Switching to solar power for home is advantageous for your budget and the environment. Today, it isn’t just multinational corporations looking at going solar, even households are installing a solar panel for home and experiencing the benefits. Once installed, solar panels work independently and require minimal maintenance. That said, you need to pay attention when you set up your solar power system. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Choose The Right Type Of Solar Panel
There are many different types of solar panels. Traditionally, the choice was between monocrystalline solar panels and polycrystalline solar panels. The first is made from a single silicon wafer while the latter is made from shards arrange together to form a solar cell. Monocrystalline panels are more efficient and long lasting but they are a little more expensive. Today, technology has gone a step further with PERC solar panels. These panels are designed to increase the amount of solar energy harnessed by the cells and hence are more efficient.
Know The Difference Between A Grid-Connected And Off-Grid System
One of the concerns people have about going solar is where to source power from during the monsoon or winter months. If you face a long season without sunlight, you should choose a grid-connected system. This allows you to share extra solar power in exchange for credits that will be used when you need to draw power from the main grid. On the other hand, if sunlight is available abundantly, you could set up an off-grid system wherein, your home is completely independent of the main grid. In such cases, you cans tore power in batteries as a backup.
Find The Right Installation Site
Apart from technology, the efficiency of solar panels is influenced by where they are installed. Ideally, they should be placed in a spot where they get unobstructed sunlight through the day. There should be no tall trees or other structures that obstruct the sunlight. You will also need to look at the angle of installation. A solar panel for home cannot be simply laid flat on the roof. The angle of installation is determined by the latitudinal and longitudinal position of your home. You may be unable to determine this on your own and hence should speak to a professional for the same.
Use A Charge Controller
The panels, an inverter and a battery are the basic requirements for a solar power system. In addition, you should also use a charge controller. This is a device that keeps power flowing in a single direction. Without it, once the battery is charged, power may start flowing backwards from the inverter to the panels. This is a waste of power. The charge controller keeps this from happening and ensures that power only flows outwards from the solar panels.
Anyone can set up a solar panel for home – you may be living in a large bungalow or an apartment. It may seem like a high initial cost but the system will soon pay for itself. What’s more, you know you’ve significantly cut down on your carbon footprint and done your bit to make the world cleaner.