Faq Running Solar Power At Your Home
FAQ Running Solar Power At Your Home
FAQ Running Solar Power At Your Home
What can I do with the power?
Well, before you ask that question, you really need to know the answer to this one:
What sort of power is it?
In case you didnt know, solar panels dont generate what we call mains electricity.
Mains is 230 Volts AC (117 Volts in the USA), while solar panels generate about 12 Volts DC.
AC/DC thats a heavy metal band isnt it?
Er, yes, but theyre not the same without Bon Scott are they? AC stands for
Alternating Current and DC stands for Direct Current. The important differences are that the voltage of an AC source can be changed by using a transformer, whilst DC cant. On the other hand DC can charge a battery whilst AC cant. Thats why mains is always AC and car electrical systems are always DC.
So I cant make solar power into mains with a transformer?
No, you need something called an inverter. But you can charge a battery.
Im on the mains. Cant I have solar power then?
Of course you can, dont worry. You can connect solar panels to the mains using a synchronous inverter, and sell the extra power to the electricity company. The government may even give you a grant for doing it.
Whats a synchronous inverter?
Its an electronic device that turns DC into AC and matches it to the incoming mains.
Then, when there is extra power, it turns your meter backwards.
Ill have one, where do I get it?
Dont ask me, I do self-contained systems remember? Have a look at my links page to find specialists who can tell you more. Ask me another question.
So what if Im not on the mains?
You might not live in the middle of nowhere but that still doesnt mean you can get the mains. You might need power for a caravan or boat, or a holiday home overseas.
Maybe your garage is the other side of the main road and you cant bury a cable. The questions are the same.
What if its not sunny?
I reckon you know the answer by now. Charge a battery, thats what. Then, when the suns not shining or you need more power than the solar panels are producing it can come from the battery. If you do it right, during the day the battery will charge up again.
But I want mains, not battery power, dont I?
I dont know, do you? You can get a lot of 12 Volt appliances now, so you might not need mains. Truck accessory people and the like sell them. Have a look at my recommended products and links for more information. If you really do need 230 Volts AC you can use an inverter.
Thats the thing that sells electricity isnt it?
Thats a synchronous inverter, this is a bit different. Instead of being connected to the solar panels, a stand-alone inverter is connected to the battery. It does the same sort of thing except it generates its own mains power. Solar power answers has a page all about inverters.
So, a solar panel, a car battery and one of these inverter things then?
If you like, but it wont work very well or for very long. You see, there probably
wont be the right amount of power, and the battery wont last very long. To
understand more, let me show you how to design a solar power system.
by: Yoni Levy
How Do I Design A Solar Power System? The Search For New Document Collaboration Software The New Neck Travel Pillow Giving Style, Practicality And Design A New Name: Travel Wheelchairs Five Must See Places Of Natural Beauty In New Zealand Experience The New Zealand Buy A New Cell Phone Battery Is A Lithium-ion, Then 3 To 5 Times ENGLISH BULLDOG PUPPIES SEEKING NEW HOME FOR ADOPTION ONLY TO CARING HOMES Obama Met With New Orleans Saints And Said The Nfl Jerseys Super Bowl Champion Significant Home Cleaning Advice For New Parents The Benefits Of The New Training Legitimate Debt Relief - How New Laws Are Great News For Consumers Deep in Debt 4 Simple Energy Savings Tips Anyone Can Do