The Different Components of a Solar Power System

The Different Components of a Solar Power System

In this article, I am going to?discuss what each part of a solar power system does, and what role the?piece plays in the system. ?You?don't need every part in every solar project, but every?piece handles a particular job. ?A typical solar power system?generates electricity, stores the electricity using batteries to be used later and?then converts the Direct Current electricity from the batteries to the same kind of?AC electricity that comes out of the wall sockets in your house.

Solar Power Panels

Solar panels generate electricity using energy from the sun. ?Sunlight, in the form of photons, strikes the panel, which knocks loose?electrons from a layer of silicon. ?The?electrons are sent through wires and turn into electricity. ?Many solar cells, each of which generates about?1/2 volt are put together to make a single solar panel. ?Any voltage can be generated by putting?together the right number of solar cells. ?You can actually build a solar panel and generate?your own free electricity pretty cheaply and easily. ?

Charge Controller

The solar panels generate power and then send the electricity to a charge?controller, which charges the batteries. The voltage going to the battery needs to be in a certain range - not too high and not too low - and the charge controller makes sure the voltage stays in this?range. In order to make sure that the batteries don't overcharge it also slowly?lowers the power sent to the batteries. The charge controller?will also "top off" the batteries every once in a while after they are fully charged to make sure they stay fully?charged.

Solar Power Batteries

The majority of solar power?systems use 12 volt batteries like you find in your car. ?The most common?type are sealed lead acid. ?this type of battery is?rugged, cheap and easy to find. ?Weight is the only potential downside, but since you aren't going to be moving?the batteries around, it isn't really much of a problem. ?Surplus batteries from places like computer UPS systems can?often be found for very cheap or even free.

Solar Power Inverter

A power inverter converts the 12v Direct Current (DC) electricity from the batteries into 120v?Alternating Current (AC) electricity like what comes out of your wall sockets. ?There are two different kinds of power inverter called Modified Sine Wave (MSW) and True?Sine Wave (TSW). ?There are two kinds: Modified Sine Wave (MSW) and True Sine Wave (TSW). ?MSW?is not as good as TSW because TSW exactly matches the electricity that comes out of the the wall sockets in your?home. ?It is preferable to use TSW over MSW becuase TSW more closely matches the electricy that comes from the?grid. ?TSW inverters cost more than MSW, but it is generally worth it in the long run to pay more for a TSW?inverter.

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