious way. Residential solar energy systems convert sunlight (i.e. photons) directly into usable home electricity. Residential solar energy systems, now offered to homeowners on a rental basis, provide a new source of reliable electricity and they enhance electric services without expensive investments in solar purchases.
In another part to this article series, we will further define and explain more aspects of residential solar energy systems, power, and options for your home. We will explain in common terms how to measure the power of the sun. One objection often voiced by homeowners researching home solar power relates to the quality of the sunlight.
Is too cloudy? Is it too foggy? How does snow effect solar cell output? We will show how to calculate your sunlight hours and to determine if your part of the country gets adequate sunlight hours to have a solar system make sense.